Dave Miller's 2024 Bible Reading Challenge

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 22-24, Psalm 95 Background Our readings today wrap up the life of David in 2 Samuel, recording the second of his two major sins. This time, he numbered the fighting men. Though this seemed like a small thing, it was big to God, because it was an act of pride and self-reliance instead of dependence on God. Devotional - The Act of Worship Wow, we had a great worship service today! What do people mean when they say that? Usually, they mean that there was a full building and great enthusiasm. Maybe the music was rocking and they felt a sense of God's presence. Perhaps they refer to the sermon that the pastor preached when we opened the word of God and delivered the truth from heaven to the lives we live on earth. And all of that matters. It matters that our hearts are lifted up in exaltation to God. Too many evangelical churches treat emotion like a disease. It ought never be the engine of worship, but if our time in God's presence with the Body of Ch

Today's Reading - Psalm 5, 38, 41-42 Background David repented of his sin when Nathan confronted him and was fully and completely forgiven. But because the consequences of his sin did not end I suspect that his sorrow for his sin was also constant. Every trial he had was a reminder not only of the wickedness of man but also of his own failure. We live in that paradox often. As sinners, we often give those who hate us, who oppose us, who would hurt us, ample reason to criticize. But that doesn't mean they are justified in their sinful words. David continually called out for grace knowing that though he was not sinless neither was he abandoned by the grace of God. Devotional - Words that Wound Words are like knives; the cut deep and leave gaping wounds in our hearts. Maybe it was a parent who poured out their anger and frustration on their children with cruel words. Perhaps a friend you thought would stand with you whose words slice deep instead. Maybe someone finds a flaw, a we

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 16-18, Psalm 61-62, 64 Background The tragic story of Absalom is today's focus. A consequence of David's sin was bitterness in his son's heart and David's loss of clear moral authority to deal with his sons and their misdeeds. When he fell, he seemed to lose his way in other ways. Sin never helps us! But David saw God's gracious hand and the Psalms we read continue the theme of seeking God's help in the dark times of life. Devotional - Falsely Accused All around him were liars, schemers, manipulators, usurpers and conspirators. He was fleeing Jerusalem up the Mt. of Olives to find safety from his own son who had turned the hearts of his people against him. Bathsheba's grandfather, Ahithophel, who was a trusted counselor to the king, had betrayed him and joined Absalom's conspiracy. Ziba the servant met him on the mount with lies about his master, Mephibosheth, in an effort to advance himself. And then, just when he thought

Today's Reading - Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55  Background These Psalms tend to focus on dealing with trials and hardships. What is interesting here is that we know that most of David's trials at this point in his life were self-inflicted - consequences of his sin with Bathsheba. But still, even though he was not pristine and innocent, he could still go to God and seek his help. God cares about you and your problems, even the ones you have caused yourself. He may not deliver you from every consequence of your own sin and or your bad choices, but even when you have failed you can still look to him. Devotional - Burdened Ever feel weighed down and burdened by life? Maybe it is a financial issue that constantly gnaws at you. Perhaps there is a family conflict or concern for a child who is not walking with God as you would wish. Maybe there is just a series of circumstances that pile up one on top of the other that has you stressed out and overwhelmed. All too often, it is a person wh

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 13-15, Psalm 86, 122 Background Having sinned and beautifully repented, David was restored in his relationship with God. But that did not protect him from the basic rule of life. "You reap what you sow." He sowed sin into his family and reaped a terrible harvest. A son raped a half-sister and another son murdered the offender. That son rebelled against David and almost overthrew his kingdom. Forgiveness is complete and immediate, but it never shields us from consequences. David's house was never free from trouble after he sinned in this way. Devotional - Grace in the Darkness The Psalms have such variety. They ascend the heights of God's glory and plumb the depths of human wickedness. There is hardly an emotion, a life issue or an aspect of a man's relationship with God that is not explored at some point. But the most common of all of these topics is human pain and suffering. The Psalmist asks why. He rages and moans. He calls out t

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 20, Psalm 32, 51 Background Today's reading is well-known. David and Bath-sheba. A good man does a bad thing. Books could be (and have been) written about this story. The repentance in Psalm 51 is powerful and exemplary. Devotional - Sin's Horror  2 Samuel 11 is the turning point of the book. In chapters 1-10, David experiences one blessing and one victory after another. From chapter 12 on, David's life is filled with heartbreak, challenges, and tragedy in both his family and in his nation. Of course, in chapter 11, the "man after God's heart" wanders away from God and into sin - his infamous sin with Bathsheba. There are several things we can see in this chapter that can give us some insight into David's sin and failure. 1) David stayed home during "the spring when kings march out to war." Of course, sin can blindside us anytime, but when we are in retreat mode, when we are not serving God and d

Today's Reading - Psalm 65-67, 69-70 Background The Psalms are "worldly" - in the best sense. They are the effort of the Psalmist (David or whoever else) to put the events of this world into a divine perspective. The writer looks at his life's events and asks what God is doing. Devotional - Why, God, Why? Why did God let that happen? It is one of the most frustrating questions people ask because it is one for which I seldom have an answer. I don't understand the glory of God nor do I have a playbook describing the purposes behind everything he does. I do have a Bible, though, and it reveals many reasons that God allows us to go through hard times. Sometimes, it is to discipline us, sometimes to give us spiritual exercise by which to grow, often it is for reasons that are mysterious. But Psalm 66:10-12 shows us another. That psalm reveals God's marvelous work to deliver his people, though we do not know the specifics of the issue they faced. But the Psalmist u

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 18, Psalm 20, 60, 75  Background The passages in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles recount more of David's victories, leading up to, in 2 Samuel, his fall into sin. The Psalms we read today all deal with those victories and explain that they come by the power of God. Two key passages in these Psalms for our meditation. Psalm 20:7-8. Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand firm. Psalm 75:6-7  Exaltation does not come from the east, the west, or the desert, for God is the Judge: He brings down one and exalts another. Devotional - Humbly Confident  Where is your confidence? From what source do you get your security? Does it come from the money you have in the bank - your insurance, your nest egg, your savings?  Does it come from your friends; what people think of you and what they say about you?  Does it come from your self-image; what yo

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18, Psalm 50, 53 Background Few books of the Bible are as easily and purposefully outlined as 2 Samuel. In the first ten chapters of the book, David experiences one victory after another. Chapter 8 here recounts several of these. David is walking in obedience to God and under his daily blessing and protection. In chapter 11, David spies Bathsheba and embraces sin. From that point on, 2 Samuel records one struggle after the other in David's life. Even though he repented, the consequences of his sin followed him to the end of his days, especially troubling his family. Devotional - Victory after Victory It is indisputable throughout the Old Testament. When God's people were obedient they were victorious. They defeated their enemies, their crops were abundant, the rains fell, their children prospered. When they wandered away from God the skies dried up and their barns emptied out. Their enemies suddenly gained the upper hand and many

Today's Reading - Psalm 25, 28, 33, 36, 39 Background More Psalms of David, calling out to God. David's songs express his heart, his emotions - everything he is going through directly to God. Devotional - My Strength and Shield  Two things come to mind when you consider the life of David, the Psalmist. First, from the moment he was accosted by and anointed by Samuel to be the King of Israel, his life was difficult. Later he was the cause of some of his own problems when he sinned with Bathsheba, but early on he was the victim of the jealousy and evil of an increasingly unstable man, King Saul. Saul pursued him, harassed him, lied about him, and repeatedly tried to kill him. David spent time hiding out in caves and living in exile because of Saul's envy and hatred. But the most notable thing about David was that he took his pain to God. That is what the Psalms are all about. A friend of mine recently observed that it didn't matter how David felt or what was going on in

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17  Background There are four great covenants in the Old Testament. The Noahic covenant was made after the flood, when God set the rainbow as a sign of his promise not to flood the earth in his wrath ever again. The Abrahamic covenant gave Israel the land, promised them descendants, and insured God's blessings until the end of time. The Mosaic covenant, based on the Ten Commandments, obligated Israel to follow God's law to receive his daily blessings. And now, the Davidic Covenant established the descendants of David (including the ultimate descendant, Jesus) as the rulers of Israel forever. Devotional - Turning the Tables David had a heart for God and God rewarded that in a wonderful way.  David had taken the city of Jebusites, the city we now know as Jerusalem, and something was bothering him. He had built himself a nice palace and was living the good life, but the House of the Lord was just a tent. David had a heart for the glo

Today's Reading - Psalm 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132   Background Today we read more Psalms, mostly Psalms of David, about worshiping the faithful God. Devotional The lengthy Psalm 89 trumpets the faithfulness of our God - a faithfulness we experience by grace even though we don't deserve it. In verses 30-34 we learn two important lessons. First, it is a serious thing to take God's faithfulness lightly and use it as an excuse to sin. The fact that God is so good, so forgiving, so faithful ought to motivate us to gratitude, to holiness and to Christ-centered living. It ought never to make us careless, as if our sin did not matter to God. Speaking of the sins that might come (and did) in the lives of the descendants of King David, God gave this warning, in verses 30-32. If his children forsake my law     and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes     and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod     and their iniqui

Today's Reading - Psalm 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68 Background The Psalms we read today are powerful! They seem to have a dual meaning, pointing both to God's grace and care in suffering and to a messianic hope. Psalm 1 speaks of a life planted in faithful obedience. Psalm 2 highlights the false confidence of those who trust in self and who think that men run this world. God's sovereignty is glorified. Psalm 15 describes the man who can dwell in God's presence. This is not a path to salvation by works, but a description of the life that a redeemed person lives to please God. Psalms 22-24 have strong messianic implications. The 22nd Psalm begins with the abandonment quote Jesus used on the Cross and the some believe that 22:31 has hints of the phrase, "It is finished." It does seem to be a Psalm that strongly points to the sufferings of Christ on the cross. Psalm 23 points to Jesus as the Good Shepherd and Psalm 24 glorifies him as the coming King. Psalm 47 returns

Today's Reading -  2 Samuel 5:11-6:23, 1 Chronicles 13-16 Background The ark had originally been lost and then, when it was returned, was not brought all the way back. When David tried to bring it back there was a problem. He did not follow the rules set forth in the law and a man named Uzzah died. He tried again, following God's rules carefully, and there was great rejoicing. Devotional - Michal's Children 2 Samuel 6:23 makes a strong statement, which in context seems to carry a warning of judgment. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death. No, the inability to conceive children is not always a judgment from God, but in this case, it was. Here, Michal's inability to have a child was a physical marker of the spiritual barrenness of her soul. When David worshiped God with joy and abandon she showed emptiness in her soul that God determined would manifest in an empty womb.  The Ark of God was returning to Israel and David was overjoyed. As t

Today's Reading - Psalm 106-107, 133 Background Psalm 106 is a recounting of two things - the ongoing faithfulness of God and the constant infidelity of Israel. God's goodness in spite of Israel's sin is highlighted. Psalm 107 begins the last of the 5 "Books" of the Psalms, recounting the goodness and faithfulness of God. Psalm 133, another Psalm of Ascents, emphasizes the unity of God's people. Devotional - A Bad Deal They made a calf in Horeb     and worshiped a metal image. They exchanged the glory of God     for the image of an ox that eats grass. Psalm 106:19-20 Horeb is the mountain of God, also known as Sinai, where the God revealed to Israel his Law, which was to be their guide. The cornerstone of the Law was the first commandments, that Israel was to have no other gods before the one true God, Yahweh. They were to love him, serve him and honor him alone as God, making no idols.  While Moses was up on the mountain receiving the law, something differen

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 5:1-10, 1 Chronicles 11-12 Background The anointed king of Israel is finally recognized by all of God's people. The short Samuel passage records the end of the brief civil war between Judah under David's leadership and the northern tribes of Israel. Though they united under David, the split never completely disappeared and after Solomon's death they became separate countries. We also have the story of David's conquest of Jerusalem which became known as the City of David. In 1 Chronicles 11-12, the same material is presented with additional material about David's mighty men - those who supported him in his travails. Devotional - Serving the King Though there are a couple of sins recorded in David's life  - glaring ones at that - he was consistently regarded as the greatest of Israel's kings, the standard by which all the subsequent kings were judged. He was a man after God's own heart, a man of devotion and worship, a man w

Today's Reading - 1 Chronicles 7-10, Psalm 102-104 Background Today we wrap up the scintilating trek through the genealogies of 1 Chronicles! Chapter 10 records the story of Saul's death. Our Psalms are again focused on turning to God in difficult times. Devotional - God Laughs at Conspiracy Theories He was making the rounds back in my college days, talking about the "Illuminati" - the cabal of witches and warlocks he'd once been a part of who secretly ran the entire world. The story was terrifying and captivating. He then revealed his biggest secret. Just before his conversion, in one of their super-secret meetings, they had announced that the Antichrist was ready to be revealed and take his place on the world stage. His name was...wait for it...James Earl Carter.  I was no fan of Jimmy Carter then and I've not been a fan of much of his ideas since, but it is safe to say that one thing he is not is the Antichrist! Of course, within a couple of years, John To

Today's Readin g - 1 Chronicles 6, Psalm 81, 88, 92-93 Background Odd thing in today's reading. In the genealogies in Chronicles, we see in 6:33 the mention of Heman who is a singer and then we see Psalm 88 attributed to someone by that same name. He was likely the same man and likely part of the Sons of Korah who helped in the worship in God's house. One of the things we see in the Psalms and in the commands of Scripture about music is the tremendous variety of biblical music. Some is loud; some is soft. Some is vibrant; some is a dirge. Celebratory and lament. We have seen so many fights about what kind of music ought to be used to worship God and the biblical answer is generally yes! Worship God with all kinds of music - just worship him. On the other hands, the music in the worship of God was no free-for-all. There were regulations. We don't know exactly what they were but the musicians, according to verse 32, ministered with music, "according to the regulation

Today's Reading - 1 Chronicles 3-5, Psalm 73, 77-78 Background Devotional There is an old saw that says, "The Church is always one generation from extinction." The thing is, this one is true. Christianity must not only be passed from person to person but from generation to generation. The children God gives to the families of the church must be raised to be warriors in the Kingdom of God, servants of the Most High and those who treasure eternal things over the temporal. In Psalm 78:5-7, the Psalmist discusses the importance of raising children to serve God. He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children so that a future generation— children yet to be born—might know. They were to rise and tell their children   so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep his commands. As I grow older my life becomes less about what I will do or what I will be and more about w