Month: January 2025

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.