Month: January 2024

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 26:17-27:46
  Matthew 9:1-17
  Psalm 10:16-18
  Proverbs 3:9-10

Genesis 26:33 — Just a few days ago (on January 9th) we saw Abraham digging a well in Beersheba (Genesis 21:31); now we see Isaac digging a well in Beersheba (Genesis 26:33). We also see the danger of God’s people marrying unbelievers (Genesis 26:35).

Genesis 27:41 — Interesting the connection between hate and murder – Jesus talked about this in Matthew 5:22.

Matthew 9:3 — Throughout history, the deity of Jesus has been attacked.  Many – including Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Unitarians – say Jesus did not claim to be God, rather His followers “deified” Him after His death. But in Matthew 9:3, Jesus is accused of blasphemy. Answers in Genesis (AiG) has a great Bible study on the question “Is Jesus God?”

Matthew 9:13 — Thank God for this verse! He came to call us (sinners) to repentance!

Psalm 10:17 — Who has the Lord heard? This seems to be a theme throughout the Bible!

Proverbs 3:9-10 — Here’s an example of what it means to “trust in the Lord” – the farmer does not know how much harvest he will have. The financial world tells stock market traders to lock in some profits from time to time (keep the first part of the profits for yourself). The widow did not think she had enough oil for herself if she gave to the prophet first (1 Kings 17:13). Hannah did not know if she would have any other children than Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11). The Bible says that if you give God your firstfruits, He will fill your barns. As Arthur DeMoss said, “To be successful you should give God the first dime out of every dollar, the first hour out of every day, and the first day out of every week.”

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 24:52-26:16
  Matthew 8:18-34
  Psalm 10:1-15
  Proverbs 3:7-8

Congratulations on hanging in there!

We’re 1/3 of the way through January. Don’t let Scripture reading become a duty, however. You can browse a list we put together of some of the blessings of reading Scripture; please share with us if you’ve found some we missed!

Genesis 25:1 is a Bible trivia bonus question – most Christians don’t know the name of Abraham’s second wife.

Genesis 25:21 — Interesting that two generations of patriarchs in a row had trouble conceiving a child.

Genesis 25:34 — The phrase “mess of pottage” comes from this verse (a phrase that doesn’t appear in any English version of the Bible but has been used by many over the years – including Karl Marx!).

Matthew 8:18-22 — I heard a message on this passage entitled “A Question of Commitment.” Following Jesus is greater than any comfort and any relationship you may have.

Matthew 8:23-27 — Jesus has power over nature, and in Matthew 8:28-33, Jesus has power over demons. Instead of seeking deliverance, however, we read about a city that “besought him that he would depart.”

Psalm 10:12 — What kind of person will God not forget?

Proverbs 3:7 — How close can we get to evil?

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 23:1-24:51
  Matthew 8:1-17
  Psalm 9:13-20
  Proverbs 3:1-6

Genesis 23:19 tells us about Sarah being buried in the Cave of Machpelah. Interestingly, the Cave of the Patriarchs today is based on a structure built during the time of Herod the Great – over 2,000 years old. If you want to see an aerial view of the Cave, a Jewish group has some interesting footage on YouTube. In Genesis 24:3, we find a follow-up to the contrast of the women in Proverbs. Abraham wants a certain kind of wife for his son, one from the people who had been exposed to God, not from the Canaanites. As we’ve seen in Proverbs, there is the Lady Wisdom and the Strange Woman – one’s choice of companions (especially a lifelong companion) is important (Proverbs 13:20).

Matthew 8:4 — This is the first miracle recorded in the New Testament (but not the first chronologically). On February 23rd we’ll read what this verse is referring to; if you want to sneak ahead, check out Leviticus 14. Matthew 8:14 talks about Peter’s house which may have been discovered (and is a regular tourist stop if you travel to Israel).

Psalm 9:17 — The wicked shall be turned into hell. “The most sobering reality in the world today, is that people are dying and going to hell today.” Many think they are a good person, but are they good enough to go to heaven?

Proverbs 3:5 — Patch the Pirate put Proverbs 3:5 to music. I try to share Scripture memory songs because music is a great way to hide God’s Word in our hearts. And speaking of God, His offer of directing our paths is a conditional promise worth seeking.

Proverbs 3:7 — From Earl Martin (Be Not Wise in Thine Own Eyes):

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 20:1-22:24
  Matthew 7:15-29
  Psalm 9:1-12
  Proverbs 2:16-22

Genesis 22:2 — Mount Moriah is where Abraham offered his son Isaac. 1 Chronicles 21:18 and 2 Chronicles 3:1 tell us that other events occurred at this same site. Abraham called this site Jehovah-Jireh – the Lord will provide, and about 2,000 years later, from this site, one could see the Lamb of God as He takes away the sins of the world. Just like Abraham was willing to give up his only son of promise, God Himself was willing to send His only Son. For a completely different take on the location of Moriah, Islam believes Mount Moriah is near the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia.

Matthew 7:22 is another sobering verse of Scripture. While reading through the Bible is a great thing, and prophesying and casting out demons are examples of more “wonderful works,” that is not enough to save a person. As Martin Luther said, “If ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery, it was I.” But “monkery” wasn’t enough to get Martin Luther to heaven, and tragically there are untold numbers of people who claim to know the Lord, but He will ultimately say to them, “I never knew you.” Don’t let it be said of you! Know God while you can – even if you have just three minutes to live!

Psalm 9:1-2 — Let’s memorize this verse with Earl Martin:

Psalm 9:3 is a great promise when you’re attacked by your enemies. It seems there are only two kinds of time – before you’re attacked, and when you’re under attack!

Proverbs 2:6 introduces us to the antagonist of Lady Wisdom – the Strange Woman. If you’re looking for a study topic, contrast these two women as you go through Proverbs.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 18:16-19:38
  Matthew 6:25-7:14
  Psalm 8:1-9
  Proverbs 2:6-15

Genesis 19:24 is a sobering verse that warns about God’s wrath against sin. If you’re like me, you’ve wondered where Sodom and Gomorrah were located. As we study the Bible, we often search the internet for information about the topics we’re interested in. There are a lot of “fake news” sites out there, however (not just sensational reporting, but groups that disbelieve the Bible and seek to minimize the multitudes of evidence for the Bible). The best site that I have found for information on Bible archaeology is the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR). ABR believes this is the site of biblical Sodom. They also share their reasoning for why it is the site of Sodom. The Institute for Creation Research’s (ICR) John Morris is sympathetic to their position, as is Dr. Steve Austin.

Some readers are concerned that Genesis 18:21 contradicts the omniscience of God; however, in Genesis 1:1 God created the entire universe from nothing – He made it all. According to Genesis 6:5, God knew what was in the heart of everyone – He saw it all. Yesterday, in Genesis 18:10, God told Abraham what would happen a year in the future – He knows it all. So, if He made it all, saw it all, and knows it all – He is not like a researcher making a trip to investigate a situation. Rather, this is an anthropomorphism (see Baker’s Bible Dictionary for a helpful definition).

It’s kind of like when the President visits a hurricane disaster site. He goes as an anthropomorphism of the US government, i.e. he goes as an agent of the US government. The government already knows what is going on in Puerto Rico, the government is already working on relief, the government doesn’t learn anything new from the visit, and the president’s personal visit isn’t substantively helpful (e.g. he didn’t reconnect power lines). The visit is merely symbolic to show the residents that the government knows, cares, and wants to help.

Matthew 6:33 was my grandfather’s favorite verse – today we might call it his “life verse.” When we get our priorities right, God takes care of our needs and ofttimes a lot of our wants. Unfortunately, Matthew 7:1 is the life verse of many people today.

Matthew 7:12 – From Earl Martin (Therefore All Things):

Psalm 8 helps us realize how little we have to boast of, but how great our God is that He loves us! Psalm 8 was probably the inspiration for “How Majestic is Thy Name” by Patch the Pirate.

Proverbs 2:6-8 shares the blessings of listening to the Lord. If you don’t have a Bible journaling system, perhaps make a log this year of what God does for us. He gives wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and sound wisdom – He is a buckler, and He keeps paths, preserves our way, and much, much more!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 16:1-18:15
  Matthew 6:1-24
  Psalm 7:1-17
  Proverbs 2:1-5

Genesis 18:2 — Although we’re a week into Genesis, if you’re looking to see the overall structure of the book, Through The Bible with J. Vernon McGee has been making available notes and outlines on each book (including Genesis) for many years. If you wondered if Genesis 18:2 has a reference to the Trinity, what a great opportunity to check some commentaries!

Commentaries are by no means inspired, much less infallible. Some are written by people who deny the inspiration of the Bible – which never really made sense to me. Why would you spend your life studying a book you don’t believe in? Checking multiple commentaries is helpful to see what arguments are made for and against an idea, especially when they cross-reference another Scripture – as Gill did in pointing to John 5:37. Gill argues that this passage proves that Genesis 18 does not refer to the Trinity.

Matthew 6:21 is quite convicting – where are you laying up treasure?

Psalm 7:11 is one of the earliest references we have seen yet this year to the specific doctrine of the wrath of God. We’ve seen God’s wrath exemplified in Genesis, but a focus on it as a teaching has been absent. When we get to Romans 3:25 we can discuss the difference between propitiation and expiation.

Proverbs 2 — Do you think Solomon believes that understanding the fear of the LORD is a casual endeavor?

By the way – the links provided in this devotional are not endorsements but resources that I’ve found helpful. There’s only one book that I’ll endorse 100% without reservation, and that’s the book we’re reading through this year!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 13:5-15:21
  Matthew 5:27-48
  Psalm 6:1-10
  Proverbs 1:29-33

Genesis 14:18 — The next time we see Melchizedek is a thousand years later in Psalm 110. David is telling of a conversation between the LORD and David’s Lord. This reference seemed confusing for the next thousand years until it was explained in Hebrews 7:17.

Matthew 5:48 — After reading through today’s passage and ending up with verse 48 – do you feel imperfect? Join the club (Romans 3:23), but if you have time, do a word study on “be perfect.”

Psalm 6:9 — Looking for another Bible study topic? Try this one: research God hearing your prayers.

Proverbs 1:32 — Do you remember these two individuals? We met them a few days ago.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 11:1-13:4
  Matthew 5:1-26
  Psalm 5:1-12
  Proverbs 1:24-28

We’re back in a genealogy after the tower of Babel. The Adams Synchronological Chart of World History is again a great resource to visualize the genealogies.

But  Genesis 11:27 is not something to skip. We’re introduced to Abram, born in 2166 BC. If you’ve been to the Oriental Institute in Chicago, you’ll see a collection of artifacts from Ur thought to be from the time of Abram. If you go there, you’ll notice Ur was culturally significant and the largest city in the world at the time of Abram. God told him to leave Ur; Genesis 12:1 uses the past perfect to refer to God’s communication to Abram, but it’s interesting that the New Testament in Acts 7:2-4 clarifies when God spoke to Abram.

Matthew 5:14-16 — Earl Martin has a gift for helping believers memorize Scripture:

Matthew 5:23 — We’ll get to the Ten Commandments later, but Jesus is telling people there’s more to keeping the Ten Commandments than just the bare minimum … in fact, you had to not just match the Pharisees, you had to exceed them!

Psalm 5:1-2 — And a bonus song from Earl Martin – watch this memory verse song and you will be hiding God’s Word in your heart!

Proverbs 1:28 — This verse appears to contradict Proverbs 8:17. The key to understanding this seeming contradiction? Isaiah 55:6.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 8:1-10:32
  Matthew 4:12-25
  Psalm 4:1-8
  Proverbs 1:20-23

About the One Year Bible Reading Plan — Some have asked why we’re bouncing around from Genesis to Matthew to Psalms to Proverbs. Many people start reading the Bible “straight through,” and while they’re enjoying the dramatic histories of Genesis, by the time they end up in the Levitical teachings and genealogies (the “less exciting” parts of the Bible), many people get fatigued and quit. I heard a gentleman say that every January he tries to read through the Bible, but he’s read Genesis more than any other book of the Bible. By “bouncing around” you get a mix of the genres (types of writings) in the Bible: Old Testament (law, history, prophets), New Testament (gospels, epistles), Psalms (praise and prayer requests), Proverbs (wisdom literature). As the year progresses, we’ll point out some of the genres and things to look for, especially in Psalms and Proverbs – Hebrew poetry is quite different from English poetry!

Genesis 10:10 is an interesting verse that is referenced in the Special Collections Room at the Cleveland Public Library. I noticed an ancient artifact with a letter above it, and the Librarians were gracious enough to send over a scan of the original letter from the archaeologist. The archaeologist states that this artifact is from the city cited in Genesis 10:10.

Matthew 4:17 is the first mention of the Kingdom of Heaven, a phrase found only in Matthew’s gospel.

Psalm 4:3 is a great promise: “… the Lord will hear when I call unto him.”

Psalm 4:8 — We can sleep because of safety in Him!

Proverbs 1:22 — Take note of the three people who reject wisdom, we’ll meet them quite regularly.

By the way, in Proverbs we’ll see a few themes emphasized repeatedly. Les Ollila has provided some helpful definitions:

The FEAR of God is Practicing the Conscious Awareness of His Presence.

WISDOM is seeing life from God’s Perspective.

KNOWLEDGE is getting Truth into Me.

UNDERSTANDING is applying that Truth in every scenario of life.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE: (View in One Screen)
  Genesis 5:1-7:24
  Matthew 3:7-4:11
  Psalm 3:1-8
  Proverbs 1:10-19

Genesis 5 — We’re in another genealogy! The Adams Synchronological Chart of World History is a great way to see how the genealogies line up (as well as all of world history). You can do the math yourself or use the chart to notice something interesting about when Methuselah died. Also, if you haven’t been to the Ark Encounter yet – it’s an incredible experience to comprehend what “three hundred cubits” really means!

In Matthew 3 we meet John the Baptist – the one whom Jesus would call the greatest prophet. Yet John said of his cousin Jesus, His “shoes I am not worthy to bear.” We see Jesus tempted by Satan in Matthew 4. How did He defeat Satan? By quoting Scripture! There’s a great blessing in Scripture!

Psalm 3 tells us of a great promise to keep, and Proverbs 1:10 gives a great warning to heed. Is it just me or does it sound like there were youth gangs causing trouble back in Solomon’s day?

As we go through this year, it will mean more to you if you take notes on your journey. Grab a notebook and pick something to track as we read through the Bible. If this is your first-time journaling through the Bible, I’d start tracking the attributes of your God. God is telling you who He is through His Word. Don’t forget what He is telling you – write it down! As has been said, “The faintest stroke of pen is better than the strongest memory.” You’ll be glad you did when at the end of this year, you have a biography that you have written of your Father and one that you’ve obtained from the best source in the world!

Three days in – you’re making a great start to the year!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.