Month: February 2025

Day 40 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 29:1–30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 8:14-26

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I Am the LORD Their God
This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God. – Exodus 29:42-46

God wanted to dwell among His children. He wanted to be their God. His tabernacle was right at the center of all they did…and yet even so, they kept running back to idols. I think about that personally. The Holy Ghost resides in me, and so He is in the center of all I do and hears all I say; every word I type here goes through His eyes and heart. Are there areas of my life that I allow some of the world to enter in? Am I making idols of things and people right in front of His face? How sad that must make Him.

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I Am the Betrayed
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. – Matthew 26:14-25

What a sad thought that it would have been better had Judas not been born than to betray Jesus. That statement is true of me as well because there was a time that I, too, betrayed Jesus in my life. What would have become of me, had the Holy Ghost not sent some to speak with me and He Himself kept drawing me? What if they hadn’t? It would have been better had I not been born. When we think of that and make it personal, it definitely gives a reason to pause and reflect. Am I serving Jesus instead of serving man through my fear that I let run rampant?

I Am the Bread and the Wine
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. – Matthew 26:26-30 

Jesus and the disciples had gathered together to celebrate the Passover. They were there to remember what God had done for His children years ago. Jesus gave the disciples bread and wine during the Passover meal and commanded them to “do this in remembrance of Him.” He referred to the bread as His body and the wine as His blood. Remembering Jesus through the Lord’s Supper is important, not just because we are commanded to take it and remember. It is important because it took place the night before Jesus was crucified. His body and His blood both poured out for you and for me through His death.

I Am the Shepherd
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. – Matthew 26:31-35 

I Am the Son of Man
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. – Matthew 26:36-46 

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I Am the LORD Who Preserveth
Blessed be the LORD: For he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of My supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the LORD, all ye his saints: For the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, All ye that hope in the LORD. – Psalm 31:21-24

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I Am Wisdom
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom:
I am understanding;
I have strength.
By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice.
By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

I love them that love me;
and those that seek me early shall find me.

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
and my revenue than choice silver.

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;
and I will fill their treasures.

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 
When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

– Proverbs 8:14-27

The Scriptures tell us that of all the things we can seek, wisdom is best. Seek wisdom. If we seek her, she will be found. I made the passage above into a list that looks like a poem, because as I read it, that is how I saw it. A list of all Wisdom is. 

That reminds me of the passage in James about wisdom.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. – James 1:5

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Heavenly Father, I came before You today tired and perplexed about many earthly things. But Lord, I take these moments to focus on You and what You would say to me and teach me. Holy Ghost, help me to hear Your Word to the depths of my heart. Father, I do come before You and ask for wisdom, and I thank You in advance for it because wisdom is promised me just for the asking. I ask for guidance in all that I have to do today. Please put a watch over my mouth and heart. Please help me guard against offense, competition, and all those things that You would consider evil. I don’t want to be rewarded for pride, so help me avoid pride at all costs knowing that it goes before my fall. I don’t want to fall, Jesus. I ask healing for my husband. Touch and open his ear as You created when You formed him. Help us both to be on FIRE for You. Help us to be true to our callings and we will give you the GLORY, HONOR, and PRAISE. In JESUS Name I ask these things. Amen! Amen!

Day 39 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 28:1-43; Matthew 25:31–26:13; Psalm 31:9-18; Proverbs 8:12-13

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As a Shepherd Divideth His Sheep from His Goats
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. – Matthew 25:31-33

Unto Them On His Right – Come, Inherit the Kingdom
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. – Matthew 25:34-40

Unto Them on the Left – Depart Into Everlasting Punishment
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. – Matthew 25:41-46

Not on the Feast Day, Lest There be an Uproar
And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. – Matthew 26:1-5

There Came Unto Him a Woman Having an Alabaster Box
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. – Matthew 26:6-13

The distinction between the sheep and the goats was about who they followed and in this instruction about how they cared for people. This should be a great encouragement for anyone who lives with neglect, abuse, or any other form of suppression. When I care for those, I am caring for Jesus.

Immediately after the passage about the sheep and goats, the religious leaders meet and conspire to kill Jesus. 

And then, at the end of today’s passages, one of the once marginalized women comes and anoints Jesus with oil. Such a beautiful act of gratitude and love. We can make judgments against those that are conspiring or against the disciples for their reaction to the anointing of oil, but we probably should first examine our own heart and make sure that we are not having the same reactions and attitudes toward others. 

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Holy Garments – that He (Aaron) May Minister Unto Me
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. – Exodus 28:2-4

I love how the artisans are said to be “filled with the spirit of Wisdom.” Artistic ability of any kind is a gift from God, as is Wisdom. Expressions of art through things like needlework and sculpting were some of the earliest gifts that we read about in the Bible, and crafts such as these done as unto the Lord or for the Kingdom purposes is using your skills with wisdom. I imagine an artist would do their best work filled with the Holy Ghost? Don’t I do my best work, whether in an occupation or crafting, if I am filled with the Holy Ghost and anointed for that purpose? This passage was a great encouragement to me.

He Shall Bear the Names of the Children of Israel on His Shoulders 
And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. – Exodus 28:9-12

He Shall Bear the Judgment of the Children of Israel On His Heart
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. – Exodus 28:29-30

HOLINESS TO THE Lord Shall Be Always Upon Aaron’s Forehead
And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE Lord. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. – Exodus 28:35-38

The words “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” actually have the same connotation as belonging to the Lord. Set apart for the Lord.

Everyone knows who Aaron is by the words he wears fastened to the front of his turban. They know Who he belongs to. He stands out. If I am part of the royal priesthood (and I am), shouldn’t I stand out too? Shouldn’t everyone know whose I am and what I am about not by Words on my forehead but by the way I live my life?

Anoint, Consecrate, Sanctify Them, that They May Minister Unto Me
And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. – Exodus 28:40-41

Anoint – to rub, sprinkle on, or smear with a liquid; to dedicate to the service of God
Consecrate – to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate
Sanctify – to make holy; set apart as sacred; purify; render legitimate or binding

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My Times are in Thy Hand
But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: Save me for thy mercies’ sake. – Psalm 31:14-16

Let Them Be Silent
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. – Psalms 31:15-18

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Fear of the Lord
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. – Proverbs 8:12-13

Prudence – wise in practical affairs; caution with regard to practical matters.
Arrogancy – offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride.
Froward – willfully contrary; not easily managed

Day 38 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 26:1-27:21; Matthew 25:1-30; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 8:1-11

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Secret Places
And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. – Exodus 26:33

This passage reminds me that because of the price Jesus paid on the cross, there are secret places with the Lord, available to those who seek Him.

Pure Oil
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. – Exodus 27:20

There was a pure oil that burned and brought Light that was to never go out. Oil the symbol of the Holy Ghost. God charges us to remain faithful and diligent to “keep the lamp burning.” As those who are to be reflections of His light (light-bearers), we are only able to do God’s work through the power and strength granted by the Holy Ghost, who lives within and fills them.

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Watch Therefore (Parable – The Ten Virgins)
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. – Matthew 25:1-13

Everyone that Hath Shall Be Given, and He Shall Have in Abundance (Parable – The Talents)
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord’s money. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 25:14-30

Stewardship is important to Jesus. How I handle what He’s given to me matters. The servants who stewarded well received back more and was entrusted with more. We all have a calling in our lives. You have one and I have one. What I do with my calling, my purpose, my life. What I do with my gifts matter. We have been given freedom to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; we have been given the opportunity to reflect Jesus along our way. How are we doing with that? How am I? it matters to the Master.

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Be Thou My Strong Rock
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: Be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. – Psalm 31:1-2

Hesed
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; – Psalms 31:7

David rejoiced in God’s lovingkindness. His Hesed. He has joy because he knows that God has seen his affliction and has known his troubles. God knows our troubles too. Not only because He knows all things, but because He came to earth as a man and lived and endured all the things we endure. He suffered loneliness, rejection, pain, sickness, hunger, abuse, torture, and even death. He experienced the utter sorrow of being cut off from God’s love. But these things happened so that we would have a perfect High Priest who understood our sufferings. Those sufferings brought us to God, that we may live with Him eternally.

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Wisdom is Better than Rubies
For my mouth shall speak truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. – Proverbs 8:7-11

I can desire many things – houses, land, relationships, riches, gifts, easy life, peace. But the best thing I can ever desire is WISDOM. The Word tells me here that nothing compares to it.

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A Few More Thoughts and Prayer
In yesterday’s reading of the Old Testament, God told Moses to come up to the mountain. He was going to give Moses His commandments, laws, and judgments. The Bible says, “that he had written.” Now, I don’t know whether He wrote it out by His hand or said that figuratively as, “I have written,” but then He had Moses write it out, I don’t know. 

Looking at the Scripture today, we are right in the middle of God giving out those laws and judgments. He also gives the details of He wants the Tabernacle built and furnished. There are so many details, and God is particular about His laws and His Tabernacle and everything attached to it. How could anyone ever remember all of these instructions other than for God to have written it down? There is only one other way.

I believe it’s in John 15 that says when the Holy Ghost or the Comforter comes, He will teach us all things, and He will bring all things to our remembrance. ALL THINGS! It could only be God – the Holy Ghost – with Moses that day and in the days to come as he’s teaching all of this to the children of Israel.

It’s incredible to look at all that the Holy Ghost did through Moses. If He could do that then, He can still do it today. What could He do in this world if we yielded to His voice, His presence, and His Word? What if we got ourselves up into the mountain of God for 40 days and 40 nights so that He could speak to us, share His heart with us, and teach us?

In our reading from Proverbs, the writer speaks of wisdom, knowledge, and instruction. These verses say that instruction is better than silver, knowledge better than gold…and wisdom was to be desired more than all the things that could be desired. Nothing we have or want can be compared to Godly wisdom.

Heavenly Father, we come before You today and thank You for Your instruction! We thank You for the details. How You were in all the details of the children of Israel’s lives and how You are in the details of ours. Thank You for caring for our details. I pray God that You give each of us wisdom. I pray God that You give each of us instruction. Please help us to yield to your instruction. I pray God that You give us increasing knowledge. We thank You in advance because we know that this is Your will that we have instruction, knowledge, and wisdom. We love You. Lord. We love You, and we honor You. We lift your name high. Above all other names, Jesus! We lift You high and give You all the glory, honor, and praise. And we ask this and declare this all in Jesus’ holy and precious name.

Day 37 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 23:14-25:40; Matthew 24:29-51; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 7:24-27

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He Shall Send His Angels with A Great Sound of a Trumpet
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. – Matthew 24:29-31

My Words Shall Not Pass Away
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. – Matthew 24:32-35

But of That Day and Hour Knoweth My Father Only
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. – Matthew 24:36-41

Watch Therefore and Be Ye Ready
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. – Matthew 24:42-47

Appoint Him His Portion with the Hypocrites
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 24:48-51

Hypocrite –
1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. 
2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

No one knows when Jesus will return. No one except the Father. It will be as in the days of Noah. No one knew until it was on them. Even Noah did not know, but Noah did know to listen and hearken unto the voice of God. God instructed Noah to get on that ark and take his family and the animals as Noah had to hearken to the voice of God we too have to hearken. We do not need to worry about when the end is coming. We need to work for the Kingdom of God as though it were today and listen and do everything that God instructs us to do.

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In His favour is life
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. – Psalm 30:4-5

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. – Psalms 30:10

Such beautiful promises that his anger endureth but a moment, in His favor is life, and joy cometh in the morning. How do we obtain His favor? Praise Him!!! Remember His holiness!!! Hearken unto His voice!!! Know that even if you are in a season of weeping, it is only a season, and His joy is coming. Ask Him to have mercy and help you in the “night” season, but have faith in what He has promised is coming in “the morning.”

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Hearken – to hear and to give heed or attention to what is said; to listen
Listen – to give pay attention; heed; obey; to wait attentively for a sound
Attend – to take care of; minister to ; devote one’s services to; to wait upon; watch over; to be present at

Hearken to the voice of the angel
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. – Exodus 23:20-22

Many times we are unaware of what God has given us. He gives us His Word. He provides us Pastors and other ministers to guide and direct us. He gives us the Holy Ghost to teach us and comfort and be with us every step of the way. And He gives us angels. In Exodus, God told them that He had given them An Angel. They couldn’t see the angel, but they were to listen and obey his voice.

Of angels, Hebrews 1:14 says, they are ministering spirits sent to serve us (who will inherit salvation).

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

We are never alone. We have Holy Ghost who is always with us. And we have angels to do their assigned work on His behalf and for our good. In Exodus, we learn that the angel of God bears His Name. And so if the Israelites were to hear and heed the voice of His angel, so should we hearken if an angel speaks, and we should always, always hearken to what the Holy Ghost says because that is God Himself speaking.

I Will Send Hornets Before Thee
For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. – Exodus‬ ‭23‬:‭23‬-‭29‬ ‭

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Hearken Unto Him; Attend to His Words
Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. – Proverbs 7:24-25

Over and over in Proverbs, we are told to hearken unto the voice of God and His Word.

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Father, Thank You for Your Word today. Thank You that You give us exactly what and who we need along this path. Thank You that You sent Your Holy Ghost to be with us and that You sent those that would write this very Word that we may hear Your instruction. Thank You that You sent angels to protect and work on our behalf. Father I don’t see the angels, but I have faith that they are there. Sometimes I feel so lonely, but I know I am not alone because the angels and Holy Ghost are in and around. Father, help me truly hearken to Your voice, Your Word, and those You send to speak to me. Help me to wait attentively while working diligently and faithfully for You and Your Kingdom. Lord, would you set me on FIRE for You and the things of You. Would You give me holy zeal to share the Gospel? Would You teach me Your Word and fill me with compassion and seal me into the secret places of prayer as even You sealed Noah into the ark. I love You, Father, and I love Your Son, Jesus. I love Holy Ghost, who is even the One helping me to ask this prayer. Fill me again today Holy Ghost that I may be pleasing and an imitator of Christ. Oh, Holy Ghost, help me reflect Jesus to this lost and dying world. In Jesus Name, I ask and pray. Amen! Amen!

Day 36 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 21:22–23:13; Matthew 24:1-28; Psalm 29:1-11; Proverbs 7:6-23

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The Voice of the LORD
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: The God of glory thundereth: The LORD is upon many waters. 
The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; Yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.
The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: And in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. 
– Psalm 29:3-5, 7-9

The Lord Will Bless His People with Peace
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

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Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth
And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake. – Exodus 21:23-27

The price for hurting widows and orphans
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. – Exodus 22:22-24

Take No Gift
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. – Exodus 23:8

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There Shall Not Be Left Here One Stone
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. – Matthew 24:1-2

Tell Us, When Shall These Things Be?
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? – Matthew 24:3

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WARNINGS FROM MATTHEW 24:4–12

Don’t let anyone deceive you
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Many will come in My Name
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Wars and rumors of wars
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

People will rise up against people; even earth warns us
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

Just the beginning
All these are the beginning of sorrows.

You will be hated for My Name
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

Offense, betrayal, hate are common
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Many false prophets shall deceive
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Sin will be common so love will grow cold
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

PROMISES OF MATTHEW 24:13-14

Promise – endure and you will be saved
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Promise – the Gospel will be preached in ALL the world and THEN the end will come
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” – Matthew 24:4-14

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Stand in the Holy Place
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains: let him which is on the house top not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. – Matthew 24:15-22

There Shall Arise False Christs and False Prophets
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. – Matthew 24:23-28

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Sin promises much but delivers only death
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. – Proverbs 7:21-23

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My Father and my God, I come before You today to thank You for Your Word, Your warnings, and Your promises. Help me to put them within my heart that they may guide and encourage me today and in the days to come. Thank You for sending Your precious Son, Jesus, that I may live eternally with You. Thank You for sending Your Holy Ghost to comfort, guide, and strengthen me. Touch my family with Your healing, and touch me with Your wisdom and divine knowledge. Show Yourself mighty in our nation today. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen! Amen!

Day 35 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 19:16–21:21; Matthew 23:13-39; Psalm 28:1-9; Proverbs 7:1-5

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Keep My Commandments and Live
My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the table of thine heart. – Proverbs 7:1-3

Treasure, honor and share His commands. Keep them. Bind them into everything you do. Love His commandments always. They are the “apple of my eye,” and I have written them on my heart.

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God gives His Law: He is Holy
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. – Exodus 19:16

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. – Exodus 20:18-21

God wants a face-to-face meeting with the Israelites to give them His law. When it is time for the meeting, they become afraid. An up-close encounter with God can be as troubling as it is comforting. God is a holy God, and Israel couldn’t see, feel, hear God, and not be acutely aware that He is altogether perfect and holy, and they were not.

I Am the LORD Thy God
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. – Exodus 20:2-17

He that Stealeth a Man and Selleth Him
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. – Exodus 21:16

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Woe Unto You – For Ye Shut Up the Kingdom of Heaven Against Men
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. – Matthew 23:13

Woe Unto You – Ye Devour Widows’ Houses and for a Pretence Make Long Prayer Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. – Matthew 23:14

Woe Unto You – Ye Compass Sea and Land to Make One Proselyte and When He is Made…
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. – Matthew 23:15

Woe Unto You – Ye Blind Guides
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. – Matthew 23:16-18

For Whether is Greater, the Gift or the Altar that Sactifieth the Gift?
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. – Matthew 23:19-22

Woe Unto You – For Ye Pay Tithe but Omitted the Weightier Matters of the Law
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. – Matthew 23:23-24

Woe Unto You – Cleanse First that Which is Within the Cup
 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. – Matthew 23:25-26

Woe Unto You – Ye Appear Beautiful, but are Within Full of Dead Men’s Bones
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. – Matthew 23:27-28

Woe Unto You – Ye Build the Tombs of the Prophets and Garnish the Sepulchres of the Righteous
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? – Matthew 23:29-33

Behold I Send Prophets, Wise Men, Scribes and Some Ye Shall Kill and Crucify
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. – Matthew 23:34-36

Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem Thou Killest the Prophets and Stonest Them Which are Sent Unto Thee
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. – Matthew 23:37-39

The leaders of Jesus’ day were more concerned with what others thought than faithful obedience to God’s Law. These leaders knew the law and knew it very well. The law (as we read in the passages today from Exodus) was given by a loving God instructing a people who had never lived any way but as slaves. They needed direction and guidance.

Now, in Matthew. Jesus is angry because the religious leaders have taken His law and are now using it to control people rather than to teach them holiness – to be holy, as He is holy. How often do I fall into this same trap? Clean me up, Lord, that I can be holy as You are holy. As a child of God, I ought to desire to be pure and holy rather than to appear so.

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Unto Thee Will I Cry, O LORD
Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. – Psalm 28:1-3

He is My Strength and Shield
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. – Psalms 28:7-9

David learned that God would not fix everything or make everything perfect for him. But, God would give David protection and strength to fight and overcome his trials. I am so thankful that God does the same thing for us. God doesn’t promise to fix every problem we face, but oh yes, He does promise to give us what we need to overcome them.

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Oh Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your Word. Thank You for your instruction and guidance. Thank You that it was given in Love because You are Love. Help me to show that same Love. I want to be Holy as You are Holy, Lord. Please shine Your Light on those things in my cup that needs cleaning. Please help me to cease worrying about the outside of my cup and what others think about that. Help me to focus on You. I love Your Word. Holy Ghost, help me to always treasure, honor, and LOVE it. I cannot do it without You filling me again and again. Father, You are my strength and my shield. I love you, Jesus. My Eternal God, I thank You for sending Your precious Son to pay the ultimate price on the Cross that I can even ask for Your Help and thank You and praise You today. Please help me to hold fast against the trials and temptations that come against me today. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen! Amen!

Day 34 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 17:8-19:15; Matthew 22:34-23:12; Psalms 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35

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Teach me Thy way
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. – Psalm 27:8

Lead Me in a Plain Path
Teach me thy way, O LORD, And lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. – Psalm 27:11

Wait On the LORD
Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. – Psalm 27:14

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Don’t play with fire (sin)
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? – Proverbs 6:27-28

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Then Came Amalek and Fought with Israel
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. – Exodus 17:8-10

Lift their arms
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. – Exodus 17:11-12

Honor the leaders and serve them by holding up their weary hands. Realize that you have no idea all that the Father has placed as assignments in their lives, even as they have no idea the full extent of your call. Honor. They are chosen for the purpose of leading, shepherding, teaching. Honor them.

Jehovah-Nissi
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: for he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. – Exodus 17:13-16

Ye Shall Be a Peculiar Treasure Unto Me
And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. – Exodus 19:3-6

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Which is the Great Commandment in the Law?
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:34-40

If David Then Call Him Lord, How is He His Son?
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. – Matthew 22:41-46

Accept and Give Yourself No Titles
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. – Matthew 23:1-12

Abase – To reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble, degrade

These verses make me pause. They are the Words of Jesus, and as the Psalm today says, they teach and lead on a plain path. They cause me to pause and think on what I allow others to call me. No one calls me Rabbi or Master, but do I ever glory when a title is attached? Do I ever long to be called, as others are called, with titles that exalt in some way. No, that should not be. We all are brothers and sisters. We are all chosen but not chosen because we are better than others. We are chosen for a purpose. We are in this together as the body and God placed us as He desired…brothers and sisters…. and we should leave it at that.

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Heavenly Father, You have told me to seek Your face, and Your face have I sought today. Thank You for your presence and Your Word. Help me today to honor You by exalting You and You alone. Help me not to desire any form of exaltation. Help me honor my leaders and serve them by holding up their hands as Aaron and Hur did for Moses but not placing any tempting and burdensome titles upon them. Help me to avoid the pitfalls of the enemy lest I grab hot coals because they entice me while all the while expecting not to be burned. I ask for discernment today. I ask for wisdom and knowledge. Help me to walk in holy fear that I may avoid those coals. Let all I do today glorify You and honor You. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen! Amen!

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Day 33 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 15:19 – 17:7, Matthew 22:1-33, Psalms 27:1-6; Proverbs 6:20-26

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Today in our Bible reading, we heard the complaints and murmurings of the children of Israel. They didn’t like the struggles of the wilderness and would have given up their freedom and their Promised Land for an easier path.  Truly it is amazing how the Word of God so often a mirror exposing my own heart.

Jesus did the same thing to us through the reading of the New Testament. His stories seem to always become the stories of our lives. 

How many times do we have freedom and we knew  God rescued us, but then things get difficult again? And in difficulty, our hearts are exposed. Things intensify, and it is evident that we too, would trade our gift of  liberty for slavery. We would choose slavery over freedom because slavery might be more comfortable than bondage. It might be easier temporarily, but bondage will kill us in the end.

This is true of the Israelites, but it doesn’t take much time or effort to recognize it also in my own lives.

To live victoriously and free I believe we will have to fight for freedom. The fight is to resist the enemy and learn to trust Him alone. Now, once you are set free things may get harder for a season but even so…nothing can be taken from you. You can give it back to the enemy as the Israelites thought they wanted to do but if you just stand…nothing can be taken. You know WHO you belong to, and you know that He is the Most High God. For eternity, forever,  you will be His child and in fellowship with Him. He is our Promised Land.

But until we know that we know that, we will just keep making circles in the same wilderness, going around and around while God tries to teach us lessons we refuse to learn. Help us, Father!!!

If Thou Wilt Diligently Hearken to the Voice of the Lord…

He Shall Heal Me
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. – Exodus 15:26

And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? – Exodus 16:28

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He Shall Call and Choose Me
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. – Matthew 22:1-7

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. – Matthew 22:8-14

He Shall Instruct and Correct Me
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. – Matthew 22:15-22

The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. – Matthew 22:23-28

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. – Matthew 22:29-33

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He Shall Lead, Keep, and Talk With Me
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: – Proverbs 6:20-23

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He Shall Hide Me
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. – Psalms 27:1, 3, 5

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Oh, eternal Father, help me I pray to learn the lessons I need to learn in this wilderness. Help me to yield that I can draw ever closer to You and my Promised Land. Help me to diligently hearken to Your voice and to be obedient once I hear. Help me to focus only on You and the abundant gifts you give. Lead and guide me through this day, Holy Spirit. Heal me of my infirmities. Deliver me from the mind battles that try to take me off the path You have chosen for me. Seal this Word and let it grow in my spirit. I ask this all in the Name above all Names. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Day 32 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 13:17 – 15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalms 26; Proverbs 6:16-19

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Free, but still a work to be done in the wilderness
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. – Exodus 13:17-18

Free, but still a battle to be fought
And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. – Exodus 14:11-14

Free, but still a work to be seen
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses. – Exodus 14:30-31

Free, but still a song to be sung
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. – Exodus 15:1-3

The children of Israel were free, and they went from slavery to the desert toward the Promised Land. They were free, but God didn’t take them the easiest and quickest route. There was a work to do in the desert, and the desert season for them would last over 40 years. Like the Israelites, I should embrace my desert seasons because there are so many lessons to be learned there.

One lesson is that even when I do everything right, many times, things get worse. In those times, the only thing I need to do is shut my mouth (stop complaining) and watch God fight and win these (His) battles.

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By What Authority Doest These Things?
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. – Matthew 21:23-27

A Certain Man Had Two Sons
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. – Matthew 21:28-32

The Wicked Husbandman
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. – Matthew 21:33-41

A Nation Bringing Forth the Fruits Thereof
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same is become the head of the corner: This is the Lord’s doing, And it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. – Matthew 21:42-46

In the passages today, Jesus told the disciples, all that were listening, and that only those who produce the fruit and give it to its rightful owner will receive a reward in the end. Am I producing fruit with the Gospel that has been entrusted to me? I must be about the Father’s business, and I must bear fruit – for His GLORY!

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I Have Loved the Habitation of Thy House
I will wash mine hands in innocency: So will I compass thine altar, O LORD: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all thy wondrous works. LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, And the place where thine honour dwelleth. – Psalm 26:6-8

I will bless the Lord
Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord. – Psalms 26:9-12

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Seven things the Lord hates
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. – Proverbs 6:16-19

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Oh, my Father, You are a Man of War. Thank You that You fight my battles and don’t leave me alone to do it. Thank You for leading and guiding me through this day. It hasn’t been an easy one, but You knew it wouldn’t be. Help me to keep my eyes on You and to do Your work assigned to me while there is time. Touch my mind and spirit Holy Ghost and keep me in Your presence where I know there is fulness of JOY. I love You, Jesus. Amen! Amen!