Daily Bible Readings for Home Devotions; Jan. 25-30, ’21.
Devotion – by P Koch
Monday – January 25 – Jonah 3:1-4:1 God had spared Jonah for good reason: Go to Nineveh and preach to it the message that I tell you. So Jonah trekked overland 400 miles to metro Nineveh and proclaimed its downfall via God’s hand—which scared them enough to believe God, turn from their evil behavior, and hope that God would relent. God did relent—so that Jonah could assure souls already humbled that God forgave them their sins. That’s God’s M.O.!
3:1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. 4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.
Devotion – by P Koch
Tuesday – January 26 – Mark 1:14-20 It was Jesus’ M.O. too: exhort the sinner to repent, then deliver the good news that God has a way to save you from disaster. God had prepared Simon and Andrew spiritually and emotionally to leave their secular employment and let Jesus prepare them to carry His message. Same with James and John. When Jesus calls, God promotes repentant hearts to turn their lives around -- and the world will never be the same again.
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
Devotion – by P Koch
Wednesday – January 27 – 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Our world is changing, too, in ways we don’t understand—so we need to adjust our personal lives to meet the challenges, control our emotions to suit each situation, monitor our financial endeavors, and make use of every opportunity to salvage what can be salvaged from the impending disaster. Lord, have mercy on our generation!
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
Devotion – by P Koch
Thursday - January 28 – Psalm 62 David’s psalm starts on an island of calmness (1-2) before he attacks the hostiles (3-4). Now, whom does he have “at his back”? God alone, his Rock and Salvation, his defense and refuge (5-7) – and not for him alone (8). In balance, human endeavors are a bad dream (9-10), in contrast to being wide awake in God’s presence (11-12). Praise the Lord!
1 Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved.
3 How long will you attack a man?
You shall be slain, all of you,
Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
They delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly. Selah
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor,
Men of high degree are a lie;
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapor.
10 Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery;
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.
11 God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.
12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For You render to each one according to his work.
Devotion – by P Koch
Friday – January 29 – Luke 9:57-62 Sometimes converts (raw recruits?) aren’t entirely convinced about Jesus and are not yet committed to a new start in life. Perhaps dedication to Jesus will mean giving up comforts (58), or it may mean cutting ties with the dead past (59-60), or even saying goodbye to those we have loved (61-62). We are crossing our own Samaria, too, as we follow Jesus.
57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”
But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Devotion – by P Koch
Saturday – January 30 – Acts 20:17-27 It has happened in our generation, that our overseas missionaries are not permitted to stay close to their dear friends, even though they have served the Lord Jesus with all humility as God’s messengers (17-21). We trust God to take care of their personal safety (22-24) as they return home (25), and we will bank on the Lord supporting His children by the whole counsel of God, which they received from the traveling missionary. Such events are heart-breaking; we take comfort in knowing that we will meet again at Jesus’ feet. Lord Jesus, come quickly to our rescue! Amen.
17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. ...”
