Week 13: 2 Samuel 5 - 24

• Weekend: 2 Sam. 5 - 7
• Monday: 2 Sam. 8 - 10
• Tuesday: 2 Sam. 11 - 14
• Wednesday: 2 Sam. 15 - 18
• Thursday: 2 Sam. 19 - 20
• Friday: 2 Sam. 21 - 24

 This portion of Scripture gives us the most detailed account of David's life.  David is described as a man after God's heart.  Indeed he was!  However, this account also demonstrates that David was a flawed human being.  2 Samuel 5 - 24 shows us David's victories and defeats, his virtues and vices, and his wisdom and foolishness.

As you enjoy this week's readings, pray that God would help you experience his grace amid the moral victories and defeats that characterize your life.

If we're willing to admit it...there's a lot of David in all of us! 

Week 12: 1 Samuel 13 - 2 Samuel 4

Happy Spring Break!  As you can tell, I took the weekend off from updating the reading guide...  so here it is:

* Weekend:       1 Samuel 13 - 15
* Monday:         1 Samuel 16-19
* Tuesday:         1 Samuel 20-23
* Wednesday:    1 Samuel 24- 26
* Thursday:       1 Samuel 27- 31
* Friday:           2 Samuel 1-4

We kick this whole week off with what is probably the best known Bible event short of the birth of Jesus and His resurrection:  David & Goliath!  This week if you have been paying attention to the NCAA basketball tourney, you may have seen some games that pit some small schools versus some traditional powerhouses.  Well, if you are a fan of Cornell or Northern Iowa, you know that the little guy can prevail against overwhelming odds.

What this story really is about is a young man who takes it upon his shoulders to defend the name of God and the nation of Israel mano a mano with the champion fighter of the Philistine army.  This is Thunderdome...! 

Corny references aside, this is a testament to the fact that God will help those who call on Him for that help.  Yesterday the sermon referenced the fact that God will give us more than we can handle, as long as we put our trust in Him. 

There is too much to pack in here to do a proper recap, but pay close attention to the relationship between David and Jonathan.  Each of these men has a claim to the throne of Israel- Jonathan by blood and David by God's anointing.  Yet both have put that fact aside and live as brothers.  Our culture today seems to want to pit each of us against each other in various ways (jobs, money, sex, politics, etc.) and lead us to believe that we are entitled to many things in this life.  The only thing we are entitled to in this life is the knowledge that we can have eternal life through Christ if we believe in Him and put Him at the center of our lives.  David and Jonathan knew there was more to life than the events that surrounded them. 

Have a great week reading and please post your thoughts accordingly- we love to dialogue as we read His word together!

In Him,

Mike

Week 11: Judges 13 - 1 Samuel 12

Here is the reading plan for this week:

* Weekend:      Judges 13-16
* Monday:        Judges 17-21
* Tuesday:        Ruth
* Wednesday:  1 Samuel 1-3
* Thursday:      1 Samuel 4-8
* Friday:          1 Samuel 9-12

This should be a very enjoyable week of reading!  We start with the very familiar story of Samson, the strongest man in the world.  Samson uses his strength to achieve many great feats, but he also uses his strength to push his own personal agenda, which comes at a great cost...

The nation of Israel has no king... 

The story of Ruth is a story of love, but it is also a story of commitment, of compassion and of honor.  These qualities are the legacy of the family that will one day rule the nation of Israel, as Ruth is the Great Grandmother of King David.

The nation of Israel has no king...

As we begin reading 1 Samuel, the themes of commitment and honor continue.  The spiritual state of affairs in Israel are corrupt, and the people are desperate for a king to lead them.  A king is not the solution, but another symptom of the nation wanting to rely on men rather than God to be the leader in their lives.  God raises up Saul, Samuel anoints him, and the nation of Israel follows...

The nation of Israel has a king!

Have a great week of reading, remember to set your clocks forward tonight and we look forward to your comments!

-Mike

Week 10: Joshua 13 - Judges 12

The reading plan for this week is:

• Weekend:   Joshua 13 - 17
• Monday:    Joshua 18 - 21
• Tuesday:   Joshua 22 - 24
• Wednesday: Judges 1 - 5
• Thursday:  Judges 6 - 8
• Friday:    Judges 9 - 12

This week we'll finish up Joshua and start in the book of Judges. Joshua can be distinguished in 3 parts: Chapters 1 - 12 that we read last week, describes the conquering of the land of Canaan with God's help and ends with the 'trophy list' in Chapter 12. The 2nd part, Chapters 13 to 21 describes the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. The 3rd and last part, Chapters 22-24, refers back to the first part as it describes how the tribes east of the Jordan go back to their land. Also in that part we see Joshua saying goodbye to the people of Israel, and encouraging them to not sin and to cling to God's promises. He fulfilled His part of the promise by giving them the Promised Land, now they have to keep their part by following the rules given by Moses.

Joshua 24:15 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,...... But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua makes this powerful statement at the end of his life, and he warns the people about the gravity of entering into a commitment of serving the Lord (vs. 19 & 20). In effect he's saying: it's better to NOT serve the LORD, then to commit to serve Him and not follow through. I think that is still true today. It doesn't mean we are not allowed to sin, but it does mean we can't continue to willfully sin if we know something is wrong.

The people respond with determination: "No! We will serve the LORD." (v21).  But then the book of Judges starts.... and Chapter 2 vs 6 -15 is strikingly painful: The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.(v7)  After that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. (v10). In my opinion, the book of Judges is one of the darkest books of the Bible, and it goes back to the fact that "everyone did what was right in their own eyes." and the fact that they had forgotten all the great things the LORD had done.

It is a great example and warning for us: Remember all the great things God has done in your life. Pass it on to the next generation, and make it your mantra: "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD!"

Bible reading can accomplish all of the above (remembering, passing it on, serving), especially if you include your siblings in that, for example by reading the Bible at the dinner table. I commend you for continuing to read the Bible in 1 year.

Dick