Philippians 2:9-11

When Christ has first place in our lives, we will experience many blessings. These include . . .

A quiet spirit. As we turn our attention to the Lord and meditate on His Word, He “leads [us] beside quiet waters,” where we find rest for our souls (Ps. 23:2). The Holy Spirit will help us shut out the noise of worldly distractions so He can provide assurance of our Father’s love and support. With a quieted heart and mind, we will be able to discern what God is saying to us.

A stronger faith.Studying Scripture will enlarge our view of God and give us insight and direction. Reading how the Lord has helped others, we will gain confidence that He is at our side, enabling us to meet life’s demands. Our faith will grow as we follow His direction and watch how He works on our behalf.

A purified heart. Like a mirror, the Bible reflects back to us who we truly are and reveals where we need to change. When we confess our sin, God promises to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

A prepared mind. We don’t know what’s in our tomorrows, but God does. He wants to prepare us for the future—both the joyous times and the hard ones. Through the Holy Spirit’s ministry, we will be equipped for whatever life brings (2 Peter 1:3).

Paul’s life demonstrates what it means to give Jesus first place. Because the apostle made Christ the Lord of his life (Gal. 2:20), he knew joy amid trials and received the strength to face turmoil and difficulty. These blessings will also be ours when we give highest priority to our relationship with Jesus.

Bible in One Year: Luke 17-19

Proverbs 3:7-12

There are many blessings for staying on the path of righteousness. Divine truth frees us from ungodliness, and life becomes richer as we experience the Lord’s favor and receive His help. He will go before us and clear out obstacles on the road. Let’s check our compass readings one more time to be sure we are traveling due north.

Following the path toward holiness requires our obedience. From Genesis to Revelation, we are commanded to obey the Lord, let go of human thinking, and embrace godly wisdom. The Bible tells us that fearing God is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10). Obedience and submission to His lordship bring healing and refreshment. Our Creator did not design these physical bodies of ours to live with anger, bitterness, or resentment. And oftentimes, accumulating those emotions even causes us physical harm. But as we bring these attitudes to Him, He will restore us.

Our compass also directs us to show reverence for God. For instance, when we honor Him with our finances, it can be difficult because it means releasing control. But God promises that it will result in blessing: When He is in charge, He will not only supply our needs but will also give us enough to share with others. In addition, when we accept God’s reproof, He will keep us walking in righteousness. The heavenly Father takes steps to correct our mistakes. It is a sign of our family connection and a demonstration of His love.

If you are confused or lost, follow the directions above. You will find your way every time.

Bible in One Year: Luke 10-11

2 Peter 1:3-4

God’s promises are very precious. Not only do they remind us of His personal interest in our lives, but they also provide hope and encouragement during difficult times.

Before claiming a promise, we must check ourselves in three areas: faith, obedience, and patience. First, we must trust Jesus as our personal Savior and live on the basis of our belief in Him. Obeying God is also necessary. If we willfully continue to disobey the Lord, then He is not obligated to fulfill His promise (1 Peter 3:12). Finally, patience is required. God operates on His timetable to accomplish His purposes according to His perfect plan. Waiting on Him is necessary.

At times it will seem as if a divine promise is not being fulfilled. When that is the case, take a second look at the biblical passage to be sure it applies to you. Then verify that you have met the necessary conditions, and examine whether there is a genuine need. If you are still convinced the promise applies, then you can look a little deeper at your request. Will the Lord be honored when this promise is fulfilled? Can He answer this prayer without harming others or hindering His will in their lives? Will this help you grow spiritually? These additional questions will assist you in claiming a promise of God.

The Holy Spirit is our instructor, who will teach us about the Lord’s promises. He wants to build our faith through Scripture, provide the strength necessary to obey, and develop in us the fruit of patience. These qualities are necessary and will help us as we look to God to fulfill His promises.

Bible in One Year: Luke 8-9

Isaiah 40:12-31

If you ask a group of people what God is like, you will receive many different answers. Some will say He is a force somewhere in the cosmos, while others picture a benevolent grandfather type who overlooks “little sins.” Most of the time, the description given will reveal more about the speaker than about the real Jehovah. In fact, the true God might surprise you.

As the Father reveals Himself in Scripture, one word that’s never used when referring to Him is “it.” God is a person; in every reference, He is given a name (Yahweh, Elohim, Lord) or referred to by masculine pronouns (He, Him). He fits all of the attributes of personhood—intelligence to reason, emotions to feel, and the will to make decisions. From Genesis to Revelation, God displays these features.

Scripture also shows God’s immutability. Let us be clear about what that means: Neither the Lord’s nature nor His character ever changes—He is always Spirit, and His love remains constant. We can all expect that God’s principles and laws will hold true and that He will act exactly as He has promised. While He does adjust His emotions to fit a situation, delight, anger, and other feelings are nuances of His being, not new traits.

God is eternal—He has no beginning or end. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. No one created Him; God simply is. That’s hard for humans to understand, but if the Lord were completely explainable, He would be like us and unworthy of worship. If we are to honor the Father, we should know Him as He really is—eternal and unchanging.

Bible in One Year: Luke 1

Song of Solomon 5:16

Many of us are familiar with the popular hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” We all agree that the Savior is a great friend, but few of us have an exhaustive knowledge of the heights and depths of His friendship. Let’s consider some of the elements of His relationship with us.

He is committed to us as a friend for life. In fact, this commitment is for more than a lifetime. It’s eternal. He will never leave you or me, no matter what we do. And though life is bound to hold some disappointments, the Lord Himself will never let us down.

He is open and transparent to us at all times. Jesus will show us as much about Himself as we desire to learn and are able to appreciate. He isn’t going to keep from us anything that we need to know about Him.

He is renewing His loving overtures on a daily basis. He knows how to meet our deepest longings, and He’s sensitive to our wants as well as our needs.

He is an inspiring, comforting listener who will never interrupt or be quick to criticize. He attends wholeheartedly to our requests. His eyes are so lovingly fixed on us that His heart hears exactly what we are saying.

What kind of friend is Jesus? John 15:13 answers that question: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” Because He gave Himself for all people, we as His followers can give ourselves for a few. Who in your circle of influence needs the sacrifice of your time or care? Take time to minister to them and provide for their needs, because there is no greater privilege than being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Bible in One Year: Mark 10-12

Colossians 1:9-14

Sometimes we want to pray for another person but aren’t sure what to say. If you’ve ever been confused about how to intercede for someone, Paul’s prayer in Colossians is appropriate for every person and every situation. Because it aligns perfectly with God’s will, you can ask these requests with confidence—both for yourself and for others:

To be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Not only do we need to know God’s plan for our lives; we also require discernment to distinguish His guiding voice from our own self-directed notions.

To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all ways. Our lives should be patterned after the One we follow, with a goal of glorifying Him.

To bear fruit in every good work. Instead of being wrapped up in our own jobs, possessions, pleasures, and plans, we should be contributing to others’ lives.

To increase in the knowledge of God. By reading His Word and applying it to our lives, we will gain a deeper understanding of the Lord.

To be strengthened with His power so we remain steadfast. The Christian life can be lived only with the Holy Spirit’s power.

To joyously give thanks for all God has done for us. Believers should be characterized by joy and gratitude.

Too often we focus our requests on temporal needs and miss the deeper spiritual work God wants to do. Imagine how effective your prayers will be if you’ll shift the emphasis of your petitions to the Lord’s desires. He will transform you and the people for whom you intercede.

Bible in One Year: Mark 8-9

Psalm 143:5-12

What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up? Are your thoughts instantly focused on the day ahead, or are they centered on the Lord? Although most of us have busy lives and are involved in activities that consume much of our time and attention, the most important and timesaving part of each day is that which is spent in quiet solitude with God.

Yet many of us feel so rushed that we don’t think there’s enough time for the Lord. We immediately jump onto the treadmill of life and then wonder why we’re so frustrated, confused, and dissatisfied. Even if our desire is to follow God, we don’t know where He’s going since we haven’t stopped to get directions for the day. Without daily communication, no one can have intimacy with Christ.

Perhaps the problem is our own human logic. We think spending time reading the Bible and praying each morning will result in having less time and lower productivity. However, when we seek Christ’s direction and wisdom for the day and invite Him to control our lives, He’ll accomplish more through us than we can do by ourselves. He will give us wisdom for good decisions, increase our strength and energy, and free us from time-wasting anxiety.

Ask yourself, Am I too busy for the Lord? If the answer is yes, then you’re denying yourself the blessing of an intimate relationship with Christ. When you make time for Him, He’ll fill you with peace and joy, guide your decisions, grant you wisdom, empower you to obey, make you more productive, and comfort you with His love.

Bible in One Year: Mark 3-5

James 1:12-16

To build a defense against temptation, we must understand how it works. Every sin originates as a thought, often the result of a flaming arrow Satan shoots our way (Eph. 6:16). If a believer holds on to the thought, it becomes a fantasy—the chance to imagine what it would be like to pursue that notion, without actually doing so. The problem with fantasies is that they can easily become entangled with a person’s emotions. This creates a desire, which brings the believer to the point where a choice must be made. And he or she must either consent to the sin or refuse. This process is quite dangerous, as the progression from thought to choice can be almost instantaneous.

Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist temptation—before it enters their consciousness. There are two cornerstones to a good defense: the commitment to obey God, and the recognition that He is in control and has limited what Satan can do (1 Cor. 10:13).

We can further fortify our defense when temptation actually comes. Satan has a way of spotlighting the pleasure of sin until it’s all we see. But with conscious effort, we can retrain our focus to take in the bigger picture: Is this choice a violation of God’s Word? What are the consequences? Am I prepared to pay that price?

No defense against temptation is complete without Scripture and prayer. Every moment spent meditating on the Word and communicating with God builds our faith. As the bulwark around our mind and heart strengthens, we are ever more prepared to douse Satan’s flaming arrows.

Bible in One Year: Matthew 22-24