TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
1 Samuel 2:22-4:22
John 5:24-47
Psalm 106:1-12
Proverbs 14:30-31
1 Samuel 2:35 — Deuteronomy 18:15 foretold the LORD raising a prophet, now the LORD is promising to raise up a priest!
1 Samuel 3:7 — Vic Eliason, founder of VCY America, would often share this passage with young men who were considering ministry. Many think God is calling them to ministry when it’s quite possible that it’s just their mother or grandmother who think it would be good to have a preacher in the family. There are many voices calling out today – it is crucial to learn how to discern God’s voice from the other voices. Ministry is hard – if God isn’t calling you, it’s easy to give up when the going gets tough. 71% of missionaries who leave the field do so for a preventable reason. But if God has called you, He will provide strength and resources when the going gets tough.
1 Samuel 4:21 — Ichabod, an appropriate name for the time of judgment when the people have confronted the priest (1 Samuel 2:23), when the man of God has confronted the priest (1 Samuel 2:27), and when the LORD Himself confronts the priest via a young boy (1 Samuel 3:12).
John 5:39 — The Scriptures are not primarily a moral textbook, although you can learn a lot about right and wrong in them. The Scriptures are about the Savior of the world, the LORD Jesus Christ! Jesus continually points back to the Torah (John 5:46) saying that Moses is writing about Him.
Psalm 106:6-7 — What was the great sin of the fathers of Israel? Ingratitude. The LORD had delivered them from their slaveowners, and they wanted to return. We see a theme: our LORD has delivered us from the slave master called sin, and we keep running back to our old master. All we need to do is obey!
Proverbs 14:31 — How do we show honor to our Maker? By showing mercy to the poor. While some call this the “social gospel,” they usually stop with just the social part and not the gospel. It’s exciting to see some incredible ministries like the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago providing 1,500 hot meals daily, as well as clothing, shelter, and a powerful gospel message. The Covenant Mercy Mission in New York City distributes two million dollars of food annually with a powerful gospel message as well.
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
