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:   John 15     Background:     Jesus continues, in his "Farewell Discourse," to prepare his disciples for the explosion that would take place the next day, as their lives would be blown apart. In today's reading, Jesus focuses on our abiding in him, and on the consequences of that - the reality of persecution. He returns to the topic of the work of the Holy Spirit as well.  Daily Devotional:   Abiding in

  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:     John 14    Background:     I've always loved mountains. Maybe it's because I lived so long in flat places like Florida and Iowa, but the majesty and awe-inspiring beauty of mountains move me. John 14-16 is a mountaintop of scripture. Like Romans 8, Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13, or John 3, it is among the Himalayan peaks of God's word. It is a message that Jesus preached to his disciples the night before

  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:     Luke 22:31-38, John 13:31-38    Background:     As the end drew near, as the supper wrapped up, Jesus engaged his disciples in several ways to prepare them for what lay ahead. John tells us that Jesus laid out a new commandment, one that would be the dominant mandate for the church that his disciples would establish. They were to "love one another." Unfortunately, after he set out this wonderful command

  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:   Matthew 26:20-29, Mark 14:17-25, Luke 22:14-30, John 13:21-30      Background:     For nearly 2000 years people have gathered in homes, in tunnels, in caves, in cathedrals, in forests, in churches, and in many other places to take a piece of bread and drink the fruit of the vine to remember the body of Christ which bore our sins and the blood which washes us white as snow. In today's readings, Jesus initiates 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:   Matthew 26:1-19, Mark 14:1-16, Luke 22:1-13, John 13:1-20     Background:     And now it gets serious.  To this point, the religious leaders have hated Jesus.  They've schemed and plotted against him. But now they actually are planning his death. They have put feet to their hate and set in motion the scheme that would result in the passion of the Christ.  They get a break when Judas got upset with Jesus over a

  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:     Matthew 25    Background:     The end is near.  Well, to be honest, we don't really know precisely how close it is, because to the Lord, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a time. Time isn't the same for him as it is for us. But we know that the world we live in has an expiration date and that it will be consummated to the glory of God.  In this chapter, Jesus tells three stories

  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:   Matthew 23:37-24:22, Mark 12:41-13:20, Luke 21:1-24     Background:     After the familiar story of the widow's offering which appears in Mark and Luke, Jesus turns his attention to Jerusalem. He laments its sin and rebellion in Matthew 23:37-39, a significant passage that indicates his rejection by the people. When he rode in at his triumphal entry he was hailed as the one who was blessed, as the one who had c

  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:   Matthew 23:1-36, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47       Background:     I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has used Matthew 23 to justify their angry words toward someone else. "Look what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23." It's true, of course, he says some pretty harsh about his religious antagonists here. But it is well to remember a few things. Jesus was perfect and so was his judgme

  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:     Matthew 22:15-46, Mark 12:13-37, Luke 20:19-44 Background:     Pop quiz! How I hated those words. I was able to study for tests, cramming knowledge into my brain, spitting it out on the test, and forgetting it the moment the test was over. But pop quizzes were sprung on us when we weren't prepared.  The religionists tried some pop quizzes on Jesus in today's readings, nearly identical in all three Synopti

  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:     Matthew 21:28-22:14, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-18    Background:     Jesus returns to his parable-telling ways, these ones not nearly as mysterious as some of the previous ones. Matthew records three parables in our reading today, each one designed to insult the Pharisees and religious leaders who were following him and trying to trap him. Jesus didn't back down, didn't try to curry favor. He trained his ve

  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:     John 12:20-50, Matthew 21:18-27, Mark 11:20-33, Luke 20:1-8    Background:     The passage is John is first here because it is a continuation of a previous reading in John. Jesus is preparing for the end. John 12:23 is rife with irony. "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." Think of what was about to happen to him. Arrest. Trial. Beating. Mocking. A crown of thorns. Carrying his cross.

  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:     Matthew 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-19, Luke 19:28-48, John 12:1-19    Background:     The beginning of the end - that is what the Triumphal Entry is. Jesus came over the Mt of Olives and down into the city with the crowds cheering. It was a great way to start a week that would turn ugly quickly - a fulfillment of prophecy and a portent of a future return when Jesus will be accepted by all as King of kings and Lord of lor

  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:   Luke 18:35-19:27 Background:     Today's readings take place in Jericho, on the west side of the Jordan, at the north end of the Dead Sea. Jesus was headed to Jerusalem, determined to give himself for the sins of the world, and so he walked in the Jordan River valley, the easiest way to walk. In Jericho, Jesus healed a man born blind (a story we read yesterday in other gospel accounts) and the story of Zaccheus

  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:   Matthew 20:1-34, Mark 10:32-52, Luke 18:31-34     Background:     Today's readings mark a clear turning point in Jesus' ministry. The hints have been leading up to this point, but now all doubt is gone. After a parable about rewards for serving God and his kingdom, Jesus predicts his death a third time, with a firm prediction that they are headed to Jerusalem. The Galilean portion of the ministry is over a