The MacArthur Daily Bible: Read through the Bible in one year, with notes from John MacArthur

Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

Unlike ancient Israel, America is not a covenant nation. God has made no promise to our physical ancestors that guarantees our national status. If Israel had to fulfill the conditions for divine blessing, even though God had covenanted with them as His chosen people, America certainly has no inviolable claim on the blessing of God. As long as unbelief and disobedience to the Word of God color the soul of our nation, we simply cannot expect the blessing of God. Israel didn’t get it in her unbelief. But for those of us who are Christians, the covenant blessings do apply. “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). All the promises of salvation, mercy, forgiveness of sins, and spiritual prosperity are ours to claim as long as we remain faithful to God. That is why the spiritual state of the church in our nation is the key to the blessing of the nation as a whole. If God is going to bless America, it will not be for the sake of the nation itself. He blesses the nation, and has always done so, for the sake of His people. If we who are called by His name are not fulfilling the conditions for divine blessing, there is no hope whatsoever for the rest of the nation. On the other hand, if the church is fit to receive God’s blessing, the whole nation will be the beneficiary of that, because the Word of God will be proclaimed with power, God will add to His church, and spiritual blessings of all kinds will result. And those are the truest blessings of all.

13But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

7The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

And did not believe in His wondrous works. 33Therefore their days He consumed in futility,

clung tightly to the Lord, faithfully following Him and obeying His commands (v. 6).

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”a

Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

8Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them;

1:8 The apostles’ mission of spreading the gospel was the major reason the Holy Spirit empowered them. This event dramatically altered world history, and the gospel message eventually reached all parts of the earth (Matt. 28:19, 20). receive power. The apostles had already experienced the Holy Spirit’s saving, guiding, teaching, and miracle-working power. Soon they would receive His indwelling presence and a new dimension of power for witness (2:4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Eph. 3:16, 20). witnesses. People who tell the truth about Jesus Christ (John 14:26; 1 Pet. 3:15). The Greek word means “one who dies for his faith” because that was commonly the price of witnessing. Judea. The region in which Jerusalem was located. Samaria. The region immediately to the north of Judea. Jesus Ascends to Heaven 9Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Peter and others who experienced the special filling on Pentecost Day (2:4) were filled with the Spirit again and again (4:8, 31; 6:5; 7:55) and so boldly spoke the word of God. That was just the beginning. The fullness of the Spirit affects all areas of life, not just speaking boldly (

since Christ suffered for usa in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3For we have spent enough of our past lifetimea in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of

7But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”a 9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies—Psalm 103:1–4

There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.

continual dripping. An obstinate, argumentative woman is literally like a leak so unrelenting that one has to run from it or go mad. Here

17“What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, 18That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment?

7I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

11The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

Proverbs 3:7–8 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8It will be health to your flesh,a And strengthb to your bones.

2The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3“Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” 4He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;

6Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born who governed their fathers’ houses, because they were men of great ability.

7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certaina we can carry nothing out.

Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!