This month’s picture: attendance at an Areawide United Worship in southern Colombia. Six area churches were represented. [Click picture to enlarge.]
Effective ministry and mission work is a team effort. Jan and I have shared ministry and mission work for 56+ years! Countless people have encouraged us, supported us, loved us, and prayed for us. In addition to the customary "Brother Bob" or "Hermano Bob," I am also known as dad and papa (pa-paw). One of my favorite breakfasts is huevos fritos, frijoles, and tortillas, with hot sauce and a cup of rich coffee! The greatest joy of my life is being part of the kingdom of Jesus my King. My #1 priority is to advance "kingdom things" and to help develop authentic "kingdom people." I seek to share the Good News about Jesus everywhere I go, helping people find Jesus and helping people mature as disciples of Jesus. One of the greatest blessings of my life is to be loved by many people around the world!
This one-year devotional schedule begins in March 2011 and concludes in February 2012. Devotionals are provided for five days each week, Monday through Friday. Each devotional is based on a chapter of the New Testament. A person may read either the devotional Scriptural text (included with the devotional) or the entire chapter in one's personal Bible. Those who read the entire chapter will read through the New Testament in one year (5 devotionals/readings per week x 52 weeks). Weekends may be used for catching up or for other reading and study projects such as Bible class preparations or readings in the Psalms or Proverbs.
The suggested order of readings allows the reader to alternate between different sections of Scripture and different types of literature (gospels, history, letters, prophecy) rather than consecutively reading the gospels and historical material or the Pauline letters. (Book links for consecutive reading are provided for those who prefer that approach.)
March 2011: Gospel of John, Letters of John
Wed, Mar 30: 1 John 1: A Sure Message of Hope
Thu, Mar 31: 1 John 2: Knowing How to Live
April 2011: Letters of John, Jude, Pastoral Epistles
Wed, Apr 6: 2 John: Joy and Watchfulness
Thu, Apr 7: 3 John: Joy and Faithfulness
Fri, Apr 8: Jude: Ungodly!
Mon, Apr 11: 1 Timothy 1: Protect and Proclaim the Gospel
Tue, Apr 12: 1 Timothy 2: Instructions Concerning Prayer
Wed, Apr 13: 1 Timothy 3: Church Leaders with Integrity
Thu, Apr 14: 1 Timothy 4: Integrity in Ministerial Leadership
Fri, Apr 15: 1 Timothy 5: Without Favoritism
Mon, Apr 18: 1 Timothy 6: Practice the Principles of the Gospel
Tue, Apr 19: Titus 1: Unfit for Doing What Is Good
Wed, Apr 20: Titus 2: Eager to Do What Is Good
Thu, Apr 21: Titus 3: Devoted to Doing What Is Good
Fri, Apr 22: 2 Timothy 1: A Ready Spirit
Mon, Apr 25: 2 Timothy 2: Ready to Teach Others
Tue, Apr 26: 2 Timothy 3: Ready for the Challenges
Wed, Apr 27: 2 Timothy 4: Ready for the End
Thu, Apr 28: Hebrews 1: Getting a Clear View of Jesus
Fri, Apr 29: Hebrews 2: Jesus--Son of Man
May 2011: Hebrews, Prison Epistles
Tue, May 17: Ephesians 1: God's Eternal Plan
Wed, May 18: Ephesians 2: God's Plan for Peace
Thu, May 19: Ephesians 3: God's Plan for Power
Fri, May 20: Ephesians 4: God's Plan for Personal Growth
Mon, May 23: Ephesians 5: God's Plan for Life
Tue, May 24: Ephesians 6: God's Plan for Spiritual Conflict
Wed, May 25: Philippians 1: Progress and Joy in Faith
Thu, May 26: Philippians 2: Here's How You Do It
Fri, May 27: Philippians 3: Becoming Like Him
Mon, May 30: Philippians 4: Depending on Him
Tue, May 31: Colossians 1: Jesus Is Our Connection with God
June 2011: Prison Epistles (concluded), Luke
Mon, Jun 6: Philemon: Understanding Forgiveness
Tue, Jun 7: Luke 1: Getting Ready and Waiting for God's New Work
Wed, Jun 8: Luke 2: Where It's Happening--Below the Radar
Thu, Jun 9: Luke 3: This is He!
Fri, Jun 10: Luke 4: Fresh Beginnings
Mon, Jun 13: Luke 5: Mountaintop Power for the Marketplace
Tue, Jun 14: Luke 6: Controversy, Choices, and Contrasts
Wed, Jun 15: Luke 7: God's Way is Right
Thu, Jun 16: Luke 8: Jesus' Identity--Who Is This?
Fri, Jun 17: Luke 9: Don't Look Back
Mon, Jun 20: Luke 10: Names Written in Heaven
Tue, Jun 21: Luke 11: Blessed by Hearing and Obeying God's Word
Wed, Jun 22: Luke 12: Interpret the Times--Discern What Is Right
Thu, Jun 23: Luke 13: Teaching with Emotion
Fri, Jun 24: Luke 14: Who Can Be a Disciple? Who Will Be a Disciple?
Mon, Jun 27: Luke 15: Lost and Found
Tue, Jun 28: Luke 16: "Stuff" Gets in the Way
Wed, Jun 29: Luke 17: The Coming of the Kingdom
Thu, Jun 30: Luke 18: Humility
July 2011: Luke-Acts
Mon, Jul 11: Acts 1: Waiting--Getting Ready to Spread the Good News
Tue, Jul 12: Acts 2: The Good News Is Preached--a New Community Is Born
Wed, Jul 13: Acts 3: More Good News--a Crippled Man Healed
Thu, Jul 14: Acts 4: Persecution--the Community Grows
Fri, Jul 15: Acts 5: More Problems--the Community Keeps Growing
Mon, Jul 18: Acts 6: A Problem Solved--the New Community Establishes Priorities
Tue, Jul 19: Acts 7: A Sermon Can Get You Killed
Wed, Jul 20: Acts 8: Persecution--the Message Spreads
Thu, Jul 21: Acts 9: The Conversion of Saul--Preparing to Take the Good News Even Further
Fri, Jul 22: Acts 10: Good News to the Gentiles
Mon, Jul 25: Acts 11: To Antioch--the Good News Keeps Spreading
Tue, Jul 26: Acts 12: God at Work
Wed, Jul 27: Acts 13: Good News to Cyprus and Pisidian Antioch
Thu, Jul 28: Acts 14: Good News in Galatia--to Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe
Fri, Jul 29: Acts 15: Solving Another Problem--Who Can Receive the Good News?
August 2011: Acts, Letters of Peter
Thu, Aug 18: 1 Peter 1: Faithful, Holy Obedience
Fri, Aug 19: 1 Peter 2: Living Stones--New Identity
Mon, Aug 22: 1 Peter 3: Suffering for Doing Good
Tue, Aug 23: 1 Peter 4: Living for God
Wed, Aug 24: 1 Peter 5: Strong, Steadfast, and Firm
Thu, Aug 25: 2 Peter 1: Remembering Jesus
Fri, Aug 26: 2 Peter 2: Against False Teachers
Mon, Aug 29: 2 Peter 3: Anticipating the Day of the Lord
Tue, Aug 30: Romans 1: The Gospel--Obligated, Eager, and Unashamed
Wed, Aug 31: Romans 2: Repentance--Because God is Good
September 2011: Romans, Galatians
Wed, Sep 21: Galatians 1: The "Too Hard" Gospel is No Gospel at All
Thu, Sep 22: Galatians 2: The "Lived Out" Gospel
Fri, Sep 23: Galatians 3: The Law is Not the Gospel
Mon, Sep 26: Galatians 4: The "Just Right" Gospel
Tue, Sep 27: Galatians 5: Be Careful About the "Too Easy" Gospel
Wed, Sep 28: Galatians 6: Living Under the Cross of Jesus
Thu, Sep 29: 1 Thessalonians 1: The Faith of a New Church--Expectant Living
Fri, Sep 30: 1 Thessalonians 2: Ministry in a New Church--Building Relationships
October 2011: Thessalonians, Mark
Thu, Oct 6: 2 Thessalonians 1: Anticipating His Coming--Persecution and Problems
Fri, Oct 7: 2 Thessalonians 2: Anticipating His Coming--False Claims
Mon, Oct 10: 2 Thessalonians 3: Anticipating His Coming--Misbehaving Brothers
Tue, Oct 11: Mark 1: The Beginning of the Gospel
Wed, Oct 12: Mark 2: Amazing Works and Words
Thu, Oct 13: Mark 3: Confrontation Stories
Fri, Oct 14: Mark 4: Who Is This?
Mon, Oct 17: Mark 5: Who Can Follow Jesus?
Tue, Oct 18: Mark 6: Do You Want to Touch Him?
Wed, Oct 19: Mark 7: Can't Keep a Secret
Thu, Oct 20: Mark 8: Confessing Jesus or Challenging Jesus?
Fri, Oct 21: Mark 9: Following Jesus Is Not Easy
Mon, Oct 24: Mark 10: To Serve and to Give His Life as a Ransom
Tue, Oct 25: Mark 11: The King Is Coming
Wed, Oct 26: Mark 12: The Jewish Leaders Do Not "Get It"--Do We?
Thu, Oct 27: Mark 13: Keep Watch!
Fri, Oct 28: Mark 14: Wherever the Gospel is Preached in the World
Mon, Oct 31: Mark 15: Injustice for Our Justification
November 2011: Revelation
Wed, Nov 2: Revelation 1: One Like a Son of Man--the Alpha and the Omega
Thu, Nov 3: Revelation 2: Understanding the Patterns in the Book and in the Letters
Fri, Nov 4: Revelation 3: Promises to the One that Overcomes
Mon, Nov 7: Revelation 4: The Throne Room of Heaven (1): Holy, Holy, Holy God
Tue, Nov 8: Revelation 5: The Throne Room of Heaven (2): a Lamb Worthy to Open the (First) Scroll
Wed, Nov 9: Revelation 6: The Scroll Revealed--an Overview of History (6 Seals Opened)
Thu, Nov 10: Revelation 7: An Interlude of Protection and Deliverance--144000 Sealed (Protected) and the Great Multitude in Heaven
Fri, Nov 11: Revelation 8: The Seventh Seal Introduces Trumpets of Judgment--the First Four Trumpets
Mon, Nov 14: Revelation 9: The Seventh Seal--Two More Trumpets of Judgment
Tue, Nov 15: Revelation 10: Interlude--Second Scroll Introduced
Wed, Nov 16: Revelation 11: Two Witnesses Confirm Victory--Seventh Trumpet Culminates Seventh Seal of First Scroll
Thu, Nov 17: Revelation 12: The Second Scroll--The Rest of the Story
Fri, Nov 18: Revelation 13: Historical Realities--Some Oppose God
Mon, Nov 21: Revelation 14: Interlude--144000 in Heaven and Warnings and Judgment on Earth
Tue, Nov 22: Revelation 15: The Seven Plagues Introduced
Wed, Nov 23: Revelation 16: Seven Plagues (Bowls of Wrath)
Thu, Nov 24: Revelation 17: Result of Seventh Plague--Great Prostitute Brought to Ruin
Fri, Nov 25: Revelation 18: Result of Seventh Plague--the Fall of Babylon
Mon, Nov 28: Revelation 19: Heavenly Scenes (1)
Tue, Nov 29: Revelation 20: Heavenly Scenes (2)
Wed, Nov 30: Revelation 21: Christ Is Present With the Victorious Church
December 2011: Matthew
Fri, Dec 2: Matthew 1: God With Us--Savior and Messiah
Mon, Dec 5: Matthew 2: A Different Kind of King
Tue, Dec 6: Matthew 3: Son of God
Wed, Dec 7: Matthew 4: From That Time On--Teaching, Preaching, and Healing
Thu, Dec 8: Matthew 5: Turning Things Upside Down
Fri, Dec 9: Matthew 6: Focusing on What Matters
Mon, Dec 12: Matthew 7: Making Right Choices
Tue, Dec 13: Matthew 8: Healing the Hurting
Wed, Dec 14: Matthew 9: Seeing the Harvest through Compassionate Eyes
Thu, Dec 15: Matthew 10: Who Can Be a Follower?
Fri, Dec 16: Matthew 11: Take My Yoke
Mon, Dec 19: Matthew 12: Fulfilling Prophecy
Tue, Dec 20: Matthew 13: Revealing Kingdom Realities--Changing Expectations
Wed, Dec 21: Matthew 14: Kingdom Mission--Keeping the Mission in Focus
Thu, Dec 22: Matthew 15: Getting to the Heart of the Matter
Fri, Dec 23: Matthew 16: From That Time On--Dying
Mon, Dec 26: Matthew 17: Son of God--God Speaks Again
Tue, Dec 27: Matthew 18: The Kingdom Community
Wed, Dec 28: Matthew 19: Kingdom Values
Thu, Dec 29: Matthew 20: What Will WE Get?
Fri, Dec 30: Matthew 21: The King Is Coming
January 2012: Matthew (concluded), 1 Corinthians
Wed, Jan 11: 1 Cor 1: The Gospel Message--God's Wisdom
Thu, Jan 12: 1 Cor 2: The Gospel Message--Spiritual Power from God
Fri, Jan 13: 1 Cor 3: Worldliness Causes Divisions
Mon, Jan 16: 1 Cor 4: Divisions Are Healed with Changed Thinking
Tue, Jan 17: 1 Cor 5: A Problem--Immorality in the Church
Wed, Jan 18: 1 Cor 6: More Problems--Lawsuits and Immorality
Thu, Jan 19: 1 Cor 7: Another Problem--Marital Questions
Fri, Jan 20: 1 Cor 8: Another Problem--Eating Meat Offered to Idols
Mon, Jan 23: 1 Cor 9: Principles to Deal with Problems and Conflict-1
Tue, Jan 24: 1 Cor 10: Principles to Deal with Problems and Conflict-2
Wed, Jan 25: 1 Cor 11: Recognize the Body--Worship and the Supper
Thu, Jan 26: 1 Cor 12: Honor the Body--Unity and Diversity
Fri, Jan 27: 1 Cor 13: Love the Body--the Greatest Gift
Mon, Jan 30: 1 Cor 14: Edify the Body--Spiritual Gifts
Tue, Jan 31: 1 Cor 15: The Gospel and the Resurrection
February 2012: 2 Corinthians, James
Thu, Feb 2: 2 Cor 1: Ministering with Integrity
Fri, Feb 3: 2 Cor 2: Ministering the Knowledge of Him
Mon, Feb 6: 2 Cor 3: Reflecting the Lord's Glory
Tue, Feb 7: 2 Cor 4: Ministering out of Human Weakness
Wed, Feb 8: 2 Cor 5: Ministering for Reconciliation
Thu, Feb 9: 2 Cor 6: Ministering through Relationships
Fri, Feb 10: 2 Cor 7: Ministering for Changed Lives
Mon, Feb 13: 2 Cor 8: The Need for Generosity
Tue, Feb 14: 2 Cor 9: The Fruit of Generosity
Wed, Feb 15: 2 Cor 10: Honoring the Place of Our Ministry
Thu, Feb 16: 2 Cor 11: Loving the People of our Ministry
Fri, Feb 17: 2 Cor 12: Demonstrating Perseverance in Our Ministry
Mon, Feb 20: 2 Cor 13: Praying for the Product of our Ministry
Tue, Feb 21: James 1: The Testing of Faith
Wed, Feb 22: James 2: The Results of Faith
Thu, Feb 23: James 3: Wisdom and the Tongue
Fri, Feb 24: James 4: The Submission of Faith
Mon, Feb 27: James 5: The Triumph of Faith
Tue, Feb 28: No scheduled reading--Catch up and Finish!
Wed, Feb 29: No scheduled reading--Catch up and Finish!