20-20 Blog

Today’s Bible Reading: Leviticus 25; Psalm 25; Psalm 26; Acts 22

Scripture Focus:
Psalm 26:1–3 I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and I’m not budging. Examine me, God, from head to foot, order your battery of tests. Make sure I’m fit inside and out so I never lose sight of your love, but keep in step with you, never missing a beat.

Observation:
We decide who we will follow. If we make no decision, we’ve decided to follow our own way, which ends up being Satan’s way—the way of self.

But if we decide to follow God, we get put in an uncomfortable position—we cannot remain the same, be ourselves the way we’ve always been. If we are to walk with God, he must examine us and make sure we are fit for the walk with him—otherwise, we’ll never endure.

Application:
“Examine me,” is a good prayer to pray to God consistently. Make no mistake. God will do so, and the results may be uncomfortable, but the alternative is worse. Am I willing to make the changes I need to make to keep in step with God? I like where He’s going a lot more than where I’m headed when I take my eyes off of Him!

Prayer:
Dear God, examine me. Make sure I’m fit to walk with you today. Help me never lose sight of your love. Help me keep in step with you, never missing a beat.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Philemon 1; Hebrews 1, 2, 3, 4

Scripture Focus:

Hebrews 4:14–16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Observation:

Jesus knows my weaknesses. In fact, he can sympathize with me because he’s been tempted in the same way, only he didn’t give in to his weaknesses. He invites me to come boldly to the throne of grace—his unmerited favor—to receive his mercy and grace at my point of need.

Application:

Why don’t I go to the throne of grace more often? It’s there for the asking—help in my time of need, mercy when I fail. What if I were to go to the throne of grace first thing—before I mess up already? What a thought!

Prayer:

I’m coming God, I’m here, at your Throne Of Grace. You know my need. Would you please shovel out as much grace as necessary to cover my need? Thanks! I can tell this is going to be a better day than if I winged it on my own!

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Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 52; Revelation 1; Psalm 143, 144

Scripture Focus:

Psalm 143:8 Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.

Observation:

There is one who knows the way I should walk. Though the path may seem confusing at times, he invites me to lift up my soul to him.

Application:

It is not as important to know the path as to know the One who knows the path.

Prayer:

Father God, I lift up my soul to you and ask you to show me the way, even today, in which I should walk. Thank you.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 33, 34; Psalm 74; 1 John 5

Scripture Focus:

Jeremiah 33:2 “Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): 3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

1 John 5:14–15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Observation:

In various places in the Bible God invites us to ask him for petitions, wisdom, help, whatever we need. He always promises to answer. Sometimes, like here in Jeremiah, he hints at even greater blessing when we ask—such as showing us great and mighty things that we don’t know about, so could not even ask about.

It’s almost like God is so excited about what he knows that he’s almost begging me to call on him.

Application:

Who can resist such an invitation to carry on a conversation with God Almighty? Yet do I take the time to stop and call on him? And listen?

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for making yourself so available to me.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 31, 32; 1 John 4

Scripture Focus:

Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”

Observation:

We need to be reminded once in awhile that God can do anything. Does something seem impossible? What is that to God!

Application:

I have an impossible situation in my life right now. It seems impossible, but I can ask God to bring it to pass. If he wills to do it, it will be impossible NOT to happen.

Prayer:

Father God, please show your great power in my impossible situation! Thank you!

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Today’s Bible Reading: Isaiah 36, 37; Psalm 76; 1 Peter 1

Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 37:5 ‘Thus says the LORD: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

Isaiah 37:23 “ Whom have you reproached and blasphemed?
Against whom have you raised your voice,
And lifted up your eyes on high?
Against the Holy One of Israel.

Observation:

If you want to lose big time, bet against God. Tell him he’s powerless; boast of your greatness. That’s what the commander of the Assyrian army did. All circumstances pointed to him winning, but Hezekiah did the right thing. He took the letter from the commander to the temple and spread it out before the Lord and prayed earnestly for deliverance.

Within days the Assyrian commander was headed back to Ninevah with his tail tucked between his legs.

Application:

God has a reputation to keep. When the forces of evil boast against him, we have the right to ask God to stand up for his reputation.

Prayer:

Father God, may I never cower before the enemy, but instead bend my knees before the One who has the final say.

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Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Kings 6,7; 2 Chronicles 20; 1 Timothy 3

Scripture Focus:

2 Kings 7:2 So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”
And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”

2 Chronicles 20:5–6 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Observation:

There are two ways to look at our circumstances—one is to see the enormity of our need and doubt that God can do anything about it. The other is to look at the enormity of our need and affirm that God is powerful enough to help us. It’s called faith. We not only affirm—we ask for help, as Jehoshaphat did. James 4:2 says, “Ye have not because ye ask not.”

Application:

What is my seemingly insurmountable problem today? Is God big enough to handle it? Yes. Then I need to ask him to handle it and believe that he will.

Prayer:

Father God, I trust in your provision for my need today, and I’m excited to see how you’re going to handle it!

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Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13–14; Philippians 4

Scripture Focus:

Philippians 4:6–7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Observation:

These verses are very familiar to me. I’ve read them, memorized them, and tried to put them into practice: Don’t be anxious. Pray. Be thankful. The result? The overarching peace of God!

Application:

I have fairly good reason to be anxious right now, but God says, “No. Don’t be anxious. Pray. And don’t forget thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving—that’s the part I tend to forget. What if I were to pray, and then start thanking God for answering my prayers? I think that’s what he wants me to do—today.

Prayer:

Father God, would you supply my need? And, by the way, thank you so much for answering my prayers!

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Today’s Bible’s Reading 1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Scripture Focus:

Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.

Observation:

I’m always amazed when I read this statement of Paul. He cared so much about the people he brought to the Lord that he prayed for them “without ceasing.”

Application:

Praying for the ones we love is a privilege and responsibility. For me it doesn’t come naturally, but I’d like to make it a habit.

Prayer:

Abba Father, help me to take the focus of myself and my needs and wants, so I can pray for the ones I love, and my sisters and brothers in Christ who need my prayers.

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Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 19–20; Psalm 55; Matthew 28

Scripture Focus:

Psalm 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.

Observation:

The context of this Psalm is trouble. David has been betrayed by someone who used to be his friend. You can feel the agony in his heart when he says,
“12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,
My companion and my acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
And walked to the house of God in the throng.

David wishes he could run away from his problems:
6 So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”

But instead, he chooses this path:
16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.

Application:

I’ve been wounded by a friend, and I understand how painful it is. It’s so easy to want to run away when that happens. David chose a different path, however. He turns to God and cries out to him throughout the day—”evening and morning and at noon.”

The prayer pattern caught my eye when I read it. I remembered how Daniel used to pray three times a day. It seems to me that’s a good habit to get in. That way, when I encounter tough emotional times, I’m already doing the one thing that will bring the most help and relief.

Prayer:

Abba Father, thank you for being available at any time, but especially during tough times.

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