How to read Scripture

This is the way to understand the things of God: “Meditate thereon day and night;” so shall you attain the best knowledge, even to “know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent (formational/relational). And this knowledge will lead you “to love Him, because He hath first loved us,” yeah, “to love you Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (relational/being) . . . And in consequence of this, while you joyfully experience all the holy tempers described in this book, you will likewise be outwardly “holy as He that called you is holy, in all manner of conversation” (doing that flows from being).
Taken from: Wesley, Works, Vol. 14, 253. (with the things in parenthesis my emphasis)

Let me break down this quote a bit:
1. To set apart a  little time, if you can, every morning and evening for that purpose
Time
• Consistency
• Set Apart
o Outwardly Unhindered
o Inwardly Unhindered
• Giving our best

2. At each time, if you have leisure, to read a chapter out of the Old and one out of the New Testament; if you cannot do this, to take a single chapter or a part of one
Balance
• Ordered discipline, orderly working through the whole of Scripture
• Value of a balanced diet
• Small units of Scripture

3. To read this with a single eye, to know the whole will of God, and a fixed resolution to do it
Decisive Intention
• Purpose is to know the whole will of God
o Caution toward preconceived notions
o Caution to cultural bias
• We should seek the whole will of God with a fixed resolution to do it
• Example of Exodus 19:3-8

4. Have a constant eye to the analogy of faith, the connection and harmony there is between those grand, fundamental doctrines, original sin, justification by faith, the new birth, inward and outward holiness
Holistic Reality
• The unity of Scripture
• The danger of taking passages out of context or elevating beyond its proper place

5. Serious and earnest prayer should be constantly used before we consult the oracles of God. Our reading should also be closed with prayer, that what we read may be written on our hearts
Prayerful Reading
• Realize the relational dynamic of Scripture in addition to the functional dynamic
• Use the Scriptures to guide your prayers
• Lincoln said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go; my own conviction and that of those around me seemed insufficient for the day.”

6. It might also be of some use, if, while we read, we were frequently to pause, and examine ourselves by what we read, both with regard to our hearts and lives . . . And whatever light you  then receive should be used to the utter most, and that immediately.  Let there be no delay. Whatever you resolve, begin to execute the first moment you can. So shall you find this word to be indeed the power of God unto present and eternal salvation.
Self Examination and Action
• Self examination is the conscious, disciplined opening of ourselves to be addressed by the Word.
• It is an inward and outward examination
• Stop frequently for mediation, journaling can be helpful
• Then go about doing it without self justification and rationalization

This is worthy of some discussion and some tying it out a bit.

Here are the readings if you are reading through in chronological order:
Jan 21  Gen 27‐29
Jan 22  Gen 30‐31
Jan 23  Gen 32‐34
Jan 24  Gen 35‐37
Jan 25  Gen 38‐40
Jan 26  Gen 41‐42
Jan 27  Gen 43‐45
Jan 28  Gen 46‐47
Jan 29  Gen 48‐50
Jan 30  Ex 1‐3
Jan 31  Ex 4‐6

Here are the readings if you are reading key stories this year:

Jan 21 Gen 37 (Joseph’s dream)

Jan 22 Gen 39-40 (Joseph in Egypt)

Jan 23 Gen 41-42 (Joseph and brothers)

Jan 24 Gen 43-45 (Rest of the story with Joseph) 

Jan 25 Exodus 1 (Situation in Egypt)

Jan 26 Exodus 2 (Moses)

Jan 27 Exodus 7 (Moses goes before Pharaoh)

Jan 30 Exodus 8-10 (Plagues) 

Jan 31 Exodus 11-12 (Passover)

Do you lead like a shepherd or a butcher?

Lynn Anderson, in "They Smell Like Sheep," relates this story: “Several years ago in Palestine, Carolyn and I rode a tour bus through Israel’s countryside nearly mesmerized as the tour guide explained the scenery, the history, and the lifestyle. In his description, he included a heart-warming portrayal of the ancient shepherd/sheep relationship. He expounded on how the shepherd builds a relationship with his sheep—how he feeds them and gently cares for them. He pointed out that the shepherd doesn’t drive the sheep but leads them, and that the shepherd does not need to be harsh with them, because they hear his voice and follow. And so on… He then explained how on a previous tour things had backfired for him as he was giving this same speech about sheep and shepherds. In the midst of spinning his pastoral tale, he suddenly realized he had lost his audience. They were all staring out the bus window at a guy chasing a ‘herd’ of sheep. He was throwing rocks at them, whacking them with sticks, and siccing the sheep dog on them. The sheep-driving man in the field had torpedoed the guide’s enchanting narrative. The guide told us that he had been so agitated that he jumped off the bus, ran into the field, and accosted the man, ‘Do you understand what you have just done to me?’ he asked. ‘I was spinning a charming story about the gentle ways of shepherds, and here you are mistreating, hazing, and assaulting these sheep! What is going on?’ For a moment, a bewildered look froze on the face of the poor sheep-chaser, then the light dawned and he blurted out, ‘Man. You’ve got me all wrong. I’m not a shepherd. I’m a butcher’” This poor unwitting fellow had just provided the tour guide and all of us with a perfect example of what a ‘good shepherd’ is not.” 

What is your leadership style?

Bible reading plan for Jan 11-20

If you are following the read the Bible in a year plan:

Jan 11  Job 29‐31 

Jan 12  Job 32‐34 

Jan 13  Job 35‐37 

Jan 14  Job 38‐39 

Jan 15  Job 40‐42 

Jan 16  Gen 12‐15 

Jan 17  Gen 16‐18 

Jan 18  Gen 19‐21 

Jan 19  Gen 22‐24 

Jan 20  Gen 25‐26 

If you are following the smaller plan for reading key texts in a year:

Jan 11 Gen 21 (Isaac is born)

Jan 12 Gen 22 (The offering of Isaac)

Jan 13 Job 1 (Job introduced and Satan tests)

Jan 14 Job 2 (Job’s loss of health)

Jan 15 Job 3 (Job laments)

Jan 16 Job 38 (God speaks)

Jan 17 Job 39 (God described creation)

Jan 18 Job 40 (God speak and God answers)

Jan 19 Job 41-42 (God concludes His speech and Job reacts)

Jan 20 Gen 24 (Rebekah introduced) 

Staying in the word

As we begin this new year perhaps now is the time to recommit to reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word. This year I will provide a chronological reading plan for the Bible. If you follow this plan you will read the whole Bible in a year. Below is the first 10 days. If this is a bit ambitious for you I have a devised a smaller plan to go over some key stories in the Bible in a year. That is below 

Jan 1  Gen 1‐3 

Jan 2  Gen 4‐7 

Jan 3  Gen 8‐11 

Jan 4  Job 1‐5 

Jan 5  Job 6‐9 

Jan 6  Job 10‐13 

Jan 7  Job 14‐16 

Jan 8  Job 17‐20 

Jan 9  Job 21‐23 

Jan 10  Job 24‐28

If you want to do the smaller plan:

Jan 1 Gen 1-2 (creation)

Jan 2 Gen 3 (The Fall)

Jan 3 Gen 4 (Cain and Able)
Jan 4 Gen 6 (The Reason for the Flood)
Jan 5 Gen 7 (The Flood)
Jan 5 Gen 8-9 (The Results of the Flood)
Jan 6 Gen 11:1-9 (The Tower of Babel)
Jan 7 Gen 12 (Call of Abraham)
Jan 8 Gen 15 (Abraham promised a son)
Jan 9 Gen 17 (Covenant of circumcision)
Jan 10 Gen 19 (Sodom and Gomorrah)