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"Who Is This Jesus?" July 3 Readings: John 1:1-14, Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38

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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 :   John 1:1-14, Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     I’ve done a fair amount of genealogical research on my family recently, tracing the four branches of my family back as far as I could. My father’s paternal line ends the quickest, in Pennsylvania about 4 or 5 generations back. His maternal line reaches into colonial Pennsylvania, then back to Germany. My mother’s paternal line came from England in the early 1800s and settled in the St. Louis area. Her maternal line is our richest vein, going back to the...
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"Contemptible Sacrifice" July 2 Readings: Malachi 1-4

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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 :   Malachi 1-4 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, is a Q&A between God and Israel. God makes statements and Israel challenges them. These are directed at insincere worship and improper practices by leaders. 1. God declares his love. 1:2 2. God declares that Israel's priests have denied his name. 1:6 3. God declares that their words (of worship) have wearied him. 2:17 4. God declares that Israel is robbing God. 3:8 5. God accuses Israel of harsh words against him. 3:13 After the proph...
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"The Uplifting Prophets" July 1 Readings: Nehemiah 10-13, Psalm 126

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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 :   Nehemiah 10-13, Psalm 126 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Nehemiah's attitude and actions will sound strange to our ears, in our tolerant, standardless culture. But he acted - sometimes harshly - to bring Israel back into obedience to the Law of God. The last four chapters of the book record Nehemiah's efforts at conforming rebuilt Israel to God's law. Daily Devotional:   The Uplifting Prophets We are coming to the end of one of the harshest sections of Scripture - the prophets. People whose Bibles are years old will oft...
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"Real Revival" June 30 Readings: Nehemiah 6-9

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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 :   Nehemiah 6-9 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Nehemiah finishes the wall in spite of opposition, and Ezra leads the people to return to God. Daily Devotional:   Real Revival Many books have been written, and sermons have been preached on how to bring revival to our land. Most fail because they reduce this work of God to simple formulas and easy steps. We cannot do that. But in Ezra 8 and 9 we observe a real revival in which Ezra led the people of God to return and be spiritually renewed. In these chapters, we see some key...
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"Pray and Fight" June 29 Readings: Nehemiah 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 :   Nehemiah 1-5 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Until the 16th Century, Hebrew Bibles included Nehemiah with Ezra. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the King and led a return to Israel to rebuild the walls to protect Jerusalem. Ezra led in the spiritual rebuilding of Israel, but Nehemiah worked to protect them from physical enemies. He also finds out that Israelites have been backsliding and marrying non-Jewish wives, and he confronts that sin. Daily Devotional:   Pray and Fight Nehemiah was operating under the call and blessin...
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"A Great and Godly Leader" June 28 Readings: Ezra 7-10

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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 :   Ezra 7-10 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     This passage primarily focuses on Ezra's prayer of confession because Israel was marrying foreign wives, risking returning to the sinful ways that had caused their downfall. Daily Devotional:   A Great and Godly Leader Ezra is one of the great men of Scripture. He comes from exile, returning to Jerusalem to lead Israel in its return to God. In Ezra 7-10, he finds the people of God returning to the sin of intermingling with the Canaanite people and intermarrying with them. Ezra de...
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"Sovereign Unseen" June 27 Readings: Esther 6-10

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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 :   Esther 6-10 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Esther is a strange book. It recounts some strange behavior from Esther and Mordecai; actions hard to square with the Law of God. Perhaps the oddest thing is that from the first verse to the last God's name is not mentioned a single time. How strange that a book of the Bible, inspired by God, free from error, should fail to even once mention the God who is over all. Though God is not mentioned in the book, he is certainly present on every page. He is working behind the scenes, in th...
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