Join us on this journey, while we take an in depth look at the life of our Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Born of a virgin through the power of the Holy Spirit, He lived an ordinary life, yet his teachings were extraordinary.

14/07/2020

Day 1
Luke 1 v 1 - 80

If Zacharias needed confirmation to believe what was said to him, after the angel appeared to him, how much more would we require assurance in this day and age we live in?

Our assurance lies in the fact that the events captured in the bible are true, as proven by historians from all walks of life. We can therefore rely on the eyewitness accounts and as a result the “authenticity” of the scriptures, knowing that they have been accurately copied over the centuries.

This is important to understand, because many do not believe, as the bible is seen as a fabrication and there is no other way then to know “God” and for this reason it must all be made up. How does this relate to the reading plan, you may ask?

There is an abundance of evidence to show that Jesus lived as a man, taught the masses, died on a cross and rose again. This introduction is crucial, knowing that the magnitude of prophecies surrounding the coming of the Messiah have all come to pass and if they are true, surely the reliability of the rest of the prophecies should be considered.

Let us prepare ourselves in prayer for what is to come next and be reminded that Jesus is who He said He was and forever will be.

15/07/2020

Day 2
Luke 2 v 1 - 52

There are probably more details surrounding the birth of Jesus than His whole childhood, but it is clear that from a young age He was drawn to the temple and had an exceptional understanding of the things of God.

He must have known and observed the very law He would soon fulfill, by becoming a sacrifice for us. This might seem irrational to many, that God would allow for His Son to be punished for all the wrong doings of those He created. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Jesus was dedicated to the Lord, as was the custom, while offering a sacrifice in the form of two pigeons. Seems small and almost insignificant in comparison with His sacrifice and there is still no offering that can compare, till this day.

The Good news of our Saviour’s birth is celebrated once a year, but we should celebrate Him every day that we have breath for He not only gave us new life, but also gave us something to live for, the hope that is within us – as children of God – will not disappoint.

He came into the world not to condemn, but to save (John 3 v 17). Not for the righteous, but sinners (Luke 5 v 32), so that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10 v 13). Blessed is he, who hears the words of the Lord and responds to them.

Thank you Lord Jesus, for associating yourself with sinners and ultimately becoming sin so we may be forgiven for ours.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

16/07/2020

Day 3
Mark 1 v 1 - 45

John the baptist set the stage for Jesus, “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Vers 4), just as it was prophesied in Isaiah and although he didn’t feel worthy to baptize Jesus, he was instructed to do so, according to the scriptures (Matt 3 v 14).

Can you imagine, being John, baptizing the Messiah or being invited by the Creator of the universe, to leave everything behind and join Him on His journey? These men who Jesus appointed, experienced the power of God, first hand.

Even though Jesus healed the sick and demon possessed, He didn’t consider His ministry a “healing crusade” and makes it very clear in vers 38 that He came to preach, and through that not only heal people physically but spiritually.

Even the leper asked Jesus that if He (Jesus) was willing, He could cleanse Him. Not instructing Jesus, not expecting nor demanding, but requesting instead, knowing He was able, and therefore received healing, acknowledging Jesus’ power, but also surrendering to His will.

May we too, like this man, have the faith that Jesus can heal us, but first and foremost seek healing for our soul. I pray that the Lord will restore and renew your spirit, if you are longing for fellowship with Him, but drawn to the things of the world.

May He heal your soul, if you are hurt. May He cleanse your mind and your heart and wash your sins with His blood that was shed. Immerse yourself then daily, in the water of the Word. Rinsing you from the filth of this world.

Walk in the Spirit and through that die to self and even when tempted, do not give in to the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of the eyes. Christ has given us His Spirit and rewired our minds also. Thank Him daily for this blessing to be called sons and daughters of the Most High.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

17/07/2020

Day 4
Mark 9 v 1 - 50

Can you imagine being present when Jesus was transfigured and the disciples experienced all His glory first hand? He was the ultimate fulfillment of the law, represented by Moses and the prophets, who foretold His coming, represented by Elijah.

Even the disciples had difficulty understanding what Jesus meant pointing at His suffering, death and resurrection as some of them did not even believe after He had risen from the dead. Are you a doubting Thomas, so to speak?

Fortunately we have the bible, which has been proven to be accurate and reliable and therefore we can believe without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus overcame death through His resurrection.

If you have trouble believing, ask God to help with your unbelief. The power of prayer is evident throughout the whole bible and He will give you anything you ask in His Name for His sake, as long as you are willing to accept the truth, already revealed to us in the Scriptures.

The disciples were also struggling with the same challenges we face today. They were preoccupied with their “status” and reputation and concerned with the success of others who were not following them. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Sometimes I question my own motives and priorities. Then Jesus shows us the example of how to treat a child and the consequence for causing “one of these little ones to stumble” (vers 42). This could also refer to someone who is a young christian, still finding their way, while we become a stumbling block for them.

My prayer for today is this. May the Lord grant you the grace and comfort, so that you can come before Him with your struggles and temptations. We cannot be salt for the earth as believers and at the same time have our fleshly indulgences cause us to sin. Ask the Lord to give you the strength to remove everything in your life that is not from Him.

Have a blessed Friday.

cripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

18/07/2020

Day 5


Matthew 5 v 1 - 48

Beatitude: a state of utmost bliss [blessedness, happiness, joy]
Merriam Webster Dictionary

Everyone who has followed the life of Jesus, is familiar with the sermon on the mount. Look at the contrast between what Jesus taught and what the world proclaims:

“Blessed are the poor [needy, broken] in spirit….“
Usually pride is our downfall as christians, among other things and sometimes we have this attitude that God gave us a brain, yet we don’t even know how to pray most of the times and require the Spirit to intercede for us. Don’t let (y)our pride come between you and the Lord. Humble yourselves before Him, draw near to Him and submit to Him, for “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4 v 6 – 10).

“Blessed are those who mourn….“
It seems that most people are on a (selfish) happiness quest (at any cost) and instead of seeking the Lord, confessing their sins and living according to His will, they seek the pleasures of this world. Should we mourn over our transgressions (Ps 51) and seek the Lord’s forgiveness, He will comfort us in our affliction (2 Cor 1 v 4).

“Blessed are the gentle….“
Power, fame, popularity and a no-nonsense, “take what you want attitude”. This is what the system and its disciples preach to us, thinking that this is how they will inherit the earth. Jesus says this (and I would rather listen to what He has said), “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” We will never find rest with this worldly attitude, but Christ will give us rest for our souls, for He is “gentle and humble in heart” (Matt 11 v 28 – 30).

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…“
What do you long for in life? Are you in pursuit of personal achievements and success according to the standards of the world? Paul says that he “counts all things to be a loss” as he compares it to the value of knowing Jesus. Our faith in Christ is reckoned unto us as righteousness and therefore nothing else should take priority over our relationship with Him, for only He can satisfy our hunger and thirst.

“Blessed are the merciful…“
I sometimes say that God shows more mercy than most christians and this is evident in how we treat each other, especially on the road, not that we know what the other drivers’ religious convictions are, but you get the picture. We feel compelled to go out into this world, without compassion, thinking that being heartless will get us there. We are instructed in Ephesians to be “imitators of God, as beloved children, to walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us.” [paraphrase] (Eph 5 v 1 – 2).

“Blessed are the pure in heart…“
In this “post-modern” era deception and lies have become an acceptable norm and we know what God says about those who lie. We should ask God every day to purify our heart and our thoughts so that we can live as Jesus did, in the time we have on earth and also stand blameless before Him when He returns.

“Blessed are the peacemakers…“
Whether you seek to live in peace with others, as far as it is possible (Rom 12 v 18), find peace in your own life amidst the chaos in the world or even when God disciplines us, you will be called sons (and daughters) of God and the reward is “peaceful fruits of righteousness” (Heb 12 v 11).

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted…”
Do you hold on to a form of godliness and selective with your witnessing? Are you committed to God when it suits you, but fall back into old habits easily? You probably have not experienced persecution for your belief in Him… The moment you decide to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 3 v 12), you will suffer at the hands of people and be persecuted for your faith.

You are considered blessed if you suffer for following Jesus. Majority of the prophets, disciples and Jesus Himself, were persecuted and killed for their faith. You will not be an exception if you stand up for the truth in this lost world. Persevere in the faith, for your reward in heaven is great.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

19/07/2020

Day 6
Matthew 6 v 1 - 34

Jesus touches on a few very important issues in this passage. Things we face and struggle with on a daily basis.

  1. Giving to the poor (needy)
  2. How to pray
  3. Fasting
  4. Pursuit for wealth
  5. Anxiety

Let’s look at the above in a few short sentences, as their is so much one can write about these topics.

Giving to the poor (needy)
How often have you heard about someone giving to a needy person or cause and it is broadcasted on the radio? This is the total opposite of what Jesus taught. He uses a very practical and vivid example. Do not let your one hand know what the other hand is doing. Sounds impossible, doesn’t it. The point is this. Give in such a manner that no one knows about it, in order not to be noticed by men. For ultimately whenever you give to someone in need, you are giving to the Lord anyway and in no need of being in anyone’s favour.

How to pray
The same principle applies to prayer. Avoid seeking attention when praying, while using big words and repeating mantras. The Lord calls this hypocrisy. He instructs us to enter our “inner room” and from a spiritual point of view it can also be considered our heart, for the Lord knows our every thought and need, but still wants us to meet with Him in fellowship. He gave us the Lord’s Prayer as a guideline, although it covers everything we deal with on a daily basis and also require to have communion with Him.

Fasting
Have you ever fasted? Is this something that you are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with? Usually people from other religions (not that I classify our faith as a religion when referring to “other”) make it known that they are busy with fasting and it is usually a fixed period. Again fasting should be done is such a way that we do not flaunt it and draw the attention to us. It should never be about us. Why would you fast if the intention is not to focus on the Lord? This too can be seen as hypocrisy.

Seeking wealth
Jesus is very clear about serving Him and even compares wealth (Mammon) to a master. We know how someone’s riches can easily become their god. It is also written that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. It must be difficult to let go of your possessions as the rich man, who was told by Jesus to sell everything he had, turned around and walked away, because he couldn’t imagine giving up everything he had. Do not be blinded by the pursuit for wealth. God will provide in our daily needs if we put our trust in Him. The riches of this world will pass away but our faith in the Lord will last an eternity.

The cure for anxiety
Jesus tells us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat, drink or wear and that there is more to life than the material. Having said that, He knows our needs and just as He sustains His creation, He will look after us, but we should first seek Him with our whole being and all the rest will be taken care of. Each day brings along its own challenges. Submit to the Lord, give over to Him and put your trust and hope in Him, who has made you in His image.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. Not that we deserve anything good, but because He is good and righteous, loving and caring and offers us His grace on a daily basis.

20/07/2020

Day 7


Luke 15 v 1 - 32

Surely the Lord is not more concerned about the sinners of this world than His own Children?

If this is our attitude, we have much to learn. It is clear in these parables that the “righteous persons who need no repentance” are not left to their own devices and cared for, while He pursues the lost soul, because He died for EVERYONE and not willing that ONE should perish (John 3 v 16 – 7), but all come to the knowledge of the truth.

We are no better than the prodigal son, who used his free will to venture into the world and discover its “pleasures”. Don’t we do the same? Every now and then we take off on our own journey, to discover the “riches” this world has to offer, knowing well that God has taken care of our needs, yet we want more out of life and then, when we decide to return, after coming to our senses, He still receives us with open arms.

We are also no better than his older brother who got angry and upset about the feast their Father had prepared for his brother, who was “dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found…” (vers 32). We are just beggars, showing other beggars where the bread is. Finding the bread first doesn’t make one less of a sinner, but we have already received the righteousness of Christ and share in His glory, because of His death and resurrection.

Rejoice when someone returns to the Lord after going “walkabout”. Share in the celebrations when someone walks away from the world and accepts the Lord’s grace, for it is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that we are saved. Not by our own doing, but by the work He has done. Not because of who I am, but because of who He is.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

21/07/2020

Day 8


John 3 v 1 - 36

Jesus made it very clear that one must be born again. Some people struggle with this concept and identifies it with some “unbiblical charismatic” experience and would rather be comfortable with knowing the Lord in a way that suits their belief system.

Jesus said that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (vers 16). It is also written that if you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” [paraphrase].

Is this enough to become a child of God? I believe it is, but it doesn’t stop there. We should confess and repent of our sins and be baptized as believers (Acts 2 v 38). We are also called to practice the truth (vers 21) and finish the race until the end. This walk with God should be done in the light and we should be salt to the earth. There are many responsibilities we as christians have and should always consider the cost of following Jesus.

John said that Jesus should be become more so that we may become less (vers 31). In order for us to receive the Spirit we have to empty ourselves of all our pride and dead works and make room for the Lord’s love and grace to manifest. For some this happens in an instant, as they have testified and for others it’s a process.

There is no right or wrong when coming to the knowledge of the Truth, i.e. when coming to the Light. The Lord will reveal Himself to you and meet you where you are for He knows you inside out. You cannot have an encounter with Jesus and not be changed – Just ask any Muslim, the Lord has appeared to in a dream or a vision. Allow Him to sanctify you and His Spirit to teach you the things of God and through that remove the veil from your eyes.

For those of us who have walked this (winding) road of life and have wandered off slightly from the straight and narrow, my plea is to return to our First Love. God has given us the gift of life, part of Himself, so that we may live as sons and daughters of the King.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

22/07/2020

Day 9
John 14 v 1 - 31

“I am the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE; NO ONE comes to the Father but through Me.” (vers 6)

One of the most provocative statements Jesus could have ever made and even some of His disciples had a hard time believing, how much more would we struggle, but this is not an excuse for not believing in the Lord Jesus.

Thankfully we can trust the Word of God and through that be at peace, knowing that not only are the things that are written about Jesus true, but everything He said and claimed, came to pass and for this reason we can trust Him, for He is who said He was.

Jesus promised not to leave us and once again God gave us part of Himself, in the form of His Spirit and whoever loves God will receive the Spirit of Truth, our helper, who intercedes for us, teaches us and leads us into ALL truth.

We can only experience true peace when we come to the knowledge of the TRUTH, believing that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to know God personally and that “because He LIVES we shall LIVE also” (vers 19).

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

23/07/2020

Day 10
John 17 v 1 - 26

I would like to highlight verses 3 and 8 in this seemingly difficult chapter and believe that if we understand this, we will better understand the rest of Jesus’ words.

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (vers 3) [NIV]

Calling God, our Father and Jesus our Saviour, takes more than just believing. There’s more to our faith than just acknowledging the existence of God. It involves knowing God personally, through entering into a relationship with Jesus, who has always been with God and who is God, all at the same time…

God revealed Himself to us in the form of a man, yet blameless and without sin. This man, Jesus Christ, The Anointed, our Messiah, revealed to us the heart of God. He showed us the love of God and the character of God. Knowing Jesus, means knowing God.

“For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me” (vers 8) [NKJV]

The words we read in scripture have been inspired by God, given to us by Jesus, for He is the word that became flesh when God gave a part of Himself in the form of Jesus, who Himself, also “existed in the form of God, although he did not consider equality with God, a thing to be grasped” [paraphrased] (Phil 2 v 6).

Unbelief is a sin, and the wages of sin is death. Through not believing in the One who created us, we separate ourselves from Him. This surely must be hell. Not to be in the presence of the One and Only living God. Not to have fellowship with the One who bought us free and became sin so we could be forgiven ours.

May the love and grace of God overwhelm you today, wherever you might wander. Ponder on this. The God of the universe, who spoke everything into existence, wants to meet with you, where you are. He loved us first, by creating us in His image. To Him be all the glory, honour and power. Forever and ever. Amen.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

24/07/2020

Day 11
Matthew 26 v 1 - 75

This passage speaks about a couple of events and it would be difficult to address all of them.

One could almost sense the tense atmosphere in the garden of Gethsemane and how quickly things escalated to the point where Jesus was arrested.

His soul grieved deeply, even “to the point of death” (vers 38), while He asked the Father if this cup [of suffering] could pass Him by, for He was fully aware of what would happen next. He prayed fervently, asking this three times of the Father and while He was sweating blood (Luke 22 v 44), the disciples were sleeping, not a worry in the world, or so it seemed. Perhaps we would have done the same…

Everything played out like a movie scene. Jesus knew it would happen this way and the scenes with their various role players, unfolded just as it was foretold and for this reason He did not retaliate, so the scriptures might be fulfilled.

Jesus had to die. This was the plan for salvation all along and even when they couldn’t find anything to accuse Him of, they knew that if He answered affirmative to the question of whether He is the Christ, “the Son of God”, He would be guilty of blasphemy, for which the penalty is death.

Peter, who walked with Jesus swore that he would remain faithful, and when asked three times if He was not the one who followed Jesus, he denied it all three times before the rooster crowed, just as Jesus predicted. How many times have you and I probably denied Jesus and didn’t lose a night’s sleep over it.

Jesus said if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father. Peter went out and wept bitterly, knowing what He had done. I believe God’s grace is abundant and that Peter had been forgiven because of His broken heart and love for the Lord Jesus and that Jesus referred to a lifestyle whereby you deny His existence.

Any sins can be forgiven, accept for those clearly stated in the Scriptures, such as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. There is nothing we have done or will do (besides the above), that Jesus did not die for. He didn’t just die for hard core sins, deserving death, from a worldly perspective, that is, because we feel we are not as bad as some people…

He died for mankind, period. For all have fallen short of the glory of God and we all deserve to die on that cross. Thanks be to God for the lengths He went to, to save us from certain death.

25/07/2020

Day 12
Matthew 27 v 1 - 66

There are a couple of role players who had part in Jesus’ execution. Let’s have a look at who they were.

One can easily blame Judas and say that it was because of his betrayal that Jesus was arrested, but even Judas had remorse and confessed his sin, yet He was sent away by those who were suppose to intercede for his forgiveness.

Pilate, who had the authority to let Jesus go, for he couldn’t find any basis for the accusations that were made, wanted to avoid an uproar and in order to maintain his popularity among the people, simply washed his hands and considered himself innocent of Jesus’ blood.

Even though every aspect of Jesus’ trial was illegal, showing the lengths the religious leaders were prepared to go to, while breaking their own laws, to ensure He is found guilty and through that protect their institution. It was all prophesied and had to happen the way it did, for the Scriptures to be fulfilled.

The people were so emotionally charged by the religious leaders who continued to pour fuel on the fire. Majority of them never believed Jesus anyway, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they also wanted Him eliminated as His teachings threatened the comfort of their religious lifestyle.

Let’s not forget about the Roman soldiers who mocked and beat Jesus and even cast lots for his clothes. They showed no respect for Jesus, giving Him a crown of thorns and hitting him on the head with a reed. There was one Roman officer, we know about, that acknowledged Jesus was the Son of God, although only after He died on the cross according to what was written.

Among everyone either wanting Jesus to be killed or directly being involved in His death, there was Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’ cross and a man named, Joseph of Arimathea, who asked for Jesus’ body and let’s not forget the loyal women who sat at the grave, watching and waiting in anticipation…

26/07/2020

Day 13


John 20 v 1 - 31

The grave is empty!
Jesus has risen from the dead!

Can you imagine the disappointment at first, when visiting the tomb, and finding it empty? Because some had not yet believed and understood that He would rise from the dead, they were looking for Jesus’ body.

What a wonderful sight it must have been for Mary to see the risen Lord, while in the meantime the disciples were hiding away, afraid of the Jewish people who might come to look for them, thinking they have taken Jesus’ body.

I thank the Lord that we can believe He is the risen Christ, although we should not blame Thomas for not believing, even while He knew the Lord, because we probably would also have doubted this miraculous event.

Jesus is the “first born from the dead” (Col 1 v 18), meaning the first to rise from the dead, according to the prophets as mentioned in Acts 26 v 23, and as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor 15 v 20), we can rest assured that the events to follow will take place as it is written.

We can truly rejoice, knowing Jesus is alive and through believing in Him, 1) his death as atonement for our sins, “for as in Adam all die” and, 2) the resurrection, “For in Christ all shall be made alive”, He not only promises us eternal life, something to live for in the future, we also receive life in abundance during our short stay here on earth.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation”

27/07/2020

Day 14
Luke 24 v 1 - 53

Are you troubled and is there doubt in your heart today about the resurrection of Jesus?

Jesus lived, this is a historical fact. He died one of the most gruesome deaths, by being nailed to a cross. This too is a historical fact. He rose from the dead as it was prophesied. Now this takes a bit of faith to believe, although there is also evidence for this of which eyewitness accounts make out a big part.

You might say you believe in the fact that Jesus lived and preached and also died as history shows, but to rise from the dead is a little far fetched. One could say “two out of three ain’t bad”, yet it is also the belief in the resurrection that saves us.

The two disciples on the Emmaus road, of which the name of the one is clear, only recognized Jesus when He sat down with them and broke the bread, while the rest also stood surprised, thinking it was a ghost or spirit when Jesus appeared to them. Even though they walked with Jesus, knew Him and saw the works he did, they only (really) understood the Scriptures and what Jesus had said when He opened their minds (vers 45).

It is also written that the natural man does not understand the things of God, for it is foolishness to them, because they are spiritually discerned [paraphrase] (1 Cor 2 v 14). It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can understand the hidden treasures in God’s Word.

My prayer is that the Lord will open our spiritual eyes and ears, and our hearts and minds to the meaning and the understanding of the Scriptures. If you are in any doubt about the resurrected Christ, call on His Name today and ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you.

You cannot have an encounter with Jesus and not be changed. Just ask anyone who was saved out of the religion they based their worldview on and this includes atheism. May the Lord bless you and keep you and reveal all the treasure of heaven to you.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation”

Pages: | Multi-Page