June 9 Bible Reading

Matthew 24

Christ is coming again!  It does the heart good to read a passage like this.  We look around and see evidence of a sinful, fallen world, but we, who are saved, can have hope that Christ will come again, and that these evils are a sign of His approaching return.  We must be steadfast and faithful to Him as we await His arrival.  

Job 17&18

Job cries out, looking for his hope.  He feels as if even his hope has descended to Sheol to dwell with the rest of his possessions and health.  Job is a man in the depths of loss, yet his friends continue to accuse him of deserving this awful misery.  May we be beacons of hope to the darkened hearts of our friends.  The message of Christ is one of forgiveness, and this light is what we are to radiate to the black world we live in.

Genesis 48-50

God is faithful to remember and fulfill His promises, that is something that we, as His followers, should emulate.  Joseph was faithful to take Jacob’s body back to Canaan to be buried like he said he would.  God, too, was faithful to eventually lead the people of Israel back to the promised land.  We must not underestimate the power of keeping one’s word.  It makes a huge impact on your reputation, and demonstrates Christlikeness. 

Jeremiah 4-6

We ought to take warning from the words that God speaks against His chosen people, Israel.  They turned from serving Him to make and worship idols, and mix with their neighboring nations.  The Lord wants for His people to be a beacon in the dark world, but His people were not acting any differently from those around them.  If we are God’s people, He wants us to act like it.  

1Corinthians 15&16

 We have an incredible hope in the resurrection of Christ.  This resurrection confirmed His Deity, and therefore His perfection.  This perfection is what made Him worthy to be a sacrifice for our sins.  He rose and was made anew with a glorified body.  We too have hope that God will wrap us in the immortal flesh of a heavenly substance, and we will be glorified like Christ, and join Him in His inheritance of the heavenly kingdom.

1Samuel 22-24

David was a righteous man.  He listened to the Lord.  Saul, on the other hand, disobeyed God.  God dealt kindly with David because of his obedience, but He did not extend such favor to Saul.  We ought to strive to be after God’s heart.  This beautiful phrase implies that, not only are we like God’s heart, but that we are pursuing it--we are after it.  As a child chases after a kite, we are chasing Christlikeness with a passionate fervor.