Category: Bible

April 11: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Mark 9:33-50. Jesus’ disciples argued among themselves who was the greatest. To give a perfect object lesson Jesus picked up a little child and explained what it means to be a servant of all. Jesus taught unity, not division, “whoever is not against us is for us,” and warned of of the dire consequences of offenses and told them to be “salt with savor” and to be at peace with each other.

Judges 12 records Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim where they killed people based on their accent. After that three more people, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon led Israel.

Judges 13 tells of bad times for Israel for forty years. Then came a glimmer of hope, the birth of Samson.

Judges 14. Samson started out great, but then he took a Philistine as his Wife.

Judges 15. Samson defeated the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.

Acts 9:1-22, The Road to Damascus, Saul Converted, Ananias and Saul, Saul Preaches Christ.

Acts 9:1-22, The Road to Damascus, Saul Converted, Ananias and Saul, Saul Preaches Christ.

This prophesy from Isaiah has been unfulfilled unto this day. Yet, Damascus is back in the news with Russia, the Assad regime, Iran and Turkey all fighting for control of Syria.

April 10: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Mark 9:1-32,Mark 9 begins with the Transfiguration and gives an explanation regarding Elijah, he had already come. Then a boy with an evil spirit was healed and the disciples asked Jesus why they could not drive out the evil spirit. He answered: “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” After that Jesus predicted his death and resurrection but the disciples did not understand it.

Judges 10. Things went from bad to worse with Tola, Jair and Jephthah as leaders, so the Israelites were again oppressed. They finally repented and got rid of their false gods.

Judges 11 describes the glorious victory and tragic vow of Jephthah. Jephthah’s Daughter is forever memorialized.

Psalm 33 is a Psalm about the sovereignty of God in creation and history. Here and in many other places of the Bible it encourages us to “sing a new song”.

April 9: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Mark 8:22-38. Jesus healed a blind man at Bethsaida, followed by Peter’s Confession and Jesus predicting his death.

Judges 7. Gideon called for fighting men. Eighty-two thousand men gathered to fight. God said that was too many, reduce their number, and in two steps they were whittled down to Gideon’s Valiant Three Hundred men. With that “army” and God the Midianites were defeated.

Judges 8. Gideon Defeated the Midianites, the story is getting complicated but read it anyway. After the great victory Gideon made an Ephod from the Ishmaelites’ golden earrings and this became a snare to them all. Finally Gideon died and immediately after the Israelites fell back into idolatry, worshiping Baal.

Judges 9. The Bible tells it as it is, warts and all. So it is with the story of Abimelech’s Conspiracy and the parable of the trees. All the evil led to Abimelech’s downfall. A take home from this chapter is his last words, after his skull was cracked by a millstone, dropped by a woman. “Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him.”

Acts 8:1-25, Saul persecutes the Church, believers scattered, the Gospel reaches Samaria, Simon the Sorcerer.

Acts 8:1-25, Saul persecutes the Church, believers scattered, the Gospel reaches Samaria, Simon the Sorcerer.

April 8: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Mark 8:1-21Mark 8 begins with Jesus as he fed the four thousand, the Pharisees were still looking for a sign, but Jesus warned of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, all very confusing for the disciples; they were still not thinking in the spiritual realm.

Judges 4. Every now and then God raises up a woman to lead the people. Deborah was such a woman and judged the people of Israel.

Judges 5 is all about the Song of Deborah. Read it and enjoy!

Judges 6. Things were going bad for Israel, the Midianites oppressed them, God called Gideon. Gideon was reluctant but after speaking with the Angel of the LORD Gideon destroyed the altar of Baal. God wanted Gideon to defeat the Midianites but again Gideon was reluctant, so he demanded the sign of the Fleece (twice). God provided the sign.

Acts 5:12-42, power in the Church, an Angel of the LORD frees jailed Apostles, the Apostles back on Trial, Gamaliel’s Advice

Acts 5:12-42, power in the Church, an Angel of the LORD frees jailed Apostles, the Apostles back on Trial, Gamaliel’s Advice.

April 7: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Mark 7:24-37. Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon and gave an  example of Great Faith: The Canaanite woman, and the healing of her daughter.  Then Jesus healed a deaf-mute man, and the people said: “He has done everything well.”

Judges 1 describes the continuing conquest of Canaan, and the Israelites’ incomplete conquest of the land.

In Judges 2 God decried Israel’s disobedience, the author recorded the death of Joshua, and chronicled Israel’s unfaithfulness and sin.

Judges 3. The cycle of straying from the LORD and coming back to Him began for the nations remaining in the land. Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and He raised up Judges: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and during their time there was peace in the land for 40, then 80 years.