The beginning of the New Year brings new spiritual goals and motivation to reach those goals. With each goal is a promise we make to ourselves to make this year better than the year before. We might want to let our lights shine brighter than the year before. We might desire a greater commitment to the local congregation and increase our attendance, or use our spiritual gifts this year. For some, it is the tried-and-true way of reading through your Bible for the year.
Many I know make it a personal goal to read through the Bible each year, but some fall short around the third offering in the book of Leviticus. For this reason, yearly Bible reading is a laborious task for some, but it can yield many benefits. When you read through the Bible, you are gaining access to the words of the Creator as He wanted them to be in the hearts of men. While we know certain stories, there may be those we have overlooked. Rading through the Bible gives us a reminder of the blessings of God.
This year, I would like share two different Bible Reading helps each week. These are worksheets to help you along in your Daily Bible Reading. Here are the details of the differences in each series:
The New Testament Daily Bible Reading Series – This series is a 26 weeks series on Reading the New Testament. It is great for the beginner to Daily Bible reading because it starts with the New Testament, which is very familiar to most readers. Also, it is a few chapters a day, which allows the reader to not be overwhelmed with many chapters.
The Full Bible Reading Series – This series contains reading from various sections of the Bible each day. Instead of reading the Bible straight through, it allows the reader to read from a different section of the Bible each day. Using this worksheet will help you stay on track through the various sections of the Bible, making quick progress, but not getting stuck on the usual passage.
These worksheets will be available each Thursday here on the website. The worksheets will also be available on Wednesday through the Preacher’s Pen Wednesday Email Newsletter. You can sign-up for the Newsletter here.
Are you preparing for your opportunity for Spiritual Growth in 2024?
If you would like, contact us and let us know who are you doing in your Daily Bible Reading throughout the 2024.
Just some thoughts,
In a few more weeks, Lord willing, calendars will move from 2023 to 2024. Another year has come and gone. Its days have hurried by. For many, the days of 2023 seem like they just started; for others, they are ready for a new year to begin.
A new year brings a time to live better. As some say before, “you cannot go back and start a new beginning, but you can start today and create a new ending.” Through the blessings of God, each one of us can begin a new year with a clean slate.
How will you begin 2024?
- Will you read your Bible all the way through? It is the word of God that is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalms 119.105)
- Will you practice a pure religion? James says a pure religion is to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. (James 1:27)
- Will you attend services to build one another up? The Hebrews writer encourages us to stir one another up to love and good works by being together. (Hebrews 10.24-25)
- Will you let your light shine brighter in 2024? The world, in all its chaos, will try to do better at the beginning of next year. Many people make those resolutions, and we can be a shining light in the world. (Matthew 5.14-16; Philippians 2.14-15)
I love that God sees fit, despite our craziness, to give us days upon this earth. They are times spent with family, friends, working and doing whatever else our hands find to do. Looking back on our lives, I am sure that each of us will agree that we have been blessed.
How will you bless others with the blessings that God has given you this upcoming year?
Just some thoughts,
Call it slothfulness, call it inactivity, but call it what it is – laziness.
In chapter one of his letter, James makes it clear, “Be doers of the words, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1.22) We should remember that James is writing to all his readers, not a select group. James is writing to Christians. His reminder is one of action.
In the second chapter, James says, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2.17) If we are faithful people, our actions will accompany our faith. Our faith and actions will work together to shine our lights and cause others to ask questions regarding our faith. (See Matthew 5.14-16 and 1 Peter 3.15)
It is the responsibility of all Christians to grow. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James writes that we must be doers. It is not enough to just hear the word, but the second part is to actively begin taking actions upon the words heard.
The Hebrews writer takes a different approach than most in his challenge to his readers in Hebrews 5.11-14 by showing them what happened when they did not grow.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)
The early church struggled with this laziness as well. One of the most outstanding verses regarding this principle would cause a huge battle if our world practiced it today, “If a man is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) Those are tough words, but those words combat laziness.
The church needs to rise to the opportunity to share the message that the Almighty God wants active children, not slothful ones.
Just some thoughts,
