Last year we challenged you to take a journey through Scripture. From September 2010 to June 2011, we journeyed from Genesis to Revelation. This year, we're taking another 270 day journey... this time, through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.
To access the reading plan electronically, visit our Read the Bible webpage. Or, pick up a bookmark at the information counter in the church foyer.
Questions can be directed to readthebible@grantmemorial.mb.ca.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 270: Revelation 15-22
Day 270 is here!
By the end of this reading you will have completed your trip through the entire Bible in 9 months. Just look back at how far you’ve travelled. You started a few weeks ago in the book of beginnings – Genesis, and now just think of how far you’ve come. You read about the creation, the first sin, the tower of Babel, the flood, the call of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the story of Joseph, the Prince of Egypt. And all of that before you got out of the first book.
And then you kept on going – through the wilderness with Moses, the conquests with Joshua, the distressing days of the Judges, the rise and fall of dozens of kings and the mysterious visions of dozens of prophets; the birth, life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, and the birth and development of the church that He promised to build.
That is an amazing journey – and you made it every step of the way. Congratulations!
As I mentioned in Wednesday’s blog, I want us to end our journey with a sermon. The talk, as I mentioned yesterday, is a message based on a text in the book of Revelation. The messages are lectures delivered by one of my favourite Bible expositors, D. A. Carson. This lecture is the 14th lecture in a series of talks he gave at the Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis in a series (now a book) titled, The God Who Is There.
Read the texts of the day carefully. Then click on the link and listen to Carson’s messages. It is a bit long (53 minutes) so you may want to download them and listen later. But if you do take the time, you won’t be disappointed.
Today’s talk is titled, The God Who Triumphs (http://bit.ly/jqmhkP). Enjoy!
And even after you have finished the Bible all of the way through – don’t just put it on the shelf. Keep reading !
By the end of this reading you will have completed your trip through the entire Bible in 9 months. Just look back at how far you’ve travelled. You started a few weeks ago in the book of beginnings – Genesis, and now just think of how far you’ve come. You read about the creation, the first sin, the tower of Babel, the flood, the call of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the story of Joseph, the Prince of Egypt. And all of that before you got out of the first book.
And then you kept on going – through the wilderness with Moses, the conquests with Joshua, the distressing days of the Judges, the rise and fall of dozens of kings and the mysterious visions of dozens of prophets; the birth, life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, and the birth and development of the church that He promised to build.
That is an amazing journey – and you made it every step of the way. Congratulations!
As I mentioned in Wednesday’s blog, I want us to end our journey with a sermon. The talk, as I mentioned yesterday, is a message based on a text in the book of Revelation. The messages are lectures delivered by one of my favourite Bible expositors, D. A. Carson. This lecture is the 14th lecture in a series of talks he gave at the Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis in a series (now a book) titled, The God Who Is There.
Read the texts of the day carefully. Then click on the link and listen to Carson’s messages. It is a bit long (53 minutes) so you may want to download them and listen later. But if you do take the time, you won’t be disappointed.
Today’s talk is titled, The God Who Triumphs (http://bit.ly/jqmhkP). Enjoy!
And even after you have finished the Bible all of the way through – don’t just put it on the shelf. Keep reading !
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Day 269: Revelation 5-14
Here we are – the last book in the New Testament. I would imagine some of you thought you’d never arrive – and here you are! A thousand congratulations! You made it. Our 270 day journey is almost complete. The train is pulling into the station.
Now you not only know you can do it. You know the rewards of consistent reading and reflection on God’s Word.
Of course, the challenge is not quite yet over. We are, after all, in the book of Revelation. If there is a more symbol-laden and mysterious book in all of the New Testament, I do not know what it is.
So I have decided to share with you one more resource to help you through the book. It is not an outline or a commentary. It is two sermons, both based on texts in the book of Revelation. The messages are lectures delivered by one of my favorite Bible expositors, D. A. Carson. The lectures are the 13th and 14th lectures in a series of talks he gave at the Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis in a series (now a book) titled, The God Who Is There.
Read the texts of the day carefully. Then click on the link and listen to Carson’s messages. They are a bit long (53 minutes) so you may want to download them and listen later. But if you do take the time, you won’t be disappointed.
Today’s talk is titled, The God Who Is Very Angry (http://bit.ly/meXJbT ).
And keep reading !
Now you not only know you can do it. You know the rewards of consistent reading and reflection on God’s Word.
Of course, the challenge is not quite yet over. We are, after all, in the book of Revelation. If there is a more symbol-laden and mysterious book in all of the New Testament, I do not know what it is.
So I have decided to share with you one more resource to help you through the book. It is not an outline or a commentary. It is two sermons, both based on texts in the book of Revelation. The messages are lectures delivered by one of my favorite Bible expositors, D. A. Carson. The lectures are the 13th and 14th lectures in a series of talks he gave at the Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis in a series (now a book) titled, The God Who Is There.
Read the texts of the day carefully. Then click on the link and listen to Carson’s messages. They are a bit long (53 minutes) so you may want to download them and listen later. But if you do take the time, you won’t be disappointed.
Today’s talk is titled, The God Who Is Very Angry (http://bit.ly/meXJbT ).
And keep reading !
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Day 268: 1 John 5-Revelation 4
This is our final week of "Read the Bible in 9 Months". To celebrate our journey, we've asked a few of our blog readers to write a short article on their experience. Today's post is from blog reader Gilles Lamoureux.
Michael Polanyi coined the phrase "We can know more than we can tell". It's not apparent what reading the whole Bible in just a few months might supply. Other than the discipline and developing an aptitude for a quick and intense read, it wasn’t obvious. But I realized I wasn’t alone in the task, and that made all the difference for what awaited me on the horizon.
The Israelites moved forward in strength and courage in large part because of their fearless leader Joshua and their comrades in arms. Something tough comes easy when the tough- minded get us going. There's nothing like treading along through thick and thin with your pastor. We can't all get personal all of the time, but this comes real close. Grant Memorial made perfect use of technology to get the pastor in my home daily and mentor me on through hard work. That's not an apparent benefit to expect from a Bible read.
From a recent sermon from the man who heads Faith at Home Ministries, of the top three most influential people who nurture children's faith the pastor comes in third, only after mom and dad. That's significant. And there is little doubt that leadership holds that very same significance in the lives of adults, especially men.
And the effort comes best when done jointly. The Israelites had no idea what to expect going into the Promised Land. A condensed reading of the whole Bible no less comes with reservations. But there's nothing like being on the same page, literally with other congregants under the same roof when tackling a problem. It's unusual to stay connected on the same task doing exactly the same thing daily with others you rarely if ever see. That's solidarity. It's not apparent for a Bible read; it’s not apparent in most things we do.
And the task makes the joint effort all the more momentous. Many hands were on deck every day. That wasn't apparent because participation on the blog was lean. Blogs are new for many. But readers were there, trust me. There will yet be another chance to put a blog to good use, I'm certain. There'll be more input, more questions, more integration of revelations, wisdom and anecdotes. That's something to look forward to. No task is worth the effort without getting those hands dirty. When it comes to the most vital weapon in the Christian arsenal everyone on deck needs to put their hands to the task, not just read but engage others with tough questions. Grant Memorial is no cruise ship or Good Ship Lollipop. It’s a clipper ship, making its way through rough waters and the Bible is our only lethal arsenal in the task against high seas.
The Israelites had many battles ahead of them and the view of the horizon would look bleak if it were not for their courage and strength. They had a determined leader and strength in a common destiny. And they had God’s Word, for the first time ever. For the very first time, ever, I sat at my computer every single day with dozens of other congregants with a few insights from my pastor. It’s not quite on the cusp of venturing into the Promised Land, but it sure comes close when I see how bleak the culture is and our mandate to redeem it. ~ Gilles Lamoureux
Michael Polanyi coined the phrase "We can know more than we can tell". It's not apparent what reading the whole Bible in just a few months might supply. Other than the discipline and developing an aptitude for a quick and intense read, it wasn’t obvious. But I realized I wasn’t alone in the task, and that made all the difference for what awaited me on the horizon.
The Israelites moved forward in strength and courage in large part because of their fearless leader Joshua and their comrades in arms. Something tough comes easy when the tough- minded get us going. There's nothing like treading along through thick and thin with your pastor. We can't all get personal all of the time, but this comes real close. Grant Memorial made perfect use of technology to get the pastor in my home daily and mentor me on through hard work. That's not an apparent benefit to expect from a Bible read.
From a recent sermon from the man who heads Faith at Home Ministries, of the top three most influential people who nurture children's faith the pastor comes in third, only after mom and dad. That's significant. And there is little doubt that leadership holds that very same significance in the lives of adults, especially men.
And the effort comes best when done jointly. The Israelites had no idea what to expect going into the Promised Land. A condensed reading of the whole Bible no less comes with reservations. But there's nothing like being on the same page, literally with other congregants under the same roof when tackling a problem. It's unusual to stay connected on the same task doing exactly the same thing daily with others you rarely if ever see. That's solidarity. It's not apparent for a Bible read; it’s not apparent in most things we do.
And the task makes the joint effort all the more momentous. Many hands were on deck every day. That wasn't apparent because participation on the blog was lean. Blogs are new for many. But readers were there, trust me. There will yet be another chance to put a blog to good use, I'm certain. There'll be more input, more questions, more integration of revelations, wisdom and anecdotes. That's something to look forward to. No task is worth the effort without getting those hands dirty. When it comes to the most vital weapon in the Christian arsenal everyone on deck needs to put their hands to the task, not just read but engage others with tough questions. Grant Memorial is no cruise ship or Good Ship Lollipop. It’s a clipper ship, making its way through rough waters and the Bible is our only lethal arsenal in the task against high seas.
The Israelites had many battles ahead of them and the view of the horizon would look bleak if it were not for their courage and strength. They had a determined leader and strength in a common destiny. And they had God’s Word, for the first time ever. For the very first time, ever, I sat at my computer every single day with dozens of other congregants with a few insights from my pastor. It’s not quite on the cusp of venturing into the Promised Land, but it sure comes close when I see how bleak the culture is and our mandate to redeem it. ~ Gilles Lamoureux
Monday, June 13, 2011
Day 267: 2 Peter 1-1 John 4
This is our final week of "Read the Bible in 9 Months". To celebrate our journey, we've asked a few of our blog readers to write a short article on their experience. Today's post is from blog reader Shannon Silvestri.
Any other time I’ve committed to something for 9 months, the end result has been a baby. So as I’ve gotten closer and closer to the last week of Bible readings, the thought has crossed my mind... what is my end reward here?
Well, I have definitely learned that there are things in the Bible that God really wants us to know. And, He is willing to repeat them over and over again until we get it. Some days I wondered if I had already read some passages because they were so familiar, but then I realized that many messages were being repeated. I tried to learn to perk up my ears and pay special attention to those points.
I learned that I’m not always ready to understand something. There were days when my readings went in one ear and out the other. No amount of repeating would make it sink in. It felt wrong at first to just move on... like I was cheating somehow. But I had to trust that God is in control and that He will reveal His Word to me as He sees fit.
There were days when I did not feel happy about stories I’d read. Some parts of the Bible seem very unfair to me. Why David and not Saul? But God is sovereign and I will not understand all His choices. I have faith that He knows what He’s doing.
I felt so amazed at the magnitude of stories. So many characters... and God had a special use for each one. It makes me feel excited for God’s plan for my own life. And on that topic, I learned that God can use anyone for His glory. The stories of Samson from Sunday School leave out that he was actually an arrogant fool... but God used him anyway. So there’s hope for me too!
Maybe my most valuable reward was to learn that there is always time if you make something a priority. I would never have imagined that I’d have enough time in the day to get through this amount of reading. I am not even sure what got sacrificed so that it could happen. Obviously whatever I had been using that time for before was not that important. Maybe there have been a few more dust bunnies congregating in my house this past year, but I learned that it is possible to make God’s Word a priority and fit it in on a consistent basis.
God’s Word is big business. Important stuff! I’ve learned that I need to make it a priority every single day. ~ Shannon Silvestri
Any other time I’ve committed to something for 9 months, the end result has been a baby. So as I’ve gotten closer and closer to the last week of Bible readings, the thought has crossed my mind... what is my end reward here?
Well, I have definitely learned that there are things in the Bible that God really wants us to know. And, He is willing to repeat them over and over again until we get it. Some days I wondered if I had already read some passages because they were so familiar, but then I realized that many messages were being repeated. I tried to learn to perk up my ears and pay special attention to those points.
I learned that I’m not always ready to understand something. There were days when my readings went in one ear and out the other. No amount of repeating would make it sink in. It felt wrong at first to just move on... like I was cheating somehow. But I had to trust that God is in control and that He will reveal His Word to me as He sees fit.
There were days when I did not feel happy about stories I’d read. Some parts of the Bible seem very unfair to me. Why David and not Saul? But God is sovereign and I will not understand all His choices. I have faith that He knows what He’s doing.
I felt so amazed at the magnitude of stories. So many characters... and God had a special use for each one. It makes me feel excited for God’s plan for my own life. And on that topic, I learned that God can use anyone for His glory. The stories of Samson from Sunday School leave out that he was actually an arrogant fool... but God used him anyway. So there’s hope for me too!
Maybe my most valuable reward was to learn that there is always time if you make something a priority. I would never have imagined that I’d have enough time in the day to get through this amount of reading. I am not even sure what got sacrificed so that it could happen. Obviously whatever I had been using that time for before was not that important. Maybe there have been a few more dust bunnies congregating in my house this past year, but I learned that it is possible to make God’s Word a priority and fit it in on a consistent basis.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
God’s Word is big business. Important stuff! I’ve learned that I need to make it a priority every single day. ~ Shannon Silvestri
Friday, June 10, 2011
Day 264: James 3-1 Peter 5
One of my favourite books to read and teach is the one that is the center of today’s section – James. I am not certain why, exactly, but I suspect that it is because James always gives me something to do – an attitude to adjust or a habit to develop. Chapter 4 in today’s selection is typical of James’ approach, but with a twist.
What’s your favourite attribute of God? There’s such a long list of them. You could choose God’s omniscience, His omnipresence, His omnipotence. He knows everything. He is everywhere at the same time. And He is all powerful. Theologians have a long list with some very impressive names to describe God’s attributes. There is immutable, meaning that God does not change. There is the asceity of God, meaning God is self-existent and depends on no one.
What’s your favourite attribute of God? There’s such a long list of them. You could choose God’s omniscience, His omnipresence, His omnipotence. He knows everything. He is everywhere at the same time. And He is all powerful. Theologians have a long list with some very impressive names to describe God’s attributes. There is immutable, meaning that God does not change. There is the asceity of God, meaning God is self-existent and depends on no one.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Day 263: Hebrews 11-James 2
Of the many versions of the New Testament that are available today, one of the more unusual and imaginative is The Cotton Patch Version. The Cotton Patch Version is the result of the creative passion of a man named Clarence Jordan who “lived out the New Testament in the soil of rural Georgia.” A visionary during the struggle for the civil rights of all God's children, he founded an inter-racial community called Koinonia and lived and worked there until he died unexpectedly on October 29, 1969, at the age of fifty-seven. Although there is a great deal of “interpretive freedom” taken with the text, you may just find The Cotton Patch Version a source of insight and an ongoing encouragement.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)