February 28th One Year Bible Readings

Leviticus 22:17-23:44 ~ Mark 9:30-10:12 ~ Psalm 44:1-8 ~ Proverbs 10:19
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Old Testament - Today in Leviticus chapter 23 we read about the Appointed Festivals!  The NIV Study Bible has a great chart summarizing the Old Testament Feasts and Other Sacred Days, which is significantly paraphrased below with just Name & Purpose:

1. Sabbath - Rest for people and animals
2. Sabbath Year - Rest for land.
3. Year of Jubilee - Help for poor; stabilize society.
4. Passover - Remember Israel's deliverance from Egypt.
5. Unleavened Bread - Remember how the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt in haste.
6. Firstfruits - Recognize the Lord's bounty in the land.
7. Weeks (Pentecost or Harvest) - Show joy and thankfulness for the Lord's blessing of harvest.
8. Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah-New Year's Day) - Present Israel before the Lord for his favor.
9. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) - Atone for the sins of priests and people and purify the Holy Place.
10. Tabernacles (Booths or Ingathering) - Memorialize the journey from Egypt to Canaan; give thanks for the productivity of Canaan.
11. Sacred Assembly - Commemorate the closing of the cycle of feasts.
12. Purim - Remind the Israelites of their national deliverance in the time of Esther.
13. Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication or Festival of Lights) - Commemorated the purification of the temple and altar in the Maccabean period.
14.  New moons were also often special feast days.
(Above is from Zondervan's "NIV Study Bible” pp. 176-177) Below is a Jewish calendar, which includes many of the feasts and sacred days listed above:

Bible.org's commentary on Leviticus chapter 23 titled "The Lord's Appointed Times" is at this link.

New Testament - Mark chapter 9 verses 33-35 always stand out to me and I personally always need to be reminded of Jesus' teaching here in the last sentence: "Jesus asked them, "What were you discussing out on the road?"  But they didn't answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down and called the twelve disciples over to him. Then he said, "Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."  How are you doing on this last sentence?  Are you taking last place?  Are you the servant of everyone else?  Do you think this last sentence applies to Jesus' life?  Do you think we should model how Jesus lived his life?

I came across an artistic image I liked a lot, below, which applies to verses 36 & 37... except of course that the child is wearing very modern day clothes - keep in mind it is art! :) -  "Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me."

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Mark chapter 9 &10 titled "A Follower's Perspective" is at this link. 

Psalms - Psalm 44 verse 3 is a wise statement about where the Israelites and our true strength and victory in life comes from! "They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strength that gave them victory. It was by your mighty power that they succeeded; it was because you favored them and smiled on them."

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 19 today teaches us: "Don't talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!" This is a wonderful reminder that we should listen at least twice as much as we talk!  That's why we have 2 ears and one mouth...  :)

Worship God: Today's readings in Mark 9:36-37 reminded me of the Jars of Clay song "Faith like a Child:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfix3Weushg

Do you have faith like a child? Click here child!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Mark 9:35 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will never strive to be first. Pray that you will strive to be the servant of all, as Jesus was the servant of all.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on Psalm 44:3 above - as you look back on your life and at the good things that have happened to you, do you think that these things occurred because of your own power or work alone?  Or, do you think it is possible that God's hand was blessing your life through all of those good things - even if maybe you did not notice God was there at the time?  Can you think of some instances in your life that when you look back on them you realize that God was absolutely there and blessing what was taking place?  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

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

Comments

[Ramona]

Leviticus 22:17-23:44

Twice in today’s reading God opens up His ordinances and the blessings that come along with following His commands, to those who are not his people, "Give Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites these instructions, which apply to those who are Israelites by birth as well as to the foreigners living among you.” (22:18) In the 22nd verse of chapter 23 foreigners are included with the poor as benefactors of the grain deliberately left in the field. God has always allowed for those who were not His people to benefit from the “crumbs” from those who were and are His people as we read Saturday in the Gospel reading (Mark 7:28) What a mighty God we serve!!

What I really like about today’s reading is that it shows how our God is a God who loves parties. He want’s His people to not only reverence and obey Him He wants them to have a good time in doing it. There are lots of “feasts” and sacred assemblies, food and more food. God wants us to celebrate Him and who we are in Him. So Christian, please don’t walk around with a long face, shout Hallelujah from time to time because we serve a God that enjoys our enjoyment of all the things He has done for us.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Cathy Wafo]

Psalm 44:3 was so powerful. We cannot even count all the blessings we have on our everyday life. Nothing is done because our personal power or knowledge. God is so powerful. Just look at the breath we have everyday. He is merciful, merciful.... I feel it everyday and time..

Have a blessing day.

Cathy

[Bob Bieberdorf]

I try to follow the Christian year order that many churches will also practice to various degrees. It gives yearly order to our formation with Christ incarnate in his ministry death, burial, resurrection and coming again through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. Unfortunately, I don’t think we are as “festive” as the Levitical People but we can become a counter cultural witness and have opportunity to draw closer to Jesus at these times through the year.

[Bob Bieberdorf]

I like how Ramona caught the ordinances and blessings God allowed for those "others".