Most people would agree that the current state of our nation’s government is one of a broken system. But there’s little agreement about how to fix it. People on one side think we need to tear down the whole thing. Others say we need to get back to what they believe are the basics of our constitutional foundations.
Though there may be huge theological and political differences, there are people on both sides of the issue who sincerely believe they are right. But as Christians, is there actually a more radical plan that we should be praying for and working toward?
How should we view church authority? Should we submit to our church leaders? What is our responsibility? And how does God use these truths “to watch out for our souls”?
We’ll also look at the danger of pride in our own achievements and how we should view helping the poor, including when we should not help.
Where is God when life is hard? Does He allow tests and trials in our lives because He is angry? Do they mean He doesn’t love us? And if our trials are the result of God’s discipline, how should we respond?
Also, what is the one character quality that will enable us to be all Christ wants us to be, the one without which we cannot come to God or love Him the way we should? It’s the same quality required to love and serve others, lead in a godly way, communicate biblically, resolve conflict, deal with the sins of others, and resist sin ourselves. So, what is it?
What does it take to live the Christian life? Is there a key, something so essential that we can’t please God without it? In fact, there is. It’s required for salvation and for our ongoing trust in God. That key is faith. So, if faith is so important, where does it come from and how can we strengthen it when it’s weak? The answer is simpler than you think.
Trusting God during tough times can be one of the most difficult challenges we face. How do we continue to trust Him when He doesn’t seem to be answering our prayers, when a child isn’t getting better, when finances still seem impossible, or when the doctor hands us a bad report? Where do we find hope? What will we believe about God during those tough times? And if we’re not in the middle of a challenging season, what can we do to be ready for them when they come?
Why a fresh start through the Bible? Why “through” the Bible? Why not just read here and there, perhaps finding a subject that interests you? Or how about a short devotional? As long as you read something every day, isn’t that good enough? Today’s reading from the book of Psalms gives us a very good illustration of why it’s so important to read God’s Word in context.
The psalmist in Psalm 1 talks about a man who is like a tree planted on a riverbank where it gets plenty of water and is always fruitful. The psalmist goes on to say that God prospers whatever this man does.
I don’t know about you, but I want my life to be like that. But despite some who teach that God wants to make every believer prosperous, there are requirements for this prosperity. There are things we must do and other things we are to avoid. We also need to understand what the psalmist meant when he wrote about prosperity. If we don’t, we may find ourselves disillusioned, even angry, with God.
But this is just one example of the importance of understanding God’s Word in context, in its entirety. One of the biggest problems I find among believers is a failure to know God, to know His character, to know how He works through our tests and trials. As a result, far too many lead faithless, defeated lives.
But when we read through all of Scripture, we begin to see the big picture. As we go through the book of Genesis, we’ll look at the creation account and what it tells us about our incredible God. It will launch us on a journey through the history of God’s people and some of the most fascinating stories even recorded. As we go through the Prophets, we’ll see the many examples where their prophecies have already come to pass and our faith will grow. We will, also, come to better understand what was really happening in the book of Job, how much the psalmists were like us, and see the wisdom we can gain from Proverbs. In the New Testament, we’ll walk with Jesus and the Apostles, read Paul’s letters with fresh understanding, and marvel at the glories of eternity future.
So, why read “through” the Bible and not just here and there? So we understand the whole counsel of God and so we know the God of the Bible and not God as we think He should be.
Perhaps the question should be, “Why not read through the Bible in 2022?”
2022. A new year stands before us. 2021 and 2020 before that have been challenging to put it mildly.
Viruses. Bombings. Senseless murders. Shut-downs. Financial hardships. Crime. Dirty, partisan politics. Suicide. Sexual immorality. Anger. Road rage. Persecution. The loss of religious freedoms.
The world around us has been and continues to be in upheaval. Everything is changing right before our eyes.
Even within the church world, there are many false gospels.
So, how will we know truth from lies? How can we stand strong in a changing world, when life gets hard, or stays hard?
This year is fast drawing to a close and many of us are thinking about our goals for 2022. And there are many important goals and resolutions we can make as we look forward.
Certainly, these last two years have reminded us all that it’s important to take care of our health. And while, as believers, we shouldn’t live in fear, we should use wisdom in that area. Maybe you have career, financial, or other personal goals for 2022, as well.
But we should never neglect the most important area of life … our spiritual life. One of the most valuable goals is to read the Bible regularly. And I would like to suggest one of the best ways is to read through it in a systematic way. So, how about you? Do you want to grow spiritually in 2022? If so, what is your plan to do so?
Why is reading through the Bible so valuable? Can’t we get everything we need by going to church, reading a verse or two each day and listening to podcasts here and there? Isn’t it just too time-consuming? One more thing on a long to-do list?
Or what if you’ve tried in the past, only to fall behind and give up? How can you do it successfully in 2022?
Have you thought about reading through the Bible, maybe know you should, but keep saying, “Maybe next year”? Here is a 15-day catch-up plan so you can make this year your year!
Why Read through the Bible in a Year? Before you know it the New Year will be here. I hope your New Year’s plans include reading through the Bible in a year in 2017. Reading, studying, meditating on and obeying God’s...
