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40 Day New Testament Reading/Listening Plan: This suggested 40 day reading plan began Sunday and if you are just reading this and want to participate it's not too late to begin! Here's the schedule. (These links will open to the selection to be read and a built-in listening device.) More information concerning the Scripture reading plan is below the daily message.)
"Pilate … took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!'" (Matthew 27:24). "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Today
in our Scripture reading through Matthew we first encounter the most famous Pilate in history, memorialized in
the Apostle's Creed. As a child I attended a church that regularly
recited the Creed and I recall, for many years, thinking that we were talking
about a pilot named Pontius!
In the course of our chaplain visitation I had a very interesting question directed to me. An employee who reads this encouragement series asked, "When we turn to Christ for salvation do we need to confess every sin we ever committed?" Now if that were to be the case many of us would never finish the "sinner's prayer"! We'd still be praying it when our name is called out from heaven.
I briefly explained that when we accept Christ we confess that we are sinners and accept God's forgiveness for all the sin we have committed, although at the point of our conversion, we may have a specific gripping sin we confess as well. Following our conversion, as a Christian believer, the indwelling Holy Spirit will continue to convict us of specific sins, and it is in these matters that we confess our sins to God and ask His forgiveness and ability to eliminate the sin from our lives.
In
the first daily text Pilate publicly washed his hands, but there's no
evidence that he privately cleansed his heart. He sought to
absolve himself of his responsibility in Christ's death, seeking to
place that responsibility instead on the crowd.
But he couldn't. The ancient Apostles' Creed states, Christ "suffered under Pontius Pilate." Pilate thought the symbolism of washing his hands was all that was needed. How typical of the world's way, which so values symbolism over substance. That's the way of false religions and even many distortions of Christianity.
I believe symbols have some value and can be helpful as reminders of inwardly held faith. After I accepted the Lord as a teenager I was baptized and publicly professed my faith in Christ in the presence of other believers in a church in Independence, Missouri. I regularly participate in the Lord's Supper as commanded by Jesus before He died. I have a fish symbol on my car and sometimes wear a cross on my lapel or a tie that has a witness for Christ. These are visual symbols of the inward presence of the Holy Spirit in my life.
But I understand these symbols have value only to the extent that they reflect my commitment to Christ in the way I live my life. I find great personal value and often quote the second daily verse written by the Apostle John, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Now that's substance! Joy wells up within me as I share this liberating truth with you today.
Two interesting observations about this verse:
1) The use of the first person pronoun by John. He's not writing merely to them. He's one of them. 2) "Confess" means "to agree with or say the same word." When we confess we acknowledge God's perspective concerning our sin problem. The word is in the present active indicating our need to continually confess our sins as well as our absolute dependence on God.
Today I urge you to make this confession of sin a regular practice in your life. That's the heart and substance of genuine Christianity.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we confess our sins to You. You are the One who cleanses
our hearts so that we stand righteous before You through Jesus Christ
our Lord. It is not in ourselves that we are made righteous, for
our
righteousness is as filthy rags. It is in Jesus' death and
resurrection that we are forgiven of our sins. It is not by works
of righteousness; it is not by doing that which is seen by others
as commendable, but it
is according to Your grace and mercy that we are saved, by the washing
of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brooksyne and I enjoyed the "Amen preacher" feedback from many readers in response to yesterday's message! Amen & Amen!!
On Sunday April 3 we began a forty day program of reading through the New Testament and we encourage Daily Encouragement
Net
readers to consider joining in as we read/listen through the entire New Testament in 40 days.
This takes about 30 minutes per day. Prior to each message we will provide a direct link
to the Scripture portion to be read and listened to each day (and
several links for the weekend
daily readings).
The daily encouragement message for each weekday during the forty day period will be based on a portion of the text in the Bible reading for that day (or, on Mondays this may also be from a Scripture portion read over the weekend.)
Here's an overview of the plan I have prepared with practical tips (pdf)
Here's a schedule for the entire 40 day reading period along with discussion questions. This is especially suitable to bookmark during this period as it contains links that will open directly to the passage to be read for the day.
The reading links open to Bible.is, an online Bible with
audio player and additional apps that you may find useful. For those who may prefer the KJV it is available.
For international readers there may even be a version available in your
native language. Just click the small tab directly below the Bible.is logo on the top left to see available versions.
This Bible reading plan is a partnership of Daily Encouragement Net and Faith Comes By Hearing, a ministry which provides Bible listening resources all over the world. We will share more about this ministry in future messages.
Join
our Daily Encouragement Bible reading group on Facebook. You can read
and listen to the material directly on Facebook.
"Purify My Heart" Video Brian Doerksen
"Psalm 103" Video A nice presentation of this Psalm with background photos and music.
"Grace By Which I Stand" Video Keith Green This song has a great expression of faith that always touches me "But nothing lasts, except the grace of God, by which I stand, in Jesus." Amen!
40 Day New Testament Reading/Listening Plan: This suggested 40 day reading plan began Sunday and if you are just reading this and want to participate it's not too late to begin! Here's the schedule. (These links will open to the selection to be read and a built-in listening device.) More information concerning the Scripture reading plan is below the daily message.)
- Today's reading (April 7): Matthew 25-28 beginning here.
- Tomorrow's reading (April 8): Mark 1-6 beginning here.
"Confession Of Sin"
"Pilate … took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!'" (Matthew 27:24). "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Today
in our Scripture reading through Matthew we first encounter the most famous Pilate in history, memorialized in
the Apostle's Creed. As a child I attended a church that regularly
recited the Creed and I recall, for many years, thinking that we were talking
about a pilot named Pontius! In the course of our chaplain visitation I had a very interesting question directed to me. An employee who reads this encouragement series asked, "When we turn to Christ for salvation do we need to confess every sin we ever committed?" Now if that were to be the case many of us would never finish the "sinner's prayer"! We'd still be praying it when our name is called out from heaven.
I briefly explained that when we accept Christ we confess that we are sinners and accept God's forgiveness for all the sin we have committed, although at the point of our conversion, we may have a specific gripping sin we confess as well. Following our conversion, as a Christian believer, the indwelling Holy Spirit will continue to convict us of specific sins, and it is in these matters that we confess our sins to God and ask His forgiveness and ability to eliminate the sin from our lives.
In
the first daily text Pilate publicly washed his hands, but there's no
evidence that he privately cleansed his heart. He sought to
absolve himself of his responsibility in Christ's death, seeking to
place that responsibility instead on the crowd.But he couldn't. The ancient Apostles' Creed states, Christ "suffered under Pontius Pilate." Pilate thought the symbolism of washing his hands was all that was needed. How typical of the world's way, which so values symbolism over substance. That's the way of false religions and even many distortions of Christianity.
I believe symbols have some value and can be helpful as reminders of inwardly held faith. After I accepted the Lord as a teenager I was baptized and publicly professed my faith in Christ in the presence of other believers in a church in Independence, Missouri. I regularly participate in the Lord's Supper as commanded by Jesus before He died. I have a fish symbol on my car and sometimes wear a cross on my lapel or a tie that has a witness for Christ. These are visual symbols of the inward presence of the Holy Spirit in my life.
But I understand these symbols have value only to the extent that they reflect my commitment to Christ in the way I live my life. I find great personal value and often quote the second daily verse written by the Apostle John, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Now that's substance! Joy wells up within me as I share this liberating truth with you today.
Two interesting observations about this verse:
1) The use of the first person pronoun by John. He's not writing merely to them. He's one of them. 2) "Confess" means "to agree with or say the same word." When we confess we acknowledge God's perspective concerning our sin problem. The word is in the present active indicating our need to continually confess our sins as well as our absolute dependence on God.
Today I urge you to make this confession of sin a regular practice in your life. That's the heart and substance of genuine Christianity.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we confess our sins to You. You are the One who cleanses
our hearts so that we stand righteous before You through Jesus Christ
our Lord. It is not in ourselves that we are made righteous, for
our
righteousness is as filthy rags. It is in Jesus' death and
resurrection that we are forgiven of our sins. It is not by works
of righteousness; it is not by doing that which is seen by others
as commendable, but it
is according to Your grace and mercy that we are saved, by the washing
of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Brooksyne and I enjoyed the "Amen preacher" feedback from many readers in response to yesterday's message! Amen & Amen!!
40 Day New Testament
Reading/Listening Plan
On Sunday April 3 we began a forty day program of reading through the New Testament and we encourage Daily Encouragement
Net
readers to consider joining in as we read/listen through the entire New Testament in 40 days.
This takes about 30 minutes per day. Prior to each message we will provide a direct link
to the Scripture portion to be read and listened to each day (and
several links for the weekend
daily readings). The daily encouragement message for each weekday during the forty day period will be based on a portion of the text in the Bible reading for that day (or, on Mondays this may also be from a Scripture portion read over the weekend.)
Here's an overview of the plan I have prepared with practical tips (pdf)
Here's a schedule for the entire 40 day reading period along with discussion questions. This is especially suitable to bookmark during this period as it contains links that will open directly to the passage to be read for the day.
The reading links open to Bible.is, an online Bible with
audio player and additional apps that you may find useful. For those who may prefer the KJV it is available.
For international readers there may even be a version available in your
native language. Just click the small tab directly below the Bible.is logo on the top left to see available versions. This Bible reading plan is a partnership of Daily Encouragement Net and Faith Comes By Hearing, a ministry which provides Bible listening resources all over the world. We will share more about this ministry in future messages.
Join
our Daily Encouragement Bible reading group on Facebook. You can read
and listen to the material directly on Facebook.Today's
Suggested Music
and Supplemental
Resources
"What Sin?" Video Morgan Cryar A wonderful message concerning forgiveness."Purify My Heart" Video Brian Doerksen
"Psalm 103" Video A nice presentation of this Psalm with background photos and music.
"Grace By Which I Stand" Video Keith Green This song has a great expression of faith that always touches me "But nothing lasts, except the grace of God, by which I stand, in Jesus." Amen!
Send a message to Stephen &
Brooksyne
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5) Print!
Text only version for printing: To make a text only version for printing (without photos or any of the supplemental materials)
1) Open the basic text editor that comes with all computers (known as wordpad, textpad, etc.) You can also use a program like Word and select paste text only.
2) Select and copy the text from the portion of the message you want to print.
3) Paste into the text pad. (The photos won't show up but you will have a brief text description of the photo which you can delete or just ignore.)
4) Format if you desire (change font, increase or decrease size, etc.)
5) Print!
Scripture
references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version.
© 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD
BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation,
New King James
Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the
King
James Version.
Personal
Mission Statement:
"I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ
I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord.
My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and
to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
Daily
Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
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Copyright 2011
Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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