John 6:1-24. Jesus performed miracles 4 and 5 recorded by the Apostle John, feeding 5000 (plus women and children) and walking on water.
Genesis 11 tells about the Tower of Babel, and how different languages arose, all by being disobedient to God.
Psalm 3 is a Psalm of David from when he fled from his son Absalom.
John 5:1-30, describes how Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath, which offended the Jews. In addition Jesus claimed to be equal with the Father, for which the Jews sought to kill him, but Jesus defended His testimony.
Genesis 7 tells of Noah, having completed the ark, took with him seven (pairs) of clean animals and two of unclean animals, and also birds. The aquatic life did just fine. After the animals had entered God shut the door and the rain started forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 8. The water receded and Noah sent out a raven and later a dove, returning empty. The second time the dove was sent out, it returned with an olive branch in its beak. This has now become the universal peace symbol. After exiting the ark Noah built an altar and sacrificed from the clean animals. God made a promise to Noah: “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
Psalm 2 tells of what happens when “the heathen rage” and this psalm speaks of what is going on today.
Today we read in John 2, that Jesus turned water into wine, cleansed the Temple, and when the Jews demanded a sign he gave them just one sign (which they of course did not understand).
Genesis 2 left us with the idyllic Eden, no diseases existed yet. But God created us with free will, and the fall is then described in Genesis 3 . The problem is, after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, (not an apple tree) and in doing so we think we can do better without fellowship with God.
The question to ponder is: Why did God create us with a free will? He knew the result from the beginning, and knew He would have to send His Son to redeem us back to Himself. In fact He knew it from before the beginning: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8, NIV)
Answer: We are created in God’s image, male and female, not so much physical, but spiritual, and free will is part of the package. Without free will there is no fellowship with God, only puppetry.
Psalm 1 is a beautiful poem about righteous living, and only one person could fulfill all the conditions mentioned, the exception to ” There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3: 10)
In between the letter of Jude and Revelation we read two Psalms and three champers of Micah.
December 8: Psalm 149, Psalm 150, Micah 1, Micah 2, Micah 3 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 149. Praise the LORD and sing a new song. With the two-edged sword (of the spirit?) the saints will execute judgement on the nations.
Psalm 150. Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD!
Micah 1. The prophet told of the coming judgment on Israel with mourning for Israel and Judah.
Micah 2. The prophet proclaimed woe to evildoers and lying prophets. After that Israel will be restored.
Micah 3. There was wicked rulers and wicked prophets. Micah still had full confidence in God.
Today we read two Psalms, the second letter of the Apostle John and the last chapter of Joel.
December 2: Psalm 147, Psalm 148, 2 John, Joel 3 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 147 is a great Psalm of praising God for His protection and creation, for His care and power, for His provisions, wisdom and His word. It ends with praise to the LORD for His special attention to Israel.
Psalm 148: Let all creation praise the LORD!
2 John is a very short letter, greeting the elect lady with joy that she and some of her children walk in Christ’s commandments, but also warning her to beware of Antichrist deceivers.
Joel 3. In this final chapter God judges the nations, bringing war to the valley of Jehoshaphat: “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” And afterwards God will bless His people.
In between the first and second letter of the Apostle Peter we read two Psalms and the third chapter of Daniel.
November 18: Psalm 145, Psalm 146, Daniel 3 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 145, a Psalm of Praise, of David. In an acrostic fashion David praised God for his fame, glory and for His goodness; for his kingdom and His providence, and most of all for his saving mercy.
Psalm 146 begins the five final songs in the Book of Psalms, known as the Hallelujah Psalms. This one gives praise to the Lord for creation, for what He is doing and will do forever.
Daniel 3 tells about the image of gold that all had to worship, and the fiery furnace prepared for the three Hebrews that refused. From Sunday School we all know how that went.
In between the first and second letter of the Apostle Peter we read two Psalms and the first chapter of Daniel
November 16: Psalm 143, Psalm 144, Daniel 1 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 143, of David. There is hope, even in the deepest despair.
Psalm 144, of David. He is a man of war, but gives praise to God with a new song, for God is the one who grants victory.
Daniel 1. This book is most probably written by Daniel during his life. This has been questioned because of the many, accurate prophesies in it. It begins with Daniel and three other Hebrew children as they are taken into the Babylonian King’s administration as interns, and are given new names. They refuse the non- kosher diet, and pass the test.
In between the first and second letter of the Apostle Peter we read two Psalms and two chapters of Ezekiel.
November 14: Psalm, 141, Psalm 142, Ezekiel 46, Ezekiel 47 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 141, of David. A short Psalm telling that confession without compromise comes before God’s protection and victory over evildoers.
Psalm 142, of David. When all strength fails “The LORD is my only refuge.”
Ezekiel 46, The prophet continued outlining the manner of worship and how offerings were to be prepared.
Ezekiel 47. This chapter is interesting. It tells of the river from the temple, the healing waters, trees by the river and the borders of the land.
In between the letter of James and the first letter of the Apostle Peter we read two Psalms and one chapter of Ezekiel.
November 8: Psalm 139, Psalm 140, Ezekiel 38 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 139, of David. God knows everything, and He knows me much better than I know myself. Fittingly, the Psalm ends up with a song: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 140, of David. A heartfelt prayer for deliverance from evildoers.
Ezekiel 38. This chapter contains great prophesy with relevance for today of the events in the Middle East.Gog and allies attack Israel but there is coming a judgment on Gog.
In between the letter of James and the first letter of the Apostle Peter we read two Psalms and two chapters of Ezekiel.
November 6: Psalm 137, Psalm 138, Ezekiel 35, Ezekiel 36 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 137. When the Jews were exiled into captivity they were forced to sing songs on their way. So somebody wrote a psalm about it. Compare that to when Paul and Silas were put in jail, they voluntarily sang songs of praise to God.
Psalm 138. David, as psalmist reminds us that God will honor His word and perform it to completion.
Ezekiel 35 is a declaration of judgment on Mount Seir.
Ezekiel 36. Now it is getting interesting. God proclaimed a future blessing on Israel and the rebirth of Israel. (I took the liberty to put in a few interesting pictures.)
Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. 