Dave Miller's 2025 Bible Reading Challenge

  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 :   2 Corinthians 5 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     How do you view yourself? The world tells us that it is all about our self-image, our self-esteem. 2 Corinthians 5 defines a healthy self-image, one based on the realities of Christ's work in us, not on who we are in ourselves. We are people who are of eternity, not of the present. We walk by faith, not by sight.  We recognize that we will appear before his judgment seat to give account of our lives. We are new creatures in Christ.  We live to bring others into reconci...

  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 :   2 Corinthians 4 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     2 Corinthians 4 is a powerful passage that details the character of Paul's ministry and explains his integrity, character, and spiritual focus. Paul had been under attack from false brethren, and he devoted this chapter to defending his character, his apostleship, and his behavior.  Daily Devotional:   Jars of Clay; Treasures of Christ Do you have a favorite passage of Scripture? I've always maintained that the Mt. Everest of the Bible is Romans 8. There are other grea...

  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 :   2 Corinthians 2:14-3:18 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     2 Corinthians is a powerful book - take your time with your readings while we are in this book! In 2 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul describes his letter of recommendation. Even the early church had its problems with false teachers. Evidently, some men went from church to church to teach their particular false doctrines, often carrying with them letters of recommendation to lend credence to his ministry when he would arrive. Paul had a different idea about what comprises a true ...

  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 :   2 Corinthians 1:1-2:13 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Paul's correspondence with the Corinthians is complicated. We have two letters from Paul to the Corinthians (1 and 2 Corinthians), but there is evidence of two others. One Paul calls his "painful letter." Some believe that the painful letter is included in 2 Corinthians, but we will never know this for certain. It is my belief that these are two other letters from Paul to the church which, while containing good advice, were not inspired Scripture and therefore were not pr...

  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 :   Acts 20 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Before we delve into 2 Corinthians and Romans, also written on this third missionary journey of Paul, we will return briefly to Acts 20, in which Paul wraps up that journey. After spending time in Macedonia and Greece, he went to Troas, where the tragic and hilarious story of Eutychus falling asleep during his sermon and falling out of a window to his death takes place. The amazing part of the story is that Paul raises the man to life and then goes back to preaching! He then went to Eph...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 15-16 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     It is one of the highlights of Scripture, and it proves that liberalism and threats to the truth are nothing new. 1 Corinthians 15 is Paul's response to those who said that Christianity was all about a way of life and that we shouldn't worry so much about the "sweet by and by." People were denying the resurrection and saying that Jesus was such a blessing that even if there was no heaven, it would be worth it to be a follower of Christ. Paul called that nonsense. The resurre...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 13-14 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     An ironic rebuke, 1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most familiar scriptures. It describes the love of God and the love we are to have for one another - a love that is not squishy, tolerant of sin, or weak. It is a gritty love that is based on actions that mimic the love of Christ. It is given as a direct contrast to the self-serving focus on gifts that was prevalent in Corinth. Paul's more "excellent way" is about demonstrating your spirituality by living out the love and serv...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 12   In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     There is so much going on in 1 Corinthians 12 that it deserves a book, not an introductory paragraph. Several quick points. Contrary to many translations, the introduction should not read, "now about spiritual gifts," but is more generic. "Now, about spiritual things." The chapter is about how the Spirit operates. The key principle is that the one Spirit works in us in a variety of ways - just as our bodies are one with many parts. The individual parts must perform their...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 11:2-34 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Paul deals with two topics in this passage; the first is one of the more confusing passages in Paul's writings. He gives instructions about men and women and hair length and head coverings, and after carefully studying this passage several times, I still do not know exactly what is being said. What is clear is that Paul wants men to be men and women to be women and that while men and women share essential equality, we are not made to be the same. The passage on the Lord's ...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 9:15-11:1   In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     In this section, Paul continues his discussion of meat sacrificed to idols. Though idols are nothing and eating meat sacrificed to idols is nothing, he warns against any form of idolatry. The entire passage is summarized in 10:23-11:1, where Paul advocates both freedom in Christ and concern for others over demanding our rights and privileges as Christians.  Daily Devotional:  Proud Fools It was my first time skiing, and by my second day on the slopes, I ...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 8:1-9:14  In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Paul turned his attention in chapters 8-10 to "food sacrificed to idols" - a huge issue in that era, but not one we worry about much these days, at least not literally. Those who worshiped idols did so by offering sacrifices. Lo and behold, those idols did not eat much, and the leftover meat was sold in the idol meat market - the best steak at the best price. Some Christians said it was no big deal since idols are nothing. Others said that meat given over to the wor...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 7 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Marriage became a hot-potato issue in the early church. Some saw sex as carnal and unworthy of the Christian and thought all Christians should remain single. Others were dealing with situations such as those Paul addressed in this chapter, in which one partner was converted and found himself or herself married to an unbeliever. Should a child of God continue in a marriage with a child of the devil? The fledgling church faced so many issues, and Paul addressed many of them here. ...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 5-6 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Evidently, one of the reports that came to Paul was about serious sexual immorality going on at the Corinthian church. This was not just the presence of people who fell into sexual sin, but those who twisted the grace of God. This was the arrogance Paul spoke of in 5:2. They proudly spoke of their tolerance and "grace" toward this scandalous sinner. Paul corrected them with clarity. He then addressed, in chapter 6, the prevalence of lawsuits among the believers. This passage h...

  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 :     1 Corinthians 3-4 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Perhaps the best way to picture this book is to see Paul as a fireman and this book as the red truck. Some of the more faithful members of the church at Corinth wrote Paul to tell him of the serious issues going on, and he hopped on the truck, started up the siren, and tried to hose down the errors. In chapter 3, we find out that one of the biggest problems was schism. They had broken down into little groups - Paul, Apollos, Peter, and Jesus. Each group lay claim to bei...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 2 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     In verses 1-5 of 1 Corinthians 2, Paul describes his entrance into Corinth. Leaving the academic debates of Athens, he determined to know nothing but Christ crucified. He entered Corinth without fancy rhetoric but with a simple message and with the demonstration of the Spirit's power. The goal of this was that their faith would rest not on Paul but on the power of Christ.  The rest of the chapter discusses the natural and the spiritual and explains how only those who have t...

  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 :   1 Corinthians 1 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Introduction to the Book of 1 Corinthians Paul started a lot of churches. He had great churches like Philippi and Ephesus, which brought him constant joy and demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit and a passion for the gospel. He had the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what he preached was true. He started churches in Thessalonica, Galatia, and all over the Roman world. Then there was Corinth, the dysfunctional family of God. We can deduce that Paul wrote 4 letters t...