I am glad you are joining our other pastors and me on our daily journey through God's Word! Nothing has more power to transform your life than regularly reading the Scriptures with an open, prayerful heart.
A wise person once said, "Prayer is us talking to God; the Bible is God talking to us."
As you read the selected Scripture portions each day, I encourage you to expect God to speak directly to you about what is happening in your life. If your experience turns out to be anything like mine, you will have moments this year when the particular passage in that day's reading so perfectly corresponds to some situation you are facing or some question you have been asking that you will be awestruck by how much He wants to be involved in your life. As you apply the principles you learn from His Word, you will see Him help you in ways beyond anything you could have ever imagined!
Here is some practical advice about how to proceed:
- Read as much of the selections in the "One Year Bible" for each day as you can. If reading both the Old and New Testament portions seems a bit daunting, then I recommend you start with the New Testament readings and the Proverbs; add the selections from Psalms after that; and the Old Testament portions as your schedule allows. Please understand – ALL of God's Word is good, important, and relevant to our lives. I recommended this particular approach simply because it begins with the life of Jesus and because it takes less time. It is far more important for you to read some portion of Scripture regularly than it is for you to finish the entire Bible in a year.
- If you get behind, do not feel compelled to catch up. Read God's Word with an open, expectant heart instead of out of a legalistic sense of discipline that causes your daily reading time to become a drudgery. The reason you are taking this journey is for you to draw closer to the Lord. As is the case in any other relationship, nothing will hinder that more quickly than focusing on duty over intimacy. Developing good habits like regular Scripture reading is an important key to living a godly life, but Jesus made it very clear that the greatest commandment of all is to love the Lord with all your heart. Here's the "bottom line" - God is so wonderful that the more you get to know Him, the more you will love Him, and the more you love Him the more you will want to spend time with Him!
- Post your questions or thoughts about the readings in the "Comments" section of the blog. They are found at the end of each day's devotional. As you do, we will learn from one another and your own story of how God is speaking to you through the Scriptures will inspire others. I also encourage you to check out the other websites we have listed for your convenience.
- Come to our Wednesday night services from 7-8:30pm in our Chapel. We will have some great worship in a relaxed atmosphere, time for personal ministry, and a message based on the "One Year Bible" readings for that particular week. It's a great way to gain an overview of the entire Bible in a single year…and to make new friends from our church family!
Pastor Mark
