Month: January 2025

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.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Genesis 3:1-4:26
  Matthew 2:13-3:6
  Psalm 2:1-12
  Proverbs 1:7-9

We’re glad you’re continuing the challenge!

Some observations that many people skip over when they start in Genesis:

Genesis 3 — No sooner are we into paradise but we’re already into the Fall – sin comes into the world, and it just keeps spreading. But we have a promise. Genesis 3:15 is the Protoevangelium – the first reference to the Gospel, and it’s referenced again in Romans 16:20.

Satan used the serpent to make Eve think her boss wanted to make her life miserable (Genesis 3:5). Today we have talebearers and gossips in churches and Christian workplaces who just like the serpent are used by Satan to poison people intentionally like Absalom (2 Samuel 15:2-6), or unintentionally like the co-worker who grumbles about the boss. I’ve worked in several settings – Christian and secular – and have encountered people intentionally and unintentionally trying to poison me to make me think that the boss wanted to make my life miserable, and I needed to trust them instead of the boss. We’ll even see people lying to children by telling them that the governor/president/king did/will do something to poison them against their political authority. Be on the lookout for serpents in your workplace!

Where was Adam when Eve sinned? Most people think Eve was having a private conversation with the serpent while Adam was working the back 40 acres, but Genesis 3:6 says Adam was “with her.” As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Or perhaps when good men do nothing, they are not good?

Dexter Penwell shares this insight on Genesis 4:2:

Abel was a keeper of sheep. At that time, they were not allowed to eat meat. Therefore, there were only 2 things that the sheep would be used for. One is for skins to clothe themselves. However, it would not be worth keeping sheep every day just to kill one or 2 every few months for making clothing. That then means that the main reason for keeping sheep had to be as a way to have animals for sacrifices. (That also means that although the Bible does not specifically state that they knew that they were to use sheep for sacrifices, they had to know, or there would not be a real reason to keep sheep all the time.

Speaking of the Gospel, Matthew 2 talks about the seed coming out of Egypt, the One who will be called a Nazarene.

Psalm 2 is great comfort when you think you are oppressed – imagine all the kings of the earth ready to attack! But “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh!” Amen!

Earl Martin has a great memory verse song to go along with Proverbs 1:7:

And if you have parents, Proverbs 1:8 is a great verse to pay attention to.

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.