Picture
55 days down, 310 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 15:1 – 16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalms 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. THE BIBLE AND STD’S
2. INDIANA JONES HAD IT WRONG – God is in you, not a gold box
3. WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART – PART 1
4. POOR AND NEEDY? Talk to God
5. I PITY THE FOOL! – Mr. T had it right

1. THE BIBLE AND STD’S
Just in case you still haven’t figured out yet, there’s nothing new under the sun, and that the bible covers almost every issue you can imagine. From murder to rape to prostitution to adultery to intoxication to drugs to robbery to murder…you name it, it’s in there.

Even STD’s. That’s right. It’s a problem today and it was a problem thousands of years ago.

Nowadays, we can wash our hands whenever we want, and we have medications to clear up things that soap cannot. But even today, if you get that burning sensation, that leakage or that weird rash “down there”, you’ve got some problems.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
54 days down, 311 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalms 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. THE EVASIVE BALANCE OF WORKING AND WAITING
2. OBEDIENCE IS TRUE SACRIFICE
3. JESUS FEEDS 5,000
4. YOU GOT THAT MOLD?

1. THE EVASIVE BALANCE OF WORKING AND WAITING
Psalm 40:1-2
1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
      and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
      out of the mud and the mire.
   He set my feet on solid ground
      and steadied me as I walked along.

Part of obeying God, as discussed in number 1 above, waiting on His guidance and leading. This doesn’t mean that you sit on your butt and don’t do anything until a voice from heaven booms into your bedroom and tells you to go west with a brail version of the King James Bible. (Although, if this does happen, you better do it. Just ask Eli.)

God has a purpose for each of us, something significant He has for us to do with our time on this earth. However, not only does He have a purpose for us, He also has a timeline.

The conundrum that we usually found ourselves in, however, is that we often discover our purpose way before we learn God’s timeline for us to achieve it.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
53 days down, 312 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-20; Psalms 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. ANCIENT HATERS – A prophet without honor
2. NEXT ON MAURY – DEADLY STEPDAUGHTER STRIPPERS! (repeat)
3. CONTROL YOUR MOUTH – David’s short temper
4. LIFE IS SHORT
5. ANCIENT DERMATOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

1. ANCIENT HATERS – A prophet without honor
A hater is someone who just doesn’t like you, and for no good reason. They often either wish bad for you, or refuse to give you credit when you deserve it. Often your haters are actually jealous of you.

Nowadays, everyone seems to know what a hater is, and in many cases, the more you achieve, the more “haters” you have. Some people even exaggerate the numbers of haters they have, in an attempt to make themselves feel like more of a success, or more enviable

The term “haters” was popularized by rap lyrics within the last 10 years or so I would say, but the haters themselves have been around much longer – even 2,000 years ago.

Yes, Jesus, too, had haters.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
52 days down, 313 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 11:1– 12:8; Mark 5:21-43; Psalms 38:1-22; Proverbs 10:8-9.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. DROP THE DISBELIEVERS
2. YOU GOTTA SMELL YOUR OWN FUNK – Feel your sin
3. WISE PEOPLE WELCOME CORRECTION

1. DROP THE DISBELIEVERS
When you’re chasing your dream, you must keep the faith and maintain your focus at all costs. Whether it’s an athletic pursuit, a business idea, or going to the next level in your spiritual life, your faith and your focus must always be protected.

You must avoid the naysayers and the doubters.

Jesus puts this into practice in Mark 5:39-42.

He is going to the home of Jairus to heal his sick daughter, but before He gets there, the girl dies.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
51 days down, 314 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 9:7– 10:20; Mark 4:26 – 5:20; Psalms 37:30-40; Proverbs 10:6-7.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. DEAL WITH YOUR OWN ISSUES FIRST

2. THE POWER OF STORIES – Ancient parables, modern movies – The Passion of the Na’vi

1. DEAL WITH YOUR OWN ISSUES FIRST
No one likes a hypocrite, especially a religious one – they guy that rails on someone for their sins, while they’re secretly doing the same thing, or something just as bad. This goes without saying, so I won’t dwell on that.

But what about the people who aren’t necessarily boldfaced hypocrites?

None of us will ever be prefect on this side of heaven, but thankfully, we don’t have to be perfect and without sin to help someone through their sin.

But we do have to have our hearts in the right place with God before we can really be used to help other people.

In Leviticus 9:15, Aaron the priest offers sacrifice for the people only AFTER he has offered sacrifice for his own sin.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
50 days down, 315 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 7:28– 9:6; Mark 3:31 – 4:25; Psalms 37:12-29; Proverbs 10:5.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. FEED THE PREACHER – To give or not to give
2. ARE YOU RELATED TO JESUS?
3. YOUR HEART GETS A GRADE, BUT NOT A, B, C, D OR F
4. HEY KID. GET A SUMMER JOB!

1. FEED THE PREACHER – To give or not to give
How would you feel if after everyone in your church brought their offering, the preacher went through the bucket and took a cut off the top and put it in his wallet? You’d probably be shocked and come down with a severe case of righteous indignation.

However, this is exactly what God instructed here in Leviticus 7:28-39.

Leviticus 7:34-35
34 For I have reserved the breast of the special offering and the right thigh of the sacred offering for the priests. It is the permanent right of Aaron and his descendants to share in the peace offerings brought by the people of Israel. 35 This is their rightful share.
1 Comment
 
 
Picture
49 days down, 316 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 6:1 – 7:27; Mark 3:7-30; Psalms 37:1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4.

My thoughts from today’s reading:

1. FORGET OPRAH’S SECRET. HERE’S THE REAL SECRET – How to get what you want
2. THE FIRE MUST NEVER GO OUT
3. THEY MAY CALL YOU CRAZY
4. GRIND AND SHINE – Don’t be lazy. There's no replacement for hard work.

1. FORGET OPRAH’S SECRET. HERE’S THE REAL SECRET – How to get what you want
Psalm 37:3-4
 3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
      Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
 4 Take delight in the Lord,
      and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Simple and plain.  If you want something, this is how to get it. You must exchange your desires for God’s, and He will gladly give them to you.

No, this doesn’t mean that if you want a particular material possession you have to give up that desire, or that you have to sacrifice your own dreams and passions.

It just means that you must place a desire to please God above all other desires.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
48 days down, 317 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Leviticus 4:1 – 5:19; Mark 2:13 – 3:6; Psalms 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2.

My thoughts from today’s reading.

1. DON’T SPILL THE WINE – God wants to stretch you.
2. HAS SIN EVER WHISPERED TO YOU?
3. $100 FOR A LIE & $200 FOR CUSSING - Paying for your sins
4. BAD KIDS ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT AND CRIME DOESN’T PAY

1. DON’T SPILL THE WINE – God’s wants to stretch you
No this post isn’t a defense for Christians to drink wine.

In Mark 2:13-27 Jesus is getting into it with the Pharisees again. They are once again trying to frame Him as guilty of breaking Jewish religious law.

Jesus tells them in Matthew 2:22:
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”

This is another one of those parables and analogies that are a bit anachronous for us today, meaning they don’t quite apply to our day and time.

Back then, wineskins held wine, and newer wineskins were more flexible and more able to be stretched than old
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
45 days down, 320 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Exodus 37:1 – 38:31; Matthew 28:1-20; Psalms 34:11-22; Proverbs 9:9-10.

OK let’s go.

1. THE GREAT COMMISSION – Not just conversion, but also transformation
2. THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM - There are no do-over's in life

1. THE GREAT COMMISSION – Conversion is just the beginning
The Great Commission. Pretty much ever practicing and church attending Christian knows this one. Here it is as stated in Matthew.

Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

However, just as much a part of the Great Commission, but not as often quoted is Matthew 28:20.

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...

Our job as the church is not just to get people saved, as in converted, but to get people saved, as in transformed. This is the hard part.

Anyone can go down the altar and say a prayer, mean it in their hearts and become a Christian.

What is more difficult, however, is to actually live your life as a Christian.

I first “got saved” when I was only seven years old. I understood what I was doing, and I believed what I was saying.

But as I grew older into adolescence and then young adulthood, I strayed – not in my religious beliefs, but in my lifestyle and behavior.

Why? Perhaps it was because I was so young when I became a Christian, or perhaps because there was no one to disciple me, or be my spiritual mentor, when I entered those teenage years.

Whatever the reason, it happens time and time again with most Christians, at least in America. In fact, if you are reading this, you probably had a similar experience.

You see, having a conversion experience is not enough. That is only the beginning. We must also become disciples of Jesus and live a life of obeying His commandments.

But like I said, this is the hard part. It is so difficult for a person to live a Christian lifestyle. No one can do it on their own. We need each other as fellow followers of Jesus to even just continue to live like followers of Jesus.

The point is that our job as Christians and the church is not just to help other people say the sinner’s prayer and “get saved”, but to help each other become true disciples of Jesus Christ, which means not only getting saved, but also living saved.

Your thoughts?

2. THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM - There are no do-over's in life.

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom...

So does that I have to be afraid of God to be wise?

And what about someone who is not a Christian or does not believe in God? Does that mean they cannot be wise?

Well…..yes….and no….and….

To “fear” God in this context means to have a reverential respect of God, His holiness and His authority.

So if the bible is correct, and if a person does not believe in God and His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, then that person is denying God’s authority. He or she is basically saying

 

1 Comment
 
 
Picture
44 days down, 321 to go.

Today’s scriptures for my Read the Bible in a Year plan are Exodus 35:10 – 36:38; Matthew 27:32-66; Psalms 34:1-10; Proverbs 9:7-8.

Here we go. Saturday.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAID HAPPENED ACTUALLY HAPPENED? Apologetics 101

In Matthew 27:32-54, we read this gospel’s account of Jesus from His way to the Calvary, all the way to His actual death on the cross. Christians believe this story to be fact.

In case you think Christians are crazy for what we believe, I understand.

After all, it is not unreasonable that someone doubts the historical accuracy of the tale of a man being crucified on a cross and then resurrected from the dead 2,000 years ago, especially if the only place that story is found is within the pages of the holy book of the people who believe that the man crucified was God.

But is the bible really the only piece of ancient literature that supports this story? The answer is no.
Add Comment
 
Evangelism World on Facebook
Follow Levi on Twitter
Evangelism World on YouTube