Daily Bible Reading
To prevent the frustration of falling behind, which most of us tend to do when following a Bible reading plan, each month of this plan gives you only twenty-five readings. Today we start a few “free days” . We encourage you to catch up on any readings you may have missed this month.
If you have finished the month’s readings, you can use these final days of the month to study the passages that challenged or intrigued you.
Daily Devotion
Parables!
The method Jesus chose to tell great truths is truly a blessing. As it says in Isaiah 6:9…’hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.’ God wants us to dig the truth…to plumb the depths of our own thinking and to ponder, so He hides things.
Enter Luke chapter 8. Here is one of my favorite ponderings: the Parable of the Sower. The phrase in the introduction: ‘and the twelve were with him,’ gave me pause. Then by verse 10, I understood as Jesus says. “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of God; but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.”
Personal application here is that when we are (disciplined to be) disciples, mysteries are revealed as we allow His Word into our hearts.
I remember how, in the first month or so of my Holy Ghost walk, the Bible came alive! Choosing to be ‘with Him’, as a disciple, profoundly opened my understanding of His Word. It was given to me to really see! It became possible to really hear and perceive.
Now, when the parable of the sower is read, each type of soil and situation reveals a truth I can apply to life. Are the cares of this life trying to choke out the seed in others or in me? Is the depth of my knowledge roots too shallow endangering the seed of the word? Do I just toss off verses or stories by the wayside for the birds to devour?
Better to plow up that soil of my heart and make room for Jesus so the seeds of truth and revelation can find a safe, warm and deep lodging place there. That plowing is done in prayer.
Time spent with the Savior when we are quiet and let him speak in His wonderful still small voice is like misty water sprinkled on growing seeds. When we listen carefully and ask, He will show us areas of our heart-soil that need work.
What a precious gift to be called His child, His friend, His bride, His disciple! All day long circumspectly examining the condition of my heart-soil allows Jesus to draw closer. How truly blessed we are!
~Marthalee Lyman