Daily Devotions · August 19
Reading for August 19
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Jeremiah 45–47 · Psalm 105 · John 21
Jeremiah 45–47 · Psalm 105 · John 21, Berean Standard Bible
Jeremiah 45
This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch son of Neriah when he wrote these words on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: 3 You have said, ‘Woe is me because the LORD has added sorrow to my pain! I am worn out with groaning and have found no rest.’” 4 Thus Jeremiah was to say to Baruch: “This is what the LORD says: Throughout the land I will demolish what I have built and uproot what I have planted. 5 But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I will bring disaster on every living creature, declares the LORD, but wherever you go, I will grant your life as a spoil of war.”
Jeremiah 46
This is the word of the LORD about the nations—the word that came to Jeremiah the prophet 2 concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah: 3 “Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle! 4 Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears; put on armor! 5 Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!” declares the LORD. 6 “The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall. 7 Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? 8 Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’ 9 Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow. 10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates. 11 Go up to Gilead for balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain you try many remedies, but for you there is no healing. 12 The nations have heard of your shame, and your outcry fills the earth, because warrior stumbles over warrior and both of them have fallen together.” 13 This is the word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt: 14 “Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it in Memphis and Tahpanhes: ‘Take your positions and prepare yourself, for the sword devours those around you.’ 15 Why have your warriors been laid low? They cannot stand, for the LORD has thrust them down. 16 They continue to stumble; indeed, they have fallen over one another. They say, ‘Get up! Let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.’ 17 There they will cry out: ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he has let the appointed time pass him by.’ 18 As surely as I live, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, there will come one who is like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea. 19 Pack your bags for exile, O daughter dwelling in Egypt! For Memphis will be laid waste, destroyed and uninhabited. 20 Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly from the north is coming against her. 21 Even the mercenaries among her are like fattened calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee, they will not stand their ground, for the day of calamity is coming upon them—the time of their punishment. 22 Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees. 23 They will chop down her forest, declares the LORD, dense though it may be, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted. 24 The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame; she will be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.” 25 The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh. 26 I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD. 27 But you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to make him afraid. 28 And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, for I am with you. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have banished you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.”
Jeremiah 47
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines before Pharaoh struck down Gaza. 2 This is what the LORD says: “See how the waters are rising from the north and becoming an overflowing torrent. They will overflow the land and its fullness, the cities and their inhabitants. The people will cry out, and all who dwell in the land will wail 3 at the sound of the galloping hooves of stallions, the rumbling of chariots, and the clatter of their wheels. The fathers will not turn back for their sons; their hands will hang limp. 4 For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor. 5 The people of Gaza will shave their heads in mourning; Ashkelon will be silenced. O remnant of their valley, how long will you gash yourself? 6 ‘Alas, O sword of the LORD, how long until you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still!’ 7 How can it rest when the LORD has commanded it? He has appointed it against Ashkelon and the shore of its coastland.”
Psalm 105
Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations. 2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders. 3 Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 4 Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always. 5 Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced, 6 O offspring of His servant Abraham, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones. 7 He is the LORD our God; His judgments carry throughout the earth. 8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— 9 the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 11 “I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.” 12 When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land, 13 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. 14 He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf: 15 “Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!” 16 He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food. 17 He sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave. 18 They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons, 19 until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right. 20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free. 21 He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance, 22 to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom. 23 Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. 24 And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes, 25 whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants. 26 He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. 27 They performed His miraculous signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and it became dark—yet they defied His words. 29 He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die. 30 Their land teemed with frogs, even in their royal chambers. 31 He spoke, and insects swarmed—gnats throughout their country. 32 He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land. 33 He struck their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country. 34 He spoke, and the locusts came—young locusts without number. 35 They devoured every plant in their land and consumed the produce of their soil. 36 Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor. 37 He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for the dread of Israel had fallen on them. 39 He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night. 40 They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert. 42 For He remembered His holy promise to Abraham His servant. 43 He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy. 44 He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor, 45 that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!
John 21
Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus. 5 So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. 12 “Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” 16 Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true. 25 There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain.
How to SOAP
Grab a journal and a pen. Read the chapters above and watch for the verse that stops you. Then take it through four steps.
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Scripture
Write out the verse that stood out to you.
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Observation
What is it saying? Who is speaking, and to whom?
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Application
What does it mean for your life today? Be specific.
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Prayer
Talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you live it.
Your SOAP journal
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Why daily devotions?
Devotions are time set aside each day to read God's Word and let Him speak. The point isn't checking off chapters. It's meeting with Him.
Ten or fifteen minutes is enough to start. Pick a time and a place and keep the appointment. Mornings work well for a lot of us, before the phone and the day start talking.
Missed a day? Don't start over. Read today's chapters and keep going.