Bible Reading Plan

Author: Scott Walter

  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Reflect on This

    We are working our way through the book of Amos. As you reflect back on the last few chapters, think through the following reflection questions: 

    1. What surprised you about the scripture you read this week?

    2. What have you learned about the nature of God through the scripture you read this week?

    3. What have you learned about the nature of man through the scripture you read this week?

    4. What are the Gospel implications for us because of the scripture you read this week?

    Worship with Us

    Join us at 9a, 11a, or 7p in person or online at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Leave a Comment Below
    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.
  • Amos 6

    Amos 6

    Read Amos 6

    Woe to the Complacent

    6 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion,
        and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
    you notable men of the foremost nation,
        to whom the people of Israel come!
    2 Go to Kalneh and look at it;
        go from there to great Hamath,
        and then go down to Gath in Philistia.
    Are they better off than your two kingdoms?
        Is their land larger than yours?
    3 You put off the day of disaster
        and bring near a reign of terror.
    4 You lie on beds adorned with ivory
        and lounge on your couches.
    You dine on choice lambs
        and fattened calves.
    5 You strum away on your harps like David
        and improvise on musical instruments.
    6 You drink wine by the bowlful
        and use the finest lotions,
        but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
    7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;
        your feasting and lounging will end.

    The Lord Abhors the Pride of Israel

    8 The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself—the Lord God Almighty declares:

    “I abhor the pride of Jacob
        and detest his fortresses;
    I will deliver up the city
        and everything in it.”

    9 If ten people are left in one house, they too will die. 10 And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will go on to say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the Lord.”

    11 For the Lord has given the command,
        and he will smash the great house into pieces
        and the small house into bits.

    12 Do horses run on the rocky crags?
        Does one plow the sea with oxen?
    But you have turned justice into poison
        and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—
    13 you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar
        and say, “Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?”

    14 For the Lord God Almighty declares,
        “I will stir up a nation against you, Israel,
    that will oppress you all the way
        from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.”

    Go Deeper

    Amos 6 picks up where Amos 5 leaves off. This chapter is another warning to the Israelites who have grown complacent. They were indulging in the comforts of the world, just like their pagan neighbors, and they were blind to their own downfall. Here Amos is essentially saying, “To those of Israel who are lazy, selfish, undisciplined, and self-indulgent come these future woes!” The Israelites wanted to have their cake and eat it too. They wanted to live like the rest of the world and have the favor of God at the same time, but that’s not how God intended for them to live. 

    Charles Spurgeon, the nineteenth century British preacher, said this about their complacency (or “ease”): “A carnal ease, a fleshly security, it is not the confidence of a man who is pardoned, but the ease of a hardened wretch who has learned to despise the gibbet…It is not the calm of soul at peace with God, but the ease of a madman, who, because he has hidden his sin from his own eyes, thinks he has concealed it from God.” They weren’t living with gratitude; entitlement had set in. The Israelites weren’t seeking rest and refuge in God; they had simply drifted from His commands and into dangerous patterns of laziness, procrastination, and self-indulgence. . 

    Our God is surely one of rest, a God who desires to rejuvenate His people. Jesus tells us to come to Him for our rest to be satisfied (Matthew 11:28-29). God ensures rest for His people to help them avoid future disobedience (Hebrews 4:9-11). God graciously affords us insight into the beautiful rest in eternity we are to experience (Revelation 4:9-11). There is a vast dichotomy between the false rest of the gluttonous and the heavenly rest provided by our Creator within His infinite generosity and love.

    Let this passage serve as a reminder to us that God loves His people, but he detests their (and our) pride. May we seek humility today and find our rest in Him

    Questions

    1. Is your rest found in the security of your life in Jesus, or in the distraction of earthly things?
    2. Do you feel consistently rested? Do you set apart time for rest? 
    3. What areas of your life have you removed God from? Where can you let him in?

    Pray This

    “Jesus, show me how to find my rest in You. Show me Your great love and character. Make it my only security. Help me to know You better and love You more. Reveal the areas of my life that are privileged, entitled, and calloused. Tear them down and build up pillars of praise for You. This is the real satisfaction and rest that I desire. Father, you are good and faithful. Lead me into more.

    Leave a Comment Below

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    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Amos 5

    Amos 5

    Read Amos 5

    A Lament and Call to Repentance

    5 Hear this word, Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:

    2 “Fallen is Virgin Israel,
        never to rise again,
    deserted in her own land,
        with no one to lift her up.”

    3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:

    “Your city that marches out a thousand strong
        will have only a hundred left;
    your town that marches out a hundred strong
        will have only ten left.”

    4 This is what the Lord says to Israel:

    “Seek me and live;
    5     do not seek Bethel,
    do not go to Gilgal,
        do not journey to Beersheba.
    For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
        and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
    6 Seek the Lord and live,
        or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
    it will devour them,
        and Bethel will have no one to quench it.

    7 There are those who turn justice into bitterness
        and cast righteousness to the ground.

    8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
        who turns midnight into dawn
        and darkens day into night,
    who calls for the waters of the sea
        and pours them out over the face of the land—
        the Lord is his name.
    9 With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
        and brings the fortified city to ruin.

    10 There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court
        and detest the one who tells the truth.

    11 You levy a straw tax on the poor
        and impose a tax on their grain.
    Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,
        you will not live in them;
    though you have planted lush vineyards,
        you will not drink their wine.
    12 For I know how many are your offenses
        and how great your sins.

    There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes
        and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
    13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times,
        for the times are evil.

    14 Seek good, not evil,
        that you may live.
    Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
        just as you say he is.
    15 Hate evil, love good;
        maintain justice in the courts.
    Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy
        on the remnant of Joseph.

    16 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says:

    “There will be wailing in all the streets
        and cries of anguish in every public square.
    The farmers will be summoned to weep
        and the mourners to wail.
    17 There will be wailing in all the vineyards,
        for I will pass through your midst,”
    says the Lord.

    The Day of the Lord

    18 Woe to you who long
        for the day of the Lord!
    Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
        That day will be darkness, not light.
    19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
        only to meet a bear,
    as though he entered his house
        and rested his hand on the wall
        only to have a snake bite him.
    20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light—
        pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

    21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
        your assemblies are a stench to me.
    22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
        I will not accept them.
    Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
        I will have no regard for them.
    23 Away with the noise of your songs!
        I will not listen to the music of your harps.
    24 But let justice roll on like a river,
        righteousness like a never-failing stream!

    25 “Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
        forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
    26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
        the pedestal of your idols,
        the star of your god—
        which you made for yourselves.
    27 Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,”
        says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.

    Go Deeper

    It’s not news to any of us that we live in a fallen world. Disease, death, and affliction are all around us. The fruits of our sin and brokenness run rampant. Life can feel unfair and brutal. Life for Israel in Amos 5 was no different. Israel lived in sin and suffered the drastic consequences. Evil was everywhere. The rich exploited the poor and the powerful hurt the innocent (v. 12). This was a time when people “turned justice into bitterness” and “threw what is fair and right to the ground” (v. 7). It often feels like this is the same world we live in. And it is. We look around us and see a world that “calls evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).

    Amos 5:8-9 offers us incredible hope in the midst of this suffering. There is One who spoke into existence the universe–– One who reigns over light and holds power over the darkness. The Lord is His name! He is powerful to bring judgment on the wicked and to rescue His children. Evil does not triumph! We don’t have to despair in a world suffering from sin and brokenness. We can know that our God is more powerful than it all.

    In the midst of all this brokenness in the world and out of our own hearts, God implores us to seek Him! Comparing verses 4 and 14 reveals that seeking God is equivalent to seeking good. God is the standard that defines justice and righteousness, so to worship Him is to do justice and righteousness––to do good! Ephesians 2:10 tells us something similar: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Part of following Jesus is living out the good works God created us to do. 

    Nonetheless, the Lord makes it clear in verses 21-23 that he doesn’t want just meaningless, obligatory worship and rituals. Empty religion apart from a relationship with Him won’t cut it. And it’s worse than inadequate; it hurts His heart! He wants both our hearts and our actions. “Justice must flow like torrents of water, righteous actions like a stream that never dries up” (v. 24). Because God defines righteousness and justice, pursuing these things because of our faith is an act of worship. 

    Yes, we live in a world overcome by the effects of sin and brokenness. And yet, we do not despair, for our God is greater. And He uses us as part of His solution to bring goodness to the world by His grace.

    Questions

    1. Where in your life do you see sin and brokenness that you need to invite God to heal?
    2. Are there any areas of your life where you are “throwing what is fair and right to the ground” (v. 7)?
    3. Who comes to mind when you think of someone out of whom “justice flows like torrents or water, righteous actions like a stream that never dries up” (v. 24)? How can you imitate Christ like that?

    Listen Here

    Check out the song “Instead Of a Show” by Jon Foreman, based on Amos 5.

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Amos 4

    Amos 4

    Read Amos 4

    Israel Has Not Returned to God

    4 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria,
        you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy
        and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”
    2 The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
        “The time will surely come
    when you will be taken away with hooks,
        the last of you with fishhooks.
    3 You will each go straight out
        through breaches in the wall,
        and you will be cast out toward Harmon,”
    declares the Lord.
    4 “Go to Bethel and sin;
        go to Gilgal and sin yet more.
    Bring your sacrifices every morning,
        your tithes every three years.
    5 Burn leavened bread as a thank offering
        and brag about your freewill offerings—
    boast about them, you Israelites,
        for this is what you love to do,”
    declares the Sovereign Lord.

    6 “I gave you empty stomachs in every city
        and lack of bread in every town,
        yet you have not returned to me,”
    declares the Lord.

    7 “I also withheld rain from you
        when the harvest was still three months away.
    I sent rain on one town,
        but withheld it from another.
    One field had rain;
        another had none and dried up.
    8 People staggered from town to town for water
        but did not get enough to drink,
        yet you have not returned to me,”
    declares the Lord.

    9 “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
        destroying them with blight and mildew.
    Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees,
        yet you have not returned to me,”
    declares the Lord.

    10 “I sent plagues among you
        as I did to Egypt.
    I killed your young men with the sword,
        along with your captured horses.
    I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps,
        yet you have not returned to me,”
    declares the Lord.

    11 “I overthrew some of you
        as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
    You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire,
        yet you have not returned to me,”
    declares the Lord.

    12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
        and because I will do this to you, Israel,
        prepare to meet your God.”

    13 He who forms the mountains,
        who creates the wind,
        and who reveals his thoughts to mankind,
    who turns dawn to darkness,
        and treads on the heights of the earth—
        the Lord God Almighty is his name.

    Go Deeper

    Amos doesn’t mince words as he continues to call out the injustices of Israel. Social and spiritual corruption had overtaken them, leaving their acts as a stench to God. Bashan was known for its fertile pasture land perfect for raising cattle. As the livestock flourished, the men spoiled their women with all kinds of luxury. The women suffered from an entitled mindset and demanded more and more, while they actively oppressed and crushed the poor. The women so valued their material possessions, they were willing to abuse others and most importantly deny God’s laws to get them. Through Amos, God condemns their blatant selfishness and promises they “will be thrown from their fortresses” (v. 3).

    Amos mentions two places (Bethel and Gilgal) that were important sites in Israel’s history where God had visited His people. Bethel was the place where God renewed his covenant with Abraham to Jacob. Gilgal had been Israel’s first campground after entering the promised land (and later on would be the location of the Passover). These sacred places were now entrenched in idol worship instead of worshiping the one true God. Amos mentioned this was not just a casual act, but the kind of thing the Israelites loved to do. God was longing to visit His people again, only if they would recognize their deceitful hearts and turn back to Him.

    A glance back in Israel’s past would reveal that God indeed would not be ignored but would bring judgment on sin. He had warned the people through famine, drought, blight, locusts, plagues and war, but the people blatantly refused to turn to Him. They soon would have to face God, who they had rejected over and over again. God used Amos as his mouthpiece to reveal his plan. The people had been warned, and so have we.

    Before we cast too many stones at the Israelites, a close examination of our own hearts will reveal similar sins. We may try to “pick and choose” which of God’s commands we follow, instead of obeying the whole law of God. Stubbornness clouds our vision and blinds us to the deception lurking in our hearts. We are prone to live inauthentic lives avoiding repentance to protect our image and gratify the flesh. We forget that sovereign God will not be mocked. “He is here: The One who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who makes dawn out of darkness and strides on the heights of earth. Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name”(v. 13).

    Questions

    1. What sins do you indulge yourself in and need to confess and repent of?  Write them down and share your thoughts with a trusted person to hold you accountable.
    2. Most of us would never see ourselves as oppressing or crushing the poor. How are you actively seeking to serve the poor in your community and around the world? 
    3. One day each of us will meet God face to face to give an account of what we have done or refused to do.  Are you prepared to meet Him? Why or why not?

    Listen Here

    We often indulge our wants and desires, much like Israel did, as a way to attain comfort. Check out the sermon “Indulgence” from the series “The Seven Deadly Sins of Suburbia”.

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Amos 3

    Amos 3

    Read Amos 3

    Witnesses Summoned Against Israel

    3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:

    2 “You only have I chosen
        of all the families of the earth;
    therefore I will punish you
        for all your sins.”

    3 Do two walk together
        unless they have agreed to do so?
    4 Does a lion roar in the thicket
        when it has no prey?
    Does it growl in its den
        when it has caught nothing?
    5 Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground
        when no bait is there?
    Does a trap spring up from the ground
        if it has not caught anything?
    6 When a trumpet sounds in a city,
        do not the people tremble?
    When disaster comes to a city,
        has not the Lord caused it?

    7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
        without revealing his plan
        to his servants the prophets.

    8 The lion has roared—
        who will not fear?
    The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
        who can but prophesy?

    9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod
        and to the fortresses of Egypt:
    “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;
        see the great unrest within her
        and the oppression among her people.”

    10 “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord,
        “who store up in their fortresses
        what they have plundered and looted.”

    11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “An enemy will overrun your land,
        pull down your strongholds
        and plunder your fortresses.”

    12 This is what the Lord says:

    “As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth
        only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
    so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
        with only the head of a bed
        and a piece of fabric from a couch.”

    13 “Hear this and testify against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

    14 “On the day I punish Israel for her sins,
        I will destroy the altars of Bethel;
    the horns of the altar will be cut off
        and fall to the ground.
    15 I will tear down the winter house
        along with the summer house;
    the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed
        and the mansions will be demolished,”
    declares the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    Amos reminds the people of Israel that they are the chosen ones of God. He reminds them of their standing before God because this impacts the punishment of their sins against God. There’s an old adage, made popular by Marvel’s Spiderman, that “with great power comes great responsibility.” Israel enjoyed God’s unique blessing and covenantal relationship, so the punishment for their wrongdoing would be in accordance with that relationship. Greater responsibility results in greater accountability.

    Amos has foretold that God will judge Israel, and this chapter is the first of five messages of Amos explaining why God will judge the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Namely, for their sins against God and man. Amos uses a series of rhetorical questions to make the inevitably of Israel’s coming judgment clear. Each indicates a cause and effect relationship and points to his conclusion in verses 7-8 that God would do nothing to His people without first telling them by way of the prophets.

    The prophecies of Amos and Hosea happen around the same time period (eighth century BC) and share some similarities, but a few differences are notable. While the prophecies of Hosea reflected his personal life, the prophecies of Amos reflected his professional life. Where Hosea emphasizes God’s love, Amos emphasizes God’s righteousness. And where the prophecies of Hosea are more tender, the prophecies of Amos are more threatening. But Amos’ prophetic teaching was not without hope. While he announced destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, he also predicted that the Lord would preserve a remnant and restore Israel and through them bring all nations to Himself. 

    Questions

    1. What do the words of Amos in this chapter tell us about who God is?
    2. What has God entrusted to you? (See 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and Matthew 28:18-20).
    3. With who God has called you to be in mind, what is a step of faithfulness you can walk in today?

    Did You Know

    The word used for “hear” in verse 1 is the Hebrew word shema, meaning “to hear, listen to, or obey” (Blue Letter Bible). Shema is meant to be a hearing that leads to obedience. There is a prayer in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 that is commonly referred to as the Shema and became a daily repeated prayer in Israelite tradition:

    “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

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  • Amos 2

    Amos 2

    Read Amos 2

    2 This is what the Lord says:

    “For three sins of Moab,
        even for four, I will not relent.
    Because he burned to ashes
        the bones of Edom’s king,
    2 I will send fire on Moab
        that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.
    Moab will go down in great tumult
        amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet.
    3 I will destroy her ruler
        and kill all her officials with him,”
    says the Lord.

    4 This is what the Lord says:

    “For three sins of Judah,
        even for four, I will not relent.
    Because they have rejected the law of the Lord
        and have not kept his decrees,
    because they have been led astray by false gods,
        the gods their ancestors followed,
    5 I will send fire on Judah
        that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”

    Judgment on Israel

    6 This is what the Lord says:

    “For three sins of Israel,
        even for four, I will not relent.
    They sell the innocent for silver,
        and the needy for a pair of sandals.
    7 They trample on the heads of the poor
        as on the dust of the ground
        and deny justice to the oppressed.
    Father and son use the same girl
        and so profane my holy name.
    8 They lie down beside every altar
        on garments taken in pledge.
    In the house of their god
        they drink wine taken as fines.

    9 “Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them,
        though they were tall as the cedars
        and strong as the oaks.
    I destroyed their fruit above
        and their roots below.
    10 I brought you up out of Egypt
        and led you forty years in the wilderness
        to give you the land of the Amorites.

    11 “I also raised up prophets from among your children
        and Nazirites from among your youths.
    Is this not true, people of Israel?”
    declares the Lord.
    12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
        and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

    13 “Now then, I will crush you
        as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.
    14 The swift will not escape,
        the strong will not muster their strength,
        and the warrior will not save his life.
    15 The archer will not stand his ground,
        the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
        and the horseman will not save his life.
    16 Even the bravest warriors
        will flee naked on that day,”
    declares the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    When we read these verses, we get the sense of how much the Lord truly grieves over sin. We see the heart of God on full display. He is devastated. His own children are responding poorly to His grace, blessings and provision. He wants a relationship with His people. Yet, they are ungrateful, forgetful and eager to indulge in what the world has to offer instead. We see this as a pattern in the Old Testament. The Lord puts His power and sovereignty on display. Then, His people are quick to forget and turn to false gods.

    A major shift starts in verse 9. The Lord speaks in the first person. He says, “Yet I destroyed,” “I brought you up out of Egypt,” “I led you forty years,” and, “I also raised up prophets.” The Lord is reminding Israel of the mercies in which He bestowed upon them. He reminds them of His provision, His guidance, His strength, and His power on their behalf. Yet, His own people so easily abuse that grace with sin. The fact the Lord has to remind them of everything He has done for them shows their tendency to forget.

    Surely, we would not do the same? We would not commit the same error of forgetfulness, apathy and ingratitude, right? 

    Sometimes it is easy to think our sins are minor or that the effect is small. All sin, including the sin of professing believers, is a great burden to God. We need to be reminded daily when we sin, we are sinning against the almighty God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and the one who gave His own son to die so that we may be set free from the bondage of sin and live forever with Him. Praise be to God for not leaving us on our own, but rescuing us and calling us His children. May we grow in our awareness of our sin and the way that it grieves the Father.  May we respond to all that He has done for us with gratitude, praise, and a heart of obedience.

    Questions

    1. How do you understand the heart of God more fully after today’s reading? What stands out to you about His character?
    2. How can you remind yourself daily of what the Lord has done for you to cultivate a heart of gratitude?
    3. With a greater awareness of how our sin grieves the Lord, is there anything you need to confess that you have been holding on to? Take a moment to do that now in prayer, then confess to your Life Group this week as well. See James 5:16.

    Quote

    “A man by his sin may waste himself, which is to waste that which on earth is most like God. This is man’s greatest tragedy and God’s heaviest grief.”– A. W. Tozer

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  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Reflect on This

    There is so much to reflect on in the book of Ephesians. We could have devoted six weeks to studying it instead of just six days! As you reflect back on the last few chapters, think through the following reflection questions: 

    1. What surprised you about the scripture you read this week?

    2. What have you learned about the nature of God through the scripture you read this week?

    3. What have you learned about the nature of man through the scripture you read this week?

    4. What are the Gospel implications for us because of the scripture you read this week?

    Worship with Us

    Join us at 9a, 11a, or 7p in person or online at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

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  • Ephesians 6

    Ephesians 6

    Read Ephesians 6

    6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

    4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

    5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

    9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

    The Armor of God

    10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

    18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

    Final Greetings

    21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.

    23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

    Go Deeper

    As Paul wraps up his letter to the church in Ephesus, he reminds them of the spiritual struggle they are part of. We have an enemy that is out to destroy us. As children of God, we should put on the full armor of God to stand up against the evil of the world. It is easy to think our boss, family members, or individuals we may be in conflict with are our enemies. This passage suggests it is different, and deeper, than that. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (v. 12). Our struggles with other people are really manifestations of conflict at the spiritual level.

    To overcome our spiritual struggles, we fight spiritual battles. Being faithful to God is not for the faint of heart. It’s a fight for the most important part of us–our souls. It is a matter of life and death. It’s the greatest challenge of our lives. Sometimes we may be tricked into thinking our greatest challenges are in building thriving companies, families or bank accounts. But “what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36). Our faith is a dangerous fight for our souls.

    To win the fight for our souls, we need the full armor of God. Since our challenges and struggles will come from all forces of evil we must put on the full armor of God to be able to stand our ground. The full set of armor includes: truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit and God’s word. We need each piece to win the fight.

    In sum, we are in a spiritual fight against Satan and God offers us the armor (and sword) we need to succeed. Let’s take that seriously today. Serious enough to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (v. 18). Serious enough to spend time in the word of God. What will we do with that today?

    Questions

    1. Are you wearing the armor of God into your battles?
    2. Which piece(s) of the armor are you missing? 
    3. Do you sometimes forget faith is a fight?

    Watch This

    Now that we have read the book of Ephesians, watch this overview from The Bible Project to make sure you picked up on all the major themes throughout the book.

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  • Ephesians 5

    Ephesians 5

    Read Ephesians 5

    5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

    3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

    8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:

    “Wake up, sleeper,
        rise from the dead,
        and Christ will shine on you.”

    15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Instructions for Christian Households

    21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

    22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

    25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

    Go Deeper

    Paul powerfully described in the first 3 chapters of Ephesians the treasured and blessed position God has established for those in Christ Jesus. This last half of the book provides practical and specific ways to live as His beloved children, walking in a manner worthy of this calling. This chapter further describes how to live as imitators of God, underscoring that our motivation is not merely obligation, but instead it is a heart-felt response to Christ’s great love for us.

    What does this look like? When we live a life overflowing with Jesus’ love, we reflect His sacrificial love. Jesus beckons us away from immoral, impure deeds, and when we focus on this new freedom, we give thanks for Christ’s gifts. The more we grasp and respond to God’s vast love for us, the deeper our commitment to living a life of gratitude and obedience. We are transformed into children of light. 

    But practically, what does that look like? Paul explains that the fruit of this light is goodness, righteousness, and truth, as we discern what pleases the Lord. As the darkness of our life without Christ is exposed and replaced with His light in us, our lives begin to reflect more of Jesus. His light is always stronger than the dark. Paul then urges us to live as those who are wise, making the most of every opportunity. Why? The days are evil, yet imitators of God offer hope, truth and life as they allow Christ to shine in and through them.

    As you reflect on this chapter, don’t miss the underlying message and motivation to live out your new life in Christ.  The key is in verses 1-2: “As dearly loved children, walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We live as followers of God’s example, reflecting His light. We do this not to earn our status as His children but because Jesus through His sacrificial love calls us His own.

    Through our conduct, our marriages, the way we parent, and the way we interact with others  we have the opportunity to point people to the light each and every day.

    Questions

    1. How does Paul’s emphasis on Christ’s love for us motivate you to imitate God’s example?
    2. How has your growing love for Christ drawn you away from the deeds of darkness listed in this chapter?
    3. Where do you need to expose darkness in your life with the light of Christ?  Share this with your life group to seek their support and accountability.

    Listen Here

    Check out Ellie Holcomb’s children’s song “Light’s Always Stronger” based on this passage.

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  • Ephesians 4

    Ephesians 4

    Read Ephesians 4

    Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

    4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

    7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:

    “When he ascended on high,
        he took many captives
        and gave gifts to his people.”

    9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

    14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

    Instructions for Christian Living

    17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

    20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

    25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

    29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

    Go Deeper

    For the first half of the book of Ephesians, Paul is focused on telling the Gospel story. As we move into the second half of the book, take notice of the first word of this chapter: “Therefore”. This word is a signal from Paul connecting the two halves of the book. After discussing the Gospel story in detail in chapters 1-3, Paul is now going to tell us what we should do and how we should live as a result.

    You’ll notice there is an emphasis on the word “one” in this chapter. We are one body with one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God over it all. We saw in Ephesians 1:10 that God’s divine purpose is to unify all people and all things in Christ. Therefore, because of this Gospel story found in Christ, we are now called to live as one. That’s what we should do, and that purpose should reshape every part of our own life story. Stop and think about that carefully: In light of Jesus’ life, death on the cross, and resurrection, are you living a life that supports or hinders unity with your fellow believers?

    The truth is, unity among sinners can be extremely difficult. But Paul makes it clear we have been made new in Christ, and as a result we have to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” What does that look like today? It’s swallowing your pride and seeking forgiveness for sinning against someone. It’s extending grace when you have been wronged, perhaps when the other person doesn’t even acknowledge their wrong behavior. It’s having the awkward and difficult conversation needed to overcome bitterness or frustration. When we don’t follow through when prompted by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we give Satan the opportunity to divide God’s people and completely frustrate God’s divine purpose. Paul will speak more in chapter 6 about spiritual warfare and evil beings that will do whatever they can to prevent this unity.

    If Ephesians 1-3 are the Gospel story, and chapters 4-6 are how the Gospel reshapes our own stories, imagine then that someone was writing the story of your life and they just concluded the chapter detailing your acceptance of the Gospel and your salvation experience. Like Ephesians 4, the next chapter in your memoir begins, “Therefore, __________.”

    What would come next in your book? Is it a story marked by love and oneness with God and, as a result, those around you? Or is it a life marked by unwholesome talk, anger, rage, bitterness, jealousy, and gossip? If we truly believe in the Gospel story of Jesus and believe that God sent Him to bring unity with God and among God’s people, then what follows our “therefore” is a life marked by commitment to oneness in the body of Christ. If it’s not, do not dwell in that discouragement. The good news is that God is all about writing new stories.  His forgiveness and mercy is available today, all you have to do is ask.

    Questions

    1. What would follow “therefore” in the story of your life?
    2. Is there anything that is keeping you from complete unity with another believer?
    3. Ask God to reveal any steps that you need to take to seek unity today. Don’t try and fix the problem yourself – seek Him and His guidance, pray about what to do, and then see how He works to restore your relationships.

    A Quote

    “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.” A.W. Tozer

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