Zone1 For 2023, Consider a Bible Reading Plan!

[SweetSue92]

I wish I were the type of person to pick up my Bible and read it just because, but no.

Therefore, Bible Reading Plans are helpful for me. In the last few years, I've read the Bible cover to cover, the Bible chronologically, the Bible in two years plus a Psalm or Proverb every day, and today I will read Revelation 22 to finish my New Testament in a year plan.

There are plans to suit all kinds of needs and readers here:

Bible Reading Plans | Find the Right Plan | The Moody Church

Several options of Bible reading plans for people interested in the systemic reading of God's word. Commit to reading the intended Bible passage each day.

www.moodychurch.org

And plenty of sites where you can read the Bible for free, even with commentary and study notes. Happy (almost) 2023!

 

[DudleySmith]

It's also just as important to learn how to read a lot of it, especially the OT. Learning about chiastic structures is important. Context is also important; it isn't just a collection of isolated verses.

Chiasmus in the Scriptures

1. The concept is quite easy but it does challenge some assumptions we make about how we should read Scripture. Chiasmus refers to a sequence of elements of a sentence or verse, paragraph, chapter…

www.chiasmusxchange.com

 

[SweetSue92]

It's also just as important to learn how to read a lot of it, especially the OT.

Can you elaborate? I think I catch your meaning but....

 

[DudleySmith]

Can you elaborate? I think I catch your meaning but....

I added a link to one example; others are what the words meant at the times they were written. It can get intimidating at first, but then it jells after the learning curves. Most Christians would be happy just focusing on the four Gospels, which really are the only real Canon they need, and the Pentateuch, which is what the NT Gospels are mainly based on; the rest of the books serve other purposes, like histories and expositions on stuff in the Gospels. This narrows it down to manageable for most.

 

[SweetSue92]

It's also just as important to learn how to read a lot of it, especially the OT. Learning about chiastic structures is important. Context is also important; it isn't just a collection of isolated verses.

Chiasmus in the Scriptures

1. The concept is quite easy but it does challenge some assumptions we make about how we should read Scripture. Chiasmus refers to a sequence of elements of a sentence or verse, paragraph, chapter…

www.chiasmusxchange.com

I definitely agree with you about context. Many people think the surprising and violent aspects of the OT are God-endorsed. Just because something appears in the Bible does NOT mean God endorsed it, for one.

For me, a good study Bible is a great start.

 

[Lisa558]

I have a very structured Bible reading plan - that includes analysis and discussion. It’s my weekly Torah class, and we go verse by verse in great detail. With the guidance of the teacher, and discussion by my classmates, I am gaining a great deal.

 

[BreezeWood]

I wish I were the type of person to pick up my Bible and read it just because, but no.

Therefore, Bible Reading Plans are helpful for me. In the last few years, I've read the Bible cover to cover, the Bible chronologically, the Bible in two years plus a Psalm or Proverb every day, and today I will read Revelation 22 to finish my New Testament in a year plan.

There are plans to suit all kinds of needs and readers here:

Bible Reading Plans | Find the Right Plan | The Moody Church

Several options of Bible reading plans for people interested in the systemic reading of God's word. Commit to reading the intended Bible passage each day.

www.moodychurch.org

And plenty of sites where you can read the Bible for free, even with commentary and study notes. Happy (almost) 2023!

just because ...

might not the time better be spent as an early morning stroll in garden earth acquiring true heavenly blessings - using vision to see as they are meant than words written in a book.

than reading interpretations claimed as religion in disguise for nefarious purposes as servitude to a nonexistent authority - rather true aspirations to free their spirit for heavenly admission to paradise.

- anything would be better than any of desert documents littered w/ forgeries and fallacies. or provide proof for any of their spiritual claims.

 

[SweetSue92]

I have a very structured Bible reading plan - that includes analysis and discussion. It’s my weekly Torah class, and we go verse by verse in great detail. With the guidance of the teacher, and discussion by my classmates, I am gaining a great deal.

Bible studies are awesome. I've taken part in those as well. But as much as I read and study, I am still far below expert level. Our former asst pastor and his wife came out of seminary and read the OT in Hebrew and the NT in Greek.

....yeah

 

[Lisa558]

Bible studies are awesome. I've taken part in those as well. But as much as I read and study, I am still far below expert level. Our former asst pastor and his wife came out of seminary and read the OT in Hebrew and the NT in Greek.

....yeah

I have discovered how much I’ve missed by reading on my own! For example, take the Book of Genesis. We circle back to it every year in services, of course, and I’ve always read along in English while the Torah portion was being read. I thought I knew it.

But wow. With my Bible class, I am seeing it all on a much deeper level, and realizing how much I’ve missed by essentially only “skimming” the surface. It’s been quite eye-opening.

 

[ReinyDays]

May I suggest a Bible study group ... most churches have these ... if I may paraphrase Our Lord "Where two or more are gather, and touch upon the things I have touched upon, I will be there" ...

I have read the Bible cover-to-cover (except for some stretches in Chronicles) ... but most of my understanding has come from these study groups, and hearing what others think ... how the passages touch each of us in the heart ... and how together we arrive at higher Truths ...

The First Covenant in the Old Testament is one way to salvation ... the Second Covenant in the New Testament is another ... Christians don't do away the the Law, rather we put mercy ahead of legalities ... we accept and befriend the sinner, in the hopes they see a better way in us; God is perfectly suited to issue all the punishments He deems righteous ... we love the sinner, we hate the sin ...

"Our delight is the Law of Our Lord, and in His Law doth we meditate both day and night" -- somewhere in the Bible

 

[SweetSue92]

I have discovered how much I’ve missed by reading on my own! For example, take the Book of Genesis. We circle back to it every year in services, of course, and I’ve always read along in English while the Torah portion was being read. I thought I knew it.

But wow. With my Bible class, I am seeing it all on a much deeper level, and realizing how much I’ve missed by essentially only “skimming” the surface. It’s been quite eye-opening.

You have maybe heard this saying before (or like it): the Bible is shallow enough for children to wade in and deep enough for scholars to study their entire lives.

I have found that to be true.

 

[SweetSue92]

May I suggest a Bible study group ... most churches have these ... if I may paraphrase Our Lord "Where two or more are gather, and touch upon the things I have touched upon, I will be there" ...

I have read the Bible cover-to-cover (except for some stretches in Chronicles) ... but most of my understanding has come from these study groups, and hearing what others think ... how the passages touch each of us in the heart ... and how together we arrive at higher Truths ...

The First Covenant in the Old Testament is one way to salvation ... the Second Covenant in the New Testament is another ... Christians don't do away the the Law, rather we put mercy ahead of legalities ... we accept and befriend the sinner, in the hopes they see a better way in us; God is perfectly suited to issue all the punishments He deems righteous ... we love the sinner, we hate the sin ...

"Our delight is the Law of Our Lord, and in His Law doth we meditate both day and night" -- somewhere in the Bible

Yeah. The Books of History are consistently one of my weakest areas of knowledge. The prophets, the series of good kings and bad kings....it's a lot.

I agree with you about Bible studies, and have taken part in more than a few.

 

[Lisa558]

You have maybe heard this saying before (or like it): the Bible is shallow enough for children to wade in and deep enough for scholars to study their entire lives.

I have found that to be true.

I love that saying - and so true.

 

[Lisa558]

Yeah. The Books of History are consistently one of my weakest areas of knowledge. The prophets, the series of good kings and bad kings....it's a lot.

I agree with you about Bible studies, and have taken part in more than a few.

The Book of Kings is really hard to master - but we can try. There are so many of them that it’s hard to keep them all straight and remember who is who and what happened to which king.

The way I approach this is with the understanding that I will never grasp or even remember a good deal of what we’ve studied, but I will come away with more knowledge and comprehension than if I didn’t take the class at all.

 

[SweetSue92]

The Book of Kings is really hard to master - but we can try. There are so many of them that it’s hard to keep them all straight and remember who is who and what happened to which king.

The way I approach this is with the understanding that I will never grasp or even remember a good deal of what we’ve studied, but I will come away with more knowledge and comprehension than if I didn’t take the class at all.

That's a great approach. I too forget many of the details of prophets and kings but at least I've a solid grasp on the overall picture. Which is more than I had before I started!

 

[ReinyDays]

The Book of Kings is really hard to master - but we can try. There are so many of them that it’s hard to keep them all straight and remember who is who and what happened to which king.

The way I approach this is with the understanding that I will never grasp or even remember a good deal of what we’ve studied, but I will come away with more knowledge and comprehension than if I didn’t take the class at all.

The key here is to understand that the Book of Kings explains why we don't have kings anymore ... and the Book of Judges explains why we don't have judges anymore ... I think of the OT as the reason why there's a NT ...

The important thing to remember is to NEVER EVER EVER EVER use cotton thread to sew buttons on a wool shirt ... I don't know why, but that is God's Law ... franken-clothes, franken-food, all abominations before the Lord ... boy, I'm sure glad Christ came and gave us a clue or three ...

Anyway ... we can't simply read the OT and expect to understand it ... we have to LIVE the OT ... spend seven years under the letter of the Law ... every Law we can, with the understanding we will utterly fail ... and except for mercy, we'll be condemned to an eternity in Hell ... so take advantage, a single chicken as an offering is as good as two turtle doves, and God will still smile if it's orphan children eating the chicken instead of Levitical priests ...

The Amish are next closest to God's heart ... after the Jews ...

 

[Lisa558]

The key here is to understand that the Book of Kings explains why we don't have kings anymore ... and the Book of Judges explains why we don't have judges anymore ... I think of the OT as the reason why there's a NT ...

The important thing to remember is to NEVER EVER EVER EVER use cotton thread to sew buttons on a wool shirt ... I don't know why, but that is God's Law ... franken-clothes, franken-food, all abominations before the Lord ... boy, I'm sure glad Christ came and gave us a clue or three ...

Anyway ... we can't simply read the OT and expect to understand it ... we have to LIVE the OT ... spend seven years under the letter of the Law ... every Law we can, with the understanding we will utterly fail ... and except for mercy, we'll be condemned to an eternity in Hell ... so take advantage, a single chicken as an offering is as good as two turtle doves, and God will still smile if it's orphan children eating the chicken instead of Levitical priests ...

The Amish are next closest to God's heart ... after the Jews ...

Sounds like you’re mocking the OT. That’s not very Christian of you.

 

[ReinyDays]

Sounds like you’re mocking the OT. That’s not very Christian of you.

I freely mock those who pick and choose which laws they follow and who they condemn ... Jesus cured the blind on the Sabbath ... so it's not just me mocking the OT, when the OT needs mocking ...

I'm interested though ... what part does the OT play in your day-to-day Christian lifestyle? ... I bought a rundown apartment complex and turned into a safe and affordable haven for the widows and orphans of our community ... a resource for all the local churches ... but this is all strictly NT stuff ... mercy and forgiveness before legalities ...

 

[Lisa558]

I freely mock those who pick and choose which laws they follow and who they condemn ... Jesus cured the blind on the Sabbath ... so it's not just me mocking the OT, when the OT needs mocking ...

I'm interested though ... what part does the OT play in your day-to-day Christian lifestyle? ... I bought a rundown apartment complex and turned into a safe and affordable haven for the widows and orphans of our community ... a resource for all the local churches ... but this is all strictly NT stuff ... mercy and forgiveness before legalities ...

Sorry, but I don’t answer to a so-called ChristIan who mocks the teachings of other religions - and proudly admits to doing so.

 

[DudleySmith]

I definitely agree with you about context. Many people think the surprising and violent aspects of the OT are God-endorsed. Just because something appears in the Bible does NOT mean God endorsed it, for one.

Exactly. A point not widely appreciated.