Today's Reading: Numbers 21:1-35Here we see both the judgment and mercy of God. The people rebel once again, so God sends fiery serpents among them and the people begin to die (judgment). But when the people confess their sin, God provides a way for them to be healed (mercy). But that healing required faith. Frankly, it didn't make a lot of sense that the way to be healed was to look at a bronze s...  Read More

Today's Reading: Numbers 20:1-29I'm going to focus on the account of Moses striking the rock in verses 10-13. This is the second time that the people have complained to Moses about a lack of water. The first was back in Exodus 17. That first time God instructed Moses to strike the rock and and Moses obeyed and water flowed from the rock.This time God instructs Moses to speak to the rock. But Moses...  Read More

Today's Reading: Numbers 14:1-45My apologies for being so late with posting today's devotional.A couple of things come to mind in this passage:One of the reasons that the people grumbled against God is because they were living in the past. One of the best illustrations I've seen regarding this is driving a car. Most of the time while we are driving we need to be looking ahead through the windshiel...  Read More

Today's Reading: Numbers 11:1-35Today we begin a new section in our reading plan that focuses on Israel's rebellion in the wilderness after God frees them from slavery in Egypt. Israel immediately falls into a pattern of sin and hardness against their redeeming God, resulting in their judgment in the wilderness prior to entering the land promised to Abraham. It is easy to criticize the Israelites ...  Read More

All the passages in this year's Bible reading plan point ahead to the event we celebrate today - the resurrection of Jesus. Hope to see you this morning as we celebrate together....  Read More

Spend some time today to prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus tomorrow. We hope to see you at 8:00 for our Resurrection Reflection (outdoors with traditional hymns), our breakfast at 8:30 and our worship gathering at 9:30....  Read More

Today's Reading: Hebrews 9:1-28Today's reading wraps up this section of our reading plan.Under the Old Covenant sins were atoned for (covered) by the blood from the animal sacrifices made by the priests. But that system fell short because those sacrifices had to be made continually year after year. That is why that it was a only a shadow that pointed ahead to Jesus who would die once for all to at...  Read More

Today's Reading: Galatians 5:1-26Paul is writing here to address some false teachers who were proclaiming that it was necessary to be circumcised and become a Jew before becoming a disciple of Jesus. His main idea in this chapter is that doing so would put people in bondage to the law rather than giving them the freedom that is available in Christ.Today, few would hold to that idea that was preval...  Read More

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:1-18Here Paul refers back to the giving of the law, and in particular to how Moses had to put a veil over his face after meeting with God on the mountain. Paul calls the law the "ministry of death and condemnation" because the law had no power to provide salvation to man, who is incapable of keeping it fully. When Jesus came and died on the cross and rose from the ...  Read More

Today's Reading: Romans 10:1-21Paul makes it very clear here that the only way any man can be righteous before God is not by obeying the law, but rather through faith in Jesus alone. That is true for Jews and Gentiles alike. Throughout their history, Israel demonstrated just how impossible it is for man to completely obey the Law. Knowing that from before He created man, God had always planned to ...  Read More

Today's Reading: Luke 22:1-71This is a long chapter, but we're going to focus on verses 14-23 today.Back in the book of Exodus, the "Old Covenant" was sealed when Moses took some of the blood from the animal sacrifice and threw it on the people (Exodus 24:8). The new covenant is also going to be sealed with blood, but not the blood of animals, but the blood of Jesus. As the disciples observe the P...  Read More

Catch up on your reading if you need to. Otherwise spend some more time in Psalm 119 today....  Read More