Readings for October 16

Mark 8:11-13
Matthew 16:1-4
Mark 8:14-21
Matthew 16:5-12
Mark 8:22-26
Mark 8:27-30
Matthew 16:13-20
Luke 9:18-21
John 6:60-71
Mark 8:31-9:1
Matthew 16:21-28
Luke 9:22-27

Readings for October 15

Mark 7:1-23
Matthew 15:1-20
Mark 7:24-30
Matthew 15:21-28
Mark 7:31-37
Matthew 15:29-31
Mark 8:1-10
Matthew 15:32-39

Readings for October 14

Mark 6:45-56
Matthew 14:22-36
John 6:16-24
John 6:25-59

Readings for October 13

Mark 6:14-29
Matthew 14:1-12
Luke 9:7-9
Mark 6:12-13
Luke 9:6
Mark 6:30-44
Matthew 14:13-21
Luke 9:10-17
John 6:1-15

Readings for October 12

John 5:16-47
Mark 6:6b-11
Matthew 9:35-10:42
Luke 9:1-5

Readings for October 11

Mark 5:21-43
Matthew 9:18-26
Luke 8:40-56
Matthew 9:27-34
Mark 6:1-6a
Matthew 13:53-58
John 5:1-15

Readings for October 10

Mark 4:30-34
Matthew 13:31-35
Luke 13:18-21
Matthew 13:24-30
Matthew 13:36-52
Mark 4:35-41
Matthew 8:23-27
Luke 8:22-25
Mark 5:1-20
Matthew 8:28-34
Luke 8:26-39

Readings for October 9

Mark 3:31-35
Matthew 12:46-50
Luke 8:19-21
Mark 4:1-20
Matthew 13:1-23
Luke 8:4-18
Mark 4:21-29

Readings for October 8

Luke 7:18-35
Matthew 11:1-19
Luke 7:36-50
Luke 8:1-3
Mark 3:20-30
Matthew 12:22-45
Luke 11:14-26

Readings for October 7

Luke 6:17-49
Luke 7:1-10
Matthew 8:5-13
John 4:46b-54
Luke 7:11-17

Reading for October 6

Matthew 5:21-7:29

Readings for October 5

Mark 3:1-6
Matthew 12:9-14
Luke 6:6-11
Mark 3:7-12
Matthew 12:15-21
Mark 3:13-19
Luke 6:12-16
Matthew 4:23-5:20

Readings for October 4

Mark 2:1-12
Matthew 9:1-8
Luke 5:17-26
Mark 2:13-17
Matthew 9:9-13
Luke 5:27-32
Mark 2:18-22
Matthew 9:14-17
Luke 5:33-39
Mark 2:23-28
Matthew 12:1-8
Luke 6:1-5

Jesus Didn't Need CR

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"

Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." Mark 1:35-38


So this is what I now about Jesus--he didn't need Celebrate Recovery. Jesus didn't have any problems with boundaries. When the disciples found him and exclaimed, "Everyone is looking for you!" that didn't ruffle Jesus one bit. Had someone exclaimed to me, "Everyone is looking for you!" that would have been my cue to hop to. How often do I "hop to" because the world is clamoring for my attention or because I'm responding to the tyranny of the urgent? How often do I let the urgent overshadow the best? How often do I collapse into bed at the end of a day that I have filled with obligations that I committed to out of guilt rather than calling?

So how, apart from Him being God, was Jesus able to say, "Let's go somewhere else" in the face of exclamations of "Everyone is looking for you"? I think the answer lies in Mark 1:35. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Wow! Jesus knew that he was to go to the nearby villages because he had spoken to the Father that morning. While everyone was looking for him, he was looking to the Father. He could easily recognize the lesser though perhaps urgent demands made on him and confidently resist them.

Let us make time in our solitary places with the Father a priority that we may pursue the best and not the urgent.

Readings for October 3

John 4:27-42
Mark 1:14-15
Matthew 4:12-17
Luke 4:14-15
John 4:43-46a
Luke 4:16-30
Mark 1:21-28
Luke 4:31-37
Mark 1:29-39
Matthew 8:14-17
Luke 4:38-44
Mark 1:40-45
Matthew 8:1-4
Luke 5:12-16

Reading for October 2, 2011

John 2:1-4:26

Readings for October 1, 2011

John 1:19-28
Mark 1:9-11
Matthew 3:13-17
Luke 3:21-22
John 1:29-34
Mark 1:12-13
Matthew 4:1-11
Luke 4:1-13
John 1:35-51
Mark 1:16-20
Matthew 4:18-22
Luke 5:1-11

Readings for September 30, 2011

Matthew 2:1-23
Luke 2:41-52
Mark 1:1-8
Matthew 3:1-12
Luke 3:1-20
John 1:1-18

Readings for September 29, 2011

Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 2:1-20
Matthew 1:1-17
Luke 3:23-38
Luke 2:21-40

Chronological Bible Reading: King of Kings (Luke 1:1-4a, 5a): "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that too...

A New Friend

You know that feeling when you finish a good book? You feel satsified but sad at the same time. You miss the characters, you miss the anticipation of how it will wrap up, you miss just holding onto that book. Well, that's how I felt yesterday when I ended the Old Testament. It became a dear, familiar friend, and now I've finished it. I was a little sad. I didn't want to say goodbye to my old friend.

I remember many years back reading the book Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I loved that book! I became so invested in the story and the characters that when it ended and I turned it back in to the library, I went to the aisle where I had found the book and just lingered. I didn't know what I was looking for; I just knew that I was grieving the loss of a companion. To my delight I looked up and saw the book The Streets of Laredo. The cover looked quite similar to Lonesome Dove, and it too was by Larry McMurtry. I yanked it off the shelf and was thrilled to see that it was the sequel! I clutched it to my chest like it was found treasure, checked it out, and raced home to start reading. That book provided me with the wrap up that I needed to let go of my friends from Lonesome Dove.

Well, I can only say that finishing the Old Testament yesterday felt a lot like finishing Lonesome Dove. I was sad. The story wasn't quite finished. I needed more. The good news--there is Good News! There is a sequel and we get to start it today. There will be more compelling characters, there will be drama and intrigue, and there will be a hero. All throughout my old friend, the Old Testament, there were hints of this hero who would come. Soon we will meet Him.

So join me in meeting this new friend. The pages are waiting to be turned.

Hephzibah and the King

Hephzibah—I haven’t looked, but I’m guessing that the name did not make the top 10 list of baby girl names for 2011. After learning the meaning of the name, maybe people will feel differently about it. Hephzibah means my delight is in her, and it’s found in Isaiah 62:4. The verse says,

No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.

The passage in Isaiah is referring to God’s covenant love for His people Israel and makes a promise to bring them back to the land of Israel from their captivity in Babylon. It’s a passage of restoration.

This past year I have felt restored; I have learned that the Lord delights in me! It has been a remarkable revelation. I knew that He did intellectually, but this year I have learned it with my heart. How? I have spent the last nine months being blown away by His word.

A friend encouraged me last summer to read the One Year Chronological Bible. I had struggled through the One Year Bible before and finished it in two years. (Speedy aren’t I?) I really didn’t expect that this would be any different. I was wrong! I started in January and was soon hooked. The story grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Things that I had struggled to grasp began to fall into place and I found myself gaining a deeper understanding of God’s word and a deeper, more intimate love for Jesus. I honestly cannot wait to spend my time with Him in the mornings. I just love getting up when everyone else is asleep, grabbing a big cup of coffee, snuggling up in my special chair, lighting a candle, and turning the pages of God’s word. I can’t wait to see what He will show me each day.

So why am I telling you all of this, and why am I starting this blog? It is my prayer for you that God’s word will grab you too. I pray that you will delight to jump out of bed and rush to spend time with your King to see what He will show you each day. I pray that you will see how He delights in you and as you see that, you will delight in Him.

A friend of mine has also been reading through the One Year Chronological Bible this year. It has been such a blessing to be able to call her and say, “What did you think about this morning’s passage?” or “I couldn’t believe. . . .” There has been a definite sense of community in being able to share God’s word with one another. I’m starting this blog so that those of you who will be joining me as we move into the New Testament will have a means of making comment about what we are reading. Sometimes we may want to share a word that encouraged us while other times there will be something that we do not understand at all. My only rule for comment is that it be edifying and Christ honoring.

So back to Hephzibah. It’s never really been one of my favorite names—until recently. I think now that if I could change my name, it just might be to Hephzibah. It thrills my soul to know that the King delights in me. How I have learned this year to delight in Him and in His word! I pray for all of us Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” May those desires always be for Him! Welcome to Hephzibah and the King.