My Faith View from Here - Daily readings and thoughts

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 19:24-20:9, Psalm 125, Jeremiah 38:1-16, Acts 1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2019%3A24-20%3A9%2C%20Psalm%20125%2C%20Jeremiah%2038%3A1-16%2C%20Acts%201&version=NASB1995 Forty Days It rained for 40 days and nights during the great flood.  The Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.  Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai before receiving the 10 commandments.  Jesus was tempted for 40 days and nights at the beginning of His public ministry.  After His death Jesus appeared over 40 days alive and showed many convincing proofs of His resurrection.  The number 40 signifies a period of testing, trial, purification and preparation. In this case, I believe Jesus was preparing His church to continue what He had started.  The commandment He gave to his disciples before He left was to stay in Jerusalem but to wait for the Holy Spirit “not many days from now.”  He goes on to t...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 18:11-19:23, Psalm 124, Jeremiah 37, John 21:12-25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2018%3A11-19%3A23%2C%20Psalm%20124%2C%20Jeremiah%2037%2C%20John%2021%3A12-25&version=NASB1995 Faithful, Not Fair But what about him?  The actual quote is “Lord, what about this man?  Sometimes we think everything should be fair or the same for everyone.  Jesus had just informed Peter that he would die for Him.  Then Peter looked back at John and asked about his death.  Jesus responded “What is that to you?”  Peter did die for Jesus and John died a natural death.  Of the 12 disciples in Jesus’ inner circle, 10 died as martyrs.  Fairness in God’s eyes is different from fairness in our own eyes. We also read in the first chapter of Jeremiah, referring to the leaders of Israel, God says they will “fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you.”  We read today tha...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 17:1-18:10, Psalm 123, Jeremiah 36:20-32, John 20:19-21:11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2017%3A1-18%3A10%2C%20Psalm%20123%2C%20Jeremiah%2036%3A20-32%2C%20John%2020%3A19-21%3A11&version=NASB1995 Meeting Us Where We Are Fear can be crippling.  I remember as a child being bullied by other kids, all I wanted to do was hide and never have to see anyone.  If I could have, I’d have hidden behind a locked door and put all sorts of items against that locked door just in case they could get through it.  I thought of nothing else but getting away from the bullies.  I’d go home from school and be thankful for the safety of my own yard but as soon as I’d leave my yard, the fear would kick in. I imagine the disciples were of the same mind after Jesus' death and so they were locked in trying to avoid the Jews as safely as possible.  This is on the same day that the women had boldly gone to the grave in the mo...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 15:21-16:10, Psalm 122, Jeremiah 36:1-19, John 19:31-20:18 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2015%3A21-16%3A10%2C%20Psalm%20122%2C%20Jeremiah%2036%3A1-19%2C%20John%2019%3A31-20%3A18&version=NASB1995 God of Second Chances “Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”  These were God’s words to Jeremiah, once again warning the people of Judah of what is to come but giving them every opportunity to avoid God’s judgement.  We see this over and over again in Jeremiah.  God is pleading with the people of Judah to turn from their wicked ways. I for one am thankful that God gives second chances, third chances, fourth chances and on and on.  I do things that are outside God’s ways (sin).  I sin every day.  Some sins are subtle, some are not subtle but it’s sin n...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 14:1-15:20, Psalm 121, Jeremiah 35, John 19:1-30 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2014%3A1-15%3A20%2C%20Psalm%20121%2C%20Jeremiah%2035%2C%20John%2019%3A1-30&version=NASB1995 Help Is On The Way “From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the LORD.”   Are you struggling today?   Is your heart heavy?  Is something not quite right? Are you facing health problems?  Are you facing financial difficulty?  The Psalmist has an answer.  “My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth.”  “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will … neither slumber nor sleep.” “ The LORD (I AM): Is your keeper (constant protector and guardian) Is your shade on your right hand.  The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night (God’s sheltering presence at all times) Will protect you from all evil (God’s unwavering protections) Will guard your going out and your co...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 13, Psalm 120, Jeremiah 34, John 18:25-40 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2013%2C%20Psalm%20120%2C%20Jeremiah%2034%2C%20John%2018%3A25-40&version=NASB1995 What is Truth? “What is Truth?”  That’s Pilate’s response after Jesus states “For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” In this day and time, truth has become very subjective.  Now, the definition of truth is: the property of being in accord with fact or reality.  It encompasses the real facts about a situation.  It’s the quality of being honest and sincere, and accepting universal principles or truths. I remember as a child, news was reported as facts of a situation.  As a family we were usually eating dinner at 6:30 PM when the news would be on the radio in our kitchen.  We didn’t listen to the radio much but when the news came on at 6:30, we ...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Joshua 12, Psalm 119:161-176, Jeremiah 33, John 18:1-24 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2012%2C%20Psalm%20119%3A161-176%2C%20Jeremiah%2033%2C%20John%2018%3A1-24&version=NASB1995 Expect the Unexpected “I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.”  This is the prophecy from Jeremiah where God declares this about Jesus.  It’s easy to understand why the religious leaders were expecting Jesus in a different form.  If someone is going to execute justice and righteousness, you would expect someone who comes in with might and power as opposed to one with love and humility.  In fact, Jesus’ life, sacrificial death and resurrection established God’s perfect justice and righteousness.  Jesus was born in the lineage of David in humble means but was the righteous Branch of David.  This was not at all what the religious leaders expected....