Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 31
Read Hebrews 3:7-4:13
God’s greatest desire for you is not obedience, but intimacy, because obedience is the natural overflow of a heart that is in love with Jesus. Whenever we get this out of balance, we fall prey to the bondage of our flesh and miss the freedom of a relationship with God. As we seek Him daily and know Him intimately, He produces the very life of Jesus in us, which is perfectly obedient to the will of the Father.
Clearly, we are to obey God’s voice, but He wants our obedience to flow out of a heart full of love and gratitude for Him. He desires obedience that is the expression of our passion for Him and the manifestation of His very life in us. Then and only then does that obedience result in the divine rest and freedom He so graciously promises.
Evaluate the source of your obedience — may it always flow from a heart that is walking intimately with the Father.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 30
Read Hebrews 2:5-3:6

In Hebrews 3:1, The Spirit of God inspired the writer to call believers “holy brethren.” If we’re honest, most of us would not look at our lives and choose “holy” as a fitting adjective. But the reality is, that’s exactly the way God sees those who are in Christ Jesus.
It’s not that He sees us as just trying to be holy or kind of holy,” we are as holy as Jesus in His sight. It’s not because we’ve demonstrated that kind of holiness in our lives in a practical way, but because positionally we are in Christ! That means all that He is has been imputed to us, and before God, we are as holy as we’ll ever be. After 10,000 years in heaven, God will not see us positionally any more holy than we are right now. There is nothing holier than Jesus, and that’s how God sees us! What amazing grace!
The same grace is enabling you to become holier in a practical sense too. Out of the overflow of intimacy with God, He changes you from the inside out. He begins to change your attitudes, actions, desires, relationships — literally every area of your life. And what comes out of your life is not a better you; it is literally Christ in you, and that is holiness! Someone once said it this way: “Holy is what we are, who we are, and what we become progressively as we pursue holiness on a daily basis.” Move forward in your pursuit of holiness today.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 29
Read Hebrews 1:1-2:4

At the end of November — Thanksgiving time — is a wonderful time. There’s so much to look forward to! The worship, the family and friends, the football — and oh yes, the food! Of course we don’t look forward to all the plans, preparations, and work that’s involved in serving a meal for a crowd — but it’s all worth it when everyone is together at the table enjoying the feast!
Hebrews 1 reveals that in eternity past, God established a plan to deal with the problem of the sins of humanity. At the right point in time, He took on human flesh and carried out that plan. Then He “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3). Jesus finished all the work necessary for us to know God and to be accepted by Him.
If you don’t know Him today, He is inviting you into a relationship with Himself. You don’t have to earn it or deserve it; He has made all the preparations and done all the work. If you do know Him, your acceptance today is not based on your performance for Christ, but your position in Christ. Welcome to the table, and enjoy the feast!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 28
Read Philemon 1-25
Following Jesus is all about relationships. First and foremost, following Jesus is about having an intimate love relationship with God. It’s not about do’s and don’ts, rights and wrongs, rules and regulations; it’s about the experience of knowing and loving God in a personal relationship. But following Jesus is not just about a relationship with God; it’s also about relationships with others.
Because you have a relationship with God, you have a relationship with God’s family, and it is impossible to be right with God and not be right with God’s family. Nowhere in Scripture is this more obvious than the book of Philemon. The whole book is dedicated to reconciling one relationship. There’s a lesson to be learned here:if the Spirit of God inspired an entire book of the Bible to show the importance of reconciling relationships between brothers and sisters in Christ, then we should make it a priority to examine our relationships and do everything in our power to live in right fellowship with others.
Is there any relationship in your life that needs to be reconciled? Whom do you need to go to today to seek or give forgiveness, pay back a debt, honor a commitment made, or remove an obstacle in your fellowship? Maybe God wants to use you, as He did Paul, as his instruments to bring reconciliation between others who are at odds.
The book of Philemon is a living example of Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:18; “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Are you living this way?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 27
Read Titus 2:9-3:15
Have you ever watched a home makeover TV show? The whole show builds toward a “big reveal” moment when a family in great need gets to see the finished product of their house made completely new. Watching that family discover all that has been accomplished for them is often a very emotional experience. The celebration, the joy, the tears — what a moment!
Twice in today’s passage Paul used the word appeared (2:11; 3:4). This word comes from a Greek word that means “to show forth, exhibit, or shine the light upon” something or someone. The Bible teaches there was a specific “big reveal” moment in history when God pulled back the curtain and shined the light on His grace, kindness, and love for the world. The world experienced this moment when God took on human flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ, entered humanity, and accomplished the amazing plan of redemption for us all. And it was more than a moment. The tense of the verb appeared indicates the impact is still being felt today. Can you imagine the rejoicing in heaven that must have taken place as the angels finally began to understand the mystery of God’s plan? The celebration, the joy, the tears — what a moment!
And don’t forget that Titus 2:13 reminds us there is one more “big reveal” moment coming. The One who came is coming again. We will see with our own eyes the finished work of His hands! The celebration, the joy, the tears — what a moment!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

January 26

Answer the following questions regarding your readings from this past week:

1.) In what ways do you need to rely more upon your faith in your Father’s                 unchanging Word than in your fickle feelings?

2.) If God called you into His physical presence today for a 10-minute review of             your life, then sent you back to live another year here, what changes would            you make in your daily priorities?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

January 25
Read Titus 1:1-2:8

God’s Word is the only source of truth for living and dying. Satan’s simple goal is to cause us to doubt God’s Word and love. He has deceived many into following leaders who claim to be God’s messengers but are actually impostors who use His name to gain personal wealth and power. As we can see in today’s passage, the early church had to deal with false teachers (1:10-15). Paul told Titus the deceivers “must be stopped” because they were subverting “whole households, teaching things which they ought not” (vs. 11). Lies had prompted doubts and doubts turned into unbelief.
In Titus 1:2, Paul spoke of the “hope of eternal life.” The Greek word for “hope” here can also be translated “confidence.” God wants us to put all our confidence in Him, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the only wise God. He wants us to read His Love Letter daily, putting our hope in every true word and putting our faith in His power! Unless we take Him at His Word, we will lack the hope the Father desires His children to have.
Don’t buy into the Enemy’s lies. The Bible reveals the one true God, and He cannot lie (1:2). His love for you reaches to the heavens and was demonstrated on the cross. The only way to salvation and to a blessed life is to throw away your doubts and fully surrender and submit to Him! Resolve to live with strong, unwavering faith in God and His Word all of your days.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

January 24
Read 2 Timothy 3:12-4:22

All of Scripture is inspired by God, alive and powerful, and applicable to all believers today. It teaches us sound doctrine, leads us in righteousness, helps us mature spiritually, and equips us for good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God wants us to be intentional about getting to know Him more and becoming more like Him by studying His Word. He wants us to be able to explain its truths to others at any point in time, in any season (4:2; 1 Peter 3:15).
Try using the acrostic EDDY to help you draw closer to God. Come to God EARLY — make it the first thing you do. Read His Word DAILY and DILIGENTLY. As you do, discipline yourself to say YES — to obey His Word instead of your feelings and submit to His will instead of your own.
If you spend the rest of your days drawing close to God and obeying Him, you will be able to say with Paul,”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (4:7). Your daily choices reveal whether you want to “get your gold” here, or when you stand before God. Indeed, we all will stand before Him, and eternity is too long to be wrong!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

January 23
Read 2 Timothy 2:11-3:11

In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul spoke of the importance of being diligent to study, understand, and honor the Word of God. In the very next chapter, we see one of the consequences of failing to do so — a disordering of our loves.
Rejecting God’s Word and God’s love results in the inability to love God and others properly. Those who do will love other things instead of— themselves, money, pleasure — and seek to satisfy only their sensual desires (3:2-5). Eventually, this lack of knowledge and practice of God’s love will produce a vacuum effect in the soul that pulls in various pseudo-loves (human lusts). This vortex of evil will increase and spread like cancer to other aspects of life. If not stopped by proper spiritual application of God’s Word, this evil will spread into communities, churches, and beyond.
Heed God’s warning that a failure to learn His Word and to live and love according to it always results in ungodliness and selfish living. Diligently seek Him in His Word and ask Him to help you love what He loves. Spend your life loving God and loving others like Him.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

January 22
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-2:10

Timothy was facing opposition when Paul wrote to encourage him to stay the course. Paul told hm to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” and to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2:1, 3).
God doesn’t want our short-term pains or gains on earth to distract us from His kingdom work and eternal rewards (2:9-10_. No matter how intense our earthly circumstances get, we must discipline ourselves not to get so caught up in them that we no longer focus on the will and kingdom of God. We need to view everything in life with spiritual SON-glasses and remain alert and productive soldiers for God. As we move toward spiritual victory in this invisible war, we must do so “according to the rules” (vs. 5). Only the Spirit-led and Bible-obeying “heroes” will be highly decorated by God in eternity.
Whatever you’re facing today, continue in obedience in His strength and for His sake.