January 2012 Bible Reading Records

This month, all books were read in the King James Version of the Bible. My reading plan this month was to use a modified version of Professor Horner's Reading Plan. His plan has readers read ten chapters per day from ten different books in the Bible. With the exception of Acts and Proverbs, I chose to read more than one chapter a day. He also strongly recommends that you choose one Bible and make it your own. One translation, one Bible that you always, always use. That would probably be the most difficult rule for me to follow if I were to use it beyond a one month experiment. I like reading in a variety of translations.

Written by Moses

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy

OT Narratives

6. Joshua
7. Judges
8. Ruth
9. 1 Samuel
10. 2 Samuel
11. 1 Kings
12. 2 Kings
13. 1 Chronicles
14. 2 Chronicles
15. Ezra
16. Nehemiah
17. Esther

Wisdom Literature

18. Job
19. Psalms
20. Proverbs
21. Ecclesiastes
22. Song of Songs

Major Prophets

23. Isaiah
24. Jeremiah
25. Lamentations
26. Ezekiel
27. Daniel

Minor Prophets

28. Hosea
29. Joel
30. Amos
31. Obadiah
32. Jonah
33. Micah
34. Nahum
35. Habakkuk
36. Zephaniah
37. Haggai
38. Zechariah
39. Malachi

NT Narratives

40. Matthew (read this one twice)
41. Mark
42. Luke
43. John
44. Acts

Epistles by Paul

45. Romans (read this one twice)
46. 1 Corinthians (read this one twice)
47. 2 Corinthians (read this one twice)
48. Galatians (read this one twice)
49. Ephesians (read this one twice)
50. Philippians (read this one twice)
51. Colossians
52. 1 Thessalonians (read this one twice)
53. 2 Thessalonians (read this one twice)
54. 1 Timothy (read this one twice)
55. 2 Timothy (read this one twice)
56. Titus (read this one twice)
57. Philemon (read this one twice)

General Epistles

58. Hebrews
59. James (read this one twice)
60. 1 Peter (read this one twice)
61. 2 Peter (read this one twice)
62. 1 John (read this one twice)
63. 2 John (read this one twice)
64. 3 John (read this one twice)
65. Jude (read this one twice)

Apocalyptic Epistle by John

66. Revelation (read this one twice)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Professor Horner Update #4 (January 22-27)

This is my fourth (and final) week using Professor Horner's Bible Reading System. When I next use a system like this, I will be making some modifications to it. I don't think I'll start it in February, but perhaps by March, I'll be ready for the intensity of this commitment again. I really loved hearing from Soozie4Him last week! I would love to hear from more of you about how reading the Bible is going for you, which plans you're using or NOT using. I agree that probably the best thing about this plan is that there are no dates attached to it. So you're never really behind where you're supposed to be. Wherever you are, is where you're meant to be.

This week I read:

• Leviticus in the KJV
• Numbers in the KJV
• Deuteronomy in the KJV
• 2 Samuel in the KJV
• 1 Kings in the KJV
• 2 Kings in the KJV
• Ezra in the KJV
• Nehemiah in the KJV
• Esther in the KJV
• Psalms in the KJV
• Proverbs in the KJV
• Ecclesiastes in the KJV
• Song of Songs in the KJV
• Ezekiel in the KJV
• Matthew in the KJV
• Acts in the KJV
• 1 Corinthians in the KJV
• 2 Corinthians in the KJV
• Galatians in the KJV
• Ephesians in the KJV
• Philippians in the KJV
• 2 Peter in the KJV
• 1 John in the KJV
• 2 John in the KJV
• 3 John in the KJV
• Jude in the KJV
• Revelation in the KJV

Key Verses

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:17)

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. (Psalms 130:3:6)

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. (Psalms 143:8)

Songs on my mind this week:

My Hope Is In You, Aaron Shust



Fingertips and Noses, Newsong



© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Professor Horner Update #3 (January 15-21)

This is my third week using Professor Horner's Bible Reading System. If you're using this system I'd love to hear from you! I'd like to know what you like or don't like about it! I have definitely modified it some, and may need to make additional modifications in the coming week. I just haven't decided exactly how much needs to change. Except for Acts--I'm sticking to the one chapter per day--I've finished the New Testament. And I'm well on my way to completing the NT letters a second time. I would love to find a way to get to the OT minor prophets quicker--without having to wait until I've finished the longer ones like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea. So many of these could be read in one sitting.

This week I completed:

• Exodus in KJV
• Ruth in KJV
• 1 Samuel in KJV
• Jeremiah in KJV
• Lamentations in KJV
• Luke in KJV
• John in KJV
• Romans in KJV
• Colossians in KJV
• 1 Thessalonians in KJV
• 2 Thessalonians in KJV
• 1 Timothy in KJV
• 2 Timothy in KJV
• Titus in KJV
• Philemon in KJV
• Hebrews in KJV
• James in KJV
• 1 Peter in KJV

This week I read:

• 1 Corinthians 1-4
• Ecclesiastes 4-10
• Psalms 81-120
• Proverbs 15-21
• Acts 15-21

Key Verses this week:

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The LORD has prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. (Psalm 103:1-19)

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (Psalm 84:10-12)

Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou has delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (Psalm 86:11-13)

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. (Psalm 95:1-7)

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (Psalm 100)

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14)

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy. and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established (Proverbs 16:3)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28-39)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

Songs on my mind this week:

Never Been a Greater Love, Aaron Shust




Greater is He, Aaron Shust



Sing of My Redeemer, Aaron Shust



Jesus, Friend of Sinners, Casting Crowns




© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Christless Christianity

Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church. Michael Horton. 2008. Baker Publishing. 272 pages.

What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over a half century ago, Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was also broadcast nationwide on CBS radio, Barnhouse speculated that if Satan took over Philadelphia, all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, "Yes, sir" and "No, ma'am," and the churches would be full every Sunday...where Christ is not preached. 
It is easy to become distracted from Christ as the only hope for sinners. Where everything is measured by our happiness rather than by God's holiness, the sense of our being sinners becomes secondary, if not offensive. If we are good people who have lost our way but with the proper instructions and motivation can become a better person, we need only a life coach, not a redeemer. (15-16)

In Christless Christianity Michael Horton argues that many American churches--many American denominations--have lost sight of the most important thing, they've taken their eyes off Jesus Christ. Instead of reflecting on Christ--who He is, what He has done, what He has accomplished already--they are reflecting on what they need to do, how they should act and behave. They've become distracted by works-righteousness, though they may not admit that is what they're doing. But they've shifted their messages from the works and person of Jesus Christ, to focus instead on being relevant and practical. By giving their followers, their listeners, lists of things to do to have a better life now, to be happy, to be successful now. In some cases, major doctrines have been set aside. But in other cases, the changes have been so small, so slight, that you'd think they just wouldn't make that big of a difference. But. Horton argues that anything you add to Christ is not only unnecessary, not only unwise, but dangerous. There is nothing more we need to say or do to gain salvation. Jesus paid it all. We are saved through Jesus. We are saved through his life; we are saved through his death; we are saved through his resurrection. Need a perfect life of obedience to get into heaven? Jesus has done it. For you. For me. For all who believe. He has taken our sin and given us his righteousness. We do not need to piece together fig leaves for ourselves. Christ has clothed us himself. We don't need to add to what he has done. We don't. We need to worship God. We need to keep Christ the center of our faith. We don't need to worry about what we're doing or not doing right. We don't need to worry that we're not doing enough. We don't need to be proud that we're doing so well. Our faith shouldn't be showing off all the things we've done. We need to love more, but we don't love more by trying to love more, by trying to make ourselves more loving, more caring, more compassionate. We love more when we're so focused on Christ that Christ's love spills over into our lives. The more we know him--the more we love him. The more we reflect on Christ, the more we can reflect him to others.


Christless Christianity was an amazing read. I'd definitely recommend it!

My favorite quotes:

I am a Christian not because I think that I can walk in Jesus's footsteps but because he is the only one who can carry me. I am not the gospel; Jesus Christ alone is the gospel. His story saves me, not only by bringing me justification but by baptizing me into his resurrection life. (117)

I think that the church in America today is so obsessed with being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and perhaps even well-liked that it nearly mirrors the world itself. (16)

Is the Word of God a resource for what we have already decided we want and need, or is it God's living and active criticism of our religion, morality, and pious experience? In other words, is the Bible God's story, centering on Christ's redeeming work, that rewrites our stories, or is it something we use to make our stories a little more exciting and interesting? (24)

Does Christ come to boost our ego or to crucify our ego and raise us up as new creatures with our identity in him? (33)

"How can I, a sinner, be right before a holy God?" is simply off the radar in a therapeutic mind-set. Once the self is enthroned as the source, judge, and goal of all of life, the gospel need not be denied because it's beside the point. But people need to see--for their own good--that self-realization, self-fulfillment, and self-help are all contemporary twists on an old heresy, which Paul identified as works-righteousness. (40)

If we are not explicitly and regularly taught out of it, we will always turn the message of God's rescue operation into a message of self-help. (42)

As much as we might talk about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, there doesn't actually seem to be much of a relationship at all, except with the self. (43)

Original sin, as G.K. Chesterton observes, is 'the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved'. (63)

"Smooth talk and flattery" is part of the staple-diet of successful American religion today. And it is almost always advertised simply as more effective mission and relevance. (66)

When even good, holy, and proper things become confused with the gospel, it is only a matter of time before we end up with Christless Christianity: a story about us instead of a story about the Triune God that sweeps us into the unfolding drama. (109)

The worst thing that can happen to the church is to confuse law and gospel. When we soften the law, we never give up on our own attempts to offer our rags of "righteousness" to God. When we turn the gospel into demands, it is no longer the saving Word of redemption in Jesus Christ alone. (122)

The gospel is for Christians too. We need to be evangelized every week. It is not by following Christ's example but by actually being inserted into Christ, clothed with Christ, united to Christ--as the Spirit creates faith through the gospel--that we are not only justified but sanctified as well. (125)

The church exists in order to change the subject from us and our deeds to God and his deeds of salvation, from our various missions to save the world to Christ's mission that has already accomplished redemption. He sends us into the world, to be sure, but not to save it. Rather, he sends us into the world to witness to Christ as the only Savior and to love and serve our neighbor in our secular vocations. Evil lies not outside us but inside; it is salvation that comes from outside ourselves. Nothing the church does extends, completes, or fulfills Christ's all-sufficient, once-and-for-all, completed work of living, dying, and rising for sinners. So enough about us! (141)

If the message the church proclaims makes sense without conversion, if it does not offend even lifelong believers from time to time so that they too need to die more to themselves and live more to Christ, then it is not the gospel. When Christ is talked about, a lot of things can happen, none of which necessarily have any lasting impact. When Christ is proclaimed in his saving office, the church becomes a theater of death and resurrection. (141)

Isn't it amazing that, according to Jesus, the whole Bible is about him and Peter says that the angels long to understand the Good News that is (or should be) brought weekly by heralds, but we decide that someone or something else should be the focus of our sermon and worship this week? (143)

It is just as easy to lose Christ by distraction as it is by denial. (143)

However frequently his name is invoked, a religion that turns on "What Would Jesus Do?" is not the Christian faith. (146)

When people ask for more practical preaching, for a more relevant message than Christ and him crucified, what they are falling back on is law rather than gospel. (146)

The gospel changes lives; it is not our changed life. (156)

Where Christ is not King, he is neither Prophet nor Priest. Christ rules his church--instituting its structure and methods--precisely so that he can effectively deliver his good gifts to the world. (205)

Read Christless Christianity

• If you're a believer looking for a good nonfiction read
• If you're a believer wanting to grow in Christ
• If you're looking for the answers--what is the gospel? what is sin? how can I be saved? 
• If you're looking for a critique of Joel Osteen, the emerging church movement--particularly Brian McLaren, Charles Finney, pelagianism and/or semi-pelagianism, and gnosticism. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Music Review: David Crowder Band's Give Us Rest

The full title of David Crowder's Band final release is Give Us Rest, Or, A Requiem Mass in C (The Happiest of All Keys). This album is quite long, an hour and forty minutes; it has two discs with a total of thirty-four songs. (True, eighteen of these are under three minutes, but, depending on the song in question, that's not a bad thing.)

This album definitely is a concept album. The theme is death. But before you conclude that the songs are dreary and lifeless, consider just how much of the Bible concerns the believer's FUTURE GLORY, and just how many verses, how many passages, give believers assurance--hope--that heaven is indeed a wonderful place.

Are some of the songs dreary and lifeless? Are some of the songs just a little too weird for my taste? Yes and yes. I personally find the seven piece sequence more annoying than pleasing. (The songs are Sequence 1, Sequence 2, Sequence 3, etc.)

Here is an example of the 'concept' of the album:

The song, "A Burial"

The song, "Sequence 2"

The song, "The Great Amen,"

The song, Why Me?



But there are MANY, MANY great songs on this album.

The song, Oh Great God, Give Us Rest



The song, After All (Holy)



The song, Come Find Me



The song, Fall On Your Knees



The song, Because He Lives



The song, Oh Great Love of God 

The song, There Is A Sound

I would say that there are at least a dozen great songs on this album. While I doubt you'll love each and every song on the entire album, I think you'll probably find some to enjoy, some to love.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Not a Fan

Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Kyle Idleman. 2011. Zondervan. 224 pages.

Are you a follower of Jesus?
I would say the chances are pretty good that you just skipped over that question. You may have read it, but I doubt it carried much weight or had any real impact. But would you let me ask you this question again? It's the most important question you will ever answer.
Are you a follower of Jesus?

Kyle Idleman urges believers to be followers of Jesus Christ, not just fans of Jesus. Most of the book is spent defining and illustrating the differences between those who are fans and those who are followers. Fans follow on their terms. Followers follow on Christ's terms. They're willing to put Christ first, and give Christ all. They're willing to deny themselves and carry a cross daily. Fans follow when it's convenient to them, they follow for the benefits it might bring them. But when it comes to the hard sayings of Jesus, when it comes down to some of the harder teachings, the ones that make you squirm, the ones that you wish you didn't really understand because you don't want to have to live by them, they turn away, they don't listen or obey. Fans follow superficially. Followers are committed no matter what.

Not a Fan was very readable. Idleman's style is very reader-friendly. As a narrator, he is easy to relate to. He can make you smile with some of his illustrations. But he wins you over, wins your respect, with his biblical illustrations. He uses the Bible to illustrate his points time and time again. The focus on the Bible, the focus on what Jesus' teaching, makes this one a must-read. While it is readable, while it is entertaining, it is also thought-provoking. This book asks you to decide for yourself. It challenges you to reflect on your own life, to reflect about what it is you truly believe, what you truly love, what you truly need to have Jesus be Lord of your life.

I would definitely recommend this one. You don't have to be a scholar or a pastor. This book is for everyone.





© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Accidental Bride

The Accidental Bride. Denise Hunter. 2012. January 2012. Thomas Nelson. 304 pages.

The bell above the diner's door jingled and--despite her most valiant effort--Shay Brandenberger's eyes darted toward the entry. An unfamiliar couple entered, tourists. She could tell by their khaki Eddie Bauer vests and spanking new hiking boots. Look out, Yellowstone.

The Accidental Bride is a contemporary Christian romance set in Wyoming. The heroine, Shay, has been chosen to portray one of the town's founders in a re-enactment of a wedding ceremony. (This is an annual event.) The man chosen--at the last minute--to play the groom is Shay's former fiance, Travis McCoy. The two were supposed to marry, but he jilted her the day of the wedding. There are some in this small community of Moose Creek that would love to see these two reunite, and they may get their wish. For this fake marriage ceremony becomes all too real, their marriage license filled out all those years ago all too valid.

How does the couple feel about this surprise? Well, the groom is excited. He has regretted hurting Shay for close to fourteen years now. The only thing stopping him from trying to win her back was her marriage to someone else--but now that he is out of the picture, now that 'fate' has thrown them together again, well, he WANTS her to be his wife. And the bride, well, she is shocked and confused and angry. She has never forgiven him. But now she needs him...to help save her ranch, to help her take care of her daughter.

So can this 'accidental' marriage work out for the best?

The Accidental Bride is predictable, as you might expect. Readers know that Travis and Shay will get their happily ever after. But predictability isn't a bad thing when it comes to Christian romance--or romance in general. There can be something comforting and satisfying about these kinds of reads.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible