Category: Bible 2023

The new year starts today! Each day we’ll have some Old Testament and some New. If we read every day, we’ll end up reading the Old Testament once, and the New Testament twice.

But reading the whole Bible isn’t the goal. The goal is to have time in scripture every day. Maybe not the whole reading. And if we miss a day, don’t get discouraged. Aim for “more often than not” or in this case 4 times a week. That is more time that most people spend and I believe it will be impactful.

I am using the Life Journal reading plan, and part of that plan includes a journal entry. Feel free to comment that you did the reading, or you could ever post your own journal entry if you want! Here’s mine for today.

Scripture

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”

Genesis 3:19

Observation

Two thoughts here. First, God declares we should eat bread. Yum. Second, that our root in the Universe is that of dust.

It seems that part of the curse of Adam was to remind him of his place in creation. I know that dust to dust, and that we’re just dust in the wind, are common notions. But to contemplate it, to have it as a reminder of God’s word to Adam as he was escorted from his Eden home…

Application

I’m a fan of the philosophy of Stoicism. The Apostle Paul was a contemporary of Seneca.

One of the tenants of Stoicism is: Memento Mori
“Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day. . . .The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.”

— Seneca, Moral Letters, 101.7b– 8a

This reminder, that we aren’t immortal, that life is finite, we are dust brings to mind these same thoughts.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for this new year with all the possibilities and opportunities to experience the life that You give me. Help me to count my days, to make an effort in each one to make a difference to those around me, and to take the opportunity to know You better and to do and say the things you would have me do and say. Help me to be teachable through this coming year. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading: Genesis 3-5; Luke 2

This is the last day of the year, I’ve got a good momentum going. Let’s do the Life Journal again.

Scripture

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

Revelation 19:7

Observation

The passage at the beginning of chapter 19 describes heaven rejoicing at the final defeat of Babylon and the preparation of the bride for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

It seem a little gloat-y to be cheering over the destruction of others – however seeing as it is the end of evil and its influence on others, that really is a cause for celebration.

Application

The times that we live in can be taxing when evil corruption and deceipt continue on. It seems like there can be no end to it. But this passage would beg to differ. The struggle will soon be over and we can lay our burdens down. That’s something to celebrate – happy new year!

Prayer

Our Lord, thank you so much for sharing with us the truth that all the things we deal with in our day to day lives will come to an end. And that it doesn’t end in nothingness and loss. Nihilism is declared by you to be a false teaching. There is a victory. There will be a wedding. Peace and Joy will reign supreme. Hallelujah and Amen.

Alright – now we actually get started in 2023 tomorrow!

My verse for today is from chapter 15. I’m going to use that S.O.A.P. method I mentioned in a previous post for today.

Scripture

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Revelation 15:8

Observation

I wonder what that means that the temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power?

It says that no one was able to enter until the seven plagues were completed. So the temple wasn’t functioning for the cleansing of sin? Was everybody’s case decided in judgement at that point? This is what it seems to be indicating. So this would mean that all our cases have been brought before the Lord before the plagues fall.

Application

I find it comforting that our eternal destinies will be settled before the craziness of the final plagues on earth. I would worry that going through that experience might overcome me. But I suppose that walking with Jesus you can get to the point where very little surprises you and nothing can move you. That could be a way of describing “the seal of God.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for helping me to understand that when the future looks uncertain or even certain & scary, that you have a comfort prepared for that time. You promise to be there, but you have also made provision all the way until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Amen

And that’s all there is to it.

I’m still getting used to reading larger portions versus picking up a verse here or there to consider. This whole section seems like a break from the previous ones with all the 7’s, churches, seals, and trumpets.

My verse today is Rev 13:10
He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

It was really sticking out as I read the number of times “the patience of the saints” was referred to. I’m wondering about the meaning and significance of that, especially in the context of the passage. I’m not sure.

Just for the record, I also went back and read yesterday’s Revelation 1-4.

We’re finishing the year with a reading of Revelation.

I’m doing these readings to try to get up a head of steam and into the habit of reading every day for the New Year.

If you want to follow along with that, the rest of the year looks like:

• Tomorrow, December 29th, the reading is Revelation 10-14
• On December 30th, the reading is Revelation 15-18
• And on New Year’s Eve the reading is Revelation 19-22

Also if you want to make the reading into more of a worshipful experience – pick one verse from the reading that gets your attention and journal a little about it. Here’s a writing prompt for you:

• S is for Scripture – write out the scripture that you chose
• O is for Observation – what did you see in the verse or it’s context that got your attention?
• A is for Application – how does this hit you? How does this apply to you today?
• P is for Prayer – have a moment of prayer about the verse that God has given you today.

Then if you do this year after year you’ll read the same passage on the same day each year and the same verses will strike you differently. As you look back over the years you will be able to see how the Lord has helped your grow and mature! At least, that’s the idea.

OK, we’re getting geared up for reading in 2023.

The reading plan is the “Life Journal” reading plan. You can find it all over on the Internet.

In January we’re going to read from Genesis, Exodus, and some Psalms in the Old Testament, and from Luke and about a third of Acts in the New Testament. Every day will have a little bit of O.T. and a little bit of N.T. That’s one of the big selling points to me for this reading plan.

And remember, we’re shooting for reading every day – but if you read just “more often than not…” that’d be four days out of a week – then you’re probably reading more often than you were before. So it’s a big jump up!

Well let me see if I can “embed” the whole year’s plan in this web page…

Oh! It worked! Well there you go. You can download it and print off a month for each page, or just come back here and take a look.

It took about 10 minutes and 30 seconds to read.

Today’s reading seemed a bit disjointed with the 2nd half of Psalm 119 and two short missives from John.

I think my verse for today would be the last verse of Psalm 119, verse 176

Psalm 119:176 – NKJV

176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.

Even having gone astray, the author reaches towards God to be sought, and even in his trials he has not forgotten God’s commandments.

It took about 15 minutes to read.
The verse that stood out was

John 21:22 – NKJV

22. Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

Jesus said to Peter that it doesn’t matter what happens to John. Peter was instructed by Jesus to focus on following Him.

We are so quick to look at, to measure, to judge each other.

That is a loaded question. I suppose the simplest answer is, if you believe there is a God, and if you believe the book, the Bible, is His word preserved for us, then…

• It is the most direct way to gain an understanding of who God is, what a relationship with Him would be like, and what He has to share with us about our existence and purpose in the lives we’ve been given.
• It is a library of story and instruction to help make sense of our world and ourselves.
• It is a comfort to read of the story of peoples who have gone before and their experience in relating to and coming to know and love their Creator.
• Being immersed in its pages alters your life by altering your thinking and perspective about the people and circumstances of your life. Your life will be different, it will be changed by encountering God in the words He’s left for us to understand.

If any of that resonates with you, then the why of reading the Bible is tackled, next is the how.

• It’s ideal to have a portion of each day reserved to meet with God in His word.
• We don’t always reach our ideals, but I like the idea of “more often than not.” It’s not every day, but it’s most days. In a week that would be four encounters some time during the week. That seems less daunting.
• In fact if you would close this tab, stop reading this and take a look into the Bible … you would be one opportunity closer than you are right now. Here’s a link appropriate to the season where I like to read the Bible in my browser.

I am putting these web pages together so that I can have a place to write my thoughts and impressions from my reading. And to be held accountable as you see the cracks in my consistency. I’ve done this before and petered out. But if you don’t get back up and try again, you’ll never experience succeeding.

So here’s what I’m intending to do. I am going back to my favorite reading plan, the Life Journal plan. This is a “read the Bible in one year” plans. But I like it because it is fairly short, each day’s reading should take you about 15-20 minutes to read through. It usually has a chapter from both the Old and the New Testament, so there is variety in each day’s reading. And the Life Journal part is if you journal about the day’s reading and you continue for many years, you can look back and see how the same passage spoke to you in different ways as you read the same section on the same day each year. (Of course to experience that you have to commit to the full package over multiple years! Again, starting is the only way to experience this.)

That’s my method, and some of my reasons. The only thing left to do is get started.