June 16 Bible Reading

Mark 3

When Jesus appointed the twelve apostles He gave them the authority to do the things He appointed them to do.  They were not able to do these things with their own power, but with the power He had given them.  We too have been assigned to minister the gospel, but we were never meant to do this by our own power.  We must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish God’s will.

Job 32&33

Elihu is a great example for a young person.  We are told not to be despised for our youth, but also to respect our elders.  Elihu does both of these things well.  Firstly, he is respectful and listens to those who are older than him, but he does not remain silent, but speaks truth and teaches as well.  As a young person, this is a good model.  I should listen, and then speak if need be.

Exodus 14&15

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order that He might receive glory.  Often it can be confusing what God is doing.  It was obviously disheartening to the people of Israel when the Egyptians pursued them.  When we face circumstances that seem wrong, we must remember that God works things so that He will receive glory.  We must trust Him.  We should not grumble and complain as the Israelites did, instead we must have faith in God’s ways being higher than our own.

Jeremiah 25-27

Jeremiah and Uriah provide an excellent comparison.  They both had messages from God that were scary to deliver.  Uriah fled to Egypt while Jeremiah stood firm and prophesied with the prospect of execution.  We ought to strive to be like Jeremiah and not back down from the assignment God has given us.

2Corinthians 9

When we give to God and work for His service, He is looking for a cheerful and thankful heart.  The actual gift and service do not matter as much as the heart behind it.  We must strive to be full of joy as we give to the kingdom of Heaven.

2Samuel 13-15

Absalom is an infamous person from the Bible.  He was hot headed and acted rashly.  It can be easy to see some traits of my own in him.  We must pursue Christlikeness and be patient and levelheaded.  David was focused on God throughout this trying time.  We must be like that.