Read The Bible In 2007
Answer this honestly: Have you read the Bible? The whole Bible — all the way
through, from Genesis to Revelation? If not, 2007 is your year. You can even read it online.
Bibleplan.org has a list of 13 Bible reading plans: whole Bible in a year; Old Testament in a year; New Testament in a year; Old Testament in two years; words of Jesus 4 times in a year; whole Bible chronologically in a year; whole Bible chronologically in a year #2; New Testament Letters 3 times in a year; New Testament & Proverbs twice, Psalms once in a year; New Testament & Psalms twice, rest of Bible once in a year; Proverbs in a month; Gospels in a month; Psalms in a month. (I like chronological.)
The site offers many translations: Amplified Bible; American Standard Version; Contemporary English Version; Darby Translation; English Standard Version; 21st Century King James Version; King James Version; The Message; New American Standard Bible; New International Version; New International Version - UK; New King James Version; New Living Translation; New Life Version; Young’s Literal Translation. (For studying, a word-for-word translation like NASB is better; for reading, a thought-for-thought translation like NIV is an easier read. The Message is not a literal translation, it’s the Bible written in contemporary language, almost like a novel, without verse numbers, and is very readable, but is not intended as a study Bible.)
Besides English, Bibleplan.org also has the Bible in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Latin, Nederlands, Norsk, Portuguesa, Russian, Svenska.
If you use a feed reader (like Bloglines), you can also use it to read through the Bible in a year. Scroll down this page for various RSS feed options.
If you want to study the Bible more in depth, I suggest BlueLetterBible.org, which includes Strong’s numbers and gives the original languages for every verse (Hebrew, Greek) and includes concordance, commentary (including Matthew Henry) and devotionals (including Spurgeon.) It’s an amazing web site.
My favorite site for quickly looking up verses and passages is BibleGateway.com, which has the Bible in multiple versions and languages, and has passage, keyword, and topical search, among other features.
Happy reading!
Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
Update, 01/04/07: I confess that I’d rather curl up with a book than a computer, so I do most of my reading offline. And I wanted to share this printable chronological Bible plan with you. Print it and keep it in your Bible. Check off the readings as you go. If you miss a day, or if you want to read ahead, you can easily keep track of where you are. 
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What Does The Bible Say About Alcohol?
Helpful tools for this post:
1) Look up Strong’s numbers here.
2) Look up Bible references here.
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03196
yayin {yah’-yin}
wine
from an unused root meaning “to effervesce”
appears 140 times in 134 verses
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08492
tiyrowsh {tee-roshe’} or tiyrosh {tee-roshe’}
wine, fresh or new wine, must, freshly pressed wine
from 03423 in the sense of “expulsion”
appears 38 times in 38 verses
* * * * *
07941
shekar {shay-kawr’}
strong drink, intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor
from 07937
appears 23 times in 20 verses
* * * * *
Gen 9:20-24
– Noah got drunk, son Ham saw him, Canaan was cursed through this event. First episode of drunkenness in the Bible.
Gen 19:30-38
– Lot gets drunk and his daughters lie with him and get pregnant, producing Moab and Ammon whose descendants struggle with Israel. In his drunkenness, Lot commits the same sin (incest) that he accused that he accused the Sodomites of.
Lev 10:9
– Aaron is told by God that the and his sons are not to drink wine or “strong drink” (intoxicating drink, liquor) before going into the tabernacle, “lest ye die” and it is a “statute forever.”
Numbers 6:1-4
The Nazirites could have nothing to do with the fruit of the vine. This meant no wine, no grapes, no raisins even. A picture of having nothing to do with sin, or even that which is associated with sin, borders on sin, etc. (1 Thes 5:22 – Avoid every form of evil.)
Proverbs:
Proverbs 20:1
Alcohol makes people foolish.
Proverbs 21:17: He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
Literally, the person whose human appetite is for pleasure alone will live in poverty (need, want, lack), and the person whose appetite is for wine (alcohol, intoxicants) and oil (literally, fat) will not enrich himself.
Proverbs 23:29-35: Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things. And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. “They struck me, but I did not become ill; they beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”
This is a perfect picture of why NOT to drink or to use other intoxicants of any kind. And to literally end at the beginning: “Do not look…” Don’t even look. Don’t even go that far.
Question:
Who has:
- passionate cry of grief or despair
- exclamation of pain — indicates desire or uneasiness
- strife, contention (fighting, brawling, conflict)
- musing, anxiety, trouble
- bruise, wounds (for no purpose, in vain, undeservedly)
- redness of eyes (physical) or dullness of senses and spirit (mental, emotional and spiritual)
Answer:
Those that linger over (stay behind, tarry, wait) and go to (search for, seek out) the alcohol (intoxicants).
In the end, it wounds and destroys. It causes them to seek after the flesh, and to speak, promise, threaten perversity. It causes physical illness and addiction.
Proverbs 31:3-7:
“Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more.”
This passage tells the way that kings and their offspring are to live, and thus, is an instruction for every Christian, because we are children of the King of the Kings. There is a warning against immorality, and then a warning against drunkenness, which makes one forget what we have been called to do as children of the King. There is a comparison of royal (Christian) behavior vs. of the worldly, in poverty and trouble and using drunkenness to avoid or escape their state.
Isaiah 5:11: “Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!”
Where others rise in the morning to go to work, these wake up and immediately search for strong drink (intoxicants), and that has become their life work. This pursuit “inflames” them for the things of the world. And they don’t confine their sinful, shameful behavior to darkness, they drink during the day, they “count it pleasure to riot in the daytime” (2 Peter 2:13)
Isaiah 28
Ephraim (“fruitfulness”) and Samaria (“on the head of fat valleys”) were plentiful and fertile, but what God gave them to serve Him they perverted and abused, using their plenty instead to serve their own flesh. They were prideful and drunken. They were “overcome with wine, and broken with it” (MHC). They were slaves, in bondage to their love (lust) of wine. They were people of God, but they gloried in their shame. God will take the plenty, because they abused it. Worst of all was that their priests and spiritual leaders were drunkards who were erring in vision and stumbling in judgment because of their intoxication. God warns them that they must obey or face destruction. He is placing a foundation stone (Jesus) and whomever believes “need never run away again.”
Hosea 4:11: “Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding.”
Joel 3:3
“They have also cast lots for My people, Traded a boy for a harlot And sold a girl for wine that they may drink.”
The disobedient will exchange anything in order to satisfy their flesh. They have no respect for anything or anyone but just want to satisfy their needs.
Habakkuk 2:5
“transgretteth by wine” – notes say that is a “besetting sin” in OT; “besetting” – constantly troubling
Mar 15:23
“They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.”
How often do people use intoxicants to escape pain, and yet when Christ Himself was made this same offer, He refused it and chose to suffer the pain.
Rom 14:20-21
“Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or {to do anything} by which your brother stumbles.”
Eph 5:18
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit…”
Not be drunk on Jesus instead of wine, but be filled with the Spirit as opposed to being drunk. Drunkenness is out of control (“excess,” an abandoned dissolute life), and those filled (supplied, completed) with the Spirit are still in order.
1 Tim 3:3
Bishops (elders, pastors) are not to be drunks.
1 Tim 3:8
Deacons must have venerable character and not be addicted to much wine.
1 Tim 5:23
Using wine for the stomach is a contrast from using it to satisfy the lusts of the flesh. Also shows that Paul (under the influence of the Holy Spirit) approved the use of natural or medicinal remedies for physical healing (as opposed to only supernatural healing), and that a substance that had the potential to be destructive to a person could also be good for their body when used properly.
Titus 1:7
Bishops should not be addicted to wine.
Titus 2:3
Mature women should not be addicted to wine.
1 Peter 4:1-3
Conversion brings us to serve God, not our flesh, and our old lives (including an improper or immoderate use of alcohol) are past.
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“Dear loved ones…”
My mom sent me this forwarded email, a Christmas letter from “Jesus.” I don’t know who wrote it, but I think the real Jesus would be pleased. I’ve read it over and over, and I thought you might want to read it, too.
Dear loved ones,
It has come to My attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on. Read more
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Photos: Homeless Memorial 2006
Greensboro’s observance of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, sponsored by Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County, was held last night at Grace Community Church on Lee Street. The event was attended by about half a dozen members of HPCGC, one reporter and two cameramen, and about 195 regular guests (most of them homeless) plus volunteers for Grace’s weekly community dinner, which followed the memorial service.
Eight empty chairs on the stage held the names of those who died this year. Two were homeless service providers — Ruth Rideout of Faith Matters and Floyd Carter of Greensboro Housing Authority. Five were in transitional housing programs for homeless people. And one lived in an abandoned building near downtown Greensboro.
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Lex’s Articles on Veterans’ Issues
I’ve been reading News & Record reporter and blogger (here, here) Lex Alexander’s recent articles on veterans’ issues. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that, “[c]onservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country.”
In case you missed them, below are links to some of the articles:
04 Dec 2006: Vets offered free legal help
21 Nov 2006:
Report recommends ‘no wrong door’ for vets, families19 Nov 2006: Vet stress disorders concern the state
08 Oct 2006:
Veteran waits for help with stress disorder23 Sep 2006: Reaching out to homeless veterans
03 Sep 2006: Lawyers help vets battle for benefits
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Homeless Count Resources
The annual Point in Time Count of the homeless in Guilford County is scheduled for January 24, 2007.
Below are resources from HUD for people who will be involved in the count:
STREET COUNT: A Revised Guide to Counting Unsheltered Homeless People
- In addition to providing comprehensive guidance on planning and implementing an unsheltered count, this guide includes new information on counting homeless people in southwestern border areas and guidance on implementing a quality assurance study.
SHELTER COUNT: A Guide to Counting Sheltered Homeless People
- This new guide describes recommended methods for collecting data on sheltered homeless people, and reviews methods for collecting accurate and reliable information using HMIS or provider and client surveys.
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Fire in Homeless Camp
There was a tent fire last night in a homeless camp near downtown Greensboro. One of the men who lived at the camp was seriously burned and also has inhalation injuries. He’s in the burn unit at Baptist Hospital. Above are some of the photos that I took at the site this afternoon.
The camp is in the woods on property owned by and across the street from Grace Community Church. (I’m a member of Grace.) The people who live at the camp are regular guests at Grace’s Wednesday night dinner for the homeless. Ironically, tomorrow night’s dinner will follow our annual observance of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. This is shocking and surreal and sad.
If you’ve read or heard any of the media coverage (News & Record, WXII, WFMY, Fox8), then you may be under the impression that the homeless campers could simply have stayed at the shelter, just a half mile away. But there’s more to that story. And formerly homeless blogger Michael Brown has already posted about it. Judging from the first commenter to Michael’s post, some people don’t understand why anyone would choose a wooded camp site over a homeless shelter. Michael understood. I do, too. And there’s not always a choice. But that’s another post.
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