Scripture Bites From Week 2

If you haven’t joined me yet on my journey through God’s Word in a year, you can start at ANY time. I’m using the Bible study calendar found at www.ThisIsLifeEternal.org. There are a lot of “read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year” schedules out there. This is actually the third one I’ve tried THIS year, and so far the one I like the best.

Here are the texts that spoke loudly to me from the readings in week two.

Psalms 103:8-14:  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him: as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. as a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

Psalms 103:17 & 18: But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children, to such as keep His covenant and to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The entire story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah (I most especially appreciate her name change…) It’s encouraging to read about what a louse Abraham was – lying about Sarah twice, wanting Eliezer as his heir, sleeping with his wife’s handmaid and starting a 4,000 year old war, laughing with unbelief and a lack of faith in the Lord fulfilling His promise, wanting Ishmael as his heir… Encouraging because if you skip ahead (Week 44) and read Romans 4:18-22 it’s a totally re-written, righteous history far different from the account in Genesis. By God’s grace, Abraham has a DIFFERENT story! And God has re-written my history as well!

And that brings us right back around to Psalms 103. That’s a chapter worth memorizing.

It sure is enriching to eat God’s Word daily. Like I said, It’s not to late to join me. The stories in Genesis are a quick read, Ecclesiastes is only twelve chapters and the Psalms are pretty short if you’d like to catch up OR just start on week 1 and go from there.

I’ve got the schedule over there on the right hand column or you can easily print your own at www.ThisIsLifeEternal.org.

I’d love it if you’d share what really spoke to you in the comments.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Bread of Life in 52 Manageable Bites

I keep finding other things to do besides write another blog post – but this is too important to procrastinate any longer.

I decided that I’m finally going to read through the entire Bible in a year and I’m taking my kids along for the ride. One should not get to the ripe old age of whatever it is that I’m up to now having not read the Word from front to back all the way through. If you’re not a “believer” please don’t leave just yet. I have a double-dog dare for you.

My husband wasn’t in automatic agreement with me on this one. His main problem with the idea is that a year isn’t enough time to absorb all of what the God’s Word has to offer. I agree. A year isn’t nearly long enough and it can be a very rushed process. In fact, after having started already I for sure wouldn’t recommend trying to do it in any less time (though I originally wanted to push it to six months). I’ve seen programs for 90 days and I think that’s just showboating – just doing it to say you’ve done it isn’t the way to approach the Word of God. You need to give Him time to reach you with His Word. You wouldn’t try to eat all your meals for the week on one day, would you? It’s too much too fast even though it is ultimately what you need.

I know we’re almost two weeks into this new year, but this is really something that you can start at ANY time. Don’t put it off another day. Besides – nobody promised you tomorrow… Go find yourself a translation that you’re comfortable reading (there are dozens to try out at www.BibleGateway.com) and get started. What’s the best translation? The one you’re READING regularly. I’m most comfortable with the New King James Version (NKJV) or the “new” New International Version (NIV) but there are many out there that read a little more easily.

This isn’t the first time I’ve attempted this great task. In the past I’ve gotten bogged down (right about in the book of Numbers…) and I’ve let the goal slip away. Well, this time I’ve found a great schedule that groups relevant Scripture together and gives you the entire story chronologically. AND it’s broken into 52 weekly “assignments” with little check boxes and everything. You can find the plan at www.ThisIsLifeEternal.org. It’s the TILE plan.

Now, if you’re an atheist or agnostic you may not give the Bible credit for being anything more than a historical book with some weird and fantastic stories, (and some ideas good enough to build entire governments and countries on…) If that’s the case, then I challenge you to treat it as you would any other best-selling work of fiction. Read it through. One more thing – each time you pick it up to read I’d like you to say, “God – if you’re real then prove it to me and show me the truth”.

I’ll write more about this as I go along, but just in case you can’t get to it right now, here’s the readings for the first week:

• Ecclesiastes
• Psalm 8
• Psalm 19
• Psalm 65
• Psalm 77
• Genesis 1-11:9

I’ll try to find a place to regularly post the readings for the week, but you can always go to www.ThisIsLifeEternal.org and print your own calendar (and journal pages if you want those too…)

Won’t you join me? It’ll give us something worthwhile to talk about! Let’s spend some time in the morning and evenings seeking Truth and growth in Christ. As I’ve learned in Ecclesiastes…everything else is vanity.

I’m linking to the…