As many of you do, I try to read the Bible through in a year. Year before last, for some reason I fell behind in my readings which pushed me into the new year finishing. Then I lagged even further in 2020. Determined to try and finish in the calendar year, I’ve spent hours every day this past week finishing up my readings. It was a great way to end the year and help reset for 2021. I have another day or two and then I’m ready to start again.
As my first post of the year, I thought I’d share a few verses that have been meaningful to me. As you can tell, my readings have primarily been in Old Testament history and prophecy as well as the Psalms and so the verses are limited to those books. Trust me when I say that I have no agenda in posting these. I’m simply sharing verses from my readings which were meaningful to me and thought they would be for you. I’ve whittled a longer list down to twenty-one (which was really hard by the way) to encourage us all as we face what could be some of the toughest weeks of our lives ahead due to the pandemic and other reasons. I know many close to us who are suffering, and I imagine our situation is not too different than yours. I’m praying that as we enter this new year, we will do so with our eyes on the Lord and trusting in Him alone. Many blessings, friends.
1. I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy; your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28-29
2. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
3. Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:3
4. Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2 (This is a prayer I’ve prayed daily for years).
5. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, through the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-19
6. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
7. Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
8. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. Zechariah 9:12
9. He has made everything beautiful in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:11
10. The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8
11. . . . and in His Word I put my hope. Psalm 139:5 (This verse is referenced in a verse of “Amazing Grace,"-- “His word my hope secures . . ."
12. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. Psalm 133:1
13. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. Psalm 138:7
14. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16
15. 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. Psalm 139:23-24
16.Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6
17. If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us. 2 Chronicles 20:9
18. For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12
19. Know therefore that the Lord our God is God, he is the faithful God keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9
20. He is the Rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just. Deuteronomy 32:4
21. The eternal God
is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27