Dave Miller's 2024 Bible Reading Challenge

    Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :     Exodus 32-34             As time allows, read the entire story of the Golden Calf, in Exodus 32-34. Our key verse is Exodus 34;1 The  Lord  said to Moses, “Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.   Through the Bible Readings :   Hosea 6-7, 1 Peter 2, Psalm 135:8–14, Proverbs 29:12–13  If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :  More Faithful than Our Failure          There are ignorant people who claim that the God of the Old Testament was mean, harsh and cruel, and they contrast him to the God of love revealed in the New Testament. Such nonsense. Yes, the God of the OT is holy, giving his law and expecting his people to obey it. He punishes evildoers and protects his people from their enemies. All of that is true. But to overlook his love and kindness is willful folly.  You need to look no farther than Exodus

  Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :   2 Corinthians 2:14-16        But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. 15 For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things?   Through the Bible Readings :   Hosea4-5, 1 Peter 1, Psalm 135:1–7, Proverbs 29:9–11   If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :  Glorious Defeat         Unfortunately, 2 Corinthians 2:14 is often misunderstood and  misapplied  because we are not familiar with the background that would have immediately come to the minds of the people of Corinth when they heard these words. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fra

  Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :   Hebrews 10:19-22              Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.   Through the Bible Readings :   Hosea 1-3, James 5, Psalm 133–134, Proverbs29:7–8   If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :  To Boldly Go          It was hard to get to God in the Old Testament era. One had to travel to Jerusalem (or wherever the tabernacle was in the pre-temple days) and secure a sacrifice. That sacrifice was taken by the priests and put on the altar. But to enter the Holy of Holies - that was even more difficult. No one could

  Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :   Revelation 20:11-15           Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Through the Bible Readings :   Daniel 11-12, James 4, Psalm 132:13–18, Proverbs 29:4–6   If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :    When the Books are Opened      

    Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :     Exodus 15:1-18           Due to the length of today's reading, it will not be copied here. .  Through the Bible Readings :   Daniel 9-10, James 3, Psalm 132:6–12, Proverbs29:1–3  If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :    Our God WINS       In  the Bible, we learn who God really is. There are times that God is confusing and his actions baffling. But we must encounter the real God, the God of the Bible, and conform our lives to him.  Americans who get their ideas from popular culture and opinion will find Exodus 15:3 to be strange. This verse is a part of the song of victory which Moses and the Israelites sang after God crushed Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea. Not a modern idea, is it? God winning a war.  We like to emphasize God's love and mercy, and well we should. God's love motivated him to provide a path of salvation and forgiveness for sinners like you and me. He does not t

    Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :     Luke 6:43-45           “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit.   44  For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush.   45  A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. Through the Bible Readings :   Daniel 7-8, James 2, Psalm 132:1–5, Proverbs28:27–28  If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :     Checking My Gauges        I'm a gauge-watcher when I'm driving down the road, constantly checking the heat gauge, the battery gauge, and of course, the gas gauge. If something is going wrong in a car it often shows up in the gauges, especially the temperature gauge.  Luke 6:45 tells us that we have a gauge that will actively

    Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :  My Help in Darkness             For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul. He said: 1 I love you, Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies. 4 The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. 5 The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.   Through the Bible Readings :   Daniel 5-6, James 1, Psalm 130:5–131:3, Proverbs28:25–26  If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these re

    Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :   Luke 17:11-19             While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed. 15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.” Through the Bible Readings :   Daniel 3-4, Hebrews 13:20–25, Psalm 130:1–4, Proverbs28:22–24  If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :  The ONE or the NINE?  

  Give Thanks to God Today's Reading :   Colossians 3:15      Ephesians 5:20   1 Thessalonians 5:18          Colossians 3:15 - And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called  in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. Ephesians 5:20 - giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - G ive thanks in everything; for this is God’s will  for you in Christ Jesus. Through the Bible Readings :   Daniel 1-2, Hebrews 12:18–13:19, Psalm 129, Proverbs28:20–21  If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.  Devotional :   Eternal Thanksgiving     Count your blessings, name them one by one. When November rolls around, we give thanks for all the good things in our lives, as we should. We are grateful for health (this year, especially!), for family and friends, for our church family - our gratitude sharpened by the difficulties of social distancing and loneliness. We are thankful for our n

    Gospel Freedom in Galatians   Background : What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.  Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.  Galatians is a powerful argument for a g

    Gospel Freedom in Galatians   Background : What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.  Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.  Galatians is a powerful argument for a g

    Gospel Freedom in Galatians   Background : What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.  Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.  Galatians is a powerful argument for a g

    Gospel Freedom in Galatians   Background : What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.  Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.  Galatians is a powerful argument for a g

    Gospel Freedom in Galatians   Background : What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.  Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.  Galatians is a powerful argument for a g