Monthly Archives: December 2012

Annual Bible Reading Plans

There is an app for that! Reading your Bible on a regular basis is a good thing.  Reading your Bible through in one year is a great thing.  Now would be a great time to make that commitment since we are beginning a New Year.  Bible reading plans are available in printed form, online, and apps. They are also available across all platforms: smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.  Do an online search and find one that works best for you.  One of my favorite Bible programs for my laptop and iPad is E-Sword.  I have used this software for many years and love it.  Recently an app for the iPad was made available, which I purchased for $4.99, and use almost daily (The computer version is free and loaded with an amazing amount of study resources).  I am also a big fan of Pocket Sword, an app for the iPhone.  Many of it’s features are similar to E-Sword.  E-Sword comes with several daily Bible reading plans. This year I have committed to reading through the Bible chronologically. This means I am reading the Bible through in historical order. One of the greatest blessings for me was when I read completely through the Bible for the first time.  It was a tremendous help in gaining a more complete understanding of God’s Word.  Let me encourage you to find a reading plan that works for you and commit to reading through God’s Word in 2013.

Link to E-Sword: http://www.e-sword.net/

App Store Link to the E-Sword app for iPad: E-Sword iPad App

App Store Link to the Pocket Sword app for iPhone: Pocket Sword App

Meaning of Faith

Faith Defined: The very root meaning of faith is the acceptance of something that is true. Exercising faith in God is to accept what He says as the truth. Faith is taking God at His word. This is why the words trust and believe are often associated with faith.  We are accepting something that we have not seen or heard for ourselves.  We are trusting the word of another.

Bible salvation is dependent upon a person’s faith.  The Bible declares that all mankind are sinners and in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23).  God’s Word also declares that salvation is only possible through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He paid for our sin debt on the cross of Calvary.  Exercising faith means we believe what God says about our sin and the Savior. We take God at His Word and trust what He says as being the truth.

The gift of salvation was received when I took God at His word about my sin and need for a Savior.  I had to agree with God about my sin and trust Christ to be my redeemer.  I had never met Jesus Christ.  I did not in person see His death on the cross at Calvary.  But the Bible says that God loves me (John 3:16).  The Bible says that I am a sinner and Jesus Christ paid my sin debt (Romans 6:23).  I had to trust God and take Him at His Word.  The moment I exercised faith God did what He promised – He saved me!  He also gave evident in my heart that what He said was the truth. (Hebrews 11:1).

Consider…Jesus Christ

Hebrews 3:1-2 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

The Book of Hebrews is about the Lord Jesus Christ!!!  It is filled with encouraging reasons why we should look to Him.  Because of His love for us and the blessings He has bestowed – this should be a natural response in the life of the believer.

We live in a world full of things that capture our attention.  These things can easily distract us from the most important things.  We are being encouraged in Hebrews 3:1 to consider Jesus Christ.  To be honest, the more I observe the things of this world, the more I understand my great need for the one who died for me on the cross. I am drawn to focus my attention on Him.

The word CONSIDER has in it the idea of observing fully, discovering, and perceiving. This is not referring to a casual look but a full examination of a subject.  There are some things about the person of Jesus Christ we need to observe fully, discover, understand, and know.  He impacts lives and there is no doubt He is worthy of our full attention!

May our FOCUS be the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 3:1-2

Hebrews 3:1-2 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Christ is Faithful!!!

Christ has impacted our lives:

1) He has made us HOLY.

a) We are sinners and could never, in and of ourselves, be made holy.

b) But Christ, who was sinless, became sin for us so could be made holy.

2) He has made us FAMILY.

a) We all have by our physical birth a physical family.

b) Once saved we are made part of the family of God. We now have the blessing of being a part of an even larger spiritual family around this world.

3) He has made us PARTAKERS.

a) Have you considered the blessings God has given to His children???

b) We have the privilege of being “partakers” in those blessings!!!