Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I'm so excited.  I have two new comments.  : )  By the way.... the account of Job isn't read until September but if your chronological plan has it earlier that's ok....

This week's reading has us experiencing what the Egyptians and Israelites were going through during the plagues and then the Israelites exodus from Egypt.  There are just too many examples in there of human nature and how we tend to relate to God.  Every time I read of these accounts, I bring something new from them.  On Jan 28th, you'll be reading from Exodus 16 and 17.  In the account of Exodus 17: 1-7 the Bible reads: "And he called the place Massah (or testing) and Meribah (or quarreling) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?""   When I read the question, "Is the Lord among us or not?"...it hit home.  How many times have I doubted God when things weren't  going like I wanted.  I've questioned whether God was with me and had basically left me behind.  I had to ask him to forgive me and help me to remember that his love was a hands on love and not a long distance relationship. 

Thank you Lord for Jeremiah 29:11.   You are just awesome!

cindi4christ   I will get the reading plan info to you.  I don't have the reading plan that I copied for people at church at my fingertips right now.  The link above, Bible Study Tools, can provide you with a chronological reading plan.  The reading plan doesn't exactly follow along with the My Daily Bible but it is close enough.

Gene:   It was your wife Bettie that introduced me to this Bible.  You are so right.  I know that Word of God is alive but the way this Bible is put together makes it even come more alive to me.  

Friday, January 21, 2011

Hello Everyone, 

Pull your chair up to the table, tuck your napkin under your chin and dig in. 

I am excited about all of us reading God's Word this year as He continues to unfold His plan and purpose for us individually and as a church body. God is up to something great this year.    I am new to blogging so this is also a learning experience for me.  I am sure there will be a few kinks and wrinkles we'll need to work out as we progress.  Currently, your posts are being sent to an email account for review.  This is not meant in any way to censor your comments or questions but to protect the blog from "others" who would post offensive or inappropriate content that clashed with the purpose of this blog.

We will be reading the Bible chronologically this year.  I am using The Daily Bible.  It is a New International Version (NIV) and published by Harvest House.  This is a great Bible for daily reading.  It has daily devotional  inserts which give insights and perspectives into that day's reading.  There will be links added to this site to aide you in reading or study.  Of course, you do not need this particular Bible to participate.  There are online reading plans and at the information desk there are handouts for January and February reading.  For that matter, if you prefer to use a different Bible reading plan altogether, go for it. 

So far we have read in Genesis and Exodus.  The theme keeps repeating itself that God uses mortal and flawed man to complete His purpose.  So far we've read about Adam and Eve and their fall.  Cain and Abel... Noah.... Abraham... Isaac.... Jacob.... Joseph and now Moses.  Each experience tells us of the patience and love that God has for us as His creation.  I am particularly fond of Joseph's biography.  He reminds me of a zealous new convert who speaks before he thinks.  Even in-spite of his lack of maturity and wisdom, God continues to speak to and work through him.  Joseph's experience speaks to us that just because God has "revealed"  some word or insight to us, that we do not necessarily need to tell all etc.  Sometimes God just wants us to ponder his "word"in our hearts.  We often forget to ask God when or even if He wants us to tell what He has shared with us as an individual.

Please feel free to post your comments and ask questions.  If I don't know the answer right away, I'll get it from another source.

Bon apetit as you feed from God's word!

Keep reading,
Jackie Dodd