Day 319

Hi Guys,

How is everyone going? About a month and a half to go to finish the Bible, for me at least.

So far I have all the New Testament except for Revelations (I kinda want to leave that to read all on the last day) and I have read most of the Old Testament.

I came across this verse yesterday and I thought I would share.

1 Chronicles 28:20
Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

I found this really encouraging, I felt that this was not just a message for Solomon about building the Temple, but for me, about doing work in God's service.

Day 276

Yesterday's awesome verse - Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Today I am home from work sick. I have lost my voice. So I have decided to spend my day resting, praying and reading the Bible. It's time for me to listen a bit to what God has to say, instead of always asking Him to do what I want.

I'm all set up, I have opened the house up to let all the germs out, I have a couple of Bibles, a big bottle of water, I'm about to get a cup of tea then I'm ready to go.

I wonder what God will show me today?

Day 271-ish

Okay, a quick update of what I have read so far:
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Deuteronomy
Ruth
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Isaiah
Matthew
Mark
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians

And bits of Luke, Jeremiah, John and Ezra.

I still have plenty to go but that's okay, it just means I get to look forward to knowing God even more.

I am noticing that God must really really really love us, I mean we fail Him so many times and so many different ways, yet He still loves us and is still faithful to us.

I'm tossing up getting more involved in the music ministry at our church, mainly because I want to share the growing love I have with God. Prayers about this would be appreciated.

Day 260 (I think)

I'm Baaaaaaack!

Yes I know I have been gone for ages. Ups and downs, highs and lows etc. But most recently I've been taking a break.

I took a break from the Internet and TV, DVDs etc. Not a total black-out because I need the Internet to do my job and I decided to watch a DVD on father's day with the family, but definitely a large reduction in my usual Internet and DVD habits.

Why did I do this? To get closer to God, the whole point of this blog.

I have gone off-plan. I decided just delving into the Word and enjoying it was best to get me back on track. It's been great. I've been reading the new testament at work on my lunch breaks, the old testament at night before bed, listening to some more old testament at dinner some nights, and listening to sermons and worship songs in the car. At the moment I'm just enjoying learning more about God. I've been praying more and I feel I'm getting a little closer each day. Satan doesn't really seem to be a big fan of me getting closer to God (hence the downs and lows.) So thank you for your prayers guys!

I may not post every day, but I will try to be more consistent. I'm currently in Romans and Jeremiah so I'll keep you updated. :)

Day 98

Okay, so I missed a few days here and there, and then I realised I still wasn't taking time out for God while reading. I decided to take a two week break and then read all I missed at once, then I'd have to take time out for God, wouldn't I? Turns out that not the greatest plan. I'm still playing catch up.

I finished reading Numbers the other day and I realised something. God asked for his people to give so many offerings for so many reasons, special days of the year, sinning, etc. But I couldn't figure out why. I mean God is the creator of the whole universe, He doesn't need grain or meat offerings. Then while reading my Bible it occurred to me that it wasn't about any of the stuff. It was about the heart of His people. They were stuck in the desert, all they had was God, each other and the things they brought with them. God wanted them to rely on Him. to remember Him, to include Him in all their actions. He was reminding them to put Him first, that all the herds and harvests, are nothing without Him.

So I'm going to keep trying, to put God first, not just in my reading the Bible, but in everything I do. It won't be easy, I have no idea when I'm going to find the time just to be with Him, but I have faith that He'll help me through it. Please pray for me guys, I'm going to be praying for you too. Because let's face it, Satan doesn't want us to to get closer to God. It's okay though, we have Jesus on our side, and He's already won the war for us.

Day 37

Genesis 49-50 - Matthew 23:23-39 


Wow, it's been over a month. How cool is that. I read the last of Genesis, it's a happy/sad moment for me because I really like Genesis, I like how it tells the tales of so many. 


I have missed a day, but I think that's okay, God still loves me. 


I would really like to have more time to ponder and pray about what I read, but I don't seem to be able to make the time. 


How is everyone else going? Has anyone had any amazing insights?

Day 19

No I haven't forgotten, I am still plodding away, reading the Bible everyday, usually late at night, but I haven't missed a day yet. 

I will endevour to read earlier in the day. Why? Because I want to start the day with thoughts of God. Don't get me wrong, ending the day with God is a good thing too, I just personally find it harder to concentrate at night, I'm a morning person.
  
Job 28-29 - Matthew 13:1-30 


Job


I'm finding Job hard to read, he's a bit of a whinger. Don't get me wrong, it would suck being in his place, in one day a guy rocks up and tells him his animals were stolen, and his farmhands killed, then another guy rocks up, and says a fire has burnt all his sheep and shepherds, then another guy rocks up and tells him other raiders stole his camels and killed the servants and then yet another guy rocks up and says that Job's son's house collapsed with all Job's children inside! he gets left with nothing and then he gets sick and is covered in gross sores. Ikk. Then his mates rock up while he's in the street scraping sores off his feet with a piece of broken pottery (double ikk) and proceeds to tell him how he really must be a dirty great sinner and to repent, even though he didn't do anything wrong.


Matthew 13: 1-30


I'm liking Matthew, I am really getting into the parables, I like it when Jesus explains things, it makes it easier, a whole lot less guess work for my poor brain.

Days 7, 8 & 9

Never fear, I have not missed any days reading the Bible just yet. I have just been too busy to blog.

Day 7
Genesis 18-19 - Matthew 6:1-18 
Day 8
Genesis 20-22 - Matthew 6:19-34 
 
And because I left my Bible plan at home and read the Bible at work today, what I read doesn't fit into the plan, so I'll play catch up tomorrow.
Day 9
Genesis 23-24 and Matthew 7 (it was supposed to be Job 1-2 - Matthew 7)

Insights for that last three days - 
Abraham should really stop giving people his wife. 
It's kind of hard to believe that Lot was going to give up his virgin daughters to the men of Sodom.
I love Matthew 7:24-29, my husband and I have "House on a rock" engraved on our wedding rings, because that's what we want our marriage to be, built on the solid foundations on Jesus' teachings.

Day 6

Genesis 16-17 and Matthew 5:27-48

Genesis 16 - Birth of Ishmael. Okay, so I can understand wanting a baby really badly, but seriously, letting your servant sleep with your husband is a bit much. Yet that's what Sarai did. And then she got upset when the servant Hagar got a bit self important when she got pregnant.Hagar ran away but God sent an angel to her and told her to go back and name her son Ishmael.

Genesis 17 - God tells Abram again of his promise to give him a child and heaps of descendants, God also gives Abram and Sarai new names, they are now to be Abraham and Sarah. (Their new names mean "father of many nations" and "princess", pretty appropriate I think). An God tells Abraham to circumcise all the men and servants of his family and from then on all the boys 8 days after birth and any male servants purchased. This to me is one of the many proofs that God is real and not something man just made up. I mean, what guy in his right mind would think that circumcision is a great idea?

Matthew 5:27-48 - Jesus is an extra mile kind of guy, He is saying that doing what the law says or what you are asked is not enough. When someone takes your shirt, give them your coat. I don't do this enough, I don't go the extra mile. It's time I started. I need to sort out my heart, and get it closer to where God wants it.

Please pray for me guys.

Day 5

Firstly, today I feel famous. Pastor Gary mentioned this little challenge at church today. Congratulations to any others out there who are reading the Bible in a year. I hope we can all encourage each other and learn heaps this year.

Genesis 13-15 and Matthew 5:1-26

Genesis 13 - So Lot and Abram were a little too blessed, they had too many flocks and herds for the land to support. So they decided to split up, Abram gave Lot the first pick of land, Lot chose a place near sinful Sodom and God told Abram to look over the rest of the land, that it it would all belong to him and his uncountable descendants. Abram then built another altar.

How cool would it be to be told by God what blessings He had in store for you. It would help on those tough days when you don't know where your life is going. When I read this passage I'm reminded of that song, "Father Abraham, had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham..."

Genesis 14 - There was a war, Lot was taken, rather than stay out of it, Abram gathered 318 men and got everything back that was taken from Lot! Melchizedek and the King of Sodom met with Abram, Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave him on tenth of the goods he recovered. The king of Sodom asked Abram for his people back but said he could keep any goods. Abram gave him everything back saying that he would only accept the dinner they had just shared.

Despite being in a war, Abram did what he could to follow God. He refused to take spoils of war and only kept what was taken from his family.

Genesis 15 - God promises Abram an heir, Abram gives sacrifices to God but falls asleep and dreams of horrible things. God tells Abram that though his descendants will see a lot of troubled times, they will come back to this land and then God seals the deal and Abram sees a smoking firepot and a flaming torch.

Matthew 5:1-26 - Sermon on the Mount. Jesus starts with messages of love, He tells us that God blesses those who realise their need for Him, and then He elaborates on that telling us different ways we need Him and He blesses us.
Then Jesus tells us we are salt of the earth and lights of world. To my mind that means that Gods has blessed us, so now we must share these blessings with others, so that they may know the love of God too.
Jesus warns that He did not come to break the law, but to fulfil the promises. We are not called to challenge God's laws but to obey them better than the Pharisees.
Jesus tells us we need to do more than just follow the letter of the law, we need to go further than that. We need to right any wrongs we have done to others, not allow anger to grow, or insult or curse people. I guess God just wants us to show is love, rather than hate.

Wow, today was a big one, my readings were full of learning to love and having faith. I pray that these lessons may stick.