Today’s Bible Reading: January 1
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Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
A Masterpiece Created in His Image
What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
Have you ever stopped and thought about what it means to be made in the image of God? Being made in His image comes with responsibility because we portray who God is and what He is like to those we interact with every moment of every day. We were created to be a graphic image of our God, the Creator. We are a formal, visible, and understandable representation of who God is and what He is really like.
However, because of sin, that image has become distorted. Because of sin, we are not as fully like God as we were before the fall of man. Our sin has caused the image of God’s moral purity to be lost and we no longer reflect God’s holiness. Additionally, the falsehood and lies of Satan and our misunderstandings has distorted the image of God’s intellect. Our speech no longer continually glorifies God. And selfishness rules our relationships rather than then God’s love.
God’s Masterpiece
Man is God’s masterpiece in the creation story. In each day of the creation story, we find that God makes an announcement (“God said”) followed by a command (“let there be…”). We then find a descriptive report of what was created. Then as God looks over His creation and evaluates it, he responds with “it was good.” Lastly the day closes out telling which day of creation was completed. On day 1, God created light and dark. In day 2, the sea and sky. In Day 3, dry land appears along with fruit and vegetation. Day 4: sun, moon, and stars. On day 5: creatures of the air and water. Day 6: Creatures of the land – the animals and man. However, we see a slight difference when God steps back to analyze his creation of man.
It was very good
Can you picture each day of creation? God, much like an artist, creates and then He steps back to examine it. While an artist might go back and tweak or fix a few mistakes, there was no need for God to adjust anything He made. Every single thing was made in perfection and each day at the end of the day, God would step back and say, “It is good.” But when God created man, He created him in his own image and He breathed life into him giving him not just a body made from dirt but an eternal soul that will live forever. As God stepped back to examine his creation of man, He pronounced His work as “very good.”
Created in His Image means we have a unique relationship with Him
Because we are created in His image we share a relationship with Him that no other created creature has and we are the only creation that was given an eternal soul. As Christians, we need to remember every moment of every day, wherever we are and with whomever we are interacting with that we bear His image to the rest of the world.
When we interact with others, do we reflect His glory? Does God’s image shine through in how you relate to an overbearing boss, an endless amount of laundry and dishes, whining children, your spouse, lazy employees, slow drive-thru attendees? Does your checkbook reflect His glory? What about your marriage? Does it reflect His glory? Does your worship at church reflect His glory? What about when you face trails or unprecedented grief? What about in the moments of devastating loss? Do others still see the glory of God because you are His image-bearer?
If we reflected His Glory, how would our world be different?
If Christians in our nation truly reflected the glory of God and saw themselves and God’s image-bearers, how would our nation be different?
Spend sometime alone with the Holy Spirit and prayerfully ask Him to show you the areas that do not reflect God’s glory, confess it and ask Him to show you opportunities to be God’s image-bearer in every area of your life.
#ReadYourBible #Zechariah #Revelation #ChristmasStory
Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
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Tee of the Week: Giants
From the song, “Confidence” by Sanctus Reel. As we start a new year, what giants are you facing? What big thing is God asking you to do? Do you need faith like Daniel in the lion’s den? Hope like Moses in the wilderness? A heart like David? Do you need God to be your defense? If you have giants, you can face them with confidence because God is God of the impossibles.
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God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars
by Julia M. Bruce
What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
- Scripture to memorize and meditate on
- Conversation Starters
- Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
- Romance Builders
- Relationship Builders
- Personal reflections
- Date ideas
- Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
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And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 
