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"Faith of Our Fathers Is NOT Enough" May 2 Readings: 2 Kings 12-14, 2 Chronicles 24-25

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   2 Kings 12-14, 2 Chronicles 24-25 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     The roller coaster continues with good kings and bad kings in Judah, though even the good kings are not dealing with the idols and high places. In 2 Chronicles, we see the coming of the good king Joash, who deals with idolatry, until he turns away from God in his later years. Daily Devotional:   Faith of Our Fathers Is NOT Enough I faced something of a spiritual crisis as I entered adulthood. I was raised by Christian parents; my dad was a Bible-prea...

"Those Who Are with Us" May 1 Readings: 2 Kings 6-11

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :     2 Kings 6-11 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Today's reading concludes the ministry of Elisha and then continues the stories of the kings of Israel and Judah. Today, we see Jehu, king of Israel, who was the closest any king of Israel came to being a good king. He stood against the evil of Ahab and started well, but he failed to genuinely return Israel to fidelity to God. The devotional today focuses on one of my favorite Bible stories. Daily Devotional:   Those Who Are with Us The king of Aram was annoy...

"It's about Him" April 30 Readings: 2 Kings 1-5

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   2 Kings 1-5 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Originally, 1 and 2 Kings (the same is true of 1 and 2 Chronicles) were one book, but they were separated to keep the scrolls from becoming too big. At the beginning of 2 Kings, we see the transition from Elijah to Elisha. Elijah is taken up into heaven, and Elisha receives a double portion of his power. Daily Devotional:   It's about Him Sometimes, we forget what it is all about - no, WHO it is all about. Elijah was a great man of God, one of the greatest found in the pa...

"That They Might See God" April 29 Readings: Obadiah 1, Psalm 82-83

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Obadiah 1, Psalm 82-83 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament, expressing the judgment of God on Edom, the descendant nations of Esau. The Psalms we read today are pleas for God's judgment against sinful nations. Daily Devotional:   That They Might See God It is not uncommon for us to see things in this world that make us angry, that horrify us, that set our teeth on edge. When those despicable Planned Parenthood videos came out showing them selling organs and body parts o...

"A Wasted Life" April 28 Readings: 2 Chronicles 18-23

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   2 Chronicles 18-23 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Jehoshaphat was a good king who compromised by his involvement with Ahab, the evil king of Israel. These chapters tell of Jehoshaphat's reign and of Micaiah's prophecies. The effect of Jehoshaphat's compromise is seen in the life of Jehoram, his son, who followed him to the throne. Today's devotional explores his wasted life. Daily Devotional:   A Wasted Life Have you ever thought about what you want on your tombstone? Is there some brief, pithy statement...

"Kill the Messenger" April 27 Readings: 1 Kings 17-22

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   1 Kings 17-22 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     This reading details the battle between Elijah and evil king Ahab, and later the story of Micaiah and Ahab. Ahab is the worst of Israel's kings, embracing idolatry at the insistence of his wife Jezebel and Ahab and Micaiah are both men who stood for God against him. Daily Devotional:   Kill the Messenger "Don't kill the messenger." That is exactly what Ahab wanted to do. The phrase is meant to show the absurdity of attacking the bearer of bad news. It was not uncommon i...

"The Heavenly View" April 26 Readings: 1 Kings 15:25-16:24, 2 Chronicles 17

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  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   1 Kings 15:25-16:24, 2 Chronicles 17 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Our readings today bounce between the kings of Israel and Judah. In 2 Chronicles we see Jehoshaphat, one of the second-tier kings - good but not great. The 1 Kings readings focus on Israel's increasingly evil kings. Daily Devotional:   The Heavenly View My college was not exactly a fundamentalist stronghold! Professors regularly taught us that the Bible's teachings were inaccurate, biased, or historically faulty. I recall my Old Testament pro...