Wow, what an exciting week we’ve had so far! I’m glad that you are along with me on this journey! Here is the main landing page for our study The Bible in 90 Days. It has all of the links of the various resources and will have each week linked to it at the bottom.
Here is a Free Study Guide for week 2. This has some great information. I hope you’ll grab it. Here are a few thoughts taken from the study guide for this weeks reading:
Have you ever experienced a wilderness, a time of wandering and dryness in the desert, where you felt deserted by God?
- A financial circumstance that is burying you
- Waiting for an adoption to be finalized
- Lacking clarity after graduation
- Attempting to sell a house that has been on the market way too long
- An illness that won’t go away
- A family member who is rebelling
- A dream that is turning to disappointment
Survival Skills for the wilderness – 1. Don’t Whine Numbers 11:4-6 (speaking directly to me!!) 2. Get Help – Numbers 11:10-15 3. Grow Strong Numbers 11:16-18
These things and more are discussed in the free weekly study guide. Enjoy!
Reading Schedule for this week:
- Day 8 – Lev 1:1 through Lev 14:32
- Day 9 – Lev 14:33 through Lev 26:26
- Day 10 – Lev 26:27 through Numbers 8:14
- Day 11 – Numbers 8:15 through Numbers 21:7
- Day 12 – Numbers 21:8 through Numbers 32:19
- Day 13 – Numbers 32:20 through Deut 7:26
- Day 14 – Deut 8:1 through Deut 23:11
Click here to Listen to the Bible as you read it.
Here is the audio lesson . (You’ll need to log in!)
Please listen the lessons. I have the dvd’s but can’t post them here…copyright rules. We can discuss what you heard here as well. Listen while you cook, clean or are just taking time to enjoy this journey. I hope you’ll take advantage of this free resource. Listen towards the end of the 7 day time frame, as THIS would be what we would be watching/discussing if we were to be meeting weekly.
Think about it:
Unless you’ve adopted, you don’t get a choice about the children you have. One difference between God and us is that He does know who his children will be. Yet He creates us and gives us a free will, despite that knowledge. A question we might ponder while reading the Bible from cover to cover is, “knowing what HE knows, why would God create each one of us? Why did God create me?”
Reading Tips:
- Remember what our goal is: “To read, attentively, every word of the Bible in 90 days.”
- As you encounter repetition in the Bible, consider it an opportunity to more firmly plant important writings in your mind.
- Do not obsess with capturing everything you are reading. Absorb what you can, God will bring it back as you need it.
- If you’ve gotten behind in your reading, don’t give up! Catch up by reading a little more each day or take Sunday and catch up.
Leviticus Overview:
This book of rules gives direction to the Levitical priests in the rituals necessary to maintain holiness for the children of Israel. While modern readers may marvel at the seeming harshness of some directives, it also includes God’s earliest command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (and we are always kind to ourself aren’t we?)
Numbers Overview:
At the beginning of this book, the Israelites number 603,550 at the end they number 601,730. What occurs in between is a lessonin the pitfalls of failing to submit to God and his plan.
Deuteronomy Overview:
With the Israelites finally approaching entry to the promised land, many elements of the previous four books are revisited here, including the Ten Commandments. Moses gets to view the promised land from Mount Nebo but dies before his people enter it.
Some discussion questions:
1. What did you modify (if anything) this week to make sure that you did your Bible reading? .
2. When/how did you read? Did you do it all at once, break it up? Read in the mornings, evenings?
3. Ok…honesty time – you ready for this? Did you complete all of your reading? hmmm?? If yes, was it easy for you? If no, what can you do to try and get back with it? Please don’t give up. We are in this together.
4. What are your suggestions to help others that may have found the first week difficult?
5. So many emotions in last weeks reading. Did you relate at all? Have you been angry with God? How do you handle it? Is the God you read about in Genesis and exodus the God that you “know”.
6. Adam and Eve blew it. Cain blew it. What can we learn from it, because it’s just a matter of time before we blow it.
7. Can you recall the 10 Commandments? You don’t have to list them here, but just for the fun of it…try. Don’t be afraid, because there is NO way your memory is worse than mine!
Please feel free to list any “aha” moments, any verses that spoke to you. I hope that you’ll listen to the audio notes as far as the discussion goes. Speak yer peace….what say ye? hmmm? *grinning*
© 2010, Spreading Joy. All rights reserved.
I’m enjoying reading the Bible and hope that you are too.
Answering questions:
1. I read the Bible everyday, but I’ve added more pages and just as I figured, “things” and time are usually a factor. But, we MAKE time to do what we want to do..right? so, this is what I want to do. So, I’ll make the time.
2. I split it up into to readings a day on most days. Some at lunch and some after dinner.
3. Noooooooooooo!! I am catching up, even as I type. But I’m not giving up.
4. Don’t give up. Split up the time. Add in 3 or 4 more pages a day. Keep at it.
5. When I pray, I pray honestly. I don’t try and “clean” myself up. If I’m whiny, God already know that…so I simply come to God asking Him to reveal to me what I need to see, to help me, carry me etc. Sometimes I can only cry out.. Father… and then, I know when the words won’t come, that Jesus is there – speaking for my broken heart. We all have times of feeling along, feeling abandonded, feeling like we’ll never get out of the wilderness. God knows this. It’s good to know that we can come to GOD just as we are.
6. Oh, we all blow it don’t we? But, just like parents, God gives us another chance, a 10th chance and so on. We need to learn from our mistakes, but I’m thankful that God is a God of another chance.
7. Ohh..mercy. My memory is horrid. But here goes. No other Gods,No stealing, killing, lying, no coveting, adultry, don’t take God’s name in vain. Honor your Father and Mother. (I know, I know..but the memory fails me… 😉
Keep reading..keep at it. Don’t give up. You can do this.
ok…finishing up this a few days behind. but This is my 2nd time through. Few of the things that really stuck out to me was:
* all the laws they had to memorize. look back at my last comment, i don’t think I remembered all of the 10 commandments, much less all that they HAD to remember. Wow..
* Moses was such a faithful servant, he was allowed to speak directly to GOD, not just in dreams, visions and such. I want that kind of faithfulness. God even said there isn’t anyone as humble as MOses When his siblings were talking bad about him. Moses spoke frankly to God. asking WHY did you give me these people… to carry around like a child. or will you destroy them – after bringing them out of egypt.
i don’t know. to me, that is just pretty awesome.
* I had to giggle – when God told the Israelites that they would have quail till it came out of their noses… reminds me of “be careful what you ask for…you just might get it.”
* The talking donkey is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. But to me – what is even greater than that. When the donkey spoke to Balaam, HE answered it!!!! I would have ran. I’m not even kidding. but noooo, he chose to answer. LOVE that kind of stuff.
I’m loving this journey through the Bible. I hope you are too!
1. What did you modify (if anything) this week to make sure that you did your Bible reading?
I am still trying to set aside the morning for reading. Occasionally, I have not completed it first thing in the morning and did it a little bit later. But, I have completed the reading each day so far and for that I am proud!
2. When/how did you read? Did you do it all at once, break it up? Read in the mornings, evenings?
I try to read in the morning…but I have to confess, I sometimes fall asleep! ? When that happens, I usually finish later in the morning or early afternoon.
3. Ok…honesty time – you ready for this? Did you complete all of your reading? hmmm?? If yes, was it easy for you? If no, what can you do to try and get back with it? Please don’t give up. We are in this together.
YES I did! I am proud of myself! Ask me again though when we get into Chronicles! ?
4. What are your suggestions to help others that may have found the first week difficult?
My suggestion is to set it as a priority and try to do it at the same time each day. I think creating a habit will make the reading easier. Really, if you are in a quiet place with no distractions it doesn’t take much more than 45 minutes to accomplish.
5. So many emotions in last weeks reading. Did you relate at all? Have you been angry with God? How do you handle it? Is the God you read about in Genesis and exodus the God that you “know”?
Oh yeah I have been angry with God. Especially when he does not answer me right away. I am envious of those in the Old Testament who got to actually speak to God. That would be so cool! But, I have to remember that His ways are not our ways and be patient and know that he has it all under control. Nothing is a surprise to Him.
Let me also say, that I am glad we live in the New Testament times. God sure did ask a lot of his followers and got very mad when they did not comply. I am glad He is not in the habit of destroying entire cities anymore!
6. Adam and Eve blew it. Cain blew it. What can we learn from it, because it’s just a matter of time before we blow it.
We can learn that we can still ask for forgiveness. If we are sincere in our request, God is quick to forgive. And, since none of us is perfect, I am glad we can get God’s forgiveness.
7. Can you recall the 10 Commandments? You don’t have to list them here, but just for the fun of it…try. Don’t be afraid, because there is NO way your memory is worse than mine!
Thou shall have no other God before me
Thou shall not kill
Thou shall honor your mother and your father
Thou shall not covet you neighbor
Thou shall not commit adultery
Thou shall not steal
Hmm…only 6…well, I guess that is better than 50%!!
Please feel free to list any “aha” moments, any verses that spoke to you…
I love Exodus 4:11-12 : The Lord said to him, (Moses) “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute” Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Moses complained about not being an eloquent speaker when God told him that he was to go to the Pharaoh of Egypt and ask that he set the Israelites free. But, God told him that he would be there and give him the words to say. This is a great reminder for us that when the Lord commands you to do something, the only thing you have to do is obey. God will work out the details!
Michele Borntreger recently posted..He Remembers Her…
hahahaah I didn’t remember well either. 🙂
isn’t it amazing that the ONLY thing we have to do is SHOW up and let God work out the details and yet…sometimes we simply can’t do that?
LOL
we are hard headed aren’t we?
thank you Michele!! I appreciate you!
1. What did you modify (if anything) this week to make sure that you did your Bible reading? .
Added it to my planner schedule. When I schedule things they seem to get done!!
2. When/how did you read? Did you do it all at once, break it up? Read in the mornings, evenings?
Mornings before my troops arise in the peace and quiet.
3. Ok…honesty time – you ready for this? Did you complete all of your reading? hmmm?? If yes, was it easy for you? If no, what can you do to try and get back with it? Please don’t give up. We are in this together.
I struggled on day one to finish, I think I finished up around 1am. so does that not count?
M. Waters
After reading this wonderful article I decided to face the challenge and I will see if I can read the Bible in 90 days, I think I can 🙂