Daily Bible Readings for Home Devotions – April 12-17, 2021
Daily Devotion – by P. Koch
for Monday – April 12 – Acts 3:11-20
Predictably, Easter opened the floodgates, and the waters of salvation poured out. Repentant Peter clarified that Jesus was God’s Choice (though rejected by His countrymen) and had opened the heart of the derelict to receive healing (13-16). “As for you, repent of your sins against Jesus and receive God’s forgiveness as your first step into new life (17-20).”
Bible reading – Acts 3:11-20
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord...
Daily Devotion – by P. Koch
for Tuesday – April 13 – John 20:19-31
Peter knew what he was talking about, for Jesus had rescued him and equipped him for service (19-23). Thomas, however, held out until Jesus removed his doubt (24-29). Indeed, Jesus had performed enough miracles, and John has put enough evidence into the written record to substantiate Jesus as our Savior, deserving our trust forever (30-31).
Bible reading – John 20:19-31
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Daily Devotion – by P. Koch
for Wednesday – April 14, 2021 – 1 John 5:1-6
Since we are convinced that Jesus is God’s Chosen One, we love our brothers/sisters (1) and are happy to follow our Father’s house rules (2-3). Being God’s dear children, He has brought us into the winners’ circle – and living as God’s children inoculates us against the sin-pandemic that has brought our world to its knees. Lord, have mercy on us!
Bible reading – 1 John 5:1-6
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
Daily Devotion – by P. Koch
for Thursday – April 15 – Psalm 16
This is my story; this is my song (1): I claim no credit for being a member of God’s family (2-3), for turning my back on ungodliness (4) and for laying claim to God’s goodness (5-6). I simply relax in the LORD (7-8), happy that Jesus came through His ordeal and left the cemetery behind (9-10). I am relying on Jesus to show me the path of life as I live in His presence, and to hold me close (11). This is my story; this is my song!
Bible reading – Psalm 16
1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Daily Devotion – by P. Koch
for Friday – April 16 – Mark 16:12-14
Jesus tilled stony ground in the hearts and lives of His disciples, walking with two of them and taking time to explain Scripture prophecy. These two grasped it (12); Hallelujah! But there was more hard-packed ground to cover (13), so He rolled up His sleeves and used as much muscle as the situation required. (Jesus knew how to do it.)
Bible reading – Mark 16:12-14
12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
Daily Devotion – by P. Koch
for Saturday – April 17 – Acts 22:30-23:10
Jesus supported Paul all the way, so when the centurion made arrangements for a Jewish (not a civil) court trial (30), Paul appeared before his accusers but declined to be intimidated (1-5). When Paul put the Resurrection of Jesus on the table (6), that sabotaged the prosecution, for the modernist Sadducees did not agree with the Scripture or with the Pharisee’s traditionalist stance on that crucial theological issue (7-9). Jesus had better plans for Paul than his being mauled or killed, so He orchestrated Paul’s rescue via the Roman officer with his troopers (10).
God’s good reason for placing secular authority over a country’s citizens is to protect law-abiders – and punish law-breakers. So far, so good. Stay tuned for further developments.
Bible reading – Acts 22:30-23:10
30 The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
23:1 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”
5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
