Morning All!
Hope you've all had a good start to 2011, and have been following the readings thus far.
Hope you've all had a good start to 2011, and have been following the readings thus far.
Really thank God that so many of you have enthusiastically taken up the challenge of reading through the Bible in the year. Myself and a few other youths at Calvary Pandan had started this in 2010 and it was certainly a great blessing to have brethren in it together, encouraging each other along the way.
Just a short sharing on a few things I've learnt:
1. It is not going to be easy and there are times where you might fall behind so much you just want to give up. But just keep pressing on because no matter what it is always going to be a blessing to read God's Word, even if you are a few chapters or even a few books behind schedule. Be encouraged and not discouraged by the progress of the others around you.
2. There will be tougher parts and easier parts. You might be able to breeze through Genesis and Exodus as they're familiar and easy to read. But then when we come to portions like Leviticus or the first half of Numbers or maybe the sections on dividing the land in Joshua, your enthusiasm might begin to wane and your interest fades. There may be other portions that you find you just can not understand most of what you are reading, like perhaps some of the prophetic books. But just take it by faith, that all scripture is profitable... and man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. The Bible promises that if we meditate on God's Word day and night, it will certainly be profitable to us. Even if you feel like the day's reading is dry or you can't understand it, just carry on through and pray for the Spirit's illumination. It is an act of faith and obedience that we are undertaking in reading God's Word, and if it is done right, God will surely bless!
3. There will be huge blessings awaiting us if we really do diligently read through each of the passages, as we will discover new lessons from old familiar passages, and new verses, passages and thoughts that you have never encountered before. It is highly recommended to go through the Bible with highlighters, coloured pens etc, and have your own system of marking out verses and writing little notes here and there. Your aim is to make the Bible as dirty as possible! Few suggestions, you might have your own system: Use different coloured highlighters to highlight verses that speak to you, i.e. promises of God, commands of God, warnings from God, etc. Use pens to underline/circle/box/double underline/curly underline verses or phrases that stand out, maybe repetitions, important conjunctions, words with similar meanings etc. There are really so many different ways to delve into God's Word that is really so amazingly rich and powerful.
4. Every's journey through the daily walk Bible will be different, as God through the Holy Spirit can use His Word to teach us different things, even though we are reading the same passages. Would be great if you could maybe use this mailing list or update the blog to encourage each other on the spiritual lessons we have gleaned through the passages that we are reading. Do not be shy to share from maybe Exodus when you should be perhaps already be in Ruth. Every lesson learnt is important!
5. Do not allow the readings to become routine and obligatory. The moment you feel that way, take a step back, really pray and ask the Lord to renew your interest and love for His Word. This is a prayer that God would certainly want to answer.
6. The length of the passages for some days might become rather intimidating, or it is so long that you have to just rush through it with the limited time that you have. Do not feel obliged to finish it just because it is scheduled as such and you want to keep up with it. It might be good to sometimes break up a day's reading to 2 or 3 sittings and slowly chew and meditate on the Word. Remember, its quality over quantity!
7. Ok not really a lesson learnt, but just found it really cool that it is called 'daily walk Bible', in line with our chuch's theme of 'walking with God'. Didn't notice it till Edward sent out the email last night. This is really a practical way which we can go about fulfilling the theme and desire that we have to walk with God in the year 2011!
Thats all I can think of for now. Will share more as I think of them.
Ok go, read! And encourage others to read too!
"2011, I know there is something special about you! =D" - Truc Pham, Facebook
God bless,
Kang
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