What is the most important goal or resolution we can make for the coming year? Many believe we should resolve to do things that make us happy. Others say we should set goals that will help us be more successful. Perhaps you have a goal to lose weight, get healthier, spend more time with family, achieve better results in your career, or something else. But is there a goal that should be the goal for every believer every year?
If you’re a follower of Christ you might think that goal involves things like going to church, reading your Bible, doing good deeds, giving more, or praying more faithfully. But is there a bigger goal, one that may include those things, but begins in the heart? What should the goal be for a believer?
And in our reading from Revelation, we meet the two witnesses. With fire to devour their enemies, the power to shut heaven, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with plagues, they will warn, preach, and prophesy during the first half of the Tribulation. But what happens after their death is even more shocking.
Angels would herald His birth. Wise men would follow a star to worship Him. Shepherds would stand in awe of what they saw. A king would try to kill Him. Satan would scheme to destroy Him and God’s plan. But Mary pondered it all in her heart. As we rush around with all the last-minute shopping and preparations, let’s remember the Greatest Gift.
And not lose sight of the reason behind all that we do this Christmas season … that the Creator of the Universe humbled Himself and became a babe, was born in a stable among animals and filth, lived as a man among sinners, and submitted to a horrible death in your place and mine.
In the Prophet Micah’s day, most of the people had placed their hope in the wrong things. They had rejected the warnings of God’s prophets, choosing to listen to false prophets instead. Those false prophets merely told them what they wanted to hear and failed to call them to repentance for their sinful behavior.
That kind of deception is one of the devil’s oldest tricks. It started with his deception of Eve in the Garden. But deception leads only to despair when people realize their hope was placed in the wrong thing.
Today many are deceived into believing lies about human sexuality, God’s character, how He works through our trials, the reality of God’s discipline and judgment, and many other false belief systems. Each of us needs to be sure those things in which we place our hope are firmly grounded in God’s truth.
And in our New Testament reading …
In Revelation 9 the fifth and sixth trumpets sound! The fifth releases swarming locust-like demons with tails like scorpions. They will attack those who do not have the seal of God. Their stings will leave people begging to die, but not even able to commit suicide. And the sixth is even worse.
You may think you know the story of Jonah, but there is so much more for us to learn from the book by his name. First, there is the fact that disobedience and running from God can land us in some pretty nasty circumstances. But there are, also, great lessons on God’s mercy, willingness to forgive, and what He expects from us when we’re sinned against.
Then our New Testament reading is from Revelation 8 with the beginning of the seven trumpet judgments. The first four are horrible enough, but before the fifth one sounds an angel cries, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet …”
Yesterday, in our New Testament reading, we talked about the opening of the first six seals in Revelation 6. It will be a time of famine, death, earthquakes, volcanoes, murder, chaos, and disaster. But it will be followed by a time of eerie calm and devastating fear after the God of heaven is seen on His throne and the world reels in terror over “what’s next?”
Also, do you ever take silent pleasure when someone who has criticized or mistreated you falls or suffers a setback? Is that how we should react? Is there a problem with rejoicing when “what goes around comes around”? Today’s reading in Obadiah looks at those questions.
Why a fresh start through the Bible? Why “through” the Bible? Why not just read here and there, perhaps finding a subject that interests you? Or how about a short devotional? As long as you read something every day, isn’t that good enough? Today’s reading from the book of Psalms gives us a very good illustration of why it’s so important to read God’s Word in context.
The psalmist in Psalm 1 talks about a man who is like a tree planted on a riverbank where it gets plenty of water and is always fruitful. The psalmist goes on to say that God prospers whatever this man does.
I don’t know about you, but I want my life to be like that. But despite some who teach that God wants to make every believer prosperous, there are requirements for this prosperity. There are things we must do and other things we are to avoid. We also need to understand what the psalmist meant when he wrote about prosperity. If we don’t, we may find ourselves disillusioned, even angry, with God.
But this is just one example of the importance of understanding God’s Word in context, in its entirety. One of the biggest problems I find among believers is a failure to know God, to know His character, to know how He works through our tests and trials. As a result, far too many lead faithless, defeated lives.
But when we read through all of Scripture, we begin to see the big picture. As we go through the book of Genesis, we’ll look at the creation account and what it tells us about our incredible God. It will launch us on a journey through the history of God’s people and some of the most fascinating stories even recorded. As we go through the Prophets, we’ll see the many examples where their prophecies have already come to pass and our faith will grow. We will, also, come to better understand what was really happening in the book of Job, how much the psalmists were like us, and see the wisdom we can gain from Proverbs. In the New Testament, we’ll walk with Jesus and the Apostles, read Paul’s letters with fresh understanding, and marvel at the glories of eternity future.
So, why read “through” the Bible and not just here and there? So we understand the whole counsel of God and so we know the God of the Bible and not God as we think He should be.
Perhaps the question should be, “Why not read through the Bible in 2022?”
2022. A new year stands before us. 2021 and 2020 before that have been challenging to put it mildly.
Viruses. Bombings. Senseless murders. Shut-downs. Financial hardships. Crime. Dirty, partisan politics. Suicide. Sexual immorality. Anger. Road rage. Persecution. The loss of religious freedoms.
The world around us has been and continues to be in upheaval. Everything is changing right before our eyes.
Even within the church world, there are many false gospels.
So, how will we know truth from lies? How can we stand strong in a changing world, when life gets hard, or stays hard?
This year is fast drawing to a close and many of us are thinking about our goals for 2022. And there are many important goals and resolutions we can make as we look forward.
Certainly, these last two years have reminded us all that it’s important to take care of our health. And while, as believers, we shouldn’t live in fear, we should use wisdom in that area. Maybe you have career, financial, or other personal goals for 2022, as well.
But we should never neglect the most important area of life … our spiritual life. One of the most valuable goals is to read the Bible regularly. And I would like to suggest one of the best ways is to read through it in a systematic way. So, how about you? Do you want to grow spiritually in 2022? If so, what is your plan to do so?
Why is reading through the Bible so valuable? Can’t we get everything we need by going to church, reading a verse or two each day and listening to podcasts here and there? Isn’t it just too time-consuming? One more thing on a long to-do list?
Or what if you’ve tried in the past, only to fall behind and give up? How can you do it successfully in 2022?
Have you thought about reading through the Bible, maybe know you should, but keep saying, “Maybe next year”? Here is a 15-day catch-up plan so you can make this year your year!
Why Read through the Bible in a Year? Before you know it the New Year will be here. I hope your New Year’s plans include reading through the Bible in a year in 2017. Reading, studying, meditating on and obeying God’s...
