Category: Daily Readings

July 15 (Daily reading: 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17) The sad story we read today presents the dangers of compromise. We see first the reason for Israel’s fall: “The sons of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God … and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out”…

Al asked me to share his commentary on today’s reading. July 14 (Daily reading: Micah) The “golden rule” of Micah is 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” This verse…

July 13 (Daily reading: 2 Chronicles 27; Isaiah 9-12) The New Testament writers validate Isaiah’s messianic prophecies. We have read Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Matthew quoted this verse, saying that…

July 12 (Daily reading: Amos 6-9) Amos 3:7 tells us that God speaks to His people: “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.” This is how we can know God and do His will. Henry Blackaby wrote: “If you have trouble hearing God speak, you…

July 11 (Daily reading: Amos 1-5) Amos was a shepherd, a man of the people. His theme was justice: “But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (5:24). He pronounced judgment on the surrounding nations, and then turned his attention to Judah and Israel. Judah “rejected the law of the…

July 10 (Daily reading: Isaiah 5-8) Isaiah’s call (6:1-8) came in a series of steps. Step one: Isaiah saw God. “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted…” He saw God’s description: (1) God was holy (perfect, pure, set apart). (2) God was powerful, “the Lord of Hosts.” Other versions say, “Lord…

July 9 (Daily reading: Isaiah 1-4) “Come now and let us reason together” (1:18). Isaiah invited his readers to stop and reflect on their relationship with God, and what God expected from them. God through Isaiah made some statements that would have been shocking to the people of that time: “What are your multiplied sacrifices…

July 8 (Daily reading: 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26) My active ministry as pastor and missionary was fifty-two years, which was the same duration as Uzziah’s reign as king. I compared my ministry to his reign as I read 2 Chronicles 26. We were both young when we began, and it was important to…

July 7 (Daily reading: Jonah, NIV) Jonah’s story is about redemption. It begins with the redemption of Jonah, a Jew who was opposed to God’s work among the Gentiles (non-Jews). He was so adamant in his beliefs that he fled from God’s call to preach to Nineveh, of the Assyrian Empire (in Iraq today). His…

July 6 (Daily reading: 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25) In reading about the Old Testament kings, we sometimes read, “He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart” (2 Ch. 25:2). Sometimes there seemed to be devotion by degrees, as in the thought that one could serve God…