So, I am going to share my thoughts that I've been having recently about reading the Bible through in a year. I have considered doing it for quite a while now, and so I have been asking various people how they have done it. So, below is the amalgumation of my accumulated ponderings.
1. The major reason to do the entire Bible in a year is to see "the big picture."
2. It is better to do a book at a time and units within a book rather than following a rigid structure. (Read Philemon for one day instead of Philemon and the first two chapters of Hebrews. Or, read Mt. 1-4 and 5-7 on consecutive days, instead of 1-3, 4-6, 7-9.)
3. Read for comprehension not just accomplishment. Thus, it might be necessary to read 5-6 chapters a day but read them for two or three days in order to really get the meaning. (On average you should read 3 chapters a day, to make it through in a year.)
4. Don't try to do Psalms and Proverbs in this format. Read them individually, at night or something. (Or one a day).
5. If you jot down key thoughts from each chapter as you go through, you will have the basis for further study on the passage whenever you go back.
Now, confession is good for the soul, so I must admit: I have decided not to make it through the Bible in 1 year. I think I'll aim for 2 or a little more. The reason is that I don't think that I can do that volume of material yet and still have a comprehension of what I am reading. I think it would quickly fall into a ritual of speed-reading. So, I am planning to take my time in working through, and what's more, I honestly don't expect to go straight through. I think I will skip around and get some variety, but we will see. Let us go on to learn more of meeting with Christ, and let us enhance our knowledge of His Word.
22 December 2006
Reading the Bible in a Year
13 December 2006
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
At this Christmas season, we consider many things. But when we think of the fullness of God that was born as that helpless baby for the purpose of dying an excrutiatingly painful death to give us full atonement with God, what else can we say. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Consider this text by Philip Bliss.
Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, Who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
07 December 2006
Blogs
OK, I am going to recommend two blogs/articles.
One is on the often maligned Sharperiron site: Dr. Kevin Bauder is doing a series on Fundamentalists and the Theatre. Part 1 is out .
The second is on the Rebelution, again. And there are actually two posts there. The one on "When You Fail at Hard Things" is good (this is part of their series on doing hard things). The one referring to the "Modesty Survey" is also going to be quite good in its outworkings I expect; I haven't done much with it, but it looks like something that might interest some of you, my dear readers, (to quote the old British writers).
Hope you benefit from them.
Google Quote of the Day
The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
- James Baldwin
Think about it for a minute. In any area of life, if you want to be involved with it, you find out more and more of the negatives associated with it.
01 December 2006
Relational Theology
"... theology is ultimately relational in nature."