Category: Daily Readings

November 28 (Daily reading: Acts 18-19) We read recently that Paul, at the beginning of his second journey, had wanted to minister in Asia (16:6). After meeting Aquila and Priscilla and working with them as tent makers in Corinth, Paul traveled to Ephesus, which is in Asia. He spent some time there, reasoning with the…

November 27 (Daily reading: 1 & 2 Thessalonians) This commentary is adapted from my book, “We Love Because God First Loved Us,” pages 51-52. (1 Thes. 1:2-4, NIV) Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about their faith, love and hope. He first remembered their “work produced by faith.” Our faith leads us to do God’s work,…

November 26 (Daily reading: Acts 17) There was a mixed response to the gospel in Thessalonica. Some Jews and many Greeks were converted, but other Jews were jealous of Paul and wanted to stop him. They made an interesting accusation: “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too” (17:6, NKJV). The…

November 25 (Daily reading: Galatians 4-6) This commentary is adapted from my book, “We Love Because God First Loved Us,” pages 81-82, 142-143. Paul gave some relationship principles in Galatians 5. “Through love serve one another” (v. 13b). Love is the motivation for our service. Serving is love in action on behalf of someone who…

November 24 (Daily reading: Galatians 1-3) Galatians 2:20 became my life verse when I was eighteen. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who…

November 23 (Daily reading: Acts 15-16) Paul must have been frustrated. He wanted to minister in Asia, but the Holy Spirit would not allow it. He was a man of action, but he was also a man of prayer. God sent him a vision, in which he saw a man from Macedonia who asked them…

November 22 (Daily reading: James) This commentary is adapted from my book, “We Love Because God First Loved Us,” pages 137-139. James had a lot to say about the inappropriate use of the tongue. “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison” (3:8). There is a…

November 21 (Daily reading: Acts 13-14) The Holy Spirit instructed the church at Antioch to send out Barnabas and Saul as missionaries (13:2). We met Barnabas in Acts 4:36. His name was Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas, “Son of Encouragement.” He began by encouraging the church with his financial resources. He encouraged Saul,…

November 20 (Daily reading: Acts 11-12) Acts 12 presents some heavenly humor in the midst of the tragic events in the life of the early church. James, the fisherman, became another martyr, killed by King Herod. The people approved this action, so he arrested Peter and assigned sixteen soldiers to guard him. On the eve…

November 19 (Daily reading: Acts 9-10) We saw today two accounts of God preparing the early church for its missionary endeavors. Luke’s account of Stephen’s death ends with an introduction to a young man named Saul, who “was in hearty agreement with putting him to death” (8:1). Saul himself was “breathing threats and murder against…