Daily Bible Reading Challenge

As I said I would last week here are my questions that I was asking myself as I read and then the one verse for each question that I chose to share today. I would love to hear what you gleaned out of your Bible reading in the comments!

By the way my Bible reading was out of Matthew (individual morning reading), Luke (Breakfast reading with the kids) Psalms (afternoon reading with the kids) and Genesis (individual nap-time reading).

What did I read that causes me to worship God more?
 In Genesis chapter 21 we find the story of Hagar, Sarah's maid whom she told Abraham to have a child with, being sent away with Ishmael (her son) because he had been displeasing to Sarah. Looking on from my perspective this seems like such a sad story of a mixed up/broken family - and it is but it is a reminder that even in our messed up brokeness God is still there watching out for us and loving us. This is the verse that really reminded me of that and caused me to worship God more:

"God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him." Gen. 21:17 & 18

What scripture touched my heart?
"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said , "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children,  you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck,  and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 
  "Woe to the world because of it's stumbling block! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!
  If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame,  than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If you eye cause you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.
  See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 18:1-10

That last verse in particular I find incredibly touching and neat!

What can I apply to my life?
This year is one that I am really wanting to grow in my prayer life and so this verse jumped out at me as one I need to apply to my life:

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21-22

Interesting Fact:
In Genesis chapter 20 we read about Abraham and Sarah traveling to Gerar where Abimelech was king. Abraham told the king that Sarah was his sister and she agreed and so Abimelech took Sarah with plans of having her for a wife but thankfully didn't go through with that completely before God sent him a dream and told him the full truth so Abimelech returned her to Abraham. What I find really funny is this happens after(Gen. 18:11) we learn that Sarah is advanced in age and past child bearing years but still she must have still been so desirable that Abimelech wanted her.

 What makes this story even more interesting is that Isaac and Rebecca (in Gen. 26:7-11) play this same trick on Ablimelech again but thankfully Abimelech figured out the truth before anything happened.



I enjoyed "treasure hunting" as I read through the Bible this week. I hope you have been gaining from your reading as well. I would love to hear your thoughts on what you have read!