SFJ Bible Reading Plan

Genesis 1

The Creation of the World

1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse¹ in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made² the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven.³ And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth,⁴ and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants⁵ yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,⁶ and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds⁷ fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make man⁸ in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27   So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Footnotes

[1] 1:6 Or a canopy; also verses 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 20

[2] 1:7 Or fashioned; also verse 16

[3] 1:8 Or Sky; also verses 9, 14, 15, 17, 20, 26, 28, 30; 2:1

[4] 1:10 Or Land; also verses 11, 12, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30; 2:1

[5] 1:11 Or small plants; also verses 12, 29

[6] 1:14 Or appointed times

[7] 1:20 Or flying things; see Leviticus 11:19–20

[8] 1:26 The Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind and becomes the proper name Adam

(ESV)

Going Deeper

Proverbs 31 (9-2-17)

For our final Going Deeper of the year, we get to focus on the woman who fears the Lord.

Oh, what a treasure it is to know and have in your life a woman who truly fears the Lord and lives to honor Him in all she does while not in her flesh. Proverbs 31 is one of the best places in all of Scripture for a woman in Christ to look for a picture of what a God-honoring life looks like. It is also a great resource for a single man who is praying for and seeking the kind of woman that authentically lives for God and not herself. It is also a great passage for the training of our daughters to understand the attributes of a godly woman that she should aspire to grow into. So, this one is for the ladies. Can I just say that I am so very thankful for the God-fearing women our Lord has blessed us with in our ministry? We men are thankful for you and are praying for you.

Let’s read Proverbs 31:10-31 again.

Proverbs 31:10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

Our society is far too passive and flippant when it comes to the union of two lives into holy marriage. Couples link up and say, “I do,” simply based on emotional bonds and good times shared together. Maybe attraction and compatibility are weighed in there too, but I have found in 20 years of pastoral ministry and with hundreds of couples that I have counseled that people simply do not slow down to rightly weigh all that must be considered and vetted in who a person really is. It is especially important to know who they are in their maturity in the Lord before saying “I do”. The excellence of a wife is rightly found in the depth and dependence of her heart and life on the Lord. She is genuinely far more precious than jewels. For all the reasons stated below that are signs of a devoted and dedicated life of a godly woman for her Lord and the things He has entrusted to her, she must first and foremost be sold out for and mature in her Lord if these things will truly last and bear great fruit for a lifetime.

Proverbs 31:11-12 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

Why does the heart of a husband trust in a godly woman? Because she is hard working or beautiful or fun to be with?

No. It is because she is desperate for and dependent on God in all that she does. He trusts in her because she is fixed to the vine, who is Christ. She is not governed by her own ambition or standard but by the Lord. A husband will have no lack of gain because his wife’s life will be fruitful in the Lord and therefore a great blessing to do him good and not harm all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:13-16 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.

She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.

She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.                

Proverbs 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

A godly woman works hard in whatever her task is. She is not slothful or lazy but rises to steward well the day that the Lord has entrusted to her. The descriptions given in verses 13-16 point to the managing of the household and the basic gathering of the things needed for the family. Her aim is to be sure her family is clothed and fed well. So, she rises to tend to her household and the things needed for her family to thrive and be cared for. I have heard many say over the years that a stay-at-home wife or mother doesn’t have a job or work. They have never met the godly women I know who rise early and work hard to care for their family and household and the women they get to invest into and disciple along the way. No matter what is on the plate of daily tasks and responsibilities, the managing and tending to the family and household is a God-given priority for a godly woman. May we not let a modern worldview prevent us from training up our daughters to do these things well and unto the glory of the Lord.

Proverbs 31:17-18 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

A godly woman lives and thrives in the strength of the Lord. She is not weak but is strong in Christ. This does not mean she is strong-willed or not meek. It means she is focused on the things that the Lord has put before her with a God-honoring drive and not a passivity. She knows what God has entrusted to her is profitable, and she finishes her day well. Meaning, she walks in the strength of her Lord from start to finish. This is a blessing to her husband and family, because she doesn’t tap out and quit part way. She is able to do this because of who Christ is in her life and because she is not doing it in her own strength, which is often fleeting and self-serving.

Proverbs 31:20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

A godly woman is selfless in her love and therefore generous and sacrificial in her love for others. When a woman’s heart is captivated in Christ, what was formerly to be gained in selfish pursuits falls away because her heart is satisfied in Jesus. Therefore, she is able to open her hand to the poor and serve the needy. This is the gospel at work through the redeemed for the good of those God puts in our path.

Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

The point about her husband being known among the leaders of the land is less about ego and fame and more about the fact that because she is rightly stewarding the household and the family, the husband is able to invest himself in the things the Lord has called him to among other men. This is similar to the saying, “Behind every good man is a good woman.” The blessing of a godly wife frees her husband to thrive in doing what God has entrusted to him.

Proverbs 31:25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

A godly woman walks confidently not in herself, but in her God. She laughs at the time to come, because she knows and trusts the One who ultimately controls it. She trusts in the sovereignty of God and rests in Him.

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

A godly woman is a disciple-maker and gladly invests her time into mentoring and teaching others the good things of the Lord.

Proverbs 31:28-30 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

There is something special about the love and praise of those closest to you. It is not because you will win a prize to hang on your wall that will bring your fame, but because God blesses you with a true and deep appreciation from those who matter most in your life. My life is forever impacted and blessed by my own mother, who was truly and in every way a Proverbs 31 wife and mother.

By the grace of God, my wife, Jennifer, has been the greatest gift God has given me and the greatness of her is beyond doubt her love and devotion to the Lord. When Solomon says, “Her children and husband call her blessed and give her praise,” it is a true thing of a godly woman who fears the Lord and practices the things mentioned above. While she is beautiful on the outside through and through, it is truly a right and growing fear of and devotion to the Lord that is her greatest and most blessed attribute.

In closing, no matter where one is on this journey, may we recognize that the cause of a godly woman’s life and devotion is not herself but is Christ alone. He is the only one who empowers good stewardship and devoted hard work unto His glory. He is the only one who changes the heart to fear the Lord and love others sacrificially. He is the only one who changes us from the inside out. No matter where you are, ladies, or no matter where your wife or daughter is, men, may we point the women in our lives back to the gospel and all that Christ is to us. May He change us from the inside out to be good stewards of the life He has entrusted us, for His glory and others’ good.

* I am very excited to bring this year’s study to a conclusion and to kick off a new year of Bible reading and study on Monday.

This year, we will study a book in each of the critical eras of the Old Testament and a couple gospels and epistles along the way, too. Below is an outline of what is to come. Who can you invite to join us in the SFJ Bible Reading Plan? This is the perfect time to recruit others to join us as we start a new year of reading and growing in God’s word. It is a joy to walk with you in this way, as we look to grow in Christ and make much of His great name.

By His grace and for His glory,

Joshua “Shepherd” Kirstine

Soldiers for Jesus MC

Proverbs 31:25-31

25   Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
26   She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27   She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28   Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29   “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
30   Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31   Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

(ESV)

Proverbs 31:17-24

17   She dresses herself¹ with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
18   She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19   She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
20   She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21   She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.²
22   She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23   Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24   She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Footnotes

[1] 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins

[2] 31:21 Or in double thickness

(ESV)

Proverbs 31:10-16

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

10   ¹ An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
11   The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
12   She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13   She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
14   She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
15   She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
16   She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Footnotes

[1] 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

(ESV)