Always Pray. Don’t Lose Heart.
Daily Scripture readings for January, set #15:
- Nehemiah 9
- Proverbs 12:15-28
- Luke 18:1-8
- 2 Timothy 3:10-17
“But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them” (Neh 9:17). Here again appears the familiar phrase that I’ve seen over and over throughout both the Old and New Testaments. God has been very intentional, it seems, in describing himself to us as “abounding in steadfast love.”
Righteousness is not merely something that the Lord calls us to, that we would seek it only out of obligation and obedience. Rather, we pursue righteous because IT BRINGS US LIFE. “In the path of righteousness, and in it’s pathway there is no death” (Prov 12:28).
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Constant and repetitive prayer in supplication to God is biblical and good, though I sometimes feel as though I’m bothering him or somehow denying his authority or sovereignty by praying for the same thing over and over. Also noteworthy in today’s Luke reading is the specification as to whom God will give justice to (vs 7).
A word from Paul to the health and wealth camp: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12).
Daily Scripture readings for January, set #16:
- Nehemiah 10
- Proverbs 13:1-12
- Luke 18:9-17
- 2 Timothy 4:1-8
“We will not neglect the house of our God” (Neh 10:39). So said the returned remnant of Jerusalem as they made their oath with the Lord. This strikes me as both a bold and zealous promise, and one that is easily forgotten (i.e., neglected).
Ok. To be clear here, I have nothing against Facebook. I use it all the time and I really enjoy the community aspect of it. But we all know how easy it is to let our online presence/language get a little snarky when we’re disagreeing with someone on a particular matter, or even how easy it is to merely find things with which to disagree with others about. With that in mind, here’s another reminder from God’s word on how we should behave as we communicate with one another, electronically or otherwise: “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin” (Prov 13:3).
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other” (Luke 18:14). The interesting thing to me here is that this parable describes the two men as having gone to the temple “to pray.” I wonder if seeking justification was their intention for praying.
This is a good encouragement and challenge for me in my life’s current season: “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5).
