S – Genesis 49:3-4 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power. But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.”

O – Jacob is telling his sons “what will happen in the days to come.”  Each son’s future is directly tied to his actions in the past.

A – I am reminded that my actions today will directly affect my future.  I also must discipline Anna so that her future will be blessed.

P – Lord, thank you for forgiving me for my past through your Son, Jesus.  “I trust in you for salvation, O Lord” (Genesis 49:18)!  Guide my hands and help me to train up Anna in the way she should go.

If Jacob told you “what will happen in the days to come,” what would the future consequences be for your present actions?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Matthew 13:52 “Then (Jesus) added, ‘Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.’”

O – Notice the prerequisite – a teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Teachers who are disciples have a storeroom of truth.  These truths are gems.

A – I want to find opportunities today to sit under the teaching of disciples of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Specifically, I will continue in my book “Dangerous Calling” by Paul Tripp and listen to a podcast from Blake Jennings at Grace Bible Church in College Station.

P – Lord, direct me to real disciples of the Kingdom that can guide my soul to gems of truth.  As a disciple, reveal gems of truth through my teaching.

Are you exposing your life to gems of truth?  Are you offering these gems to others?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Matthew 13:23 “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

O – The soil of my life determines if I will hear and understand the Word.  The result of hearing and understanding the Word is bearing spiritual fruit.

A – What kind of soil am I?  Can I change the soil of my heart?  I am burdened to pray for God to soften me.

P – Lord, make my heart receptive to your Word.  I want to be good soil.  Make Anna and Rebecca’s heart good soil.  Make the hearts of those in my community, in my church, in Dallas, in South Texas, In Guatemala, in Bangladesh, in India, etc. good soil.  Help me be faithful to scatter the seed of your Word.

Are you good soil?  What can you do to transform your heart?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Psalms 16:8 – “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

O – Setting God before (in front of me, in my sight) and at my right hand (in the position of greatest honor in my life) grounds me.  He goes on to write: “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”

A – Several things have shaken me this week.  I must keep the Lord as my focus.  To tangibly do that, I want to try to memorize this verse today.

P – Lord, thank You for the joy and security You give when we focus our life on You.

Do you feel secure?  What can you do today to focus on the Lord?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Proverbs 3:18 “(Wisdom) is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.”

O – We read about the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden January 1^st.  We will read about the Tree of Life in heaven in Revelation.  Today we see that wisdom (knowledge applied) is our tree of life in the present.

A – I want to release the power of God in my life today by applying the truth of God’s Word.

P – Lord, show me opportunities to apply scripture today.

Are you eating from the tree of life by living wisely?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Proverbs 3:7-8 “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment (or medicine) to your bones.”

O – Being wise in your own eyes (spiritual pride) will make you sick.  Fearing God and turning from evil will heal and refresh your flesh and bones.

A – I must humbly seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Tonight, I want to spend some time in soul searching confession.  I want to look for opportunities to be healed and refreshed by the Lord.

P – Lord, forgive me for my constant pride and pursue of the flesh.  I know that you are the only true giver of life.  Help me to live in a healthy fear of You.

Do you need to be healed and refreshed?  How can you fear God and turn from evil today?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Psalms 9:1 “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”

O – David is fully focused on the wonderful deeds of God.  His whole heart is thanking God.

A – I’ve got to focus on GOD’S GOODNESS!  I’ve felt overwhelmed recently.  I want to be defined by a wholehearted thankfulness to God.  What a joy that would be!  Today I want to stop every hour on the hour and thank God for something He has done.  I’m going to set the hourly time on my watch.

P – Lord, forgive me for being so self focused.  Help me to be more You focused today.  Let me remember all of your wonderful deeds.

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Genesis 18:19 “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.”

O – God initiates: “I have chosen him.”  God wants Abraham to “command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice…”  The result: “the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.”

A – I want to talk about this verse with Rebecca tonight.  More than that, I want to focus on leading my home to keep the way of the Lord by “doing righteousness and justice.”  Specifically, I want to look for a service project we can do together this month.

P – Lord, help me.  I’m an imperfect husband and father.  Help me to lead my family to You.

What can you do today to lead spiritually in your home?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

O – Jesus teaches: If we do good things in front of people to be seen by them, we lose our eternal rewards.

A – I am afraid of my public ministry taking the place of my private ministry.  Pleasing God must drive me.  Today, I want to look for an opportunity to do something good that no one else will know about.

P – Lord, purify my motives.  Help me to seek approval vertically with You and not horizontally with others.

Are you doing good things so that others will see you doing them or so that God will see you doing them?

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.

S – Matthew 5:41 “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”

O – Jesus is teaching about loving our enemies.  If we are “forced” to serve someone, we should do more than what is demanded.

A – I don’t like being forced to serve.  Today, I want to look for the opportunity to love someone sacrificially and go the extra mile.

P – Lord, forgive me for my selfish heart. Give me eyes to see the opportunities You give me to go above and beyond in my love, especially when it is difficult.

Who do you need to go the extra mile with today? 

2013 Bible Reading Challenge: The Bible is the Word of God and the power of God is released in our life when we apply it. Join us as we follow the One Year Bible plan. Links to read digitally can be found online at www.pcbc.org/bible.