Greetings from Me and My House,
I hope you all had a “Blessed Incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, Day” (think about it – “Christmas”) and a triumphant entry to the New Year.
If you don’t have a Bible Reading Plan I encourage you to begin one. It is a great way to begin the New Year, with a plan to read God’s Word completely through, during the year. It is important to read the Bible, completely and in context (as opposed to haphazardly, here a little, there a little). There are many plans you can follow. A very easy one is to read about 3 chapters a day (5 on the Lord’s Day/Sabbath).
One we are enjoying following is a bit different. It prescribes reading from both the Old and New Testaments everyday, and takes you through the whole Bible completely once, and the New Testament and Psalms twice in the year. The layout of it divides the readings into Family and Individual readings, so half the chapters will be read by yourself, and the other half as part of your daily Family Altar time (I hope you are doing this too.)
One great thing about this schedule is that the whole family (and perhaps your whole church, if they do such) is reading the same chapters each day and you can all discuss them at any time. It is a great way to bring spiritual unity in growth, in the family and the church.
This schedule was arranged by Robert Murray M‘Cheyne, who lived in the early 1800’s. It is/was recommended by Ravi Zacharias, Charles Spurgeon and John Stott, among many others.
Here’s a link to a site where you can download/print the schedule. (There are many others, but I like the format of this one – legal size, folds to brochure to fit in Bible, large enough to read easily.) Look under Daily Bible Reading and click on pdf file:
www.mountzion.org/see.html
(Put M’Cheyne Bible into a google search and you will come up with many others, some interactive online versions.)
And here’s a link to a website where you can download free Bible Reader software for reading the Bible on your Palm (or other) handheld, and M’Cheyne reading schedule that you can check off the chapters as you read them. Click on your type of handheld on the left to get the download page for Bible Reader.
www.olivetree.com/download/
Then click on this page to choose a bible version to download. Several are free. KJV is $5.00.
www.olivetree.com/store/catalog/Products-p-1-c-259.html
Then click on this page, on Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Schedule to download his reading schedule:
www.olivetree.com/handheld/BibleReadMe/
You can also download many other books (many for free) to read on your Palm with Bible Reader. But that’s another topic for another day.
For today, start a systematic reading of the Bible itself – for a Blessed New Year!
At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ministries
Discipleship for Life!
http://me-and-my-house.org
Blogging here and there – but without my blogging software until my other computer is back up, so forget the html coding until then.
July 12, 2005
I’ve heard it said in contemporary American churches that we need to steer away from theology and doctrine. That they are just divisive issues, and should stay out of our pulpits and home group discussions.
I agree they are VERY divisive. But they are exactly what we need to stay close to, and build our lives upon.
Theology and doctrine are at the heart of Christianity. In fact there is no Christianity without theology and doctrine. Theology isn’t some high minded legalistic argumentation. It is nothing more than your beliefs about God. Everyone has them. The question is, are your beliefs about God Biblical? If not, you need to hear the Word that tells you what is Truth about God.
Likewise Biblical doctrine isn’t some man-made ideas about how we should worship God and live in this world. It also isn’t a optional thing. Doctrine means teaching We are commanded to adhere to the doctrine (teaching) of the Apostles about Jesus.
Theology and doctrine. They are what makes Christianity, Christianity. They are our Biblical beliefs about God, and the teachings of the Bible. They are the only hope of every person on earth. To come to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, whom You can only know and understand through Biblical theology and doctrine.
At Jesus’ feet,
SDG,
Lisa
Greetings from Me and My House,
“Count it all joy when you fall in various trials.” Has that always been your favorite verse? I really don’t see many Christians applying this one – me included. But this I know, God wrote it; it is truth; I need to do it.
I wrestle with God’s Sovereignty and man’s sin. Although I know that God works all things for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose, I don’t believe that sin is God’s design and plan. But this I do know, God allows sin, and the good that He wants to bring out of it is the conforming of my character to the image of Christ.
Clay that I am, I don’t like being pushed and squeezed. I don’t like being in the heat of the fire. But…
He works good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose, so when others sin against me, and I am in the midst of various trials, I can – WILL – count it all JOY, because He is conforming me to the image of His Son, as I submit to His work in my life.
At Jesus’ feet,
SDG,
Lisa
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