34 for 30: Day 22 - Joel

Date: Not sure. Some say 9th century while others the 4th or 5th. Chapters: 3 Author: Joel - The character of God is described as gracious, merciful, slow to anger, greatly kind, and it is He that relents from doing harm. I like the action that should be taking place on our part which is to turn to Him with all our heart. Did you notice the response of 'who knows' in chapter 2 verse 14? I remember reading recently about the King of Nineveh saying something similar when Jonah told the nation to repent. And David when he mourned over the son that the Lord would take from him because of his unfaithfulness with Bathsheba. So the question of 'who knows' really should bring us to resting in the sovereignty of God. Remember his character and change your heart. By the way, I did not gloss over the fact that in this book He foretold us He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. It is a pretty important part of the passage.

34 for 30: Day 21 - 2 Thessalonians

Date: 51-52AD Chapters: 3 Author: Paul - I first want to say that the Spirit revealed something previously hidden from me. In the second chapter, verse 15, Paul says "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter." You remember that we always need to be prepared to give an accounting for our faith right? Seize God's Word, remember what you have been taught responsibly by those who were entrusted with the Gospel before you, and speak the words of hope to those around you. Be obedient to delivering this message for our time to labor is now. The Lord will guard you from the evil one. Be encouraged!

34 for 30: Day 20 - 1 Thessalonians

Date: 50-51AD Chapters: 5 Author: Paul - The recurring theme of being entrusted with the Gospel shows up in chapter 2 verse 4 where "we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." We know that repetition is drives home important points and this is one theme that is beginning to show throughout our reading. Also, in the last two chapters, who doesn't want to hear about the return of Jesus Christ? It is what Christians long for. Our hope is in Christ and what awaits us can hardly be described in words and yet we can comfort one another with the hope to come. I will leave you with the following verse from the final chapter: "We shall always be with the Lord." Be encouraged!

34 for 30: Day 19 - Obadiah

Date: Not sure. Could be 848-841BC Chapters: 1 Author: Obadiah - This is a wicked short book of the Bible and in fact the shortest in the Old Testament. It doesn't look good for the descendents of Esau, the Edomites, as the book begins. These guys were cruel and were not going to get passed the whole stolen birthright thing (Jacob and Esau). It is an understatement to say that Judah was mistreated. Verse 15 says that "As you have done, it shall be done to you." Of course this is bad news. This is another one of those 'pause and consider' moments. The book ends by saying that "the kingdom shall be the Lord's." If God is for us, who can stand against us?

34 for 30: Day 18 - 2 Timothy

Date: 67AD Chapters: 4 Author: Paul - Some books of the Bible you just want to copy and paste the whole thing in here. This is one of those books. The theme of entrusting arises again. The Words of God are sacred and that point needs to be driven home. 2 Tim 3:16 tells us that it is breathed of God. 2 Tim 2:15 lets us know we need to rightly handle it. This means we have to eat the Word, know it, live it, and then share it. I also like 2 Tim 2:3-6. We are not talking about magic, but rather hard work. As Christians we must be diligent. Preparing to be ministers of the Gospel takes work every day and all day. In chapter 3 we see the characteristics of the world in these last days. This is no cake walk my friends and we need to persevere in the midst of this extreme difficulty. It is also a charge for us to encourage the Body of Christ. We are to be strong in the strength of the Lord made possible by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The closer you are to the Body, the more encouragement you will have. Remember in Corinthians where Paul says to imitate him as he imitates Christ? In 2 Tim 3:10, we see that is precisely what Timothy has been doing. When we walk with God we imitate him and set the model for others to do as well. The Holy Spirit can give you that confidence. Be ready to preach the truth in boldness today as you are living your life out as one of Christ's own. Pray for opportunity and bless others for the glory of God.

34 for 30: Day 17 - 1 Timothy

Date: 63-66AD Chapters: 6 Author: Paul - Closing out this book, Paul says to "Guard the deposit entrusted to you." This spoke to my heart very powerfully. In the Scriptures, the very Word of God, we have something so valuable that needs to be guarded, watched, observed, preserved and obeyed. Pause and think about what we have been trusted with.

34 for 30: Day 16 - Jonah

Date: 793-753BC Chapters: 4 Author: Jonah - The story of Jonah and the big fish is pretty much known, but that aspect of this Old Testament Bible book pales in comparison to the display of exceedingly great love towards a great city (as the Bible calls Nineveh) from our compassionate God. While Jonah thought he could sail over a thousand miles away from where God wanted him, I thought it interesting that even the non-Hebrew (Gentile) sailors recognized who Jehovah was and pleaded that their lives would be spared when throwing Jonah into the sea. The sea was calm and they were spared. And what about the king of Nineveh? He calls for the whole nation and animals to a fast, cover themselves with sackcloth, turn from evil and violence, and to cry out mightily to God! God saw it and spared the city. Amazing!

34 for 30: Day 15 - Titus

Date: 63-66AD Chapters: 3 Author: Paul - The relationships, and really the model between the older and younger men and women should not go unnoticed. The model of Christ is to be followed and the longer it is lived, the more wisdom is evident. We shouldn't so easily dismiss our older Christian brothers and sisters as they have something significant to contribute to the Body of Christ. For those who like to have a checklist handy, there is plenty to pursue in this book. One other thing I though about was when Paul spoke of not speaking evil of anyone, avoid quarreling, be gentle and show perfect courtesy toward all people. Even that bit of advice would change our culture dramatically. In our church we are reminded not to give bad reports and to keep the circle small when it comes to disagreements. Speak to someone you have an issue with directly and gently. Don't gossip and spread the evil. It is dangerous.

34 for 30: Day 14 - Philemon

Date: 60-62AD Chapters: 1 Author: Paul - If you were pressed for time this day, you were pretty happy to only have a chapter to read, but I hope you didn't gloss over the significance of what was written. When I see HOW Paul wrote to Philemon, I ask myself where I am in service to God. What am I willing to give up? To what extent will I sacrifice? If someone will benefit in a greater way, will I stand in the way of what they need? What keeps you hanging on to the world?

34 for 30: Day 13 - Micah

Date: 740-687BC Chapters: 7 Author: Micah - The promise of Christ in chapter 5 and then knowing that the Lord wants us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Him in chapter 6 were the main points that moved me. The first 3 chapters were not so pleasant and in fact scary.

34 for 30: Day 12 - James

Date: 45-49AD Chapters: 5 Author: James - Four things pop in my head when James is mentioned. 1. If you are looking for wisdom, ask God. 2. Faith without works is dead. 3. Control your tongue. 4. James was also known as 'Camel Knees' because of all the time he spent on his knees in prayer.

A Coincidence or Godincidence?

For the first time, we put an ad in Craigslist to sell some baby things yesterday.  I received an email from someone interested in purchasing an item today.  We connected and he arrived at our house earlier this afternoon.  It turns out that they are expecting twins.  We had our twins almost a year ago.  I noticed that he had an Ichthus on his car just like ours.  It turns out that we and are wives are both Christians.  He and his wife have even attended the Coffeehouse at our church!  In addition to that, they have a black lab just like we had although Annie died last year.  They also have relatives in Indiana just like we do as well.  Last but not least, it was our 26^th wedding anniversary today and it was their 4^th today.   I was overwhelmed with the awesomeness of God in all this.  We chatted a bit and then before we parted ways, we prayed for each other. If you have eyes to see, I am sure you will see Him as well in this.

34 for 30: Day 11 - Nahum

The Old Testament book of Nahum was written about 663-654BC by Nahum.  In its three chapters the destruction of Nineveh was described.  Over one hundred years earlier, Nineveh responded to Jonah in complete repentance.  That did not happen in Nahum's time!  This is a powerful reminder that we need to be aware of our sinfulness in respect to God's holiness.  Also, God's justice should not be overlooked.

Gospel Centered Life: Lesson 4

We talked about legalism and license in the context of Romans 10:1-4.  I thought this was summed up well in the statement of "the law drives us to the gospel and the gospel frees us to obey the law."  The obeying of the law out of pleasure and love is so significant.  God's Word, His precepts, His ordinances are not to be looked at as a cold set of rules, they are to be delighted in!  The grid exercise definitely personalizes the way we can look at the Scriptures and is a good tool.  We look at the command, recognize our sinfulness in not being able to do it on our own, recognize Christ's holiness in how he was able to obey perfectly and finally see how the Holy Spirit is the One who can empower us to obey the command.  What a powerful lesson!

34 for 30: Day 10 - 2 Peter

2 Peter has 3 chapters and was written about 66/67AD.  The assurance of Christ's return is stated and the warning that it will come like a thief.  This makes me think about preparation and the urgency of sharing the gospel.  I suppose this was even more of a heavy emphasis since I found out that my cousin died unexpectedly. We just don't know!  I felt that 2 Peter 1:10 was my key verse.  It states that if I practice the qualities of faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love I will never fall. I can only do this when I rely on the Holy Spirit.  It is He that enables us to be effective and fruitful!

34 for 30: Day 9 - 1 Peter

Reading through these 5 chapters, written about 64/65AD, the theme of suffering popped off the page and in particular out of the third chapter.  Not just any suffering mind you, but sake of Christ.  There was certainly plenty of other content in the book, but it was the types of trials and how to endure that was important to me in this reading.  It also makes me think about what true suffering really is.

34 for 30: Day 8 - Habakkuk

This was a two chapter book written about 605BC.  To be honest, nothing stood out to me in particular when we read this.  My son and I have been doing this together and I encourage you to read with someone else as well.

34 for 30: Day 7 - Zephaniah

We are towards the end of the Old Testament in reading the 3 chapters of Zephaniah.  This writing is dated about 622/611BC.  This reading took an emotional toll on me with the first chapter.   The great day of the Lord is described along with wrath, distress, anguish, ruin, darkness and blood.  These strong actions are because of the sin against the Lord.  The last chapter brings hope in restoration as our God is indeed mighty to save! Amen!

34 for 30: Day 6 - 3 John

Another one chapter day reading through 3 John.  The time is somewhere around 85-95AD.  I saw again the encouragement about walking in the truth.  It is good to have that message repeated.  It means that is something God really thinks is important if it is emphasized in this way.  John also tells us that we need to imitate what is good.  That reminds me of what Paul said: "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."  When God's Spirit is in you, you also have the power to imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1).  It is almost too awesome!

34 for 30: Day 5 - 2 John

I was away for a bit and unable to update this blog and yet I have still been able to keep up with the reading.  That is the beauty of 34 for 30 in that each day there is so short of a time commitment.  There was only one chapter to read and the author is also John.  The time is still somewhere around 85-95AD.  What was important to me in this reading was the word 'walk'.  'Walking in the truth' and 'walking according to His commandments' both require action on our part.  This is not magic!  It is hard work to practice these things so be diligent. So, stay close to the deposit of truth that has been entrusted to you!

34 for 30: Day 4 - 1 John

Today's reading was from 1 John, which has a total of 5 chapters.  The book was written about 85-95 A.D. by the apostle John.   There were two words that stood out to me in the reading.  The first was 'know' (e.g.to know Him, know the truth, know love, know God listens, know that you have eternal life). The second was the word 'practice'.  In one way it was good as in to practice the truth and practice righteousness.  In another way it was not so good as in to practice sin and practice lawlessness. 1 John 2:15-17 is a good warning for us all. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."  It is true.  The world is passing away.  Hold on to Christ.

34 for 30: Day 3 - Haggai

Today's reading of Haggai was only 38 verses captured in two chapters.  The book was written about 520 B.C. by Haggai.  The phrase 'declares the Lord' is repeated often, signaling where the authority of the prophet originated from.  As I read the book this morning I started to think about whether I was holding other things in my life as a higher priority other than God.  Am I focusing on paneling my own house rather than taking care of God’s house?  I thought about this and then was encouraged by what He is preparing me to do.  God speaks to us in His Word and the Holy Spirit gifts us to function in the Body of Christ.  I want to encourage you to walk in boldness today for the King and use your gifts.  Rely on Him and enjoy who you are in Him.  May you be a blessing to others and make His name greater!

34 for 30: Day 2 - Jude

I like this book and that is not just because Jude is only one chapter in length. It was written by Jude, as we see in v1.  A little bit of background in Matthew 13 tells us that Jesus was his half-brother. "Is not [Jesus] the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas And are not all his sisters with us?"  Scholars date the book at about 65-67A.D.  I walked away sobered at the awesomeness of the body of teaching entrusted to me from the disciples and to be aware of those who don't handle it properly. It is actually a serious thing and we need to know God's Word enough to tell the difference.  I also loved how James brought in Old Testament people like Enoch, Adam, Moses, Cain, and Balaam.  Also, events such as what happened at Sodom and Gomorrah and Korah's rebellion.  34 for 30 is a good way to know God and build up our faith.  Keep praying and keep yourselves in the love of God!

34 for 30: Day 1 - Malachi

Malachi was a quick read at 4 chapters yet.  The first verse points out that it was written by Malachi and my notes show that this means 'my messenger'. I use the Reformation Study Bible along with Woodrow Kroll's book as a reference.  Keeping this in mind, the dating of the book is somewhere between 458 and 433 B.C. and it occurs about the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.  I read this today with one of my sons and one of his buddies.  Did you notice that 'Lord of Hosts' was mentioned 24 times?  I would say that 'the messenger' definitely has something God wanted us to know about!  Did you happen to think about how we offer to God something of lesser value as well?  Do you love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength?  Do you give Him your best or maybe just the afterthoughts? I was convicted.

Gospel Centered Life: Lesson 3

Our discussion centered around 2 Peter 1:3-8 where I really thought about the evidence of the qualities listed, and whether they were increasing.  The evidence speaks to the way the gospel is transforming me.  I loved Luther's quote about passive righteousness and that we do not have to labor for it because we receive it by faith.  I also am comforted knowing that God is pleased with me because He is pleased with Jesus.  There is such freedom in that!  The other statement that popped out to me in GCL was that "The good news of the gospel is NOT that God favors us because of who we are, but that He favors us in spite of who we are."  Amen?

34 for 30

34 for 30 can be done by anyone.  The '34' represents 34 of the 66 books of the Bible.  The '30' represents those 34 books that can be read in 30 minutes or less.  I was inspired by Woodrow Kroll's 'Read Your Bible One Book at a Time' to begin this journey of exploring the Bible.

It's easy to get started.  I have outlined the book to read each day and a link to where you can read if you do not own your own Bible.  I have been enjoying the English Standard Version of late so that is what I have you link out to.

Before you begin each day, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to see.  You will be blessed.  As an encouragement, please share what He is showing you.  God bless you! <><

Day 1: Malachi   Day 2: Jude   Day 3: Haggai   Day 4: 1 John   Day 5: 2 John
Day 6: 3 John   Day 7: Zephaniah   Day 8: Habakkuk   Day 9: 1 Peter
Day 10: 2 Peter   Day 11: Nahum   Day 12: James   Day 13: Micah
Day 14: Philemon   Day 15: Titus   Day 16: Jonah   Day 17: 1 Timothy
Day 18: 2 Timothy   Day 19: Obadiah   Day 20: 1 Thessalonians
Day 21: 2 Thessalonians   Day 22: Joel   Day 23: Colossians
Day 24: Song of Solomon   Day 25: Philippians   Day 26: Ruth
Day 27: Zechariah   Day 28: Ephesians   Day 29: Amos
Day 30: Hosea   Day 31: Galatians   Day 32: Lamentations
Day 33: Ecclesiastes   Day 34: Esther

Gospel Centered Life: Lessons 1 and 2

We are working through learning what the gospel is all about.  The chart showing an awareness of God's holiness and our sinfulness is very powerful and personal to me in that it brings me to a healthy reliance on God and not my own efforts. The recent passages in Luke 18 revealed examples of false righteousness (tax collector and pharisee / rich man and his possessions).  Following that were every day examples of what seemingly makes us look better than we are.  In actuality, focusing on ourselves, keeps us from having a healthy identity in Jesus Christ. When we have our identity in Christ, we are no longer burdened by elevating ourselves. What are your thoughts?