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Bible Reading Plan
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Going deeper...to go further

Daily Bible reading strengthens our relationship with God, nourishes our spirits and equips us to live a fruitful, effective life for Him.

This month we're looking at scriptures which talk about Jews and Gentiles alongside a passage about love. The first scripture each day follows this outline: 
Days 1-6 - The Foundation & the Prophets
Days 7-10 - Jesus and the Nations
Days 11-19 - The Early Church & the Gentiles
Days 20-30 - God’s Plan for Jews and Gentiles United in Christ
Day 31 - The Final Reminder of God’s Global Kingdom. As we read the Word it’s important that we apply what we read and pray it out over our lives. One of the way you can do this is by using the acronym SOAP. To find out more about SOAP watch this video.

Below you’ll see what we’re reading today. To go forward or back a day in our reading plan use the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons.

Love

  • The nature of God, but not an emotional love; rather a love that is expressed in positive action.
  • God’s love (agape) is expressed in the ways He gives to His people.
  • He has demonstrated His unfailing love for all mankind in sending His Son to die on the cross for them, so taking upon Himself the punishment they deserve.
  • God’s love is expressed in all He does in relation to His people, even when He needs to refine and discipline them.
  • His love is imparted to the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit.
  • Believers are to love God wholeheartedly, their neighbours as they love themselves and one another in the same way that Jesus Christ has loved them.
  • Those who truly love Jesus obey His commands.
  • To love others with His love is to live for them rather than for yourself; to lay down your life for them by seeking to bless, serve, encourage and give to them in practical ways.
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Romans 4:1-25

Abraham considered righteous1Those of you who are Jews know that Abraham was our forefather. So what did he understand about all this?2If the basis of Abraham's relationship with God had been the works he did, then he would have had cause to boast, although not before God. No one has cause to boast before Him!3God's Word helps us to understand that 'Abraham was considered to be righteous because he believed God' – by faith, not by works.4A man's wages are not a gift but his right because of the work he has done to earn those wages.5However, the person who knows that no amount of work can make him pleasing to God understands that he must put his faith in God's mercy, for only He is able to forgive sinners and make them acceptable and righteous in His eyes.6David also understood this principle. He speaks of the way God has blessed those He accepts as righteous, quite apart from any works of their own:7"Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven because they have been covered by God's mercy.8Blessed is the person whose sins God will never hold against him."9-10Are these blessings only for the Jews, or have they been extended to people of other nations? Well, we have already seen that it was Abraham's faith that put him into right relationship with God, and this had nothing to do with the fact that he was circumcised, for he was counted as righteous by God before his circumcision. In fact, the act of circumcision was a sign of the righteous relationship he could now enjoy with God. It was a seal of that relationship, a demonstration of God's approval of Abraham because of the faith he placed in the Lord.11This means that Abraham is the father of all who are put right with God through their faith, no matter whether they are Jews or not. God regards as righteous and acceptable any who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.12Of course, Abraham is the father of all true Jews, those who have not only received the rite of circumcision, but also walk as Abraham did, in the kind of faith he had before he was circumcised.13Therefore, it was not through the law that was given much later that Abraham and his sons received the amazing promise from God, that he would inherit the nations of the world. No, it was because he was brought into right relationship with God by his faith.14If those who lived by law could inherit the nations, there would be no need of faith and God's promises would be worthless.15We have seen that, because of disobedience, religious law can only lead to failure and condemnation and God's subsequent judgment of wrath. But at least the law points out where we go wrong!16So we can see clearly that God's promises are given to a people of faith; and they will only be fulfilled by His grace, what He does in and through us. These promises are guaranteed to all the children of Abraham, not only those brought up under the Jewish law, but also to all who live by faith in God, trusting in Him and not themselves. So, then, Abraham is the father of all of us who believe.17This fulfils God's Word to Abraham: "I have made you a father of many nations." In God's eyes, Abraham is a father to all who believe. He believed that God gives life to those who are spiritually dead and is able to speak of things that have not happened as if they had already taken place, so sure is His Word.18If you had looked at Abraham's situation when God spoke to him, you would have thought it beyond any possible hope or expectation that he could become the father of many nations. But God had spoken and said this would be the case; he would have children in many nations!19-20When he was about a hundred years old and his wife Sarah way beyond the time when she could bear a child naturally, Abraham still believed God's promise without wavering in his faith. Sexually his body must have seemed as good as dead, yet he was not guilty of unbelief about God's promise that he would have a son.21Instead, he was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God for the outcome. He was utterly convinced that God had the power to make possible what He had promised, even if, humanly, it looked impossible.22So you can see why God considered Abraham righteous. It was because of his faith.23-24Yet this principle is not only for him, but for all who believe in the One who raised Jesus from the dead; they are all considered righteous by God.25This is only possible because Jesus was deliberately made the sacrifice for our sins. Yes, He died and was raised back to life because this was the only way we could be made acceptable to God.

John 14:21-23

21"Who really loves Me? The one who not only has My commands but obeys them! Anyone who genuinely loves Me like that will be loved by My Father. I will also love him and will continue to reveal Myself to him."22Then the other Judas (not Iscariot) asked: "Lord, why will You reveal yourself to us, but not to everyone in the world?"23Jesus answered: "If anyone genuinely loves Me, he will put My teaching into practice. My Father will love him and both He and I will come and live with him. Yes, we will make our home with him.
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