March 7th One Year Bible Readings

Numbers 8:1-9:23 ~ Mark 13:14-37 ~ Psalm 50:1-23 ~ Proverbs 10:29-30
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~ Listen to today's Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~

Old Testament - Today in Numbers chapter 8 we read about the dedication of the Levites and in Numbers chapter 9 we read about the Second Passover:

In chapter 9 we read about the fiery cloud over the tabernacle!  Verses 22 & 23 stood out to me in today's readings: "Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. So they camped or traveled at the LORD's command, and they did whatever the LORD told them through Moses."  Below is an incredible image of the Israelites' camp at rest:

Art used by permission by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992.
To order prints visit her "Revelation Illustrated" site.

New Testament - In Mark chapter 13 today we read about the signs of the end of the age. For me personally, Jesus’ words in verses 32 & 33 have always been so powerful when it comes to end-times considerations – “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” I think this teaching from Jesus is so important for each of us to keep in mind. No one knows the day or the hour of the end of times. Only God the Father. I have some friends who are very into speculating and discussing end-times prophecies and events. For me personally, these verses above make me realize that we truly do not know when the end of time will come – but, yes, we know it will come. And therefore I believe we should live every day loving God and loving people around us – and not get so focused on speculation of end times that we forget about these 2 great commandments. . .  :) My other thought on these verses is this – not only do we not know when the end of the age will come, but we do not know when the end of each of our lives will come. Hopefully we will live long lives. But it’s not guaranteed. You know how life is – there is cancer and there are accidents and the list could go on. So, I guess I’d recommend this – don’t worry about when the end of the age will be. Don’t worry about when the end of your life will be. Instead, be on guard and be alert each and every day to make sure you are loving God and loving people – as if each day might be your last day.

Bible.org's commentary on Mark chapter 13 titled "A Follower's Preparation" is at this link. 

Psalms - Psalm 50 verses 14 & 15 are beautiful words from God to Israel - "What I want instead is your true thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High. Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." Do you believe these words can apply to us today as well?  Are you giving true thanks to God each day?  Are you trusting in God in your times of trouble?  Are you giving God glory for all that he has done for you?  How often do you say "thank you" to God?  Below is a great image for verse 1 from Psalm 50 today:

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 29 teaches us today: "The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous."  This is a great teaching that those who trust in God are covered with a hedge of protection.  Thank God for this protection!  I know I need it.  And I believe that God oftentimes protects us in ways that we do not even consciously realize...  As we pray in the Lord's prayer - "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."  Amen.

Worship God: Today's readings in Mark about Jesus' Second Coming reminds me of the FFH song "One of these Days:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHdSgQVIb5c

Are you prepared for Jesus' Second Coming?  Click here and be prepared for that Day!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens." Mark 13:26-27 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you are looking forward to the day of Jesus' return. Pray "Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come."

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on my reflections above on Mark 13:32-33, I am reminded of something I read on another Christian blog recently and it really did make me think. Here’s how this blog put it, and I think this relates well to these Mark verses – “Breaking News: mortality rate is STILL 100%! You are not guaranteed all the days you believe you have coming to you. What would you do differently if today was your last day alive?”  Powerful question for each of us to consider, no?  What would you do differently if today was your last day alive?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[Ramona]

Numbers 8-9:23

"Tell Aaron that when he sets up the seven lamps in the lampstand, he is to place them so their light shines forward."

The light of God is to shine forward in our lives it is not for looking back at things in the past. Forgetting those things that lie behind and pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God (Philippians 3:13-14). Jesus said that one is unfit for the kingdom of God who puts their hand to the plow and then looks back (Luke 9:62). This seems to be one of the hardest things not to do, dwell in the past. Regrets, hurts, disappointments seem to resurface at the oddest of times when there is no thought of them being cultivated by my mind. Like an unwanted neighbor dropping by at the most inopportune time, thoughts, anger, resentments flood my mind without asking my permission to enter: unwanted guests with boundary issues.

I love the image of the fiery cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night as a guide. This is the image of the direction of the Holy Spirit but I’m not as obedient as the children of Israel in following His guidance. One of the things you must do to be able to move at the drop of the hat, so to speak, is to travel light. The acquiring of Ethan Allen heavy type furniture is a no-no. Ya gotta be ready to throw the little stuff you have in a cart and shout, “Head um up, move um out!”

Mark 13:14-37

Every time I read any text of the Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) where Jesus speaks of the “End Times, I think of the beginning of the Parable of the “other” Ten talents or pound. In this Parable in Luke chapter 19, the servants are given their orders then given ten talents/pounds, and in the King James Version it states, “Occupy till I come.” Yet our tendency is to sit on the curb waiting for the rapture. Sitting around talking about “religious” things gives us the appearance of doing good deeds but what we are really doing is creating a lot of movement without momentum.

We are to notice the times we are living in and when we see them we are not to shut ourselves off and talk about how bad it is ‘cause Jesus already told us it is going to be bad so we should just quit acting surprised. When it is raining “cats and dogs,” get out your umbrella, put you hip boots on and get to work.

Psalm 50:1-23

12 If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you,
for all the world is mine and everything in it.

New Flash: God doesn’t need our help to do anything. God is not going to roll over and have a hissy fit ‘cause we don’t obey Him. The world will not stop rotating when we sin. We are the ones who benefit and are blessed when we obey God. The invitation is from God for us to do “right” not the other way ‘round. God is not our co-pilot, He is our pilot. Just like when our mothers invited us to help them back a cake when we were two or three, God is inviting us to come work with Him. We may think we have really helped our moms’ make that double chocolate devil food cake, but all we really did was spread flour and icing everywhere it really shouldn’t have been.

What God really wants from us is our hearts and truth in the words that flow from our mouths, 14 “What I want instead is your true thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High.”

Proverbs 10:29-30

30The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land.

This concept of being removed from the land is a theme I keep focusing on ever since we read through Leviticus. The land actually expelling out its inhabitants, Hmmm (Leviticus 18:25, 28)

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Raeann]

The end times with the way the world is going it makes you wonder if the end times are not nearer then we think. If today was my last day I would try to spend more time with my family.

[Luch]

Mike

through your tireless investment of helping people read the scriptures on a daily basis you are helping us all to 'be on our guard and alert'. Another parallel verse to Mark 13:32-33 is Paul's closing thoughts to the wayward Corinthians when he writes, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong, and let all you do be done in love." I corinthians 16:13, 14 I like the last part 'let all you do be done in love', which resonates with 1 corinthians 13 Pursue Love at all costs!! So for balance of the year I will continue to be alert and be on my guard' but seek to allow the Love of God to influence all of my thoughts, words and deeds. I find that many 'end day talkers/writers' are long in the tooth on their prognosticians but short on 'love'. I'd rather be off on my precise predictions of future but be 'on' in my intention to love God and those around me.

And thanks Mike for continuing to make OYB a 'sacred space', a place to come and just 'be alone with God'.

A fitting scripture is Mark 13:31 that OYB helps us to keep in perspective--"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." And if you add 1 cor 13:13 to Mark 13:31, you have "now abide faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.' So 4 wonderful values to embrace--the scriptures, faith, hope and love. Wow!! It doesn't get better than that for a Lord's day, eh!! :)

And here's another thought for the day that is connected to our watching and waiting, guarding, and embracing faith, hope, love and the scriptures, and this comes from Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard --

God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure , but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners." Right on Soren!!!

[DeeDee]

Again, Ramona, your insights amaze me! You are right on them sister. I say and noticed in Leviticus too, when it started out telling Aaron to set up the seven lamps in the lampstand so the light shines forward in front of the lampstand. I thought symbollically of us, in that we are the lampstand, the Holy Spirit is our Light that guides our path, the Lord dwells in us and as he descended into Heaven He told His disciples He would send a special helper to guide the Way, The Holy Spirit: John 14-16. Just as God sent the sudden appearance of the cloud of fire by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide so He is sending His Spirit to dwell among you.
In Mark, Wow! The powerful Spirit filled, God Breathed Words that transform our lives: God and His son are saying Get Ready! Don't sit idle with your head in the ground like an ostrich so to speak, but get ready! Be prepared like the 10 Virgins(Matthew 25:1-13) with the oil, don't idle or procrastinate, go out and prepare your flock that God has chosen for you to minister to, Everyone has people that God has sent our way to tell of the Good News of the Gospel..However, he tells us, not to get impatient, or run our mouth about when, or where, and not be busy bodies about "telling" others when or what or trying to "help" God out with the finite details, because God owns it all and is the only All Knowing, He is the Great I AM!! Be assured and greatful, that our Daddy supplies all our needs according to His riches and glory through Christ Jesus, and He Owns it all, all the cattle on a thousand hills, the gold is His, the silver is His, Be thankful that you are ambassadors to the throne, that you are His children, You are Joint Heirs with Jesus, Your Big Brother!! Romans 8:16-17. Hallelujah!!

Be Blessed~~DeeDee

[bajo]

The passage from Numbers hearkens to I Cor 10, where Paul suggests that even the privilege of being guided through the wilderness by a cloud did not guarantee their prosperity or salvation. One answer to the question, "Why is the OT relevant to Christians" is found in I Cor. 10:11, meaning that when we read passages such as Numbers we should have our antenna up.

In Numbers 9, I find that God is able to remind Moses and the people what is more important when two sets of rules seem to be in conflict; the worship of God takes precedence over anything else. That's why the men who were ceremonially unclean could still celebrate the Passover. And that's why we are welcome to participate in worship even if we are "unclean" (backslidden, or feeling sinful or neglectful of God).

RR