FUEL: for our Christian life

Summer Schedule

2008-06-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hey High Schoolers...

I hope that you all find this website helpful in keeping you posted on what we're doing as a youth group this summer. Tonight is our last night of regular Wednesday night FUEL meetings, and after this we will be having various events and activities.

Here's what's coming up:

July 4: Wednesday night FUEL at the church from 7:00-9:00

July 6: San Benito High School Graduation

July 12: Great America Trip. Meet at the church at 10:00 am.

Day 7 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-29T11:25:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday we completed the final chapters of Revelation, and the final chapters of our one year Bible reading adventure. I hope that for many of you a habit has been formed and that this is something that will be continued in your daily lives. Also, we'll keep using this blog page for updates with our Wednesday night programs and Sunday night Theology class.
Here's a summary of our final day of reading:

The inhabitants of heaven break out in celebration over the triumph of Christ over the evil system of the world. This is followed by the "wedding supper of the Lamb," which is the beginning of the perfect relationship of love Christ now has with His church.
Christ then appears on the earth riding a white horse (He is named "Faithful and True") and He destroys all of His enemies, including the two beasts.
Christ reigns on the earth for a thousand years, after which Satan is released for a short time to deceive the nations before being thrown into the lake of fire for his final and eternal judgment.
After this is the "great throne judgment" in which all the inhabitants of the earth are judged for eternity. They either enter into the kingdom of Christ or are cast into the lake of fire (hell) for eternal torment.

In chapters 21 and 22 John gives us a brief description of heaven. Rather than attempting to summarize it here, I would encourage you to read and re-read it for yourself. One thing I will note is Jesus' message to us at the end of the book: "Behold, I am coming soon," to which John replies (and we should as well) "Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen!

Day 6 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-27T07:11:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday we read Revelation 16-18. At the beginning of chapter 16 we see the final 7-fold judgment of God called the "bowl judgments". Here is the judgment that comes when each bowl of wrath is poured out on the earth:

1. Sores break out on those who worship the beast
2. The seas turn to blood and everything in the sea dies.
3. The fresh water (rivers and springs) turn to blood.
4. The heat of the sun becomes intense scorching and burning people with fire.
5. This judgment is specifically directed at the beast so that his kingdom is "plunged into darkness". Apparently his followers are in such agony that they gnaw on their own tongues.
6. The Euphrates river dries up so that the kings of the east can prepare themselves for battle against God. Also, the demons which possessed the beast and false prophet are released to go gather the kings of the whole world, and these demons appear like frogs.
7. This is the end of God's judgment upon the earth (see Rev. 15:1), and God declares from the great city that "it is done!" while a great earthquake shakes the whole earth.

In chapter 17 we see the destruction of the woman who is on the beast. She is called Babylon, which is the world's system that is directly opposed to Jesus Christ. In this chapter we see its destruction and in chapter 18 we see the angels in heaven rejoicing over her destruction while the evil inhabitants of the earth mourn for her destruction.
Did you notice all of the different numbers listed in chapter 17 surrounding the description of Babylon? As you can imagine, the angel is correct in telling John in 17:9 that "this calls for a mind of wisdom." How many symbolic numbers did you find (ie. how many hills are listed? how many kings?).
Remember: tonight we are finishing our study and will be eating pizza. Come hungry! And remember, it's Jack Knoll's birthday too!

Day 5 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-26T08:23:00.000-08:00

Monday's reading was Revelation 13-15. In this section we are getting to the end of the judgments upon humans before the final battle takes place and the final judgment comes upon Satan, his angels and humans.
In this section we are introduced to two different beasts that are in league with the devil--one from the sea and one from the earth. It is understood that the first one is the Antichrist and the other is the prophet of the Antichrist. The number of the beast (also known as man's number) is made known at the end of chapter 13, which is 666. This number has confused scholars since the book of Revelation was written, which is probably why John said that it calls for wisdom. One understanding of it is that if 7 is the number of completeness (the number of God... see Rev. 1:12, 1:19 and 4:5), than 6 is a number of incompleteness. Therefore 666 would be a trinity of incompleteness or evil represented by Satan, the Antichrist and his prophet.
We also see the 144,000 Hebrew believers resisting the evil one as the follow Christ, the Lamb.
We also see 3 angels, each given a message.

This first declares the eternal gospel to all on earth and commands the earth to fear God and give Him glory for his judgment is coming
The second angel proclaims the destruction of the world's great system that is opposed to God (called "Babylon").
The third angel warns all humans of the destruction that will come upon them if they worship and follow after the beast. This angel also gives a message of comfort to the followers of Christ who are suffering persecution from the beast.

Finally we see the harvest of the earth, which is a symbol of judgment. It appears that at this time there are many who are taken from the earth before the 7 plagues come upon the earth in chapter 15.
Keep at it. Only 2 more days of reading before our Revelation Pizza Party/Jack's birthday party on Wednesday night.

Day 4 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Sunday's reading was chapters 10-12. I'll post some comments on Sunday's reading as well as attempt to answer Jared's questions as best as I can. First, here are a couple things from these chapters:

A mighty angel appears with a little scroll. This angel appears with much of God's glory and gives John this little scroll, which he is commanded to eat. When he does, it tastes as sweet as honey but turns his stomach sour.
Two witnesses appear and prophecy in Jerusalem for 1260 days. They are called olive trees and lampstands, which may symbolize being representatives from God of truth with a message of peace. These two messengers perform many signs and wonders before being killed and then being resurrected. Some think that these witnesses represent Moses and Elijah (the great prophets of the Old Testament), Enoch and Elijah (two prophets from the Old Testament who did not die), or even the Old Testament ruling and priestly offices of Zerubbabel and Joshua.
The seventh trumpet judgment is blown and a declaration of God's ultimate victory is proclaimed.
The story of the woman, the child and the dragon. Although we can not be totally sure who the woman may be, we can be certain that the dragon is Satan from verse 9. It is most commonly understood that the woman represents Israel, and that the child is Christ (although some believe the child to be the church of Christ). This is the main section where we get the belief that 1/3 of the angels fell from heaven and following Satan became demons (as shown in verse 4).

To answer a few of Jared's questions from yesterday:

A diadem is a crown worn by royalty which signifies power and authority. This is to show that this dragon had a lot of power and might... although clearly not enough to defeat Michael, the great arch angel of God.
What was the silence in heaven for a half an hour all about? It's most likely that something happened when the seventh seal was broken that caused everyone in heaven to be a state of silent awe and worship. Remember, the breaking of the seventh seal also means that the scroll was opened revealing what was inside, which was not made known to us.
Why was Jesus first called the lion of the tribe of Judah, then revealed to be a lamb that appeared to be slain? It is because Jesus is both strong and mighty (as symbolized by the lion) yet also the humble, perfect sacrifice (as symbolized by the lamb). Typically one is either strong or submissive, but Jesus is both. He had all power and authority, but laid it all down at the cross to die for our sins and take away God's wrath against us.
A scroll was an ancient book. Since the did not have the ability to easily bind books in the way that we have them today, they would write on a long piece of parchment then roll it up and seal it to keep it shut (a lot like how we would roll up a map or blue prints to a building today).

I hope this helps answer a few of your questions. Enjoy your reading!

Day 3 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-23T21:37:00.001-08:00

Today we read chapters seven to nine. In the beginning of the reading we see those who are sealed by God, 144,000 total. I find it interesting that God makes it specifically clear that these are Jews (ethnic people from Israel) and that this is not some symbolic representation of Israel. The reason why we know this is because he takes the time to list out the specific tribes that they are from.
But what is equally as cool, especially for us non-Jews, is that in heaven every tribe, culture, language and nation will be represented. Out God is not a God of the Jews (or Americans) only, but of all people.
Finally, we see the final seal judgment given (which isn't actually described except that it says there was silence in heaven for about a half an hour) before the 7 trumpet judgments come. Here are the first 6 of the 7 trumpet judgments:

1) Hail and fire mixed with blood falls on the earth destroying a third of the earth's vegetation.
2) Something appearing like a flaming mountain is thrown into the sea turning a third of it to blood and bring much destruction and death to the oceans.
3) A great star falls from heaven which destroys a third of the earth's fresh water.
4) The sun and moon and stars are blocked out for one third of the time they used to shine.
5) A star falls to the earth and opens up a smoking abyss releasing locusts that torment the inhabitants of the earth that are not sealed by God for 5 months.
6) Four angels are released and they kill a third of mankind.

This does not sound like a good time to be alive, especially for those not "sealed by God". What do you think it means to have the seal of God?

Day 2 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-22T14:29:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers. Today we're reading chapters 4 to 6, and dealing with the first bit of prophecy in the book. Today's reading begins with an incredible description of the Throne Room of God in Heaven. I've read this passage many, many times and I still can't even begin to imagine the glory that is contained in this place. Here are some interesting observations from reading about God's Throne Room:

The praise of God never ceases
When John looks for the "Lion of Judah", who is the only one worthy to open the scroll of God, he sees a Lamb that looks as though it he had been slain. It's amazing to think that Jesus is represented by both the lion (one of the fiercest creatures on earth) and the lamb (one of the gentlest creatures on earth and one that is often used as a sacrifice).
One of the objects of worship in the biblical times was incense. In heaven, the incense that is offered to God in worship are the prayers of believers here on earth. I hope this brings a renewed perspective to your prayers to God... for they are a sweet smelling incense to Him in His holy and glorious throne room. When we pray, we don't just throw words up to heaven, but instead they are offered to God in His holy throne room as an object of worship that is pleasing to Him.
It is crystal clear in this passage that Jesus is God, for it says at the end of chapter five that only "him who sits on the throne (the Father) and the Lamb (Jesus) receive blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever."

Finally, what are the judgments that come upon the earth when the seals are broken on the scroll? In chapter 6, six of the seven judgments are listed. They are:

1) A rider on a white horse who conquers the world with a crown on his head and a bow in his hand.
2) A rider on a red horse with a great sword who takes peace from the world causing mankind to wage a bloody war against each other.
3) A rider on a black horse with measuring scales in his hand who appears to take over the world markets.
4) A rider on a pale horse, whose name is Death, and he kills a quarter of the earth's population with war, famine, pestilence and wild beasts.
5) A loud cry from believers who had been martyred because of their faith in Christ calling for judgment to come upon the earth.
6) A great worldwide earthquake that causes bizarre things to happen in the sky (sun going dark, moon looking like blood, stars falling to the earth). This causes the people of the earth, both great and small, to run and hide from the "wrath of the Lamb."

Let me know if you have any questions. I sure do...

Day 1 of Read: Revelation

2008-02-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

Ok readers, here's the low down for the first day of reading Revelation. I hope that you were able to find time today to read chapters 1 to 3. Here's a couple things to keep in mind as you read:

The book was written by the Apostle John after receiving a revelation of Jesus Christ. The revelation that God gave him was in order "to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
Although this book is filled with prophecy and symbolism, the main theme and the main Character is Jesus Christ (notice the description of him in Rev. 1:13-16?).
This book was originally written to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, which is now modern Turkey.

While addressing each church specifically, Jesus gives them a message of commendation (a pat on the back), of criticism (a smack upside the head), and of comfort (an arm around the shoulder). Can you note the commendation, criticism and comfort Jesus gives to each of the churches?

Nearing the End...

2008-02-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers,
There is only one week left until we begin reading our final book... Revelation. We are going to be doing something different with Revelation, similar to what we did with the Gospel of Mark. Starting next Thursday we are inviting everyone to join us as we read Revelation and to join in the discussion. Here is what we'll be doing specifically for Revelation:

We will be reading a little less each day (approximately 3 chapters a day)
I will post insights and questions related to the reading each day here on the blog
We will also use this blog as a place for you to write in with your questions
I will be handing out the entire reading schedule with a study guide next week at our High School FUEL Bible Study, so be sure to get that if possible.

I'm looking forward to finishing the one-year reading with as many of you as possible. God bless you as you keep reading and knowing God through His Word.

Hey Theology Students

2008-01-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

For all of you who weren't in class last week or missed Wednesday night this week, we will not be having our Sunday Night Theology class this week (Sunday, January 27th) due to the all church business meeting. We will continue next week immediately after the Superbowl... which we will all we watching at the Sando's home.

Also, Saturday night there will be a special prayer meeting for the High Schoolers at my house before the Saturday night prayer session at the church. The High School prayer gathering will be at 6:30 at my house on Saturday night, and the main session begins at 7:30 at the church. I hope a lot of you guys will be able to make it.

God bless!

What's Up With Job?

2008-01-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

First of all, in case you're wondering how long it'll be until we're done, it should be only a few more weeks. With all of the "catch-up" days we had and taking some time off for things like camp, we ended up falling just a little behind. But remember, as we talked about at the beginning, it's not a race but learning to develop the good and godly habit of spending time in God's word.

Now to Job... this book is considered one of the greatest poems ever written by both literary and theological standards as it deals with the problem of human suffering and God's loving control of all things (often referred to as His 'sovereignty'). It also contrasts the supremacy of God's wisdom over the human wisdom of Job and his friends.

I know we are reading what appears to be bigger sections than what we usually do, but the flow of this book is different from a lot of what we've previously read. My favorite part of this book is the end when God silences all of the accusations. I know that this is a rebuke we could all stand to hear quite regularly...

Happy Reading in 2008!

To "Incline" and Being "Inclined"

2007-12-17T09:54:00.001-08:00

We had an interesting discussion last night in our theology class as we continued to look at the role of the Bible in not only shaping our beliefs (theology), but also in the priorities of our beliefs (our worldview). Many of us are not struggling with having incorrect doctrine about God, but having the right affections and appreciation for our beliefs.

The two verses we looked at last night both came from yesterday's reading, and I think it's worth reminding everyone about our responsibility as well as our dependence on God to see us having a more God-honoring system of beliefs and worldview.

Psalm 119:36 "Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!"

Psalm 119:112 "I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end."

The author understand his need to have God change his heart, but he also recognizes the role that he has to take to set his heart toward the things of highest value... the "testimonies" of God, and not "selfish gain". From this disciplined and prayer filled life as a disciple of Jesus, we all can join this Psalm writer when he says in Psalm 119:127 that he loves God's commandments above even fine gold.

Enjoy some of the best letters ever written this week, many of which were written from a filthy Roman prison.

Encouragement for the Chronicles

2007-11-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers,

Here's a bit of info about 1 and 2 Chronicles. First of all, they start off with a few chapters of genealogies, which I know can be a little tiring and discouraging to read. But press through (even skim them if you want) because by the time you get to chapter 10 you will start to read some of the most interesting history in the Bible.

The books of the Chronicles primarily focuses on the southern Kingdom of Judah. 1 Chronicles mainly focuses on reign of King David while the second books talks about many of the other great (and not sot great) kings of Judah. I hope you enjoy many of the fascinating stories in these books.

It's also worth noting that these books were most likely written after the Kingdom of Judah was destroyed and the people went into exile and then returned 70 years later. This book was written to encourage these returning exiles that God had not forgotten about them but that He has a loving plan and future for His people.

Enjoy!

Some Knowledge About Wisdom

2007-11-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

Here's a bit of information to help you understand the book of Ecclesiastes a little more. Ecclesiastes contains reflections of an old man, the "Preacher" as he considers the question of meaning in life. He looks back and sees the futility ("vanity") of chasing after even the good things this life can offer, including wisdom, work, pleasure and wealth. Even if such things are satisfying for a time, death is certain to end this satisfaction. In fact, God's judgment on Adam for his sin (Gen. 3:17-19) echoes throughout the book (especially 12:7). Yet the person who lives in the fear of the Lord can enjoy God's good gifts. Young people, especially, should remember their Creator while they still have their whole lives before them (12:1). Traditionally interpreters of Ecclesiastes have identified the "Preacher," who is also called "the son of David, king in Jerusalem" (1:1), as Solomon (tenth century B.C.).

Schedule Update

2007-10-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

Just a quick note to let you know that the schedule has been updated in the right margin. Sorry for the delay. I hope that you've been enjoying Ezekiel.

The Greatest Letter Ever Written

2007-09-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

I hope that you enjoyed reading Romans, although if you're like me you found many parts of it very confusing. But that's ok... my old pastor calls Romans "the greatest letter ever written" because it is the best summary of the entire good news of Jesus Christ.

When I first became a Christian, I sat down and read the entire book or Romans and was so excited because it was the first time that the Bible made sense to me. Yet since then I have read Romans many, many times and each time I realize how deep this book is. It took my old Pastor over 9 years to preach through the entire book, so don't be discouraged if you felt like you missed stuff while trying to read through it in a week. My encouragement to you... read it again and again and again.

If there are 16 chapters of anything in the world worth memorizing, I'd say it would be Romans.

Blessings as you keep reading, and enjoy Ezra and Nehemiah.

A New Look... A New Format

2007-08-30T12:29:00.001-07:00

Hey Readers,

So, after months and months of looking at the same style for this blog, I thought it'd be nice to change things up a bit.

Also, for now I'll just be posting the weekly schedule on the right side. I'll keep the posted schedule going back for at least two months, and we'll use this section to provide more information about what we're reading and dealing with questions and issues that come up in the reading.

Feel free to comment and enjoy the rest of Acts. I'll be posting some helpful information on Romans soon.

A Little Bit About Acts

2007-08-23T14:37:00.001-07:00

Acts picks up where the Gospels left off, recording the early progress of the gospel as Jesus; disciples took it from Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the Mediterranean world. The story begins with Christ's ascension and the events of Pentecost. As Gentiles begin responding to the gospel , the focus shifts to Paul and his missionary journeys. Acts forms a bridge between the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, showing how the apostles carried on Christ's work and providing a historical background for Romans through Revelation. The Acts of the Apostles is the second of the two New Testament books written by Dr. Luke. Like his Gospel, Acts was a letter to Luke's friend Theophilus, written sometime in A.D. 62-64.

Week #34 (Aug 19-25)

2007-08-21T15:36:00.000-07:00

Ok readers, here's the schedule for this week:

Sunday: Psalm 79-80
Monday: Judges 9-10
Tuesday: Judges 11-13
Wednesday: Judges 14-16
Thursday: Judges 17-19
Friday: Judges 20-21
Saturday: Proverbs 21

Blessings!

Week #33 (Aug 12-18)

2007-08-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

We'll be starting two new books this week. Here's the schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 78
Monday: Lamentations 1-2
Tuesday: Lamentations 3-5
Wednesday: Judges 1-3
Thursday: Judges 4-5
Friday: Judges 6-8
Saturday: Proverbs 20

The book of Lamentations (which is right after Jeremiah) was written by Jeremiah as he witnessed his home town of Jerusalem be destroyed by his enemies. Lamentations is his own emotional reaction to what he wrote about earlier in the book of Jeremiah.

Judges is the history of Israel beginning after the book of Joshua leading up to the time of Samuel the prophet, King Saul and King David. In Judges we read about the continued moral decline of the nation... just when you think it couldn't get any worse, it does! But God is always at work.

Happy reading.

Ahh VBS (Aug 5-11)

2007-08-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

In all of the chaos of 150 kids this week, I forgot to post the schedule. Hopefully you all saw it posted on the side.

Sunday: Psalm 76-77
Mon: Jeremiah 43-46
Tue: Jeremiah 47-49
Wednesday: Jeremiah 50
Thursday: Jeremiah 51
Friday: Jeremiah 52
Saturday: Proverbs 19

We'll have Jeremiah finished by the end of the week. Keep watch for our next "reading party".

After Camp (July 29-Aug 4)

2007-07-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

In the one year reading schedule, here's what's up this week:

Sunday: Psalm 74-75
Monday: Jeremiah 26-29
Tuesday: Jeremiah 30-31
Wednesday: Jeremiah 32-34
Thursday: Jeremiah 35-38
Friday: Jeremiah 39-42
Saturday: Proverbs 18

For those of you who were at camp and have given up on the one year Bible reading, I hope that you were encouraged by Dewey's challenge. If you are able to read one chapter of the New Testament every day, by the time you pay for camp next year you will have read the entire New Testament. And it only takes 5 minutes.

Remember, set realistic goals. God loves a faithful heart.

The Rest of July (July 15-28)

2007-07-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

Here is the schedule for the remainder of July. I'm posting this now because I will be gone the next two weeks at Jr. High and Sr. High School camp at Hartland. Since it is mostly High Schoolers who are reading, we will continue the first week, but we will take a break the second week (during Sr. High School week). If you are reading and not going to camp, feel free to read what you'd like, but strive to stay in the discipline.

July 15-21
Sunday: Psalm 73
Monday: Jeremiah 9-11
Tuesday: Jeremiah 12-14
Wednesday: Jeremiah 15-18
Thursday: Jeremiah 19-22
Friday: Jeremiah 23-24
Saturday: Proverbs 17

July 22-28
No Scheduled Reading
(high school camp week)

Have fun while you read and enjoy the beauty of summer!

Week #28 (July 8-14) Psalms

2007-07-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

Here is this week's reading, which is going to be made up primarily from the Psalms. We're going to be doing this for two reasons:

1. We're running a little behind on the Psalms.
2. I love the Psalms, and I hope that the reading this week can fill us with praise to God as we read these beautiful and inspired songs and poems of praise.

Sunday: Psalm 44-48
Monday: Psalm 49-54
Tuesday: Psalm 55-59
Wednesday: Psalm 60-64
Thursday: Psalm 65-68
Friday: Psalms 69-72
Saturday: Proverbs 16

May you be filled with praise and joy as you read this week!

Week #27 (July 01-07)

2007-07-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

Here is the schedule for this week:

Monday: Proverbs 15
Tuesday: 2 Samuel 22-23
Wednesday: 2 Samuel 24
Thursday: Jeremiah 1-3
Friday: Jeremiah 4-5
Saturday: Jeremiah 6-8

Jeremiah is one of the biggest books in the Bible, yet it seems that many Christians know very little about him. So as you read, here's a bit more background information about Jeremiah. He is often called the "weeping prophet" because of his persistent message of God's judgment, prophesied to the nation of Judah leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem. He often declared the coming judgment of God, however throughout the book we also see God's concern for repentance and righteousness in both individuals as well as nations. Jeremiah also prophesied of the new covenant in which God would write his law on human hearts so that they would know him and he would remember their sin no more (See Jeremiah 31:33-34).

Happy reading!

Week #26 (June 24-30)

2007-06-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

Here's the official schedule for this week:

Sunday: Psalm 42-43
Monday: 2 Samuel 5-8
Tuesday: 2 Samuel 9-12
Wednesday: 2 Samuel 13-15
Thursday: 2 Samuel 16-18
Friday: 2 Samuel 19-21
Saturday: Proverbs 14

God bless you all as you read.

Week #25 (June 17-23)

2007-06-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's this week's schedule. Again, I'm sorry to for posting it late on the web.

Sunday: catch up day
Monday: catch up day
Tuesday: 1 Samuel 19-21
Wednesday: 1 Samuel 22-25
Thursday: 1 Samuel 26-29
Friday: 1 Samuel 30-31
Saturday: 2 Samuel 1-4

Isn't David an amazing man? I'm struck everytime I read these stories about his heart for God and the way that God used him. Notice his heart in Psalms 42 & 43 as you also read about his life in 1 & 2 Samuel.

Week #24 (June 10-16)

2007-06-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's schedule:

Sunday: catch up day
Monday: catch up day
Tuesday: 1 Samuel 1-3
Wednesday: 1 Samuel 4-8
Thursday: 1 Samuel 9-12
Friday: 1 Samuel 13-15
Saturday: 1 Samuel 16-18

Here's a little more background information on the book of 1 Samuel. It begins at one of the lowest points in Israel's history where there was incredible sin among not only the people, but even among the leaders and the priests. In the beginning of this book God raises up Samuel as a prophet to lead the people, and he eventually anoints first Saul and later David as the first kings of Israel. The books of 1 & 2 Samuel is definitely a time of transition for the nation of Israel, not only spiritually but also politically.

Happy reading!

Week #23 (June 3-9)

2007-06-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here is the schedule for this week as we finish up the book of Exodus:

Sunday: Psalm 41
Monday: Exodus 28-30
Tuesday: Exodus 31-34
Wednesday: Exodus 35-37
Thursday: SUMMER BREAK BEGINS (catch up day)
Friday: Exodus 38-40
Saturday: Proverbs 13

Congratulations to all our graduates!

Week #22 (May 27-June 2)

2007-05-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Mark reading and came out to our Gospel of Mark party on Thursday. I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the discussion. Hopefully we can have another reading party sometime soon. Let me know if you have any suggestions for our next big group reading book.

Here's this week's schedule:

Sunday: catch-up day
Monday: Exodus 9-12
Tuesday: Exodus 13-15
Wednesday: Exodus 16-19
Thursday: Exodus 20-23 (note the 10 Commandments)
Friday: Exodus 24-27
Saturday: Proverbs 11-12

For those of you still reading, keep going strong. Again, sorry for posting this a day late.

Blessings!

Week #21 (May 20-26)

2007-05-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about the Gospel of Mark party this Thursday at the Hall house. All you need to do to attend is read Mark.

Here's this week's reading:

Sunday: Mark 13-14
Monday: Mark 15-16
Tuesday: catch up day
Wednesday: Proverbs 10
Thursday: Mark Party (review Mark)
Friday: Exodus 1-4
Saturday: Exodus 5-8

Although many of us think we're quite familiar with the story of the Exodus of the Israelites, take note how many things in this story are different than you remember. I am surprised by a few things every time I read this book.

Happy reading and hope to see many of you there on Thursday.

Week #20 - The Gospel of Mark

2007-05-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Thank you Mrs. Achilles for reminding me that we forgot to post this week's reading. There is a large group who are going to be reading Mark this week with us, and following the reading we will be having a little Gospel of Mark party at my house on Thursday, May 24th from 7:00 to 10:00. Everyone is invited, but you have to read Mark to attend.

Here's the schedule:

Sunday: catch up day
Monday: Mark 1-2
Tuesday: Mark 3-4
Wednesday: Mark 5-6
Thursday: Mark 7-8
Friday: Mark 9-10
Saturday: Mark 11-12

Week #21
Sunday: Mark 13-14
Monday: Mark 15-16

Thursday: Mark Party at Pastor Curtis' house

For those of you joining us for the first time, here's a few helpful hints:

*decide in advance when you are going to try and read. I try to do this before I leave the house in the morning, but you may find it easier before bed, after dinner, or when you get home from school.

*do your best to stay caught up, but don't get discouraged if you miss a day. Simply KEEP GOING!

*Use a bookmark to remember where you left off... and if you can get one of the orange sheets from Wednesday night, it can be extremely helpful.

I hope to see a lot of you next Thursday for our Mark party.

Week #19 (May 6-12)

2007-05-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

We are going to continue to take some time to do catch-up and review before we do our One Book Read Through and Discussion. So, in keeping with a posted schedule, here it is:

Sunday: catch-up day
Monday: catch-up day
Tuesday: catch-up day
Wednesday: catch-up day (the schedule will be handed out at FUEL group)
Thursday: catch-up day
Friday: catch-up day
Saturday: Proverbs 9

If you are all caught up, take time to review some of what we've already read.

Enjoy your week!

Week #18 (April 29-May 5)

2007-05-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

First off, here's this week's schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 39-40
Monday: Genesis 36-39
Tuesday: Genesis 40-42
Wednesday: Genesis 43-46
Thursday: Genesis 47-50
Friday: catch up day
Saturday: catch up day

Take note that we have a few catch up days at the end of the week, and next week we are going to be trying something a little different. For those of us still doing the one year reading, we will continue to our next book after a few review days. But after the review days others will be joining us for a One Book Read Through and Discussion. Stay tuned for more info.

Blessings as you read.

More about Genesis

2007-04-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a little more information about the book of Genesis. As its name implies, the book is about beginnings and the book tells about how God created the heavens, the earth, humanity, and everything that exists. It shows that God is both the Creator and the Ruler of all creation. But it also tells of humanity's tragic fall into sin and death, and of God's unfolding plan of redemption through his covenantwith Abraham and his descendants. Genesis includes some of the most memorable stories in the Bible, beginning with Adam and Eve, continuing through Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and ending with the life of Joseph. Most Jews and Christians recognize Moses as the author of Genesis, which he probably wrote sometimes after the Exodus from Egypt.

Week #17 (April 22-28)

2007-04-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ok folks, we have a lot of reading ahead of us this week, but I find Genesis one of the easier books to keep going through. I love these stories, and even though they are so familiar, I am struck by how I learn something new each time I read them.

Here's the schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 37-38
Monday: Genesis 19-22
Tuesday: Genesis 23-25
Wednesday: Genesis 26-28
Thursday: Genesis 29-31
Friday: Genesis 32-35
Saturday: Proverbs 8

Happy Reading!

Week #16 (April 15-21) - Genesis

2007-04-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

Here is this week's reading schedule. As we finish 1 Corinthians we will begin reading the beginning... Genesis.

Sunday: Psalm 35-36
Monday: 1 Corinthians 9-12
Tuesday: 1 Corinthians 13-16
Wednesday: Genesis 1-3
Thursday: Genesis 4-9
Friday: Genesis 10-13
Saturday: Genesis 14-18

Genesis is a fantastic book. As easy as it can be to read (since it is mostly stories), there are a lot of questions that arise from reading this book. Don't hesitate to post any questions that come up as you read.

Blessings!

Week #15 (April 8-14)

2007-04-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Resurrection Day!!

Here's the reading for this week. We are going to begin this week by reading Dr. Luke's account of the death and resurrection of Christ (Luke 22-24), then finish Isaiah and begin 1 Corinthians.

Easter Sunday: Luke 22
Monday: Luke 23-24
Tuesday: Isaiah 61-63
Wednesday: Isaiah 64-66
Thursday: 1 Corinthians 1-4
Friday: 1 Corinthians 5-8
Saturday: Proverbs 7

Be prepared for 1 Corinthians as it's much different from a lot of the reading we've been doing lately. This will be the second letter we have read from the Apostle Paul written to a church, and you will notice that he is dealing with a number of specific issues that were going on in this church. If you have any questions about any issues that arise while reading, don't hesitate to comment or send me an email.

Also, enjoy finishing Isaiah. What a fantastic book... I think it's my favorite in the entire Bible.

Be blessed this week!

Week #14 (April 1-7)

2007-04-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

We're now in our fourth month on our Scripture adventure. I'm excited for all of you who have continued on with us. And as a continued encouragement for those who have fallen behind, it's never too late to join back in and keep going.

Here's this week's schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 34
Monday: Isaiah 44-46
Tuesday: Isaiah 47-49
Wednesday: Isaiah 50-53
Thursday: Isaiah 54-56
Friday: Isaiah 57-59
Saturday: Isaiah 60

We were able to spend some time reading and meditating on Isaiah 55 this week in our Sunday School class. Whether or not you were there this week, I would encourage all of you to spend a little extra time as you are going through that chapter.

Also, did you notice Isaiah's connection to the book of 2 Kings?

Happy reading!

Week #13 (March 25-31)

2007-03-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

It's good to be back in the USA with more regular internet access. With this, I'm sorry that I forgot to post this week's reading earlier, but here it is:

Sunday: catch up day
Monday: Isaiah 24-27
Tuesday: Isaiah 28-30
Wednesday: Isaiah 31-34
Thursday: Isaiah 35-37
Friday: Isaiah 38-40
Saturday: Isaiah 41-43

Also, note that I will keep previous week's readings up on the side, and that next week's reading will also be posted.

I love the book of Isaiah. It is a beautiful book speaking of God's power, His sovereignty, and His desire above all things for His glory. Many of my favorite verses come from this great book, including 26:8 which states,

"In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; Your name and rememberance are the desire of our soul."

Be blessed as you continue reading!

Week #12 (March 18-24)

2007-03-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

Hi! This is Mandie again. Here's this week's schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 32-33
Monday: Isaiah 10-12
Tuesday: Isaiah 13-15
Wednesday: Isaiah 16-20
Thursday: Isaiah 21-23
Friday: Catch up day
Saturday: Catch up day

Continue to pray for safety as Pastor Curtis and Pastor Jim return from Russia! Have a great week!!

Week #11 (March 11-17)

2007-03-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

This is Mandie :) Here's the schedule for this week:

Sunday: Psalm 31
Monday: 2 Kings 20-22
Tuesday: 2 Kings 23-25
Wednesday: Proverbs 6
Thursday: Isaiah 1-2
Friday: Isaiah 3-6
Saturday: Isaiah 7-9

Have a good week!

it's coming

2007-03-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

I just noticed the updated schedule isn't online yet. I don't have it with me in Russia, but I'll be sure to get Mandie to help me post it soon. If it's not up today, read Psalm 31 for Sunday and keep going in 2 Kings.

Blessings

Week #10 (March 4-10)

2007-03-04T09:14:00.000-08:00

We have now reached our tenth week in the Bible reading. Here's the schedule for this week:

Sunday: Psalm 30
Monday: 2 Kings 4-5
Tuesday: 2 Kings 6-8
Wednesday: 2 Kings 9-11
Thursday: 2 Kings 12-14
Friday: 2 Kings 15-17
Saturday: 2 Kings 18-19

Even though I will be in Russia for then next couple of weeks, we will continue to put out a daily schedule. Also, we will still be meeting at 6:30 on Wednesdays for encouragement and prayer with Mr. McDonald leading the meeting. Please continue to attend during the next couple of weeks.

Keep making time for God!

Week #9 (Feb. 25-Mar. 3)

2007-02-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 28-29
Monday: 1 Kings 14-16
Tuesday: 1 Kings 17-19
Wednesday: 1 Kings 20-22
Thursday: Proverbs 4-5
Friday: 1 Timothy
Saturday: 2 Kings 1-3

When we complete 1 Kings, we will read a few more chapters in the Proverbs, take a quick break by reading the Apostle Paul's first letter to Pastor Timothy, then continue on in Kings.

Let me just continue to encourage everyone (whether or not you were there last Wednesday) to NOT QUIT, no matter how far behind you may fall. Remember, our ultimate goal is not to race through the Bible in one year, but to be in our Bibles this year together as much as possible. Make time for God!

Catch Up Week #8 (Feb. 18-24)

2007-02-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

No, we're not going to have a group catch up week, or even a catch up day this week for that matter. Instead, since the High Schoolers at S.B.H.S. have the week off school, this is would be a great time to get some extra reading done if you're behind. But I promise that we will have some more catch up reading days (and some light reading days) soon.

Here is this week's reading schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 26-27
Monday: 1 Kings 1-2
Tuesday: 1 Kings 3-6
Wednesday: 1 Kings 7-8
Thursday: 1 Kings 9-10
Friday: Proverbs 2-3
Saturday: 1 Kings 11-13

I enjoyed reading Amos this week. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I read it in 3 different translations. Knowing that Amos prophesied during a time of peace and prosperity in Israel made me think of the parallels of living in modern America.

Here's a brief introduction to 1 Kings:

1 Kings begins with the death of King David (about 970 B.C.) and the magnificent reign of his son, Solomon, who wrote much of Israel’s wisdom literature. Solomon’s unfaithfulness later in life set the stage for general rebellion among the people. The harsh policies of his son Rehoboam led to the revolt of the northern tribes under King Jeroboam I, and the division of Israel. The northern tribes would subsequently carry the name Israel, while the southern tribes would be called Judah. 1 Kings describes the construction of the temple in Jerusalem, and the importance of proper worship. God’s faithfulness to his people is shown as he sent prophets, most notably Elijah, to warn them not to serve other gods. The author of this book is unknown.

Take special note on Friday when you read Proverbs 2-3 that it was king Solomon who wrote these incredible words of wisdom, then watch what happens on Saturday when even the wisest man who ever lived (other than Jesus Christ) does not follow his own teaching. Truly a sad ending to a great life.

I'm So Far Behind!

2007-02-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

A couple people have mentioned to me that they have fallen significantly behind in the reading and were wondering what they should do. Here's a couple suggestions:

*If you're more than a full book behind, skip the book. If you're using one of our bookmarks, leave the check box blank and we can return to that book later.

*Try and do 2 days readings per day until you catch up. This may take time, but if you keep with it, you'll catch up quicker than you think. This also requires personal discipline, but remember that discipline is part of being a Disciple of Christ.

*Don't get discouraged, and whatever you do, Don't Quit!

*Find accountability, and be accountable. Also, if you're a part of our Wednesday night FUEL group, make our 6:30 meeting a priority.

As promised, here's a little more info about the book of Obadiah:

Obadiah wrote this shortest book of the Old Testament probably soon after the armies of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. During the conquest, the people of Edom (the nation bordering Israel on the east) helped capture fleeing Israelites and turned them over to the Babylonians. They even took up residence in some Judean villages. This angered the Lord, for the Edomites, as descendants of Esau, were related to the Israelites and therefore should have helped them. Obadiah prophesied that Edom would be repaid for mistreating God's people. Within a hundred years Edom was in ruins. Obadiah also asserted that God is sovereign over the nations and that the house of Jacob would be restored because of God's covenant love for His people.

Week #7 (Feb. 11-17)

2007-02-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

We don't have a catch-up day this week, so let's be diligent to keep at this every day. In addition to our usual Psalm reading on Sunday, we're also going to read a section of Proverbs as well as read the book of Amos and Obadiah. Here's the schedule for the week:

Sunday: Psalm 24-25
Monday: Daniel 6-8
Tuesday: Daniel 9-11
Wednesday: Daniel 12 and Proverbs 1
Thursday: Amos 1-4
Friday: Amos 5-8
Saturday: Amos 9 and Obadiah

After finishing Daniel on Wednesday, we are going to read the first chapter of the book of Proverbs. The majority of this book is believed to have been written by King Solomon, and it is a collection of the wisdom given to him by God. We are told right at the beginning of the book that the beginning of wisdom and knowledge is "the Fear of the Lord".

Also this week we are reading Amos and Obadiah (which are located back to back in the Old Testament among the prophets). Here is an introduction to the book of Amos:

Amos, the first of the "writing prophets", was a shepherd and a farmer called to prophesy during the reign of King Uzziah in the kingdom of Judah. During this time, both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah enjoyed political stability and financial prosperity, but it was also a time of idolatry, extravagance and corruption. The rich and powerful were oppressing the poor and Amos denounced the people of Israel for their apostasy and social injustice and warned them that disaster would fall upon them for breaking the covenant. He urged them to leave the hypocrisy of their "solemn assemblies" (5:21) and instead to "let justice roll down like waters" (v. 24). Nevertheless, said Amos, God would remember his covenant with Israel and would restore a faithful remnant.

I'll post a bit of information about Obadiah before Saturday, so be sure to check back by then. God bless you as you keep reading.

Week #6 (Feb. 4-10) - Daniel

2007-02-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

Here's the schedule for this week. Enjoy your catch up day, and make the best use of your time to stay caught up.

Sunday: Psalm 19-23
Monday: Joshua 16-19
Tuesday: Joshua 20-22
Wednesday: Joshua 23-24
Thursday: catch-up day!!
Friday: Daniel 1-2
Saturday: Daniel 3-5

I hope you enjoyed reading the book of Joshua. What an amazing story of God's power, the fulfillment of His promises, and His continue desire for His glory and the holiness of His people.

As we leave Joshua, we head to the book of Daniel. The story of Joshua is about the people of Israel taking possession of the promised land, and Daniel tells of how the people were taken into exile in Babylon because of their sin. Here's a little more background information on Daniel:

Exiled to Babylon in 605 B.C., Daniel was one of several young men chosen to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court. When the Persians conquered Babylon in 539, Daniel was again given a position of power. He remained faithful to God in both of these hostile environments. From the interpretation of dreams, to the familiar stories of the fiery furnace, the lion’s den, and the handwriting on the wall, to the apocalyptic visions, the recurrent theme of the book is God’s sovereignty over human affairs. In the historical sections (ch. 1-6) God supernaturally rescued Daniel and his friends. The rest of the book consists of visions of future judgment and deliverance by the Messiah. Some of Daniel’s prophetic themes are echoed in the book of Revelation.

Write me if you have any questions. Happy reading and keep going strong!

Week #5 (Jan. 28-Feb. 3) - Joshua

2007-01-31T15:02:00.000-08:00

We should now be done Deuteronomy and well into Joshua by the end of the week. Officially here's this week's schedule (even though the week is half over... I hope you've been able to get it off of the FUEL handouts or the side column on the webpage):

Sunday: Psalm 16-18
Monday: Deuteronomy 32-34
Tuesday: Joshua 1-4
Wednesday: Joshua 5-8
Thursday: Joshua 9-11
Friday: Joshua 12-15
Saturday: catch-up day!!

Enjoy your catch-up day on Saturday. If you need to do a significant amount of reading to get caught up, schedule that time to do it as early in the day as possible. If you do not need to get caught up, use Saturday to review some thing that you've already read (for instance, some of the Psalms we've already read, or Deuteronomy 6 or Galatians).

Here's a brief introduction and some background information to the book of Joshua:

The five books of Moses anticipated the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham regarding the Promised Land. Now, through a string of military victories under Joshua’s command, Israel conquered the land and apportioned it according to their twelve tribes. In these battles it became evident that God fights for His people when they are “strong and courageous” (1:6, 7, 9, 18, 10:25) and put their full trust in him. At the close of the book, Joshua charged the people to remain faithful to God and to obey his commands, and the people agreed to do so. “As for me and my house,” said Joshua, “we will serve the LORD” (24:15). Although anonymous, the book appears to contain eyewitness testimony, most of which is most likely written by Joshua himself.

As we read this book, think of what it means that we can be strong and courageous as we trust in His strength.

God's blessing as you keep seeking Him in the time you have in His Word!

Week #4 (Jan. 21-27)

2007-01-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

OK readers, here's this week's schedule, which will take us almost all the way through the big and exciting book of Deuteronomy by the end of the week.

Sunday: Psalm 10-15
Monday: Deuteronomy 8-11
Tuesday: Deuteronomy 12-15
Wednesday: Deuteronomy 16-19
Thursday: Deuteronomy 20-24
Friday: Deuteronomy 25-28
Saturday: Deuteronomy 29-31

For those of you not in our class on Sunday, here is a very brief introduction to the book of Deuteronomy:

This book means "second law", and is a retelling by Moses of the teachings and events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It includes an extended review of the Ten Commandments (ch. 5) and Moses farewell address to a new generation of Israelites as they stand ready to take possession of the Promised Land. He reminds them of God's faithfulness and love, but also of God's wrath on the previous generation of Israelites because of their disobedience and lack of faith. Repeatedly he charges Israel to not only keep the Law, but to love and obey the one true God. There are blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. The book ends with the selection of Joshua as Israel's new leader and the death of Moses.

My favorite section from this book is from 6:4-9, dealing with the greatest commandment. Moses writes, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

Think of ways that we can actively remember to love the LORD our God with our hearts, souls, minds and strength this week as we are faced with temptations to sin and distractions of the world. Can you think of times to talk about Him as you "walk by the way"? What are some reminders you can put up to remember to love the LORD? The Israelites put reminders on their hands and heads and doorposts... what can we do? Feel free to leave your ideas as a comment.

God bless you all as you grow to love the LORD in reading Deuteronomy this week!

Week #3 (Jan. 14-20)

2007-01-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

I realize that I'm posting this a few days late, but I assume most of you have had the chance to see the schedule posted on the right side of the page.

This week we should have already finished Micah, we'll complete Galatians tomorrow, and begin our adventure through the big Old Testament book of Deuteronomy. Here's the schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 6-9
Monday: Micah 5-7
Tuesday: Galatians 1-2
Wednesday: Galatians 3-4
Thursday: Galatians 5-6
Friday: Deuteronomy 1-3
Saturday: Deuteronomy 4-7

If you've been having a little trouble with Galatians, here's a few things to keep in mind:

*Galatians is very different from John, Micah and the Psalms. Unlike a narritave, poetry or prophecy, Galatians is a letter written to deal with a theological issue.

*Because Galatians was written do deal with thelogical issues within the church, the Apostle Paul wrote this letter as an argument. This means that we may need to read this letter a little slower, as well as go back and make sure we understand what is written in order to follow his argument (this is why we are only reading 2 chapters a day).

*This letter deals with theology that is important for every single believer. The key verse is 2:16 where Paul writes that "a person is not justified (declared right before God) by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ... by works of the law no one will be justified."

Happy reading and I'll see you tonight!

Who's With Us?

2007-01-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

If you check out the side list, I've posted the reading teams from our High School FUEL group. We're going to use these groups for encouragement as well as organizing monthly times together to hang out and have fun.

If you weren't able to be there on Wednesday night, it's still not too late to join our group. Talk to me at church, give me a call, send me an email or post a comment letting me know that you want to join us.

Also, I've talked with a few others in our church (and elsewhere) that have decided to join us on our Scripture Adventure. If you are joining with us, leave a comment so that we can know who's with us.

Blessings as you read!

Prepare for the Prophets

2007-01-12T16:05:00.000-08:00

As of today, we will have completed the book of John. Can you believe that in only a week we have read the entire book of John (plus 5 Psalms)? I hope you were able to know God a little more through these first few days in the Scripture Adventure. Feel free to use this posting to comment on anything you learned or were impacted by while reading John.

As of Saturday we are going to start with the book of Micah, and we are going to try to do it in 2 days. After meeting on Wednesday and hearing some of your reading tips, here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you read Micah:

*consider doing the whole book (7 chapters) at once. It will help you keep the flow of the theme of the book (plus you can then take 1 day off or use it to get caught up or get ahead).

*remember that the style is going to be much different than John. Micah was a Hebrew prophet that lived 700 years before Christ and he used poetic language to communicate his message.

Here's a little more background info to prepare you for your read:

Micah prophesied in Judah during the reigns of King Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (about 750-700 B.C.), at about the same time as Isaiah. It was a time of prosperity, and Micah denounced the wealthy, who were oppressing the poor, and warned of impending judgment. The northern kingdom (Israel) actually fell during Micah’s ministry, in 722, and Judah almost fell in 701 (2 Kings 18-20). The book contains messages alternating between words of warning and of hope. Micah told of a day when there would be peace among all nations, who would then be able to “beat their swords into plowshares” (4:3), and of a royal deliverer who would save Israel from all her enemies. This deliverer would be born in Bethlehem (5:2).

By the way, I was very encouraged by our meeting on Wednesday night. Thanks to everyone who came, and I hope that we can keep this up all year. Each of you were a blessing to me!

Anybody have any suggestions for a name for our group?

Week #2 (Jan. 7-13)

2007-01-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

This week we will finish the book of John, and after reading about the story of Lazarus, we will hear a lot of the final teachings Jesus gave to His Disciples before His death. This is amazing stuff, so don't hesitate to ask questions or leave comments as they come up.

Here's this week's reading schedule:

Sunday: Psalm 1-5
Monday: John 10-12
Tuesday: John 13-15
Wednesday: John 16-17
Thursday: John 18-19
Friday: John 20-21
Saturday: Micah 1-4

I will post an introduction and some helpful information on the book of Micah later this week, so check back soon for that.

Also, if you weren't in our Sunday morning class this week, you missed our introduction study of the Psalms. I'll be sure to put up the main points from our study before our next reading from the Psalms.

Happy reading and I'll see you Wednesday night!

Helpful hint

2007-01-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Mandie. I'm really enjoying our Bible read through so far (all 2 days of it!), and I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys are learning through this. I've been reading in the New Living Translation, which may not be the most accurate for studying, but for a read through like this, it's wonderful! It's in every day language, so it really makes the stories come to life. If any of you are having a tough time reading in your translation, contact me or Curtis and we can hook you up with an easier translation like the NLT, or the NIV. And if you have any questions you can always call us, or post your question on the blog. Happy Reading!

Week #1 (Jan. 4-6)

2007-01-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

Unlike a lot of other one year Bible reading plans, we aren't going to start in Genesis. Instead, we are going to start in the Gospel of John, and in case you are joining us late, we will end with John again.

Before you begin, here's a brief introduction to John's account of the life of Christ:

John wrote his Gospel to persuade people to believe in Jesus (20:30-31). From the opening verses he declares that Jesus is God, stressing his unique relationship with God the Father. He focuses on seven of Jesus’ miracles (called “signs”), to demonstrate his divinity. Jesus called people to have faith in him, promising eternal life. He proved he could give life by raising Lazarus (ch. 11) and by his own death and resurrection. John features Christ’s seven “I am” statements, his encounters with a Pharisee named Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, his Upper Room teachings, washing of the disciples’ feet (ch. 13-16), and his high priestly prayer (ch. 17). John also includes the most well-known summary of the gospel (3:16). The author, who is most likely the Apostle John (although he never declares himself to be the author), probably wrote this book about A.D. 85.

Here is this week's reading:

Thursday: John 1-3
Friday: John 4-6
Saturday: John 7-9

If you have any questions or observations, feel free to post a comment. I'll be sure to reply to them as soon as possible.

Be sure to set aside at least 20 minutes a day to do this. Trust me, it's not hard to find the time!

Also, if you'd like to listen to the bible online in the English Standard Version (the version I'll be reading), check out www.gnpcb.org/esv/. Type in the passage you want to read, then click the "listen" tab at the top of the screen.

Do your best to stick with the daily schedule. As you keep with it, you'll be amazed at how much you are reading. Also, if you don't already have one, get one of the check-box bookmarks from me.

Happy reading!

Prepare for the Scripture Marathon

2007-01-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Ok... so we are going to embark on a one year adventure through the Bible as a High School group. This is going to be the place where we can find out what we are reading this week, post comments or questions about the reading, and encourage one another to keep going.

Stay tuned for more info about our kick-off reading starting Thursday, January 4th.