February 10 - Life and Breath

Overview of: Ezekiel

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 37:1-28
"Bones Coming to Life"

Focus Verses: Ezekiel 37:3-6
3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

Insight:
God has the power to restore life. He can raise the dead. Those who are dead in their transgressions are not beyond God's resurrection power. The messed up and broken world is not beyond God's power to revive and restore. God can take a dead end and turn it into a new life. By the power and grace of God's Spirit, death gives way to breath.

Response and Action:
I need to look to God for life and restoration. Can God raise these bones and give them life? Yes. I must not give up on life or on the possibilities of change and transformation. In situations where things seem as hopeless as a pile of dry bones, I must remember that God can raise even dry bones into a mighty army to serve his purposes.

O God, give me faith in your power to save and restore. Help me to remember that you are able to conquer death with life. My hope is in you. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who lives in me, the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead. Amen.

New Testament for Today: John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
In Context: John 11:17-43

Proverb for Today: Prov. 10:17
"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray."

Recommended Reading:
Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in an Everyday Life
by Eugene Peterson

February 9 - Marked

Overview of: Ezekiel

Today's Reading:
Ez. 7:1 – 9:11
"Idolatry in Israel"

Focus Verses: Ezekiel 8:12-13; 9:3-4
8:12 He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.' " 13 Again, he said, "You will see them doing things that are even more detestable." - - - 9:3 Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it."

Insight:
The corruption and idolatry of God’s people was pervasive and deep. Even the elders who were to be the spiritual leaders of Israel had turned away from God. They had even brought idols into the temple and offered up prayer and worship to them. As their nation was falling apart, they lost faith in God and turned to superstition and pagan Gods.

Yet, in the midst of all this apostasy and unfaithfulness, there were people who remained faithful to God. Their faithfulness was demonstrated by the grief and sorrow they had about the sins of their nation. When judgment was poured out on Israel, God took special note of those who trusted in him. They were spared from death and survived the storm of destruction that left Israel in ruins.

Response and Action:
God holds people accountable for their actions. God recognizes those who are seeking him and trusting in him. God delivers those who look to him in faith. I must seek God with my whole heart. I must remain faithful to God and turn away from the sin and corruption that pervades my world. The things that grieve God's heart should grieve my heart too.

O God, help me to be faithful to you. Give me the wisdom to recognize sin and corruption and to turn away from it. Give me a heart that grieves over the things that grieve you. Show me your ways, and by your grace, give me the strength and will to walk in them. Though all around me should turn away from you, help me to remain true to you and to follow you with my whole heart. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Corinthians 10:14
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
In Context: 1 Corinthians 10

Proverb for Today: Prov. 9:6
"Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding."

Recommended Reading:
Walking Away from Faith: Unraveling the Mystery of Belief and Unbelief
by Ruth Tucker

Reading Schedule for February 9 - 14

Feb. 9 - Ez. 7:1 – 9:11
Feb. 10 - Ez. 37:1-28
Feb. 11 - Daniel 1:1 - 2:23
Feb. 12 - Daniel 2:24 - 3:29
Feb. 13 - Daniel 5:1 – 6:28
Feb. 14 - Ezra 1:1-7; 3:1 - 4:5

You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through the entire New Testament and key passages of the Old Testament. The 2008-09 Useful Breath reading can be downloaded for printing by clicking the link in the right column.

February 7 - Sweet Words

Overview of: Ezekiel

Today's Reading:
Ez. 3:3 - 4:17
"Ezekiel Given God's Words"

Focus Verses: Ezekiel 3:3-7
3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 4 He then said to me: "Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel- 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate.

Insight:
Even if no one listens, God speaks. Israel did not miss God's word to them because it was too obscure or difficult to understand. They missed it because they were not willing to listen. They were hard-hearted and obstinate. God told Ezekiel to devour his word, to take in the sweet truth, and to be ready to speak it.

Response and Action:
Am I acting like God's truth is beyond me, when the reality is that I am just to stubborn or lazy to take hold of it? Is God's word so available to me that I take it for granted and fail to make any effort to take it in? I want to be ready to listen and ready to live by God's word. I will apply myself to the reading, study, and application of Scripture.

God's word is sweet to those who are ready and willing to take it in. A disregard for God's word is indicative of a hard heart. A hunger and love for God's word is indicative of a humble and receptive heart. God uses those who seek and receive his word to serve as his witnesses in the world--to be voices of his redemptive love and grace.

O God, I seek you with all my heart, do not let me stray from your word. I delight in your word, help me to take it in to my heart and live it out in thought, word, and deed. Wisdom is sweet to my soul. Your word gives me light for today and hope for tomorrow. I will meditate on your words, O Lord. Give me the readiness and the words to express your truth to those who are listening and willing to receive it. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Romans 10:14
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
In Context: Romans 10:5-15

Proverb for Today: Prov. 7:1-2
"My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye."

Recommended Reading:
Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading
by Eugene H. Peterson

February 6 - Powerful and Present

Overview of: Ezekiel

Today's Reading:
Ez. 1:1 – 2:9
"Ezekiel's First Vision"

Focus Verses: Ezekiel 1:26-28
26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Insight:
Ezekiel was among the first Jews driven away from Judah and taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 597 b.c. He was from a priestly family, and during his early days in exile he received a prophetic calling. His received his first vision and calling among the exiles by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.

Though God's people were scattered and captive, and Jerusalem was under siege, and the Temple was destroyed, God was still powerful and glorious upon his heavenly throne. The destruction of Jerusalem had not destroyed God!

God had allowed exile and destruction to purify his people and save them from the idolatry and paganism Jerusalem had become. God would dismantle everything and start over, if that's what it would take to turn the hearts of his people back to him and make them holy.

Response and Action:
Human traditions, practices, institutions, and power structures are vulnerable to corruption. Temples erected for worshiping God can become places of idolatry. Kings called to serve God can become tyrants who oppose and usurp him. Systems and traditions, intended to help people understand and follow God, can become burdensome rules and empty ritual that become barriers to knowing God.

When these things fall apart and tumble down, God does not fall or tumble with them. When churches, traditions, and leaders fail, those who know and serve the One True God soon discover that God is still alive and well. God is faithful to reveal himself to those who seek him. Even in times of exile and destruction, God calls and gives purpose to those faithful to him.

O God, no matter where I am at, no matter what my circumstance, show yourself to me and give me a sense of calling and purpose. Give me a priestly heart that moves me to lift up the needs of others to you in prayer. Give me a prophetic spirit that causes me to speak your truth to my family, church, and neighbors. Help me to remember that though kingdoms rise and fall, your throne is forever. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
In Context: 1 Peter 2:4-12

Proverb for Today: Prov. 6:23
"For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life..."

Recommended Reading:
The Message of Ezekiel: A New Heart and a New Spirit (The Bible Speaks Today)
by Christopher J.H. Wright

February 5 - Don't Look Down

Overview of: Obadiah

Today's Reading:
Obadiah 1:1-18
"Edom's Arrogance Condemned"

Focus Verses: Obadiah 1:12-13
12 You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. 13 You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster.

Insight:
Obadiah prophesied against the people of Edom, who were the descendants of Esau (Gen. 27:41–45; 32:1–21; 33; 36), and therefore relatives of Israel. Instead of grieving over the destruction of Jerusalem, the Edomites had gloated with delight. They saw Israel's demise as an opportunity to ridicule and plunder them. Obadiah declared that Edom would face punishment from God for their open hostility and arrogance toward Israel in their time of need.

Response and Action:
It is not good to gloat over the demise of others. It is arrogant and obnoxious to delight in the suffering, punishment, and judgment of others. God will judge those who consider the misfortunes and failures of others to be opportunities for personal gain and smug self-satisfaction.

I will be careful to not delight in the troubles or pain of others. Even when others are experiencing the consequences of their own wickedness and moral failures, I will look on them with compassion and sorrow. If God does not take delight in the destruction of the wicked (Ez. 18:23), how much less should I! When others experience judgment for sin, I will humble myself, knowing that it is only by the grace of God that I am not experiencing the same.

O God, give me a humble and gracious heart. When others experience hardship at the hands of others, give me compassion and move me to action. When those who are wicked experience painful consequences for their wickedness, give me the humility to empathize with them, and the grace to help them. You have shown mercy to me, O God. Give me the attitude of Christ Jesus that I might be a testimony and instrument of that mercy to everyone around me. I pray in the name of Jesus, my merciful Savior. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 22:22-23
"Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them."

New Testament for Today: Romans 12:14-17a
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

In Context: Romans 12:9-21

Recommended Reading:
Good News About Injustice: A Witness of Courage in a Hurting World
by Gary A. Haugen

February 4 - Hope Every Morning

Overview of: Lamentations

Today's Reading:
Lamentations 3:1-40
"Sorrow and Hope"

Focus Verses: Lamentations 3:19-26
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Insight:
Remembering sins and failures can be a bitter. Looking back and realizing the time wasted pursuing the wrong things down the wrong paths can be depressing. In those moments of recognition and evaluation, Jeremiah called to mind God's love.

Even though he was facing a terrible situation, he realized that things could be worse. He brought to mind God's compassion and mercy. He was able to hope in the Lord and his great faithfulness. He recognized his need for God's salvation, and trusted in God’s goodness to those who seek and wait on him.

Response and Action:
When I am depressed or overwhelmed, I will hope in the Lord. I will acknowledge my sin and my need for God's salvation. I will wait on God, believing that he is good and able to save and renew me. I trust that God can use sad and bitter times to refine me, strengthen me, and lead me to maturity. Every day is a new day with new possibilities and new mercies from God's hand.

O God,
Every morning mercies new fall as fresh as morning dew.
Every morning I will pay tribute with the early day.
For your promises are sure; your compassions still endure.

Still the greatness of your love daily does my sins remove.
Daily, far as east from west, lifts the burden from the breast.
Gives unbought to those who pray, strength to stand in every day.

As the morning light returns, as the sun with splendor burns,
I will turn my eyes to Thee, Everblessed Trinity,
With my heart and hands to raise in unfailing prayer and praise.
Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
In Context: 1 Peter 5:1-10

Proverb for Today: Prov. 4:25-26
"Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. "

Recommended Reading:
Hope Has Its Reasons
by Rebecca Manley Pippert

February 3 - Troubled by the Times

Overview of: Habakkuk

Today's Reading:
Hab. 1:1-17; 3:16-19
"Worry and Trust"

Focus Verses: Habakkuk 3:16-18
16 I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. 17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Insight:
Habakkuk questions God about the devastation Israel is experiencing at the hands of Babylon. He asks, "Why is this happening, God? How can you stand by and watch this happen?" God replies that he was raising up Babylon as a means of judgment, but this is not because they are more righteous than Israel. In fact, Babylon was destined to experience judgment too. God was using a dirty broom to sweep Israel away, but that broom would one day be destroyed.

Though he was trembling under the violence and oppression of Babylon, he waited patiently in faith for God to judge Babylon for its brutality. His faith in God made it possible for him to rejoice in the Lord. The promise of deliverance sustained him, and he resolved ("I will rejoice") to be joyful in God his Savior.

Response and Action:
Faith in God makes joy possible in worrying times of defeat and uncertainty. It's okay to cry out to God with questions of why something is happening. Hope looks beyond the painful present to a promise of something better.

O God, give me the faith to hold on to you during tough times. When you feel far away and I wonder where you are and why you're not doing something to help me now, give me the resolve to trust and hope in you. Help me to be joyful in all circumstances as I look to you for strength and provision. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Peter 4:12
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

In Context: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Proverb for Today: Prov. 3:25-26
"Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."

Recommended Reading:
Evil And the Justice of God
by N.T. Wright

February 2 - Straight Talk

Overview of: Jeremiah

Today's Reading:
Jer. 38:1 – 39:18
"Jeremiah's Bad News"

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 38:2-5
2 "This is what the LORD says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will escape with his life; he will live.' 3 And this is what the LORD says: 'This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.' " 4 Then the officials said to the king, "This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin." 5 "He is in your hands," King Zedekiah answered. "The king can do nothing to oppose you."

Insight:
Getting encouragement and affirmation is always more pleasant than being rebuked and confronted. King Zedekiah didn't want bad news from Jeremiah, even if it was the truth. There were plenty of other "prophets" willing to tell him the things he wanted to hear.

People who think that the role of the church, Christian teachers, and Scripture is only to comfort and encourage them are dangerously mistaken. To be truly open to hearing from God, we must be willing to be confronted, challenged, rebuked, and corrected.

Response and Action:
I must soften my heart and have a readiness to hear straight talk, even when the truth hurts. I must be humble and acknowledge my faults. I must be realistic about consequences for sin. I want to seek the Lord and live by truth. I understand that growth and maturity require discipline and correction.

O God, give me a wise and humble heart. Help me to learn from my mistakes and to accept advice and counsel. Create in me a clean heart. Show me your ways. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 2:6
"For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."

New Testament for Today: 2 Timothy 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

In Context: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Recommended Reading:
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
by Eugene Peterson

Reading Schedule for February 2 - 7

Feb. 2 - Jer. 38:1 – 39:18
Feb. 3 - Hab. 1:1-17; 3:16-19
Feb. 4 - Lamentations 3:1-40
Feb. 5 - Obadiah 1:1-18
Feb. 6 - Ez. 1:1 – 2:9
Feb. 7 - Ez. 3:3 - 4:17


You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through the entire New Testament and key passages of the Old Testament. The 2008-09 Useful Breath reading can be downloaded for printing by clicking the link in the right column.

January 31 - Past the Pain

Overview of: Jeremiah

Today's Reading:
Jer. 15:1-21; 31:12-34
"Pain and Promise"

Focus Verses: Jer. 15:18-19, 21
18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails? 19 Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. - - 21 "I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel."

Insight:
The people of Judah were not only unfaithful to God, they were also very cruel to his messengers. Jeremiah suffered persecution and reproach at the hands of those who did not want to hear the message God had sent him to deliver.

Jeremiah cried out to God for help. He was depending on God to save him and bring him through the pain and trouble he was experiencing for his obedience to speak out. God promised to deliver and redeem Jeremiah from their hands if he would be faithful to speak truth and not turn to the ways of the wicked.

Response and Action:
Those who obey and speak out for God may suffer for doing so. God is able to save and sustain his faithful servants. If I experience hardship or persecution for obeying God, I will trust God to deliver me. If there are consequences for speaking the truth and following Jesus, I will put my faith in God's promise to strengthen and save me.

O God, preserve and protect your people. When those who serve and follow you experience hardship for the sake of Christ, sustain them and strengthen them. Help me to be a faithful servant. Give me the courage to do what is right, and to speak the truth in love. Give me a boldness to obey and honor you, no matter what the consequence. Whether by life or by death, may Christ be exalted in me. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In Context: Matthew 5:1-16

Proverb for Today: Prov. 31:9
"Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Recommended Reading:
Just Courage: God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian
by Gary A. Haugen

January 30 - Straying from God

Overview of: Jeremiah

Today's Reading:
Jer. 1:1 - 2:27
"Israel Forsakes God"

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 2:5,13
5 This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. 13 "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Insight:
Jeremiah laments Israel's unfaithfulness to God. He uses the bitter language and graphic imagery of adultery to get his point across. Though God had been faithful, his people turned from him to worthless things, and became as worthless as the things they pursued. Though God was like a spring of fresh and life-giving water to them, they instead put their trust in the stale and leaking cisterns they had built for themselves. The result was a people with stale and empty hearts.

Response and Action:
The things I turn to in life are the things that will shape me. God is faithful. In seeking God, I will become faithful. God is life and truth. In pursuing God, I will find truth and life. I will turn away from worthless things and set my heart on things above. I will have experience meaning, purpose, and fullness in my life if I honor God and hold fast to him in faith.

O Lord, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to turn away from all that is worthless, to seek all that is true, and to do what is good. Give me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Teach me faithfulness and draw me to the living water that only you can give. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Romans 1:5
5 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

In Context: Romans 1:18-32

Proverb for Today: Prov. 30:5
"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

Recommended Reading:
Breaking the Idols of Your Heart
by Dan Allender and Tremper Longman

January 29 - Lost Bible

Overview of: 2 Kings

Today's Reading:
2Kgs. 22:1 – 23:3
"God's Book is Found"

Focus Verses: 2 Kings 23:1-3
1 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD -to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

Insight:
In the declining years of Judah, the Temple's ruin and disrepair had become a metaphor for the nation's spiritual condition. The nation had become so careless in their spiritual apathy that they had lost the Book of the Law of Moses in the mess and clutter of the Temple.

When King Josiah ordered that efforts be made to restore the Temple and make worship a priority, they found the Book of Law. As Josiah heard what it had to say, he was thunderstruck by how far his people had wandered from the truth of God. He understood that a knowledge of God's word would be essential to any spiritual renewal he hoped to bring to Israel, so he made sure everyone had an opportunity to hear it.

Response and Action:
Losing God's written word is a sure way to lose my spiritual health. I must guard against the deterioration of my spiritual health. I must not let the truth of Scripture get loss in the messy distractions and clutter of life. Like Josiah, I want to be responsive to God's word and be ready to live by it. I must direct my efforts to know and understand the Bible. I will commit myself to reading and applying God's word.

O God, how can I keep my way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I will hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 2 Peter 1:19
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

In Context: 2 Peter 1:12-21

Proverb for Today: Prov. 29:18
"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law."

Recommended Reading:
The IVP Introduction to the Bible
by Philip S. Johnston

January 28 - Singing with God

Overview of: Zephaniah

Today's Reading:
Zeph. 1:1; 3:1-20
"Judgment and Salvation"

Focus Verses: Zephaniah 3:14-17
14 Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Insight:
Zephaniah’s main message was about the impending "the day of the Lord" (Isa 2:11,17,20; Joel 1:15; 2:2; Am 5:18; 8:9). On that day, Judah and the surrounding nations would all be punished for their cruelty to mankind and their disregard toward God.

Like the other prophets of his time, he also proclaimed the hope of renewal. God would bless and care for the faithful remnant of Israel and bring restoration. One day there would be singing and rejoicing by those who would be saved (v. 14) and by the God who would save them (v.17).

Response and Action:
God has the power to save. I will put my hope in God, believing in his will and his power to save. He can take away my fears. He can give me peace. I will commit myself to being a faithful follower. I will not fear judgment because I have found grace and forgiveness and guidance through Jesus. I look forward to the day of the Lord, knowing that all who are in Christ will sing songs of joy and thanksgiving to God, our Savior. God, himself, will sing and rejoice our my salvation.

O God, show me your ways. Help me to overcome the sins and struggles of today. Bring me safely into a future of joy and restoration. Delight in me, and give me the heart and the will to delight in you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
In Context: Hebrews 10

Proverb for Today: Prov. 28:1
"The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."

Recommended Reading:
The Smell of Sin: And the Fresh Air of Grace
by Don Everts

January 27 - True Repentance

Overview of: Nahum

Today's Reading:
Nahum 1:1-15
"God's Judgment Against Ninevah"

Focus Verses: Nahum 1:3,14
3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. - - - 14 The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh : "You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the carved images and cast idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile."

Insight:
When Jonah went to Ninevah and announced God's judgment, the people of Ninevah repented and were spared. Their repentance was short-lived, however. King Sennacherib made Ninevah the capital city of Assyria around 700 B.C., and so Nahum's prophecy against Ninevah can be seen as a message against the Assyrian empire which was infamous for its military brutality and political pride.

By the time of Nahum, Assyria had destroyed and scattered the ten tribes Israel's northern kingdom. King Sennacherib had threatened Jerusalem and the southern kingdom during the time of Hezekiah, but God had saved them. Now Nahum declared God's judgment against Ninevah-Assryia. Though God had been slow to anger in the past, he would hold back no longer. Their destruction was sure and complete.

Response and Action:
The Lord is slow to anger. God extends mercy and grace to all who will humble themselves and turn to him. True repentance, however, is a change of life. It is demonstrated in a lifetime, not just a day. Real humility is demonstrated through an ongoing obedience and surrender to God, not just a short-term adjustment to avoid punishment. Those who truly turn away from sin are those who seek the Lord with all their hearts. A true change of heart produces a changed life. I have turned to God and I will not turn back.

O God, thank you for your grace and mercy, for being slow to anger, and for being ready to save those who repent and humbly turn to you. Help me to live out my repentance every day. Teach me to walk in your ways. Give me a heart that delights in your will. Make me ready to follow Jesus and to demonstrate my love through obedience. Give me the wisdom to understand salvation as a way of life. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 10:26-27

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
In Context: Hebrews 10

Proverb for Today: Prov. 12:3
"A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted."

Recommended Reading:
Why Sin Matters: The Surprising Relationship between Our Sin and God's Grace
by Mark R. McMinn

January 26 - Greater Power

Overview of: 2 Chronicles

Today's Reading:
2 Chr. 32:1-31
"Jerusalem is Saved"

Focus Verses: 2 Chr. 32:7-8
7 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Insight:
When Jerusalem was threatened by King Sennacherib, Hezekiah turned to God and reminded his people that though Assyria was a mighty power, God was mightier still. Sennacherib was prideful and made the mistake of defaming the God of Israel. Hezekiah was humble and put his faith in the God of Israel. Isaiah the prophet cried out in prayer to God for deliverance, and God came to their rescue.

Response and Action:
God is greater than the things that threaten to destroy me. If I will humble myself before God, and cry out to him in prayer, God is able to deliver. The challenges in life are often too big for me, but they are not too big for God. I will put my faith in God and turn to him for help.

O God, help me to trust in you. When I feel weak and overwhelmed, help me to cling to you in faith. Give me the courage that comes from the belief that you are greater than anything that threatens me. Be my refuge, my strength, my rock, and my salvation. Through Christ Jesus, who is my Savior, my comfort, and my hope, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Romans 8:38-39

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In Context: Romans 8:28-39

Proverb for Today: Prov. 26:12
"Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Recommended Reading:
Be Not Afraid
by David Ivaska

Reading Schedule for January 26 - 31

Jan. 26 - 2Chr. 32:1-31
Jan. 27 - Nahum 1:1-15
Jan. 28 - Zeph. 1:1; 3:1-20
Jan. 29 - 2Kgs. 22:1 – 23:3
Jan. 30 - Jer. 1:1 - 2:27
Jan. 31 - Jer. 15:1-21; 31:12-34


You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through the entire New Testament and key passages of the Old Testament. The 2008-09 Useful Breath reading can be downloaded for printing by clicking the link in the right column.

January 24 - Ready to Hear

Overview of: Isaiah

Today's Reading:
Isaiah 1:1; 6:1-13; 25:1 – 26:6
"Isaiah is Sent"

Focus Verses: Isaiah 6:8-9
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" 9 He said, "Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' "

Insight:
Isaiah was overcome by a vision of God's power and holiness. He realized how sinful he was, how sinful the people of Israel had become, and how desperately they needed God's forgiveness and restoration.

God sent him to preach repentance and judgment to his people, even though God knew the people would not listen to Isaiah. They would hear, but not understand; they would see, but not perceive. Because the people would ignore Isaiah, his preaching would, in fact, harden their hearts and dull their understanding.

Isaiah asked, "How long should I preach?" God said, essentially, "Until there is no one left to preach to." Even when people fail to listen or respond, God is faithful to reach out to them and give them opportunity to wake up and turn back. Their destruction was self-imposed. They were without excuse.

Response and Action:
I want to live with a sense of God's beauty, holiness, and majesty. I will grow in my reverence for God as I humble myself in worship, prayer, and the reading of Scripture. I will acknowledge my sin and the sins of my people (my family, my church, my nation), asking God for forgiveness and restoration. I will be faithful to speak and live the truth of God even if no one listens or responds. I want to be sensitive to God's leading and have a willingness to answer his call--to do what he calls me to do, to say what he calls me to say, and to be what he calls me to be.

O God, have mercy on me. I am a person of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. You have shown your glory to us through Jesus, your Son. Help me--help us all--to find forgiveness, restoration, renewal, and purpose in Him. It's in His Name, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 1:18-19a

18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
In Context: Ephesians 1:1-23

Proverb for Today: Prov. 24:11
"Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter."

Recommended Reading:
Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter in an Urgent Day
by James Emery White

January 23 - Come and Worship

Overview of: 2 Chronicles

Today's Reading:
2 Chr. 30:1-27
"Hezekiah's Passover"

Focus Verses: 2 Chronicles 30:8-9
8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. Come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."

Insight:
With the northern tribes scattered and overrun by Assyria, and the southern Kingdom of Judah on its last leg, King Hezekiah led a campaign to turn Israel back to the Lord. Over the years, as the people of Israel had turned away from God, the observance of their religious festivals and holy days had drifted away. Hezekiah determined to rally people back to God by reinstituting the observance of Passover.

The people answered Hezekiah's call and experienced the largest Passover celebration ever seen since the days of Solomon and David. Though the people did not observe all the practices and traditions of Passover in exact accordance with the Law of Moses, God saw their hearts were turned toward him and so heard their prayers and graciously blessed them with healing and forgiveness.

Response and Action:
Worship is central to turning my heart toward God. Keeping worship a priority in my life will prevent me from turning away from God. Worship is key to spiritual health and spiritual renewal. I will worship to remember, to repent, to rejoice, to make requests, and to give thanks. I will make worship an every day thing; it will center me, remind me, renew me, restore me, refresh me, direct me, and sustain me.

O God, you are great and worthy to be praised. No one can fathom your wonderful ways. One generation will tell to the next the works of the Lord and mighty acts! Every day, every way, I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Romans 12:1

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
In Context: Romans 12

Proverb for Today: Prov. 23:12
"Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge."

Recommended Reading:
Worship & Celebration
by Janet L. Johnson