Daily Walk Through the New Testament
June 20
Read Luke 1:46-77

When God spoke to Mary, and when God fulfilled His prophecy to Zacharias and Elizabeth, they rejoiced! These passages are full of the joyful responses of people who saw the Lord at work. Zacharias rejoiced in what had already happened. Mary rejoiced in what was yet to come. Both lifted up their voices to magnify the Lord! We exist to bring glory and honor to the Lord. If humanity’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, how will you advance that in your life today?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
June 19
Read Luke 1:14-45

When God acts in human lives, He always seems to use the unlikeliest people at the unlikeliest times of their lives. Gos ordained that a barren Elizabeth and her older husband would have a son who would be known as John, and that a teenage virgin named Mary would bear a Son and call Him Jesus. Understandably, Mary asked, “How can this be?” The angel answered her well by saying, “With God nothing will be impossible” (vs. 34 & 37).
Today, God may choose to use you in a powerful way in His kingdom or lead you to speak simple words of truth to someone in need. When you wonder how God can use you, remember the answer of the angel. Nothing is impossible with God!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 18

Read Mark 16:9-Luke 1:13

It seems amazing that Jesus’ followers had such a difficult time believing He had risen from the dead, and yet Mark’s account makes it plain. Those who did not see simply did not believe. Jesus’ resurrection was so astounding and so supernatural that people couldn’t grasp the reality of it happening.
Perhaps it is unfair to be hard on them. After all, we often walk in unbelief as well. We who know the whole story of Jesus — even how it ends — often struggle to live as though He is alive today. The fact that the disciples eventually professed belief in Christ and went out and preached about the truth of Jesus everywhere shows that they became fully convinced of His resurrection. Their eyewitness accounts should help us believe and tell others too.
What signs of belief accompany your everyday life? Do you minister to people through prayer and intervention? Do you walk with boldness and confidence? Do you go out and, in some sense, preach everywhere? Start walking in obedience today by praying, “Lord, I believe! Help me live as though I do!”

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 17

Read Mark 15:33-16:8

In today’s passage we find the heart of redemption and hope. When Jesus cried out to the Father, “Why have You forsaken Me?” (Vs. 34), He indicated the precise moment He took our sins upon Himself and the Father responded accordingly. The Father, who is so holy He cannot look upon sin, turned away from His Son, who had been made sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus went through the darkness so that we might be brought into the light. He became sin so that we might become righteousness. Jesus’ last words on the cross stand as a clear testimony of God’s love for you, both now and forever.
In those moments that rocked the world, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom by divine hands to indicate that now, once and for all, we who come to Jesus may come into the Most Holy Place through His blood.
There’s more. Jesus not only conquered sin, but also death! His resurrection paralyzed the death grip Satan once had on us, and it gives us hope as nothing else.
Scripture documents the facts, details, eyewitnesses, and even the adversaries of Christ’s resurrection. These were recorded so we may believe and be transformed!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 16

Answer the following questions about your readings this past week:

1.)  Are you in the habit of simply saying prayers — or actually praying? What             can you do to make sure you don’t just say a prayer but truly pray?

2.) We know Jesus died for us, so what can you do to make sure you live for Him?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 15

Read Mark 15:6-32

When you think of the final week of Jesus’ life and ministry, there is a unique and strange contrast at work. In one sense, it was the worst week ever. In another sense, it was without a doubt the best week ever. From the disciples’ perspective, it was the worst week ever. The man they believed to be the Messiah was ridiculed, tortured, and murdered. Their hopes and dreams were put to death right along with Jesus. It seemed like the most horrible thing imaginable had happened.
But on this side of history, we know what came after the agony of the cross. We know that even when Jesus was put to death, God’s loving rescue plan was still in motion. When He died and rose again, He paid for our sins, and salvation became possible for us! Left to ourselves, we are dead in our sins, but because of the events of that week, we can become alive in Christ! We can be forgiven, made right with God, and freed from the bondage of sin. We can receive the Holy Spirit and live a life of purpose and worship. We can share in Jesus’ triumph over the grave and look forward to our own resurrection and eternal life in heaven. From our perspective, what in history can top that? We hate that our Savior suffered, bled, and died on the cross, but at the same time, we’re so thankful for what He accomplished when He did!
How will you regularly celebrate and give thanks to God for the best week in history?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 14

Read Mark 14:53-15:5

In Jesus’ darkest hour, no one stood up for Him. Judas was guilty of handing Him over to the authorities. The disciples were guilty of leaving Jesus in His most desperate hour. The Sanhedrin was guilty of falsely accusing Him. Peter was guilty of denying Him. Pilate was guilty of ignoring the obvious about Him. The crowd was guilty of shouting out, “Crucify Him!” All of them were guilty, and so are we. After all, our sin is the only reason He had to go to the cross in the first place.
The only true innocent Person in all of human history had to give His life for those who were far from innocent. But Jesus didn’t run from His responsibility. He embraced the cross. He endured its pain. He did it all for you and me, and He did it for the Father’s glory.
Take time to meditate on these staggering realities of Jesus. Read through Isaiah 53. Remember that you have been redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Honor your Savior. Love and thank Him every way you can. Live for Him today!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 13

Read Mark 14:27-52

There is a difference between simply saying prayers and actually praying. A lot of us are guilty of saying prayers without thinking about what we’re saying. We just go through the motions, saying the same things we usually say in the same way we always say them. It’s like we put our prayers on autopilot. We’re good at saying prayers. We’re not good at actually praying.
Praying should involve truly opening our hearts to God and nurturing a close, honest relationship with Him. He wants us to come to Him, talk to Him, and be real with Him. He welcomes us to spill out whatever may be on our hearts. So, if you’re frustrated, you can share your frustrations with Him. If you’re thankful express thanks. If you’re worried, take your anxiety to Him. Whatever you’re feeling, go to Him about it, and be real with Him.
Make sure you’re not praying the same old prayer without thinking about what you’re actually saying. His mercies are new every morning — your prayers should be too!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 12

Read Mark 14:1-26

Most people need reminders. Many doctor’s appointments, lunch meetings, and project deadlines would be missed without them! Jesus gave us something to help us remember Him. Some call it the Lord’s Supper; some call it communion. Whatever it’s called, it’s a time for us to stop whatever we’re doing and remember what Jesus did for us.
Jesus established this ordinance for us because He knows our tendency to let the pace and pressures of life distract us from our relationship with God. He knows our affinity for things that don’t matter, so He established a reminder of what matters most.
Through communion, Jesus calls out to us: “Remember My love. Don’t forget what I accomplished or the price I paid. Remember who I am. Don’t forget what I did, what I am doing, and what I promised to do for you.” Respond to Him with grateful worship and loving reverence.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

June 11

Read Mark 13:11-37

Many Christians are so concerned about reigning with Christ in the future in heaven, that they’re not living for Christ in the present. They’re so busy speculating about the 2nd Coming of Jesus that they neglect to tell people about the first time He came. They’re so caught up in trying to decipher and decode certain prophetic passages that they never get around to applying basic Christian principles and virtues.
Jesus doesn’t ask us to crack some mysterious code. He doesn’t want us to spend our days on earth making guesses about the future. He wants us to take the gospel to every nation and to anticipate His 2nd Coming in a watchful, prayerful way (Mark 13:10, 33). He wants us to fulfill the 2 greatest commandments of God — to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The angels don’t know when Jesus will return. Neither does Jesus Himself. Only the Father does. Honor His will and His wisdom, and be content with knowing what He’s revealed. Don’t get distracted from what’s most important — fulfilling Jesus’ explicit commands — and lovingly encourage others to do the same.