Day 1, January 1 - Psalm 119:1-24

Click here for today's reading

I felt lead to start this year by reading Psalm 119. It beautifully tells us why the Word of God is so important.

One very important reasons:

I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you

verse 11

Day 365, December 31, Psalm 150

Click here for today's reading


1 Praise the Eternal!
     Praise the True God inside His temple.
     Praise Him beneath massive skies, under moonlit stars and rising sun.
2 Praise Him for His powerful acts, redeeming His people.
     Praise Him for His greatness that surpasses our time and understanding.
3-4 Praise Him with the blast of trumpets high into the heavens,
      and praise Him with harps and lyres
      and the rhythm of the tambourines skillfully played by those who love and fear the Eternal.
Praise Him with singing and dancing;
     praise Him with flutes and strings of all kinds!
5 Praise Him with crashing cymbals,
      loud clashing cymbals!
6 No one should be left out;
     Let every man and every beast—
     every creature that has the breath of the Lord—praise the Eternal!
Praise the Eternal!

As you conclude 2013 take time to Praise the Lord for the things He has done in this past year. As you look forward to 2014 Praise the Lord for the things He will do.

I am thankful for those of you who have stopped by this past year and for those who have taken the time to comment. My prayer is that you will take time each and every day to study God's Word, His love letter to you.

Day 364, December 30,Revelation 22

Click here for today's reading 


3 No one or nothing will labor under any curse any longer. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will sit prominently in the city. God’s servants will continually serve and worship Him.

4 They will be able to look upon His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads.

5 Darkness will never again fall on this city. They will not require the light of a lamp or of the sun because the Lord God will be their illumination. By His light, they will reign throughout the ages.

13 I am the Alpha and Omega, the First One and the Last One, the beginning and the end.

21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus [the Anointed One] be with all [the saints]. Amen.

Day 363, December 29 - Psalm 149

Click here for today's reading


1 Praise the Eternal!
Write new songs; sing them to Him with all your might!
      Gather with His faithful followers in joyful praise;

3 So let the music begin; praise His name—dance and sing
       to the rhythm of the tambourine, and to the tune of the harp.

5 Let His faithful followers erupt in praise,
      singing triumphantly wherever they are, even as they lie down for sleep in the evening.

9 This judgment against them, decreed by a holy God, will be carried out.
      It’s an honor for all His faithful followers to serve Him.
 Praise the Eternal!

Day 362, December 28 - Psalm 148

Click here for today's reading


13 Let them all praise the name of the Eternal!
           For His name stands alone above all others.
           His glory shines greater than anything above or below.
14 He has made His people strong;
          He is the praise of all who are godly,
          the praise of the children of Israel, those whom He holds close.
Praise the Eternal!

Praise the Lord!

Day 361, December 27 - Revelation 20

Click here for today's reading


3 And I heard a great voice, coming from the throne.

A Voice: See, the home of God is with His people.
             He will live among them;
            They will be His people,
            And God Himself will be with them.
4          The prophecies are fulfilled:
            He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
           Death will be no more;
           Mourning no more, crying no more, pain no more,
           For the first things have gone away.

Day 360, December 26 - Revelation 20

Click here for today's reading


I saw a great white throne, and One was seated upon it. The earth and heaven receded from His presence; there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne. Some books were opened. Then another book was opened; it was called the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what had been recorded in the first books; these were the records of everything they had done.

That is going to be some kind of reunion!!

Day 359, December 25 - Revelation 19

Click here for today's reading


1 The scene changed. After this, I heard the great sound of a multitude echoing in heaven.

Multitude: Praise the Lord!
       Salvation and glory and power truly belong to our God,
2a         for true and just are His judgments.

11 I looked up and saw that heaven had opened. Suddenly, a white horse appeared. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with righteousness He exercises judgment and wages war.

Day 358, December 24 - Revelation 18

Click here for today's reading


4 Then I heard another voice from heaven urge,

A Voice: My people, get away from her—fast.
             Make sure you do not get caught up in her sins.
         Put some distance between you so that you do not share in her plagues,

These words are directed to those in the last days, but the warning is good for us as well. We need to stay away from sin.

Day 357, December 23 - Revelation 17

Click here for today's reading

The imagery here is vidid and so powerful in this chapter, especially reading it in The Voice translation. I'm grateful that Jesus is Lord and I am His!

Day 356, December 22 - Psalm 147

Click here for today's reading


1 Praise the Eternal!
   It is good to sing praises to our God,
   for praise is beautiful and pleasant.

3 He binds their wounds,
   heals the sorrows of their hearts.

7 Open your mouths with thanks!
    Sing praises to the Eternal!
    Strum the harp in unending praise to our God

Day 355, December 21 - Psalm 146

Click here for today's reading


5 Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob,
         whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God—
6 Who created the heavens, the earth,
        the seas, and all that lives within them;
Who stays true and remains faithful forever;
7 Who works justice for those who are pressed down by the world,
        providing food for those who are hungry.

The Voice

Day 354, December 20 - Revelation 16

Click here for today's readign


Chapter 16 identifies the plagues that will strike the world as The Voice points out: Just as God used the plagues to judge the Egyptians and deliver His people from bondage (Exodus 7–12), these plagues will help rescue God’s faithful servants.

Hard stuff to read.

Day 353, December 19 - Revelation 15

Click here for today's reading


3b Victors: Great and amazing are Your works,
         Lord God, the All Powerful.
           Right and true are Your ways,
        King of all nations.
4 Who will not fear You, Lord?
         Who will not glorify Your name?
         Because You alone are holy,
            all the nations will come
            and worship before You,
    For Your righteous judgments have been revealed.

Day 352, December 18 - Revelation 14

Click here for today's reading


3 As I watched, they began to sing a new song before the throne, the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders. The only ones with the ability to learn this song were the 144,000 who had been rescued from the earth,
6b Heavenly Messenger (with a loud voice): 7 Fear God. Give Him glory, for the time of judgment has arrived. Worship the One who fashioned heaven and earth and created the seas and the springs.

Day 351, December 17 - Revelation 13

Click here for today's reading


18 Here is divine wisdom: let anyone who understands these mysteries figure out the number of the beast because it is the number of a person. Its number is 666.
The Voice

Day 350, December 16 - Revelation 12

Click here for today's reading


10 Then I heard a great voice in heaven. A Voice: Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Anointed One have come. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who relentlessly accuses them day and night before our God, has been cast down and silenced.

11 By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witnesses, they have become victorious over him, For they did not hold on to their lives, even under threat of death.

12 Therefore, rejoice, all you heavens; celebrate, all you who live in them. But disaster will befall the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to your spheres, And he is incredibly angry because he knows his time is nearly over.

The Voice

Day 349, December 15 - Psalm 145

Click here for today's reading


8 The Eternal is gracious.
         He shows mercy to His people.
         For Him anger does not come easily, but faithful love does—and it is rich and abundant.
9 But the Eternal’s goodness is not exclusive—it is offered freely to all.
         His mercy extends to all His creation.
The Voice 

Lots of good stuff in this chapter!

Day 348, December 14 - Psalm 144

Click here for today's reading


1 Blessed be the Eternal, my rock.
       He trains my hands for war, gives me the skills I need for battle.
2 He is my unfailing love and my citadel.
       He is my tower of strength and my deliverer.
He is my shield of protection and my shelter;
       He holds my people in check under me.
The Voice

Day 347, December 13 - Revelation 11

Click here for today's reading


17 24 Elders: We give You thanks, Lord God, the All Powerful,
                 who is and who was.
          For You have wielded Your great power
                 and have begun Your reign.
18 The nations have raged against You,
               but Your wrath has finally come.
      It is now time to judge all of the dead,
             
To give a just reward to Your servants, the prophets,
           and to the saints and all who honor Your name,
            both the small and the great,
And to destroy those who cause destruction to the earth.

This passage talks about the two witnesses after reading a few fiction books about this passage it actually makes a little more sense...

Day 346, December 12, Revelation 10

Click here for today's reading


1 Then I saw another extremely powerful messenger descending out of heaven. He wore a cloud wrapped around him, and a rainbow was covering his head. His face shone like the sun, and his legs blazed like columns of fire. 2 In his hand, he held a little scroll that had been unrolled. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on dry land; 3 then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a roaring lion. When he cried out, the seven thunders answered with their own rumbling voices.

I can't imagine what this was like for John to witness. He had extraordinary relationship with Jesus when He was on the earth and I'm sure that relationship continued and probably grew stronger during his exile. Yet, to witness these things and to write them down. It had to be amazing.

Day 345, December 11 - Revelation 9

Click here for today's reading


20 The rest of humanity, those not killed by these plagues, did not rethink their course and turn away from the devices of their own making. Despite all these calamities, they continued worshiping demons and idols crafted in gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. They bowed down to images which cannot see or hear or walk. 21 They failed to turn away from their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immoralities, and their thefts.

You read the first 19 verses of this chapter and all the horrible things that happen then you read the last two andI think, "HOW? How can someone's heart be so hard?" Then I pray, "Lord, may my heart never be so hard that I don't turn to you."

Day 344, December 10 - Revelation 8

Click here for today's reading


This passage deals with the judgements of God. The below is a note from The Voice Bible.

Throughout the ages God’s people have been asking Him for justice in their prayers and laments. Now, in response to these, God pours out His judgment.

Day 343, December 9 - Revelation 7

Click here for today's reading


10 They cried out with one loud voice.

Crowd: Salvation comes only from our God, who sits upon the throne, and from the Lamb.

The Voice

Day 342, December 8 - Psalm 143

Click here for today's reading


10 Teach me how to do Your will,
          for You are my God.
Allow Your good Spirit to guide me
          on level ground, to guide me along Your path.

The Voice

Day 341, December 7 - Psalm 142

Click here for today's reading


6 Oh, let me know that You hear my cry
       because I’m languishing and desperate;
Rescue me from those who torment me
        because there’s no way I can stand up to them;
        they are much too strong for me.
7 Lift my captive soul from this dark prison
        so I may render to You my gratitude;
Then Your righteous people will gather around me
         because You will treat me with astounding goodness.”
The Voice

Day 340, December 6 - Revelation 6

Click here for today's reading


The breaking of the seals and the four horseman are released. Below are the notes from The Voice Bible.

The breaking of the seals releases the four riders and a series of disasters and plagues. Even though what follows appears to be extreme violence unleashed against the earth and its inhabitants, there is a limitation to what follows. Death and Hades have the authority to kill, but their authority extends only to one-fourth of the earth. The slaughtered souls cry out for vengeance, but they will have to wait a little longer until more martyrs are killed for their testimony.


9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the heavenly altar the souls of those murdered for holding fast to the word of God and their testimony.

If I'm reading this right, even in destruction and death God hears and provides, which I know is true.

Day 339, December 5 - Revelation 5

Click here for today's reading


2b: Mighty Messenger: Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?

5b: One of the 24 Elders: Stop weeping. Look there—the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. He has conquered and is able to break its seven seals and open the scroll.

Context is referring to Jesus is worthy of breaking the seals and opening the scroll. But I believe because Jesus has conquered the grave he can break other things... :)

Day 338, December 4 - Revelation 4

Click here for today's reading


8 These four living creatures, each of which had six wings and was covered with eyes—eyes on the outside and on the
inside—did not cease chanting. All day and night they were singing.


Four Living Creatures: Holy, holy, holy
       Is the Lord God who is the All Powerful,
       who was, and who is, and who is coming.


Isaiah 6 2 Bright flaming creatures waited on Him. Each had six wings: two covering its face, two covering its feet, and two for flying. 3 Like some fiery choir, they would call back and forth continually.


Flaming Creatures: Holy, holy, holy is the Eternal, the Commander of heavenly armies!
      The earth is filled with His glorious presence!

Day 337, December 3 - Revelation 3

Click here for today's reading


8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The thing I noticed about verse 20 is the context. I've heard this passage used a lot in the context of salvation and that Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. Yet in the context of this passage Jesus is speaking to the church at Laodicea, Christians, and the fact they were lukewarm in their faith. I do believe Jesus reaches out to us through his Holy Spirit and tries to draw us in. But I'm not sure that's the context of this passage as much as He is knocking on the door of the hearts of those who call Him Lord yet are complacent in their faith.

Day 336, December 2 - Revelation 2

Click here for today's reading


10 In the face of suffering, do not fear. Watch; the devil will throw some of you into prison shortly so that you might be tested, and you will endure great affliction for 10 days. Be faithful throughout your life, until the day you die, and I will give you the victor’s wreath of life.

The Voice

Jesus has some tough words for the churches... but there are also words of hope in there as well.

Day 335, December 1 - Psalm 141

Click here for today's reading


3 Guard my mouth, O Eternal One;
        control what I say.
        Keep a careful watch on every word I speak.

Oh so true!

Day 334, November 30 - Psalm 140

Click here for today's reading


6 I say to the Lord, You are my God;
      give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
7 O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
       you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
       do not further their[b] evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah

The Voice

Day 333, November 29 - Revelation 1

Click here for today's reading


17b The One: This is not the time for fear; I am the First and the Last, 18 and I am the living One. I entered the realm of the dead; but see, I am alive now and for all the ages—even ages to come. [Amen.] I possess the keys to open the prison of death and hades.
The Voice

I'll be honest, the book of The Revelation is a tough one for me to wrap my brain around, but I'm going to read it over the next few weeks left in the year. I'm hoping The Voice will make it a little more understandable. I'll also utilize some commentaries and study Bible notes.

Day 332, November 28 - 3 John 1

Click here for today's reading


My Thanksgiving Prayer for you!

2 My beloved friend, I pray that everything is going well for you and that your body is as healthy as your soul is prosperous. 3 I was thrilled when the brothers and sisters came and told me stories of your faithfulness as you continue to walk in the truth. 4 The greatest joy in my life is hearing how my children are walking in the truth.

15 May you experience true peace. I send you greetings from the fellow believers here. Greet all our friends there personally.
The Voice

Day 331, November 27 - 2 John 1

Click here for today's reading


7 The corrupt world is filled with liars and frauds who deny the reality that Jesus the Anointed has come into the world as a man of flesh and blood. These people are deceivers and antiChrists.[a] 8 Ensure that you do not lose what we have worked for so that you will be fully rewarded.

The Voice

Day 330, November 26 - 1 John 5

Click here for today's reading


18 We all know that everyone fathered by God will not make sin a way of life because God protects His children from the evil one, and the evil one can’t touch them. 19 Have confidence in the fact that we belong to God, but also know that the world around us is in the grips of the evil one. 20 We also can be sure of the fact that the Son of God has come and given us a mind so that we may know Him as the embodiment of all that is true. We live in this truth, in His Son Jesus, the Anointed One. He is the True God and eternal life.

21 My little children, keep away from idols.

Day 329, November 25 - 1 John 4

Click here for today's reading


7 My loved ones, let us devote ourselves to loving one another. Love comes straight from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and truly knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
The Voice
As we go into Thanksgiving I think it's important to think about and love those around us.

Day 328, November 24 - Psalm 139

Click here for today's reading


1 O Eternal One, You have explored my heart and know exactly who I am;
2 You even know the small details like when I take a seat and when I stand up again. Even when I am far away, You know what I’m thinking.
3 You observe my wanderings and my sleeping, my waking and my dreaming, and You know everything I do in more detail than even I know.

13 For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath.
14 I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul.

23 Explore me, O God, and know the real me. Dig deeply and discover who I am. Put me to the test and watch how I handle the strain.
24 Examine me to see if there is an evil bone in me, and guide me down Your path forever.

Such a powerful Psalm about how well God knows us and how we are uniquely created.

Day 327, November 23 - Psalm 137 & 138

Click here for today's reading


Psalm 138
7 Whenever I walk into trouble,
      You are there to bring me out.
You hold out Your hand
      to protect me against the wrath of my enemies,
       and hold me safely in Your right hand.
8 The Eternal will finish what He started in me.
        Your faithful love, O Eternal One, lasts forever;
        do not give up on what Your hands have made.
The Voice

The Eternal will finish what He started in me! AMEN!

Day 326, November 22 - 1 John 3

Click here for today's reading


2 My loved ones, we have been adopted into God’s family; and we are officially His children now. The full picture of our destiny is not yet clear, but we know this much: when Jesus appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is. 3 All those who focus their hopes on Him and His coming seek to purify themselves just as He is pure.
The Voice

I love the fact that we've been adopted!

Day 325, November 21 - 1 John 2

Click here for today's reading


24 Let the good news, the story you have heard from the beginning of your journey, live in and take hold of you. If that happens and you focus on the good news, then you will always remain in a relationship with the Son and the Father. 25 This is what He promised us: eternal life.
The Voice

Day 324, November 20 - 1 John 1

Click here for today's reading


9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)

9 But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done. (The Voice)

I normally like The Voice translation, I'm not sure I like "if we own up to our sins"... is that really the same as confessing them? I need to think about that a little more.

Day 323, November 19 - Hebrews 13

Click here for today's reading


20 Now may the God of peace, who brought the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back from the dead through the blood of the new everlasting covenant, 21 perfect you in every good work as you work God’s will. May God do in you only those things that are pleasing in His sight through Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, to whom we give glory always and forever. Amen.

(The Voice)

Day 322, November 18 - Hebrews 12

Click here for today's reading


1 So since we stand surrounded by all those who have gone before, an enormous cloud of witnesses, let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us.

This is from the Basilica in San Jose, CA verse 1 comes to life when I look at this ceiling:

2 Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor.
The Voice

This is such a great chapter. There are so many wonderful verses in this chapter.

Day 321, November 17 - Psalm 136

Click here for today's reading

One of my favorite Psalms (I haven't said that in awhile!!)

....for his steadfast love endures forever

And when I read this Psalm I think of this song by Chris Tomlin done by Michael W. Smith

Day 320, November 16 - Psalm 135

Click here for today's reading


2 Join in the chorus, all you who minister in the Eternal’s temple;
       in the courts of our God’s temple,
3 Glorify the Eternal, for He is good!
       Sing praises, and honor His name for it is delightful.
(The Voice)

Day 319, November 15 - Hebrews 11

Click here for today's reading


Verse 1
Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen.
(The Voice)

Day 318, November 14 - Hebrews 10

Click here for today's reading


19 So, my friends, Jesus by His blood gives us courage to enter the most holy place. 20 He has created for us a new and living way through the curtain, that is, through His flesh. 21 Since we have a great High Priest who presides over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with true hearts full of faith, with hearts rinsed clean of any evil conscience, and with bodies cleansed with pure water. 23 Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful. 24 Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds, 25 not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches.
The Voice

Day 317, November 13 - Hebrews 9

Click here for today's reading


15 This is why Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant: through His death, He delivered us from the sins that we had built up under the first covenant, and His death has made it possible for all who are called to receive God’s promised inheritance. 16 For whenever there is a testament—a will—the death of the one who made it must be confirmed 17 because a will takes effect only at the death of its maker; it has no validity as long as the maker is still alive.

Day 316, November 12 - Hebrews 8

Click here for today's reading


1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent[a] that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
(ESV)

Day 315, November 11 - Hebrews 7

Click here for today's reading


2b Let’s look more closely at Melchizedek. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; and his title, king of Salem, means “king of peace.” 3 The Scriptures don’t name his mother or father or descendants, and they don’t record his birth or his death. We could say he’s like the Son of God: eternal, a priest forever.
22 So we can see that Jesus has become the guarantee of a new and better covenant. 23 Further, the prior priesthood of the sons of Levi has included many priests because death cut short their service, 24 but Jesus holds His priesthood permanently because He lives His resurrected life forever. 25 From such a vantage, He is able to save those who approach God through Him for all time because He will forever live to be their advocate in the presence of God.
The Voice

Day 314, November 10 - Psalm 133, 134

Click here for today's reading


Psalm 134

A song for those journeying to worship.

1 Praise the Eternal, all you who serve Him—
       who stand ready to serve in the house of the Eternal through the night.
2 Lift up your hands toward His sanctuary,
       and praise the Eternal.
3 May the Eternal grant you His blessing from Zion,
       God, the weaver of heaven and earth.

The Voice

Day 313, November 9 - Psalm 131, 132

Click here for today's reading


Psalm 131 -
1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
        my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
       too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
       like a weaned child with its mother;
       like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
       from this time forth and forevermore.

Day 312, November 8 - Hebrews 6

Click here for today's reading


1 So let’s push on toward a more perfect understanding and move beyond just the basic teachings of the Anointed One. There’s no reason to rehash the fundamentals: repenting from what you loved in your old dead lives, believing in God as our Creator and Redeemer, 2 teaching about baptism, setting aside those called to service through the ritual laying on of hands, the coming resurrection of those who have died, and God’s final judgment of all people for all time.

The Voice

Day 311, November 7 - Hebrews 5

Click here for today's reading


7 When Jesus was on the earth, a man of flesh and blood, He offered up prayers and pleas, groans and tears to the One who could save Him from death. He was heard because He approached God with reverence. 8 Although He was a Son, Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered. 9 And once He was perfected through that suffering He became the way of eternal salvation for all those who hear and follow Him, 10 for God appointed Him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

The Voice

Day 310, November 6 - Hebrews 4

Click here for today's reading


11 So let us move forward to enter this rest, so that none of us fall into the kind of faithless disobedience that prevented them from entering. 12 The word of God, you see, is alive and moving; sharper than a double-edged sword; piercing the divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow; able to judge the thoughts and will of the heart.

The Voice

Day 309, November 5 - Hebrews 3

Click here for today's reading


12 Brothers and sisters, pay close attention so you won’t develop an evil and unbelieving heart that causes you to abandon the living God. 13 Encourage each other every day—for as long as we can still say “today”—so none of you let the deceitfulness of sin harden your hearts. 14 For we have become partners with the Anointed One—if we can just hold on to our confidence until the end.

The Voice

Day 308, November 4 - Hebrews 2

Click here for today's reading


5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.
6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Day 307, November 3 - Psalm 129, 130

Click here for today's reading


5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
      and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
         more than watchmen for the morning,
         more than watchmen for the morning.

Day 306, November 2 - Psalm 127, 128

Click here for today's reading 


3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
      the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
      are the children of one's youth.

I need this reminder! (not that my 14 year old is making a little crazy!)

Day 305, November 1 - Hebrews 1

Click here for today's reading


8 But to the Son He said,
     God, Your throne is eternal;
      You will rule Your kingdom with the scepter of justice.
9 You have loved what is right
      and hated what is evil;
      That is why God, Your God, has anointed You
        with the oil of gladness and lifted You above Your companions.
(The Voice)
Quoted from Psalm 45:6-7

There are many days I need to be anointed with the oil of gladness.

Day 304, October 31 - 2 Peter 3

Click here for today's reading


14 So, my friends, while we wait for the day of the Lord, work hard to live in peace, without flaw or blemish; 15a and look at the patience of the Lord as your salvation.

18 Instead, grow in grace and in the true knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Anointed, to whom be glory, now and until the coming of the new age. Amen.

The Voice

Day 303, October 30 - 2 Peter 2

Click here for today's reading


2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Day 302, October 29 - 2 Peter 1

Click here for today's reading

3-11
His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue.  Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature.  To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love.  For if you possess these traits and multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the Anointed;  but if you don’t have these qualities, then you will be nearsighted and blind, forgetting that your past sins have been washed away. Therefore, brothers and sisters, work that much harder to confirm that God has called you and claimed you. If you do this, then you will never fall along the way;  and you can be sure that you will be richly welcomed into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King.
The Voice

In the Bible Study I'm participating (http://www.womensbiblecafe.com/) we've been talking about looking at scripture and what we can learn about Jesus through it. In this particular section, His divine power has given us EVERYTHING we NEED, I don't have any of it. But He does expect me to do something. 

Day 301, October 28 - Jude 1

Click here for today's reading


20-21 You, however, should stand firm in the love of God, constructing a life within the holy faith, praying the Spirit’s prayer, as you wait eagerly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, which leads to eternal life.

Day 300, October 27 - Psalm 125, 126

Click here for today's reading


Psalm 125:5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
                        the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 126:3 The Lord has done great things for us;
                         we are glad.

Day 299, October 26 - Psalm 123 & Psalm 124

Click here for today's reading

Psalm 123

1 I raise my eyes to fix my gaze on You,
       for Your throne resides in the heavens.
2 Just as the eyes of servants
       closely watch the hand of their masters,
Just as a maid carefully observes
       the slightest gesture of her mistress,
In the same way we look to You, Eternal One,
       waiting for our God to pour out His mercy upon us.
3 O Eternal One, show us Your mercy. We beg You.
       We are not strangers to contempt and pain.
4 We have suffered more than our share
        of ridicule and contempt from self-appointed critics who live easy lives
        pompously display their own importance.

Psalm 124
8: Our help has come in the name of the Eternal,
      the Maker of heaven and earth!

The Voice

Day 298, October 25 - 1 Peter 5

Click here for today's reading


6 So bow down under God’s strong hand; then when the time comes, God will lift you up. 7 Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries.

This is from The Voice, I love "Since God cares for you, let HIM carry all your burdens and worries. So true and so encouraging!

Day 297, October 24 - 1 Peter 4

Click here for today's reading


12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Day 296, October 23 - 1 Peter 3

Click here for today's reading


8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Unity... so important....

Day 295, October 22 - 1 Peter 2

Click here for today's reading


1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (ESV)

9 But you are a chosen people, set aside to be a royal order of priests, a holy nation, God’s own; so that you may proclaim the wondrous acts of the One who called you out of inky darkness into shimmering light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received it. (The Voice)

Day 294, October 21 - 1 Peter 1

Click here for today's reading 

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Day 293, October 20 - Psalm 121, 122

Click here for today's reading

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
      From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
      who made heaven and earth.
ESV

Psalm 122

1 I was so happy when my fellow pilgrims said,
      “Let’s go to the house of the Eternal!”
2 We have made the journey, and now we are standing
       within your gates, O Jerusalem.
The Voice

Great passage for a Sunday morning!

Day 292, October 19 - Psalm 120

Click here for today's reading


1 When I was in deep trouble, I called out to the Eternal,
         and He answered my call.
2 I prayed: “Protect me, Eternal,
      from lips that lie
       and tongues poisoned with deceit.”
The Voice

Such a great passage when you are facing people who are lying about you. I've been there and this passage has gotten me through those dark times.

Day 291, October 18 - Mark 16

Click here for today's reading


5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.

6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.

7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

It will be nice to know how the book of Mark really ended! We do know this, Jesus is Alive!

Day 290, October 17 - Mark 15

Click here for today's reading


37 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and He took His last breath.
38 At that moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The Voice

I love this image... the notes from The Voice explains it this way:

The tearing of the temple veil is a picture of what Jesus’ death has accomplished. The temple sanctuary is divided into two sections: the holy place and the most holy place. The most holy place is a chamber so sanctified that only the high priest can enter—and then only once a year. There God’s presence is manifest on earth.

A long curtain divides the two areas, and at the moment of Jesus’ death it is torn in two. The veil that serves as a means to protect everyone but the high priest from the power of God’s presence is no longer needed because Jesus, on account of His sacrificial death, gives everyone access to God. Only God Himself can rip the curtain in two “from top to bottom,” opening the way for people to come into His presence.

Day 289, October 16 - Mark 14

Click here for today's reading


32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”[d] 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”


From The Voice
38 Stay awake, and pray that you aren’t led into a trial of your own. It’s true—even when the spirit is willing, the body can betray it.

Day 288, October 15 - Mark 13

Click here for today's reading


9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Day 287, October 14 - Mark 12

Click here for today's reading


41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, where people came to bring their offerings, and He watched as they came and went. Many rich people threw in large sums of money, 42 but a poor widow came and put in only two small coins worth only a fraction of a cent.

Jesus (calling His disciples together): 43 Truly this widow has given a greater gift than any other contribution. 44 All the others gave a little out of their great abundance, but this poor woman has given God everything she has.

I want to be like the widow and give everything... it really isn't easy.

Day 286, October 13 - Psalm 119:161-176

Click here for today's reading


166 I wait for Your salvation, O Eternal One,
       and I live out Your commands.
167 My soul is faithful to Your decrees,
       and my love for them is extraordinary.
168 I live according to Your precepts and decrees
       because everything I do is right before Your eyes.


171 Praise will pour from my lips
        because You help me learn what You require.
172 My tongue will sing of Your word
       because every command of Yours is right.

Day 285, October 12 - Psalm 119:145-160

Click here for today's reading


159 Reflect, O God, on how I love Your precepts;
       give me life, O Eternal One, in keeping with Your unfailing love.
160 The entirety of Your word is truth,
        and every one of Your right rulings will surely last forever.
(The Voice)

Day 284, October 11 - Mark 11

Click here for today's reading


Jesus: 22 Trust in God. 23 If you do, honestly, you can say to this mountain, “Mountain, uproot yourself and throw yourself into the sea.” If you don’t doubt, but trust that what you say will take place, then it will happen. 24 So listen to what I’m saying: Whatever you pray for or ask from God, believe that you’ll receive it and you will. 25 When you pray, if you remember anyone who has wronged you, forgive him so that God above can also forgive you.

(The Voice)

Day 283, October 10 - Mark 10

Click here for today's reading



23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Day 282, October 9 - Mark 9

Click here for today's reading


Jesus: 23 What do you mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe.

Father (crying in desperation): 24 I believe, Lord. Help me to believe!

(The Voice)

That's my prayer, "Help me to believe!"

Day 281, October 8 - Mark 8

Click here for today's reading


In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

Jesus was full of compassion for the crowd because they had nothing to eat for 3 days. We complain (or maybe it's just me) when church goes long by 15 minutes because I'm hungry.

Day 280, October 7 - Mark 7

Click here for today's reading


14 (to the crowd that had gathered) Listen, all of you, to this teaching. I want you to understand. 15 There is nothing outside someone that can corrupt him. Only the things that come out of a person can corrupt him. [16 All who have ears to hear, let them listen.]
(The Voice)

Day 279 - October 6, Psalm 199:121 - 144

Click here for today's reading


127 Indeed, I love Your commands
      more than gold, even more than the highest quality gold.
128 It’s true that I regard all Your guidance to be correct and good;
      I despise every deceptive path.
129 Your decrees inspire wonder;
       because of that, my soul desires to keep them.
(The Voice)

Day 278, October 5 - Psalm 119:97-120

Click here for today's reading


97 Oh, how I love Your law!
        I fix my mind on it all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies
       because they are always with me.
103 Your words are sweet to my taste!
       Yes, they are sweeter than honey in my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from Your instructions;
      that’s why I hate every deceitful path.
116 Support me in keeping with Your promise, O God, so that I may live;
      do not let my hope turn into shame.
117 Help me so that I will be safe,
      and I will respect Your laws continually.
(The Voice)

God's Word - A lamp to guide our lives by!

Day 277, October 4 - Mark 6

Click here for today's reading


45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.

48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night[g] he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,

49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,

50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Day 276, October 3 - Mark 5

Click here for today's reading

verse 36b - “Do not fear, only believe.”

Jesus response to Jairus when he was told his daughter had died.  It what He says to us when things look bleak in our lives.

Day 275, October 2 - Mark 4

Click here for today's reading


35 The same evening, Jesus suggested they cross over to the other side of the lake.

36 With Jesus already in the boat, they left the crowd behind and set sail along with a few other boats that followed.

37 As they sailed, a storm formed. The winds whipped up huge waves that broke over the bow, filling the boat with so much water that even the experienced sailors among them were sure they were going to sink.

38 Jesus was back in the stern of the boat, sound asleep on a cushion, when the disciples shook Him awake. Disciples (shouting over the storm): Jesus, Master, don’t You care that we’re going to die?

39 He got up, shouted words into the wind, and commanded the waves. Jesus: That’s enough! Be still! And immediately the wind died down to nothing, the waves stopped. Jesus:

40 How can you be so afraid? After all you’ve seen, where is your faith?

41 The disciples were still afraid, slowly coming to grips with what they had seen. Disciples (to one another): Who is this Jesus? How can it be that He has power over even the wind and the waves?
(The Voice)

Day 274, October 1 - Mark 3

Click here for today's reading


31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.

32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”

33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!

35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

The family of God!

Day 273, September 30 - Mark 2

Click here for today's reading


15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (ESV)

Day 272, September 29 - Psalm 119:73-96

Click here for today's reading


76 Now let Your unfailing love be my comfort, in keeping with Your promise to Your servant.

77 Shower me with Your compassion so that I may live because I find great joy in Your law.

Day 271, September 28 - Psalm 119:49-72

Click here for today's reading


57 The Eternal One is mine. He’s all I need. I have promised to keep Your words.

58 I sought Your blessing wholeheartedly. Show grace to me as You promised.

66 Help me to learn good judgment and knowledge because I believe Your commandments.

71 It is a good thing that I was humbled because it helped me learn Your limits.

72 Your teachings are more valuable to me than a fortune in gold and silver.

Day 270, September 27 - Mark 1

click here for today's reading


35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

A good habit, I still need to develop...

Day 269, September 26 - 2 Timothy 4

Click here for today's reading


1 And now I bring you this charge before God and Jesus the Anointed, the one destined to judge the living and the dead, at His glorious appearance and His kingdom: 2 go out and preach the word! Go whether it’s an opportune time or not! Reprove, warn, and encourage; but do so with all the patience and instruction needed to fulfill your calling 3 because a time will come when some will no longer tolerate sound teaching. Instead, they will live by their own desires; they’ll scratch their itching ears by surrounding themselves with teachers who approve of their lifestyles and tell them what they want to hear.

Paul spends a lot of time talking about calling with Timothy, something I need to hear about right now.

Day 268, September 25 - 2 Timothy 3

Click here for today's reading


From the ESV:
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

From The Voice:
All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right 17 so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.

Day 267, September 24 - 2 Timothy 2

Click here for today's reading


15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Day 266, September 23 - 2 Timothy 1

Click here for today's reading


From ESV: 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

The Voice breaks the two verses into to sentences:
6 This is why I write to remind you to stir up the gift of God that was conveyed to you when I laid my hands upon you.

7 You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit.

I've always focused on verse 7, but I've noticed in most of the word for word translations (ESV, NRSV) translate verses 6 & 7 as one thought or sentence. I really like that.

Day 265, September 22 - Psalm 119:25-48

Click here for today's reading


34 Grant me understanding so that I can keep Your law and keep it wholeheartedly.
35 Guide me to walk in the way You commanded because I take joy in it.
47 I will find my joy in Your commands, which I love,

Day 264, September 21 - Psalm 119:1-24

Click here for today's reading


1 Happy are the people who walk with integrity, who live according to the teachings of the Eternal.
2 Happy are the people who keep His decrees, who pursue Him wholeheartedly.
7 With a pure heart, I will give thanks to You when I hear about Your just and fair rulings.
9 How can a young person remain pure? Only by living according to Your word.

Day 263, September 20 - Titus 3

Click here for today's reading


2 Don’t tear down another person with your words. Instead, keep the peace, and be considerate. Be truly humble toward everyone 3 because there was a time when we, too, were foolish, rebellious, and deceived—we were slaves to sensual cravings and pleasures; and we spent our lives being spiteful, envious, hated by many, and hating one another.
The Voice

Day 262, September 19 - Titus 2

Click here for today's reading


11 We have cause to celebrate because the grace of God has appeared, offering the gift of salvation to all people. 12 Grace arrives with its own instruction: run away from anything that leads us away from God; abandon the lusts and passions of this world; live life now in this age with awareness and self-control, doing the right thing and keeping yourselves holy.
The Voice

Day 261, September 18 - Titus 1

Click here for today's reading


10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

This is something that still happens in today's church and it can be so destructive and as Paul says needs to be silenced.

Day 260, September 17 - 1 Timothy 6

Click here for today's reading

1Ti 6:11-13
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
(ESV)

Day 259, September 16 - 1 Timothy 5

Click here for today's reading

1Ti 5:22
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
(ESV)

Day 258, September 15 - Psalm 118

Click here for today's reading


1 Give thanks to the Eternal because He is always good. He never ceases to be loving and kind.

27 The Eternal is the True God; He shines His light on us. Let the feast begin. Bring the sacrifice, and tie it to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I give You thanks; You are my God, and I praise You.

29 Give thanks to our Eternal Lord; He is always good. He never ceases to be loving and kind.

Day 257, September 14 - Psalm 116-117

Click here for today's reading


From Psalm 116:

5 The Eternal is full of grace and naturally just; our God is compassionate and merciful.

6 And the Eternal watches over the naive. Whenever I was knocked down, He reached down and saved me.

7 O my soul! Return and relax. Come to your true rest, for the Eternal has showered you with His favor.

Psalm 117:

1 Praise the Eternal, all nations. Raise your voices, all people.

2 For His unfailing love is great, and it is intended for us, and His faithfulness to His promises knows no end. Praise the Eternal!

Day 256, September 13 - 1 Timothy 4

Click here for today's reading


13 Until I get there, make sure to devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.

14 Don’t neglect the gift that was given to you through the prophecy spoken when the company of the elders laid their hands on you.

15 Cultivate all these practices; live by them so that all will see how you are advancing and growing.

16 Take care of yourself, concentrate on your teaching, and stick with these things. If you do, then you will be effective in bringing salvation to yourself and all who hear you.

Day 255, September 12 - 1 Timothy 3

Click here for today's reading


11 Again the same applies to women in key positions; they should also be dignified, not backstabbing gossips but self-controlled and faithful to the core.

This chapter is full of instructions in regards to how deacons and leaders within the church should behave.

Day 254, September 11 - 1 Timothy 2

Click here for today's reading


1 So, first and foremost, I urge God’s people to pray. They should make their requests, petitions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all humanity. 2 Teach them to pray for kings (or anyone in high places for that matter) so that we can lead quiet, peaceful lives—reverent, godly, and holy— 3 all of which is good and acceptable before the eyes of God our Savior 4 who desires for everyone to be saved and know the truth.

Day 253, September 10 - 1 Timothy 1

Click here for today's reading


2b May the grace, mercy, and peace that come only from God the Father and our Lord Jesus the Anointed mark your life.

15 Here’s a statement worthy of trust: Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them all.
(The Voice)

Day 252, September 9 - Ephesian 6

Click here for today's reading


10 Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. 11 Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. 12 We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.

13 And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. 14 Yes, stand—truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, 15 and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. 16 Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. 17 Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed.
(The Voice)

Day 251, September 8 - Psalm 115

Click here for today's reading


4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.

6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.

7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

Our idols may not be graven images but we also have a tendency to have idols.

Day 250, September 7 - Psalm 114

Click here for today's reading

Tremble at the Presence of the Lord

3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?

6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?

Day 249, September 6 - Ephesians 5

Click here for today's reading


9 For the fruit of the light is all that is good, right, and true. 10 Make it your aim to learn what pleases our Lord. 11 Don’t get involved with the fruitless works of darkness; instead, expose them to the light of God.

I like "Make it your aim to learn what pleases our Lord." The only way to learn how to please the Lord is to get to know Him.

Day 248, September 5 - Ephesians 4

Click here for today's reading


15 Instead, by truth spoken in love, we are to grow in every way into Him—the Anointed One, the head. 16 He joins and holds together the whole body with its ligaments providing the support needed so each part works to its proper design to form a healthy, growing, and mature body that builds itself up in love.
(The Voice)

Day 247, September 4 - Ephesians 3

Click here for today's reading


16 Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen Your people. Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit 17 so that through faith the Anointed One will reside in their hearts. May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together 18-19 with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings.
(The Voice)

Day 246, September 3, Ephesians 2

Click here for today's reading


8-9 For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing. 10 For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago. (The Voice)

This is another one of my favorite passages but I find the way The Voice says it just amazing and encouraging.

Day 245, September 2 - Ephesians 1

Click here for today's reading


7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.


15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Remember you have been redeemed by Jesus' blood and forgiven of your sins because of God's grace.

Never forget to thank God for your fellow believers and pray that their eyes will be enlightened so they understand.

Day 244, September 1 - Psalm 112 & 113

Click here for today's reading

Just not on Sundays but everyday!

Psalm 112:1 - Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!

Psalm 113 -
1 Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Day 243, August 31 - Psalm 110 & 111

Click here for today's reading

Psalm 111

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! (ESV)

10 Reverence for the Eternal is the first step toward wisdom. All those who worship Him have a good understanding. His praise will echo through eternity! (The Voice)

Day 242, August 30 - Colossians 4

Click here for today's reading


2 Pray, and keep praying. Be alert and thankful when you pray.
3 And while you are at it, add us to your prayers. Pray that God would open doors and windows and minds and eyes and hearts for the word so we can go on telling the mystery of the Anointed, for this is exactly why I am currently imprisoned.
4 Pray that I will proclaim this message clearly and fearlessly as I should.
The Voice

"And while you are at it, add us to your prayers..." I think that's good advice...

Day 241, August 29 - Colossians 3

Click here for today's reading


13 Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind.
14 But above all these, put on love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together.
15 Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful.
 16 Let the word of the Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the Spirit, and keep on singing—sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with thankfulness.
17 Surely, no matter what you are doing (speaking, writing, or working), do it all in the name of Jesus our Master, sending thanks through Him to God our Father.
The Voice

Day 240, August 28 - Colossians 2

Click here for today's reading

6 Now that you have welcomed the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, into your lives, continue to journey with Him and allow Him to shape your lives. 7 Let your roots grow down deeply in Him, and let Him build you up on a firm foundation. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always spill over with thankfulness. The Voice

"Allow Him to shape your lives" I love that.

Day 239 - August 27 - Colossians 1

Click here for today's reading


3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Who are you thanking God for today?


9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Who are you praying for today?

Take time to do that...

Day 238, August 26 - Philemon 1

Click here for today's reading


7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Day 237, August 25 - Psalm 109

Click here for today's reading


30 I will continually give thanks to the Eternal
          with the praises of my mouth;
          I will praise Him in the company of many.

Note this comes after 20 verses of the bad things that are happening in life... We make a decision to praise regardless of the circumstances.

Day 236, August 24 - Psalm 108

Click here for today's reading


From The Voice
1 My heart is committed, O God: I will sing; I will sing praises with great affection and pledge my whole soul to the singing.
3 I will stand and offer You my thanks, Eternal One, in the presence of others; I will sing of Your greatness among the nations no matter where I am
13 Only through God can we be successful. It is God alone who will defeat our enemies and bring us victory!

Day 235, August 23 - Philippians 4

Click here for today's reading


6 Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.
7 And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. (The Voice)

And if that one doesn't touch you maybe this one will:

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.
9 Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you. (The Voice)

Day 234, August 22 - Philippians 3

click here for today's reading


12 I’m not there yet, nor have I become perfect; but I am charging on to gain anything and everything the Anointed One, Jesus, has in store for me—and nothing will stand in my way because He has grabbed me and won’t let me go.
13 Brothers and sisters, as I said, I know I have not arrived; but there’s one thing I am doing: I’m leaving my old life behind, putting everything on the line for this mission.
14 I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the Anointed. (The Voice)

I'm not sure I've ever thought of it as a sprint, but rather a marathon. But regardless, I love this passage, "I'm not there yet, nor have I become perfect" "I'm leaving my old life behind"

Day 233, August 21 - Philippians 2

Click here for today's reading


14 Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other,
15 so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land.
16 Cling to the word of life so that on the day of judgment when the Anointed One returns I may have reason to rejoice, because it will be plain that I didn’t turn from His mission nor did I work in vain.  (The Voice)

Day 232, August 20 - Philippians 1

Click here for today's reading


6 I am confident that the Creator, who has begun such a great work among you, will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you until the day Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, returns to redeem the world. (The Voice)


21 For my life is about the Anointed and Him alone. And my death, when that comes, will mean great gain for me.
22 So, if it’s His will that I go on serving here, my work will be fruitful for the message. I honestly wouldn’t know how or what to choose;

Day 231, August 19 - Matthew 28

Click here for today's reading


Jesus: I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: 19 Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 20 Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.

Verse 20 - The disciple them... seems to be a theme in my life of late.

Day 230, August 18 - Psalm 107

Click here for today's reading


4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

If you're wandering in a desert, cry out to the Lord!  He will deliver you!

Day 229, August 17 - Psalm 106

Click here for today's reading



1 Praise the Lord!  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

44 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry.
45 For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
46 He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive.

This Psalm starts with praise, then recounts the history of Israel after they left Egypt, but concludes with the reminder that God heard and forgave. That is still a truth today, when we blow it we can call out to God and he will forgive.

Day 228, August 16 - Matthew 27

Click here for today's reading


50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

I love this passage because it reminds me that through Jesus' death there was no longer a barrier between us and God!

Day 227, August 15 - Matthew 26

Click here for today's reading


26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread. He offered a blessing over the bread, and then He broke it and gave it to His disciples.

Jesus: Take this and eat; it is My body.

27 And then He took the cup of wine, He made a blessing over it, and He passed it around the table.

Jesus: Take this and drink, all of you: 28 this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you: I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until I am with you once more, drinking in the kingdom of My Father.

He's waiting for us!