May 26 Bible Reading

Matthew 10

Following Jesus is a serious task.  In this chapter we see Jesus call His closest earthly companions.  Believers are also Jesus’s followers.  This is more than merely a choice to follow, it is a choice to obey.  Christ commanded these men to do things, and then He empowered them to accomplish these tasks.  God asks us to accomplish things for His kingdom, and we must trust that He will provide what we need to finish the task.

Psalm 25-27

The prayer of David in Psalm 25 is one that should be on our hearts and minds too.  We should be eager students of God.  As Christians living after the completion of the Bible, we have an incredible window into the heart and mind of God that has not always been available.  We can learn so much about God through His word, and that is a privilege.  David realizes that the Lord is the person able to vindicate him is Psalm 26.  He understands that God has the power to remove sin and cancel its debt.  Our prayer should be one of thanks for God’s dealing with our sins through Christ’s death and resurrection.  In the 27th Psalm, again David reminds us that God is strong and powerful, therefore we can trust in Him and not have to fear.

Genesis 20&21

When God punishes our sin, even when we recognize a sin, we must take care to not repeat it.  After Abraham saw what 21 and his house went through when he told them that Sarah was only his sister, he still did the same thing with Abimelech.  Also, I find it amazing that God preserved Hagar and Ishmael, even though Ishmael would become one of Israel’s greatest enemies.  It goes to show God’s sovereign plan even when we can’t understand it.

Isaiah 28-30

There is a clear pattern that shows that those who turn from God’s commands and worship idols will be judged by Him, and those who obey Him and honor Him will be blessed.  We must watch to be children who honor God with our obedience.  Christ says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Romans 13

Here, we are clearly instructed to submit to authorities.  It may seem hard for 21st century Americans to obey this verse, but we have to realize what the Christian Roman citizens were facing.  There governments dealt far more harshly with them than ours do us.  It is important to have a respect for our leaders and to obey the laws that God has placed us under.  We must be a people described by love.  Without love, Paul later tells us, we are useless.  This was Christ’s greatest commandment for us, that we would love one another.  If we simply followed this one rule, our lives would be much more obedient to God in many areas.

Judges 4-6

God does amazing things in our lives everyday.  Sometimes, we have the opportunity to recognize these things.  When we see God move and work in our life in an awesome way, we should be faithful to praise Him for it.  Not only does God deserve, and through acts like this, unnecessarily deserve these praises, but it also is a testimony to those around us.  I pray that as I see God do things in my life, I will share these things, so that my brothers and sisters in Christ may be encouraged, and those who are not believers will see God’s awesome hand.