PSA Bible Reading Challenge 2023-2024

As I make my way through this challenge I once again realize that I cannot cover everything that is mentioned in all of the readings that we have. It is tempting to address that which is most common and what maybe you want me to cover. For this reading it might be Noah and the ark, or it could be Cain murdering Abel and the resulting banishment of one of Adam’s sons. The question of whether there were other people around the earth constantly comes up, and the answer in my mind is yes, of course. The Bible gives us the story of God among His people, it isn’t meant to be exhaustive of every little thing that had taken place on the face of the earth. While Adam and Eve were the first people that God created, it doesn’t mean that God stopped creating. Actually, quite the opposite is true. God is still creating today, putting life back into the earth in a way that is redeeming and inspiring.

Let’s focus on John 5:24 which is very easily a verse that you may have just read over on your way to the end of the chapter. In this verse we see a difference between believing “in” God and believing God. We can believe in God, and we would do well to believe (James 2:19) in God. But when we believe God, then it means that we believe that God is able. It means that we take on Jesus Christ as Lord and not merely a God who exists. When someone is Lord in our life than it means that they have ownership and have the power and the ability to dictate our steps in our life.

I say this not in a budensome way, but rather in a way that frees us. How are we to know the path of our life and how to live our life? We do know it, it is through the direction of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not to be wandering pilgrims on the face of this earth, but rather we are to be people of God who live according to the desires of our Lord. When we hear God’s Word, which we are doing now in this challenge, we are then called to believe God and His promises. When that happens we receive eternal life. This eternal life is meant for all of us and it is meant to be a transformative element in nature and in society. I pray that this time together leads us to not a mere belief in God, but rather a conviction, a belief that Christ is able and is Lord.

When you read through the first three chapters of the Bible and the first three chapters of the Gospel of John there is more to address than what I am able in just one blog for one day. For example, in Genesis we could address the following because the Scripture addresses the following: Creation vs. evolution (I believe God created all things but not in 7 literal days, which allows for evolutionary processes to take place. There doesn’t have to be a conflict between creation and evolution, but there should be a marriage instead), created in God’s image (not a physical resemblance, but rather a spiritual desire to be in relationship, that is how we have been created and that is the affinity that we have with God’s image), original sin (which is not something that we inevitably bear and which makes us sinful from the time we were born, but rather which leads us inevitably to sin which is our sin and our responsibility, not Adam or Eve’s fault), God creating male and female (there is a certain order in Genesis that for me at least creates a sense of relief and blessing that God has this planned and we aren’t just winging it as we go), and more

The same can be said in the Gospel of John. Probably the most powerful of these verses is seen in John 1:14 where we read that the Word became flesh. It is here where we are told that Jesus is not just the Son of God, not just a good role model, not just someone that we can chose to follow or not, but rather is God himself. Jesus is God, there is no getting around that and it is a foundational belief. This is what we mean when we say we believe in the Trinity, that God is Jesus, God is the Father, God is the Holy Spirit. As we read the Gospel of John we are reading about the works of God in Jesus.

Also in our reading we find the well known verse of John 3:16 which reminds us that God so loved the world that he sent his only son. What a universal promise that anyone who believes in him will receive eternal life. Today just might be a highlight to underline in regards to some of the most important Scriptures, and some of the best known Scriptures, that we will ever see. I hope it sets the stage for you to continue on in your readings with enthusiasm.

Welcome to read through the Bible Challenge. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that you have decided to take this spiritual discipline on of reading through the Bible. I promised you that if you took on the “S” of “PSA” (Prayer, Scripture, and Action) that your life would be changed. I truly believe it. Scripture is able to transform and direct our lives in a way that nothing else can aside from Prayer and Action. So, let’s get started with our first Scripture.

Psalm 119 is the perfect chapter in the Bible to begin a read through the Bible series. Look at vs. 105 which underscores the purpose for which this Psalm was written: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Christians in my generation can’t read this Scripture without thinking of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs-aiQ9NZ1g

Some important notes about this Psalm that you should know. This Psalm is called an acrostic which means that it follows a very specific pattern where each section of this Psalm begins with a new letter of the alphabet and it goes in order. In this Psalm every 8 verses begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Vs.1-8 begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, aleph, vs.9-16 all begin with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, bet, and so on until all 22 letters are used up in its 176 verses. So why this format? To show how wonderful and beautiful the Word of God and how we must read it and follow it all the days of our life. I know, that sounds kinda mushy, but it really, really is.

This Psalm provides us the inspiration and the impetus to begin this journey together. I really do hope that you get a lot out of this time with God’s Word and if you are joining us on this journey on this blog as well, I look forward to seeing you every day.

Also, if you wanted to start a public dialogue on this Psalm or on any of the Scriptures that we address you can see a comment section at the end of every day’s blog. You have to click on the post itself before you can see the comment box. I pray that God will speak to you mightily through this time.

As we begin reading through the Bible on September 4 you are welcome to get a sneak peek of the brochure. Feel free to get a head start if you would like.

And just like that we come to the end.  We began on January 3 with Psalm 119 and so it is fitting that we finish with the same Psalm.  It is the longest in the Bible and it is an acrostic poem, which means that each line in the psalm, and there are 22 of them, begins with the next letter of the alphabet, and there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet.  

It is an absolutely comprehensive look at how we ought to live our lives in relationship to God.  It also gives us all the assurances that we could ever want about the presence of God in our lives.  We also find in vs.105 the foundation of why we are reading the Scripture together as we read: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”  Praise be to God for God’s word.

We have read these Scriptures alread, but each of them is worth reading again, and again, and again.  In the Romans reading we find the basis for our theology, a recognition that sin has made itself felt within our lives and so we are in need of a Savior that we will embrace and so make a U-turn in our lives to follow him instead of our sinful desires.

Chapter 8 I call “pieces of 8” because it is probably the most valuable chapter in all of Scripture in so far that it defines our relationship with God through Jesus.  We are in need of a Savior and Jesus is that Savior.  Let’s just drop some of the more significant verses in these chapters: 5:1 “We have been justified through faith.” 5:8 “But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, he died for us.” 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”  8:31 “If God is for us who can be against us?”

Even though it is a fairly short reading each of these Psalms is unique and we have to cover each one of them.  We won’t cover them extensively, but they are really important to cover.  Psalm 135, when you look at the beginning and the end, and some places in the middle, you will find the phrase: Praise the Lord.  I know, no big deal right?  But in the Hebrew it is actually pronounced: Hallelujah.  So that kind of changes things when we see it interspersed throughout the Psalm.  I reminds me a lot of this song originally written by Francis of Assisi.

Psalm 136 is a call and response where we hear the Psalmist say a truth about the nature of God and the people who are gathered respond with the statement: His love endures forever.  Line after line there is a call and a response to the point where you can almost feel like it arrives at a crescendo that asserts and emphasizes that God love endures forever, it does not fade, or disappeap.  It lasts forever.

Finally, Psalm 137 is one of the Psalms that I refer to the most because I am convinced that it is written by a mother who has experienced the ravages of marauding soldiers who have taken over Jerusalem and killed her child by dashing it against the rocks.  This lament is pierced with grief and then takes a vicious turn at vs.8-9 with an imprecation hurled at Babylon for all eternity.  It does remind me of this song by Don McLean.

As we come to an end of our reading together, at least in the next few days, we continue to cover the Psalms.  It is a good relaxing way to finish our time together.  It brings us to Psalm 133 which is highlighted consistently as a vision of unity among all people.  God bestows His blessings upon those who are able to live in unity with others.  That is crucial.

What actually caught my attention is Psalm 134 which is addressed specifically to pastors and those who do the work of God in the church.  The writer asks for a blessing upon those who minister in the house of the Lord.  That’s a nice way to go about doing things, asking a blessing for those who are working for God in a consistent, direct way.

There is a verse in Psalm 147 that might be interesting to some of you.  Look at vs.19-20 and it reads: “He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.  He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.”  This gives us what we have always knows, the choseness of Israel as being  the people of God to the extent that the laws of God were only revealed to the people of Israel.  We knew this with the whole 10 commandments thing, but this really puts it into words.  It should also make us think about who are we today in the eyes of God.  Thanks be to God that in the new covenant through Jesus Christ we have been chosen, as well as all of humanity, to be God’s children.  That’s a relief.

I also like vs.8 from Psalm 124 which states: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”  So we have that going for us.