Bible Reading Plan

Author: Scott Walter

  • Judges 4

    Judges 4

    Read Judges 4

    Deborah

    4 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.

    4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

    8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

    9 “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him.

    11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh.

    12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera summoned from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River all his men and his nine hundred chariots fitted with iron.

    14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him. 15 At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.

    16 Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim, and all Sisera’s troops fell by the sword; not a man was left. 17 Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.

    18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

    19 “I’m thirsty,” he said. “Please give me some water.” She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up.

    20 “Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’”

    21 But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

    22 Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple—dead.

    23 On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him.

    Go Deeper

    A lot happens in today’s reading, so before jumping into what the passage means let’s quickly review our characters. Jabin is the Caananite king ruling over Israel, Sizer is his army commander, Deborah is our current resident judge and prophet, Barak is the leader of Israel’s troops, and Heber and Jael are two Israelites who pitched their tent away from the other members of the tribes. There are a lot of people and moving pieces, so when needed, refer back to this list to keep straight who is doing what. With this knowledge, reread today’s passage, keeping track of who does what.

    The first verse of this chapter has a phrase that we will be seeing a lot over the next few weeks: “The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight.” An important word in that phrase is “again.” This has already happened (and will continue to happen throughout the rest of this book and the history of Israel). They were wicked and disobedient people, who really only turned to God when they absolutely needed it. When reading over Israel’s constant failures, we can be reminded of our own shortcomings and need for God’s mercy and grace. His repeated short-term redemption in this book serves to prove His unconditional and reckless love for us, and point to His long term redemption plan fulfilled in Jesus.

    This chapter also shows God’s ability and desire to use anyone who is available and willing  to be used. It would be a miss to ignore the fact that Deborah was a female, and not just that, but the only female judge in the book. There are many examples of God-fearing women being vessels for the Lord throughout the Bible, doing what it took to protect His people and His promises, and the women mentioned in Judges 4 are no exception. God uses whoever He wants, whenever He wants. While reading the rest of the book of Judges, pay close attention to the traits that make each judge unique and different from the other judges that God used to protect and lead His people. 

    Questions

    1. Who was your favorite character in today’s reading? Why?
    2. What does this chapter teach us about humanity?
    3. What does this chapter teach us about God?

    By The Way

    This victory against Jabin and Sizer was so great that King David references it in Psalm 83:9- “Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon.”

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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

    This week we finished read the entire book of Titus and started the book of Judges. As you reflect on this week, answer the following 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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  • Judges 3

    Judges 3

    Read Judges 3

    3 These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

    5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

    Othniel

    7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

    Ehud

    12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms. 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

    15 Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19 But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”

    The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.

    20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

    24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.

    26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

    28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.

    Shamgar

    31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

    Go Deeper

    Today’s chapter is a great demonstration of the power of the Spirit of God. Each of the judges in this chapter were ordinary people, but God raised them up and used them to alter the course of a nation. How did they do this? Verse 10 says, “The Spirit of the LORD was upon him.” These judges did marvelous things because they allowed the Spirit to work through them. Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. An oxgoad is a stick with a pointed end and a flat end. The pointed end was for poking an ox so it would start moving, and the flat end was used to remove dirt from the plow. An oxgoad was a normal tool used for everyday work. There is no one on earth that could take this tool and kill 600 people. But by allowing the Spirit to work through him, Shamgar did just that. If we fully surrender and allow the Spirit to work in our lives, imagine what everyday tools we could use to lead people to Jesus and glorify God.

    Judges 3 teaches us about God’s faithfulness and steadfast love. “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God” (v. 7), and so God allowed for them to be conquered and enslaved. For eight years, the people of Israel lived in slavery and never sought God. But as soon as they cried out to the Lord, He delivered them and restored Israel. After being restored, Israel forgot God again, and again He handed them over to be conquered.

    This time, it took eighteen years for them to cry out to God. Again, the Lord restored Israel. Israel had not simply made one mistake, but rather a lifetime of mistakes. Years and years of Israel spitting in God’s face and worshiping idols. But when Israel was desperate and cried out, God saved. This cycle displays God’s love and faithfulness. No one is disqualified from God’s love. Israel had been faithless for years and years. However, as soon as Israel realized their error and called out to the Lord, He was faithful. In the same way, no matter what we have done, God is quick to save. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

    Questions

    1. What is your “oxgoad” that the Lord could use in a radical way?  
    2. What will it take for you to fully surrender to the Spirit of God?  
    3. Have you ever felt unlovable? How can you remind yourself that even when you feel unlovable, God loves you so very much? 

    Pray This

    Lord, allow me to fully surrender to Your Spirit today. Give me faith like Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar so I can be used for Your good. Spirit, use my life circumstances and my oxgoad to do marvelous work for Your Kingdom. Help me to listen to and obey Your call. Posture my heart to worship You because of Your faithfulness and love, even when I do not deserve it. Remind me, Father, that You are good even when I do not always see it. Jesus, I love You and want to grow closer to You. Amen.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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

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  • Judges 2

    Judges 2

    Read Judges 2

    The Angel of the Lord at Bokim

    2 The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’”

    4 When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, 5 and they called that place Bokim.“ There they offered sacrifices to the Lord.

    Disobedience and Defeat

    6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. 7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.

    8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres“ in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

    10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.

    16 Then the Lord raised up judges,“ who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

    20 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.

    Go Deeper

    Yesterday we saw the failure of the tribes to eliminate the Canaanites from the Promised Land when they kept them as slaves. Today we see how that failure impacted generations of God’s chosen people. God had made a covenant with Israel to set it apart and protect its people, as long as they followed Him. But when the Israelites disobeyed God, that protection was removed. The good news? God never abandons His people; there is always redemption and forgiveness available.

    If you have read even a little bit of the Old Testament it can seem like a frustrating cycle of obedience and disobedience, over and over and over again. If we’re honest, it’s easy to slip into an attitude of judgment wondering how these people don’t learn their lesson. Just within the period of history discussed in this chapter, there are seven cycles of rebelling against God, losing His protection, finding deliverance, living under God’s authority and freedom, and once again returning to the worship of false gods like Baal. Verse 10 tells us that after Joshua died, a whole generation grew up and “neither knew the Lord nor what He had done for Israel.”

    It’s a little mind boggling to think that these are the same people that had been delivered in such miraculous ways, yet they did not teach the next generation to love and follow God. Even the relatively “small” disobedience to keep Canaanites as slaves led to the introduction of Canaanite idols in Israelite culture. The worship of these idols (the gods of fertility, love, and sensuality) led to horrors like temple prostitution and child sacrifice. Keep in mind, in Exodus 20 when God gave His people the ten commandments, God reminded the Israelites who He was, what He had done for them, and then gave the first two rules: have no other gods before Him and don’t make idols for themselves.

    While the sins of the Israelites seem like sins of a different level that we would never participate in, the root of the sin is exactly like us. The Canaanite idols seemed more attractive to God’s people, because it fed their immediate desires and cravings and offered more short-term, but misguided, benefits. They could do what they wanted, whenever they wanted, and still be in obedience to a god. And in doing so, led entire generations of people away from the very One who delivered them from bondage. If that starts to make you squirm in your seat a little bit, well you’re not alone.

    We have a responsibility to honor and love God, but also to teach the next generation to love and follow Him as well. (Deut. 6:6-9) If we don’t tell our children, grandchildren, friends and family about God and all that He has done for us, we have a perfect picture in Judges 2 of the resulting outcome: a nation of people that seek immediate gratification and that live outside the protection of their Creator. Let’s do our best to pass a love for God, His Son, and His truth to those entrusted to us today.

    Questions

    1. In what ways do you worship a false idol by feeding your immediate desires?
    2. Have any false idols in your life led those following you astray?
    3. Try to identify and name any false idols, write them down, and make action steps for removing them from your life so that you can bring up a generation of Christ-followers.

    A Quote

    “May the Lord help us to get and stay on the path of progressive sanctification–rather than the path that Israel chose of Progressive Canaanization.” Explaining the Book Commentary on Judges 2.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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    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].

  • Titus 3

    Titus 3

    Read Titus 3

    Saved in Order to Do Good

    3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

    3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

    9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

    Final Remarks

    12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

    15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.

    Grace be with you all.

    Go Deeper

    The book of Titus is all about living a countercultural life. Crete, where Titus was leading a church, was evil and dark, and many people who claimed the name of Christ there were not living very Christ-like lives. In chapters 1 and 2, Paul explains that, although we are not supposed to hide ourselves away from the world, we are not to give in to its ways either. He calls us to live in the tension of being in the world, but not of it. He tells us that we are to do all of this in order to “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10)

    In Titus 3, Paul reveals to us how we can actually come to live lives that are a reflection of God’s kingdom in a world wrapped up in sin and darkness. Titus 3:5 says “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Paul is clear- we are not saved because of any good works that we have done or will ever do. However, it is through Christ’s redemptive power in us that we are then able to perform good works. As Christians, we don’t live in the old ways of sin that we once lived in. We put those ways behind us through the power of Christ in us. The mark of a believer is living in the righteousness that Jesus provides.  Our lives should reflect the goodness and righteousness of God our savior. This chapter tells us that we have been renewed by the Holy Spirit- let’s live like it!!

    Paul goes on to say that because of our assurance of salvation through Christ’s mercy, we have “confident expectation of eternal life” (verse 7). We now get to live with an eternal perspective! We don’t have to get caught up in the pettiness, materialism, or comparison of this world, because we have our eyes fixed on Heaven. Filtering everything we say, do, and think through the lense of eternity changes the way we live. It affects the way we interact with people, the way we serve, give, and steward finances, the way we handle conflict, where we spend our time, and how we share the gospel. 

    This is how we can live lives marked by righteousness: We continue to keep our eyes fixed on eternity by the renewal of the Holy Spirit. Because we have been saved by the mercy of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit in us allows us to live with an eternal focus. It allows us to take our eyes off of the fleeting treasures, desires, and whims of this earthly world so we can walk in the good works that the Father has prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10).

    Questions

    1. What is one way that you are allowing yourself to be renewed by the Holy Spirit daily? 
    2. In what aspects of your daily life are you more focused on the earthly rather than the eternal? Write these down and share them with someone today. 
    3. How does keeping an eternal perspective change how frequently you share the Gospel?

     

    Watch This

    Now that you have read the entire book, watch this overview of Titus from The Bible Project to learn more about the short but powerful book of Titus.

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  • Titus 2

    Titus 2

    Read Titus 2

    Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

    2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

    3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

    6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

    9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

    11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

    15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

     

    Go Deeper

    This passage pulls no punches and affirms us in our calling as disciple-makers. While it can be easy to view ourselves as not capable or ready to be disciple those around us, Titus 2 makes it clear that no matter our age or how long we’ve been a Christian we are called to teach others and encourage them in the ways of Christ. We are called to teach young and old, rich and poor, godly and ungodly. 

    Some of us, once we realize we are supposed to be teaching others, often don’t know where to begin or what to teach. In verses 11-14 Paul reminds us that we were taught by the saving grace of God. It is important to remind ourselves that He purified us and now we are His. Because of what Jesus did on our behalf, we can now be eager to do what is good. What better way for us to teach others than by explaining what God has been teaching us in our lives, and this is exactly what Paul encourages us to do.

    Statistics also back up the importance of being engaged in discipleship. A Barna study done in January 2022 found that those who are involved in discipling others are more likely to feel that their relationship with Jesus brings deep joy and satisfaction, their relationship with Jesus impacts the way they live everyday life, and they are energized when they spend time with Jesus. However, 2 out of 5 Christians surveyed said they weren’t involved in any sort of discipleship. If a disciple is failing to make disciples, are they really a disciple? In the same way a fruit tree produces fruit, disciples should be producing disciples. 

    If this is the first time anyone has prompted you to do this, find someone whose faith you admire and ask them to help you follow Jesus as they do. Find someone newer to the faith than you do and ask how you can best serve them as they follow Christ. Jesus and Paul are clear in what we are to do as followers of Christ. Don’t be intimidated, just convey what you have learned in your own journey about the saving grace of God.

    Questions

    1. What comes to mind when you think of the word “discipleship”?
    2. How have you been discipled? What patterns or disciplines have you learned from others?
    3. How have you discipled others? How can you pass your faith on to others? 

    Keep Digging

    For more information on the studies referenced above, check out these two studies from the Barna Group:

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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

    Today, catch up on any reading you fell behind on or re-read anything that you feel you need to read again. Once you’re all caught up, set aside some time to answer these questions again this week:

    1. What has surprised you about the reading this week?

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

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

    4. What are the Gospel implications for us because of this week’s reading?

    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].

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Sunday entries more helpful and more engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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  • Ruth 4

    Ruth 4

    Read Ruth 4

    Boaz Marries Ruth

    4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

    2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

    “I will redeem it,” he said.

    5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

    6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

    7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

    8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

    9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

    11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

    Naomi Gains a Son

    13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

    16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

    The Genealogy of David

    18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:

    Perez was the father of Hezron,

    19 Hezron the father of Ram,

    Ram the father of Amminadab,

    20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

    Nahshon the father of Salmon,

    21 Salmon the father of Boaz,

    Boaz the father of Obed,

    22 Obed the father of Jesse,

    and Jesse the father of David.

    Go Deeper

    To really appreciate Ruth 4, let’s look back at Ruth 1. Consider all the sadness that starts the story of Ruth: Naomi’s family left their homeland because of famine. Then her husband died. Her sons didn’t have any kids for years, and then her sons died too. Naomi felt like the Lord’s hand had  “turned against” her (1:13). She told her daughters-in-law not to follow her, since she would never have a son for them to marry (1:11). In essence, she thought there was no future for Ruth with her, and yet Ruth was determined to bind herself to Naomi and Naomi’s God with profound loyalty and love.

    Now consider the way this story ends in chapter 4: God provides for Naomi and Ruth with Boaz. Ruth’s future is not widowhood and destitution as Naomi predicted. When Ruth has a baby, it’s as if “Naomi has a son!” in the form of a grandson (4:17). And then we see that this son is actually going to be the grandfather of David, the ancestor of Jesus, the Savior of the world (4:22).

    This is not just about how a sad story turns out okay in the end. God mysteriously and beautifully works something beyond wonderful through the obedient acts of regular people facing suffering and uncertainty. God is quietly working through the whole story, but the characters don’t see it right away. Back in chapter 1, Naomi couldn’t see above the mountains of bitterness surrounding her. At the time, she wasn’t even talking about the possibility of redemption with Boaz. She didn’t see that God had made a way home for her when the famine in her homeland lifted. She told others that she was returning “empty,” even though she had loyal Ruth right there by her side (1:21).

    She didn’t see it, but God was providing already! Even after Ruth had her baby, Obed, none of the characters knew that Obed would be the ancestor of David and Jesus himself! We may not see the fruit of our obedience just yet, but we can believe God is working providentially in our lives right now, and that He will bring about glorious fruit down the line beyond what we might imagine (see also Romans 8:28, Genesis 50:20, 2 Corinthians 4:17). We focus on faithful, courageous obedience; God takes care of the consequences of that obedience, and He works out even our most painful challenges for glorious purposes.

    Questions

    1. Like Naomi, do our present sufferings sometimes blind us from seeing how God is providing right now? 
    2. Do you believe God is working out His plans through your obedience today, plans that may go beyond what you might comprehend at the moment?
    3. Is there anything earthly we hold onto that hinders us from radically loving and committing to others?

    Dig Deeper

    For a helpful summary highlighting the beautiful complexities of the book of Ruth, check out this article from The Bible Project.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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  • Ruth 3

    Ruth 3

    Read Ruth 3

    Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

    3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

    5 “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

    7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

    9 “Who are you?” he asked.

    “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”

    10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”

    14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

    15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town.

    16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

    Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

    18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

    Go Deeper

    Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, shares with Ruth that she wants to find a home for her. Naomi knew that Ruth could be best taken care of if she was married. She wishes for Ruth to claim her right to marriage soon. Ruth and Boaz were not “dating” as we would think of in modern-day culture. Rather, they would spend their time in the context of a group. However, this is a great way for Ruth and Boaz to truly get to know each other’s character. Dating can be a superficial way to get to know someone. People tend to put a “mask” on their true personality in hopes of gaining the attraction of the other person. What we see unfold in Ruth 3 is counter to our twenty-first century approach, but there is much for us to learn from it.

    After seeing Boaz interact in a group, Naomi instructs Ruth to spend time with Boaz one-on-one. Once Boaz is finished eating, Naomi tells Ruth that she should uncover his feet and lie down near Boaz’s feet. Some may find Naomi’s advice inappropriately forward, but Naomi’s suggestion is rooted in a particular custom from Ancient Israel known as “goel.” The goel, which is sometimes translated as “kinsman redeemer,” had a role in Israel’s family life. The goel, in this context, was responsible to safeguard the persons, the property and the prosperity of the family. Naomi instructs Ruth very specifically so Boaz can exercise his responsibilities as her goel. When Boaz sees Ruth, he responds in a way of humility and patience. He was kind enough to wait to act as goel towards Ruth until she desired it. In the morning, Boaz sends Ruth home and gives her six measures of barley. He acted as a gentleman in making sure Ruth would not leave empty-handed.

    In sum, Boaz displays love to Ruth in multiple ways in their first time together. He shows humility and patience. He affirms Ruth as a woman of noble character (v. 11) and is in no rush to take action (v. 13). We see Boaz be considerate of Ruth first, then to Naomi by giving Ruth the barley as a gift to bring back to Ruth (v. 17). Boaz offers an excellent example of love for us to consider.

    Questions

    1. What does this chapter teach you about God’s character? What does it teach you about humanity? 
    2. In chapter 3, Ruth makes an appeal for marriage to Boaz at the community threshing floor. Have you ever had to ask someone to do something significant for you without knowing the outcome?
    3. As Ruth leaves the threshing floor the next morning, Boaz gives her a gift. What does this gift tell us about the extent to which Boaz continues to take care of Ruth and Naomi?

    Try This

    Ruth showed obedience, boldness, and humility in her actions, and was praised by Boaz for her virtue. What qualities of Ruth do you most see in yourself? Make a list today and ask God to help you steward those qualities well.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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  • Ruth 2

    Ruth 2

    Read Ruth 2

    Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field

    2 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.

    2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

    Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.

    4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”

    “The Lord bless you!” they answered.

    5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

    6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”

    8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

    10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

    11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

    13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

    14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.”

    When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”

    17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

    19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”

    Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

    20 “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.”

    21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”

    22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

    23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

    Go Deeper

    In today’s reading, we see the Lord’s sovereignty already all over Ruth and Naomi. What was once despair and bitterness as we see in Ruth 1, the Lord has beautifully turned into provision and hope. There is nothing we go through that has not sifted through God’s sovereign hands (Proverbs 16:33). His sovereignty and brilliancy are on display when he leads Ruth not only to the field of Naomi’s relatives, but also to a potential Redeemer for them. Is that so thoughtful or what?!

    Boaz allows Ruth to glean extra barley, protects her, and also provides her with water and food “until she was satisfied and had some left over” (vs. 14.) This is what the Lord does with us. He meets our needs and then brilliantly goes beyond what we could ask or imagine so that we are satisfied with some left over. What we can trust about the Lord is not only that He provides, but he provides in abundance. He gives in a way that only He can–in ways that when we look back on our life, we see those creative and thoughtful details in which we say “only God”. 

    Another thing that stands out about this chapter is that Boaz is clearly a wealthy man. Whereas he could have easily taken all of the harvest that was rightfully owed to him, he opted to let Ruth not only glean the scraps, but also told his men to leave her extra. The Lord blessed Boaz with a fertile field, many workers and plentiful harvest, and in turn, Boaz gives generously. He allows himself to be used by God, the origination of all of his blessings, to bless someone in need. So often in our own lives we harbor what the Lord has given us, whether that be giftings, resources, finances, etc., and we use it for selfish gains. However, when we look at Boaz, we see a man who has been entrusted with much and submits his resources to the Lord to be used by Him. We can observe from the way Boaz treats Ruth (and even his servants) that he understands the weight of what the Lord has blessed him with. May this be true of us as well.

    Praise God for His sovereignty, His abundant provision in our lives, and for the ways He has equipped us to bless others. Let us have a heart to acknowledge His sufficiency and the way He sustains us on a daily basis. Let us have eyes to see those around us that the Lord has providentially placed in our path to bless with whatever means that have been entrusted to us. 

    Questions

    1. How does this chapter reveal the character of God?
    2. Where do you see the Lord’s provision in your own life? 
    3. In what ways have you been blessed (talents, finances, giftings) by the Lord to be a blessing to others? What is one practical way you can walk in that today (think about who is in your circle of influence that you can impact)? 

    Did You Know?

    This is the first time that we see the term “redeemer” (v. 20) used in this book. This is in reference to a kinsman-redeemer, which is a person who “under the Mosaic Law, was a male relative who had the responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need” (for more information, check out this article from GotQuestions.org). This will make more sense as we continue to read Ruth, but already we can see the parallels in this book to Christ being our Redeemer—acting on our behalf when we were desperately in need.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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