Dave Miller's 2024 Bible Reading Challenge

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   2 Kings 1-5     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 Is about Him Sometimes, we forget what it is all about - n

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   Obadiah 1, Psalm 82-83     Background:     Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament, expressing the judgment of God on Edom, 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

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:     2 Chronicles 18-23    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

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 17-22     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 want

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 15:25-16:24, 2 Chronicles 17     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&

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16     Background:     We begin to work through the kings of Israel and Judah. In Kings, we see both nations' kings while Chronicles only looks at Judah. All of the kings of Israel are condemned because they continued the sin of Jeroboam, idolatry. But the kings of Judah are essentially graded in four different ways. The top grade goes to the good kings who obeyed God and also g

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 12-14, 2 Chronicles 10-12     Background:     Solomon taught that life is choices and that those choices have consequences - the basis of the book of Proverbs. Then, his life spiraled downward as he made bad choices and, at least for a time, embraced folly. In today's reading, we see the consequences, in his son's life, of the folly he embraced.  Daily Devotional:    Choices Have Consequences The Bi

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   Ecclesiastes 7-12     Background:     A brief overview of Ecclesiastes Introduction: (1:1-11) "Everything is meaningless Investigating the Meaninglessness of life (1:12-6:9) Conclusions about the Meaninglessness of life (6:10-11:6) Introduction (6:10-12) Man cannot discover what is good for him to do. (7:1-8:17)  Man has no idea what comes after him. (9:1-11:6) Concluding poem (11:7-12:8) Epilogue (12:9-14) Da

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   Ecclesiastes 1-6 Background:     Ecclesiastes is a mysterious book, written from an earthly and even somewhat cynical viewpoint. It says some strange and confusing things, mixed in with some powerful wisdom. It is generally believed that Solomon was the author, but he is not identified by some. Some believe that the "son of David" (which can also mean descendent) might have been Hezekiah. Both ideas had s

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9     Background:     Daily Devotional:   The Wise and Fool of Solomon Solomon is one of the tragic stories in the Bible. In many ways, he was a great success, and by worldly terms, the glory of his kingdom surpassed even that of his father, King David. The borders of Israel were expanded, buildings were built, including the Temple, and the wealth and fame of Solomon spread throughout th

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   Proverbs 25-31     Background:     Today we complete the book of Proverbs, reading various collections of wisdom from different authors. Daily Devotional:    The Power of Words No, that is not a sidewalk. It is a trail worn in the rock of the Tsankawi Ruins near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Over the centuries the feet of the people living on that hill cut deep paths into the solid rock. Amazing. Had Solomon known about th

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8 Background:     In today's readings, we see the finishing of the Temple and the rest of Solomon's amazing and extensive building projects. Though David was a man after God's own heart, Solomon was the man who built Israel into a regional powerhouse. He was a man to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, as we will see in future readings, his life would become a model of the proverb t

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:      Psalm 134, 146-150   Background:     Today we wrap up the book of Psalms, though there are random Psalms from later times that will appear in subsequent readings. There will be no more days in which the Psalms are the primary focus of readings. The last few Psalms are "Hallelujah Psalms" which focus on reasons and methods of praising the Lord. Daily Devotional:    What makes God happy? Obviously, God&#

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:     2 Chronicles 6-7, Psalm 136     Background:     The fire of God falls on the Temple as God's powerful presence fills the place after it is constructed Daily Devotional:    Forever Faithful Don't you hate those "7-11" choruses with all their repetition? Evidently, the Psalmist didn't get the memo that repetition was bad. The 26 verses of this hymn contain the same two-word Hebrew phrase - leo

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   1 Kings 7-8, 2 Chronicles 4-5     Background:     The readings today examine the finishing of the Temple and its dedication to the glory of God. Daily Devotional:    The Presence of God Solomon built a magnificent structure. The temple in Jerusalem was by all accounts among the more impressive buildings of the time. And Solomon was clearly among the most impressive people. His fame spread far and wide. He was rich,

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:     1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3    Background:     Today's readings in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles tell of the building of the Temple by Solomon. Daily Devotional:   Excellence   It is an argument that has been had often in choirs and music programs around the country, especially back when "special music" was more a part of worship than it is in many churches today. There are many who over-evaluate their

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:     Proverbs 20-24   Background:     Today's reading encompasses three collections. It concludes the 191 proverbs applying God's wisdom to life situations that began in Proverbs 16:1, then includes two different "Sayings of the Wise," proverbs that come from sources other than Solomon.  Daily Devotional:    The Key to EVERYTHING How is that title for a bit of hyperbole? But when you read Proverbs, i

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2022 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but I have divided it so that we will spend half the year in the OT, and half the year in the NT.  Bible Readings:   Proverbs 15-19     Background:     Today's reading ends the first section of 184 contrasts between wisdom and folly, which ends at the end of chapter 15, and begins the 191 proverbs (going through 22:16) that apply wisdom to life. Daily Devotional:    A Healthy Diet "You are what you eat." "Garbage in; garbage out." These are modern-day proverbs that draw life principles from our observation