Tea-ology #1

The "first" Bible I'll be journeying through is the New Chronological Bible by World Bible Publishers from 1980. It is the King James Version of the Bible. It is "large print" and black letter. It is edited by R. Jerome Boone. The chronological arrangement seems to be the work of one man. 

Even before the table of contents, we have our first "help" which is Salvation in 4 words: 

• Salvation Needed Romans 3:3
• Salvation Provide 1 Peter 2:24
• Salvation Offered Ephesians 2:8
• Salvation Accepted 1 John 5:12

The Bible is arranged in an outline with twelve major headings.

1. Development of the Early World
2. Development of Israel as a Tribe
3. Development of Israel as a Nation
4. Development of Israel as a Kingdom
5. Division of Israel into a Dual Kingdom
6. Survival of Israel in the Southern Kingdom
7. Captivity of Israel in Babylonia
8. Restoration of Israel as a Nation
9. Preservation of Israel During the Intertestamental Period
10. Inauguration of the Kingdom of God on Earth
11. Continuation of the Kingdom of God on Earth
12. Consummation of the Kingdom of God on Earth 

The earliest section, so far, is the most choppy. I don't envy anyone the task of trying to mix and blend the whole Bible into a grand opening. (I personally would not mess with Genesis 1:1, but that is just me)

Here is how Boone worked it:

Psalms 93:2

Psalms 90:2

Colossians 1:17

John 1:1-2

Proverbs 8:12-31

Genesis 1:1

Genesis 2:4

Genesis 1:2-5, 6-8,

Genesis 2:5-6

Genesis 1:9-13, 14-19, 20-23, 24-26, 

Genesis 2:7

Genesis 5:1

Genesis 2:18-25

Genesis 3:20

Genesis 1:27

Genesis 5:2

Genesis 1:28-31

Genesis 2:2-3

Genesis 2:1

Isaiah 45:18

Colossians 1:16

John 1:3

Isaiah 14:12-15

Ezekiel 28:13-16

Genesis 2:8-17

Genesis 3:1-7, 8-24

Any arrangement is going to obviously reveal the theological belief system of the arranger, the editor. For example, in this instance the interpretation that Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 refer to Satan's fall. 

I started reading on November 29, 2023. The first day I "roughly" read Genesis 1-11 and the book of Job. Job was uninterrupted (which was nice). The opening bits were choppy in my opinion. The second day (which is not over yet) I've read of Abram/Abraham through the birth of Jacob and Esau. So roughly Genesis 11-26.

I am enjoying the font type, font size, and double column layout. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

19. Holy Bible (Giant Print Reference Bible) (KJV)

King James Version, Giant Print, End of Verse Reference, Special Helps. 1976. Nelson 882BR. 1962 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

I absolutely loved, loved, loved this one. It was love at first sight. Yes, I love the King James Version. But there was something special about this one that made me love it even more than you might expect.

This one has a padded cover. It is surprisingly light weight despite being giant print. Now "light weight" might be a relative term, obviously. But I have read and carried other "Super Giant" or "Giant Print" bibles that were bulky and just HEAVY. I don't know how this one is so "giant" and yet not bulky. But it was. It is. 

Is there ghosting? Yes. Some. Some pages are more obvious than others. But for the most part it was never a distraction. Perhaps because the font color was so dark. The black is genuinely BLACK. The red [Words of Christ] are a very DARK red. Very easy on the eyes all things considered. The text colors were not faded or faint. 

This one is two columns. Words of Christ in red--as I mentioned before. It is verse by verse. 

This one has some bells and whistles. More than you might expect for being "text only." This one features end of verse references. Not a TON of references. There are plenty of verses without any references at all. But when references do appear they are at the end of the verse--a handful. This one also defines some archaic words. Again not a great amount. Perhaps not as many as one would want if one was struggling with readability. Sometimes the words they choose to define are easy to understand without any helps. While other words that are more difficult they chose not to define. 

This one features a substantial family section--pages to fill out with personal information. 

The back matter is surprisingly MORE than what I was expecting. 

• What is the Bible? (one page article)
• Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled in Jesus Christ (nine page table/chart)
• Bible in a year reading plan (four pages)
• Summary of the books of the Bible (eight pages)
• How to Study the Bible (thirteen page article)
• first mentioned things in the Bible (two page index)
• concordance (eighty-six pages)
• eight color maps

As for the translation, it is the King James Version (which I personally adore). 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

18. Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition

Holy Bible, RSV CE 2 (Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition). God. 2006. 1096 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 

I am not a Catholic. I mention this first and foremost so that everyone knows I am not an expert by any means on what makes this one unique, special, distinct, different, etc. Apparently the first Catholic edition of the RSV was done in 1966. This is the second edition done in 2006. I'm not sure how these two editions differ or even if they do differ. (Though I imagine they must in some way). It is by Ignatius Press. 

This one does include extra books not found in [most] Protestant Bibles (for several centuries). Tobit, Judith, extra bits of Esther and Daniel, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees. It does not include the whole of the Apocrypha. There are RSV Bibles published that do have more of the Apocrypha than this edition does. 

The paper is CREAM or off-white. There is very little ghosting. The pages are super glossy. Though this may not help some readers of this review, the paper reminds me of World Book paper. It is slick and smooth. 

It is double column. It is black letter. The font size of the text is on the smaller side. If I had to guess I'd say maybe around 8 pt font. Though I am NOT an expert in determining font size. 

I have not read this edition side by side with either the 1952 or 1971 (both non-Catholic) or the 1966 (Catholic). I have no idea what revisions were made or how many were made. I think one of the revisions made was to update the "thous." 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

84. Memorizing Scripture

Memorizing Scripture: The Basics, Blessings, and Benefits of Meditating on God's Word. Glenna Marshall. 2023. 160 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: When I was a child growing up in the '80s, my church participated in a Scripture memorization program designed to teach children to quickly memorize verses and the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. 

Who is this book for? It is for Christians first and foremost. It is for hungry, seeking Christians. It is for Christians who are experiencing burn-outs and frustrations. It is for anyone and everyone who is curious and honestly wanting to know more about how to memorize Scripture. One of the biggest points is that memorization is NOT for the sake of memorization. It is not for the sake of bragging/boasting rights. It isn't to check something off a list, something that you "must" do to be a "good" Christian. Memorization has one point and one point only. Memorization for the sole sake of meditation. The sole purpose of meditation is to KNOW the Lord better and better and better. To grow close to Jesus Christ, to love the Lord more and more. How can one come to know the Lord better? to grow in one's love, one's faith? By meditating on the Word of God. And one of the primary ways to "chew the cud" if you will, to meditate, is by memorizing Scripture. 

I did not find the book condescending. In other words, the point of the book is not to make you the reader feel embarrassed, ashamed, less than. 

The book focuses some on the HOW but just as much if not more on the WHY. And it is the why that might just make all the difference in the world. Perhaps. 

The author seemed completely upfront and honest that this will be work and require effort. The results may be very slow in coming. One does not simply memorize verses--dozens, hundreds, thousands--overnight. One can't just sleep with a Bible under your pillow and you wake up ready to go. She encourages readers that just because it may take time--longer than you want--doesn't mean it's not worth doing. There is no one-size-fit-all time schedule for memorization. 

She does encourage memorizing whole chapters of the Bible instead of an isolated verse here and there. But she doesn't discourage memorizing single verses. I think start where you're able. Each chapter ends with suggested memory verses, most of these are individual verses.

Understanding the meaning of the verse is more important than being able to recite whole verses--even chapters--without any meaning, comprehension, understanding. 

Quotes: 

Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” The missing element in my fight against daily sin crystallized in that moment: hiding God’s Word in my heart will help me not to sin.


Scripture memorization became a daily spiritual discipline that has changed my thought life, encouraged me in despair, helped me stand firm against temptation, flowed into many gospel conversations, and given me what I need to say when seeking to comfort and exhort my church family.


While Scripture reading and study are daily disciplines I will hold on to for life, memorization has been a bridge between reading and living. It has moved me from study of God to affection for God. My only regret? That I didn’t take the leap into the long-lost spiritual discipline of memorization sooner.


With the help of the Holy Spirit, Scripture memorization can shape the way you think and act and live. It can deepen your love for the Lord and provide the words you need in conversations with others. Hiding God’s Word in your heart can help you walk a little more closely with the Lord who gave you His Word to equip you for everything you might need in this life.

Scripture memory is not a race. It’s a journey. It’s not about recitation—it’s about saturation. It can be done in tiny bits over long periods of time, yet yielding an immeasurable harvest of fruitfulness in your life.

Memorization moves us from study to application, from knowledge to affection. Rather than viewing Scripture memorization as one more thing on your spiritual discipline to-do list, you can view it as the continuation of what you’re already doing.

Whatever you pour into your mind will affect your thought life and influence your response to temptation.

What sanctifies us—makes us more and more like Jesus—is God’s Word. Scripture. All the words in the Bible.

It is never a loss to think about God’s Word.

Christians know the Word because they know the One who spoke it. They know the Word Himself, and His voice comforts them in the valley of the shadow of death. And because they know His voice, they know that everything He has promised about eternity with Him will be true.




The Bible is God’s voice, written down for us. Through His chosen means of revelation, we learn who He is, who we are, how we needed rescue from slavery to sin and the domain of darkness. We’re given the story of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection—how He offers light and life to all who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins. We understand what it means to follow Him, to persevere in the faith, to take the gospel into the world, and to live as the body of Christ as we wait for His return. We have the full story of redemption, and though we are still living it, we know that God has written a very good ending. He has given us what we need in Scripture to keep listening to His voice until we see Him face-to-face. One day, we’ll hear it with all the glorious pitch, tenor, and tone that He intended—but until then, we hold fast to the written word that was once a mystery “but now revealed to his saints” (Col. 1:26). We’ll read it, study it, meditate on it, treasure it. We’ll memorize it because it is no empty word for us but our very life (see Deut. 32:47).

What protects the man in Psalm 1 from worldliness and sinful behavior? Meditating on God’s Word day and night. What produces fruit in every season of life? Being rooted in God’s Word, drawing nourishment from it at all times. This is more than daily Bible reading, though it is not less than that. It is an extension of Bible reading, really. Meditation plunges you deeper into the verses and passages you’re reading, saturating your heart with their meaning, one repeated word or phrase at a time.

The more we dwell on His words, the more apparent the disease, and the more decisive its removal. What’s left is a healthier Christian who can continue to grow and flourish in godliness as the Word of God dwells in him or her richly. When the words of the Lord live in your heart, they change your heart. How do we let them dwell in our hearts richly? By feasting on them regularly, thinking on them, reciting them—mumbling them over and over to ourselves.

I want to know how to endure suffering, remain steadfast, and avoid sin. I want to know God better than I do so that I can love Him more and better grasp His love for me. I want to find deep satisfaction in the Lord and to have untarnished joy in Him when life is hard. I want to be vindicated from those who do not love what I believe, and I want the courage to share the gospel with them anyway. I want to know how to obey and be led by the Spirit to do so. Psalm 119 promises those benefits when we fix our minds on Scripture day and night.

If you are a believer in Jesus, you already recognize His voice because you know Him. But now you can dwell on the sound and strength of His voice day and night through memorization.
To love God with all your heart, you must also love Him with your mind. Knowledge of God can grow your love for Him, and Scripture memorization is a beneficial tool for bridging the gap between knowledge and affection.



We never study God simply to acquire knowledge, and we don’t memorize Scripture simply to be able to recite it. No, the bedrock of both study and meditation is relationship. We study and meditate on God’s Word in order to know and love God better. Everything in our Christian life flows from what we believe and love about God. Meditation on God’s chosen means of revelation helps us get there.
Jesus’ command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength isn’t an arbitrary demand from a love-hungry God whose strength ebbs and flows with our waxing and waning affections. God doesn’t need our love because He is self-sufficient in and of Himself. He’s no Tinker Bell whose existence depends on our belief. Yet, we are commanded to love Him anyway. Why? Because loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is unequivocally for our good. Orienting our hearts toward what glorifies God will, in turn, keep our hearts happy in Him. The more we think about Him and grow in affection for Him, the fuller our joy.


Joy isn’t found in loving ourselves. Joy lives in deepened affection for our God. Jesus explained that His purpose in speaking these things about obedience and love was so that His joy may be in us and that our joy may be full (see John 15:11). Fixing the gaze of your heart, soul, mind, and strength on your Maker will cultivate more affection for Him, even when you don’t feel anything.


We interpret pain through the lens of God’s character and his ultimate mercy. By “calling to mind” important truths, we are able to stop listening to the circumstances around us and even the noise inside our heads. Lament dares us to hope again, and again, and again.


What I’ve learned in the years I’ve been memorizing Scripture is that every sentence can preach a sermon to your heart.


If all you can do is breathe out one verse over and over again, by all means do it.


And that is our goal here, isn’t it? For God’s Word to flourish in our hearts and shape our thoughts. We will be comforted more readily in suffering when our hearts have been planted with God’s words to us in suffering. Hope will grow from the truths hidden in your heart.


The manner in which we deliver God’s Word to a troubled heart matters. Season your speech with God’s Word but do so with care. Your discouraged friend doesn’t need you to shout Romans 8:28 in her face when she is in the valley of the shadow of death. She needs you to pray it with confidence when you’re in her living room, holding her hand, sitting with her in her suffering.


One of the things I love about memorizing Scripture is how slow the process is. It is not a quick path. Memorization takes a lot of time and regular work. But that is kind of the point. The plodding work of wrapping our minds around phrases, sentences, and lists forces us to slowly think through verses we might otherwise have skipped over.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

83. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, O Come Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Ephiphany. Jonathan Gibson. 2023. 380 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

First sentence: Christmas is my favorite time of year.

Premise/plot: O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a companion book to Jonathan Gibson's Be Thou My Vision (2021). The original provides readers with thirty days of liturgical daily worship. It weaves traditional liturgical elements with Scripture and church history. O Come, O Come Emmanuel has devotions for November 28th through January 6th. Is it absolutely necessary? Perhaps not. After all, one could simply use the original Be Thou My Vision in December and January like you have been doing the rest of the year. What has changed between the two books? The Scripture readings are specifically chosen for the season--about a chapter sometimes not even a full chapter. The catechism portion is reduced to those questions that specifically deal with the incarnation. The meditations are about the incarnation as well. But I would say the basic structure and most of the elements are exactly the same as the original. (I forgot to mention that each day has a 'song' to read or sing.) 

Is this one more substantive than your average advent devotional? Probably. Is it more substantive than the original Be Thou My Vision? No. It's about the same. If you have the first book, this one is a luxury addition. 

Scripture readings include:

Genesis 3:1-15

Genesis 22:1-19

Genesis 49:1-12

Numbers 24:1-19

Deuteronomy 18:1-22

2 Samuel 7:1-16

Psalm 2

Psalm 16

Psalm 45

Psalm 68

Psalm 89

Psalm 110

Psalm 118

Job 19

Isaiah 7:10-17; and Isaiah 9:1-7

Isaiah 11

Isaiah 40

Isaiah 42

Isaiah 49

Isaiah 50

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Jeremiah 23:1-6; 33:14-26

Micah 5

Zechariah 9:9-17; 13:1-9; Malachi 3:1-4

Luke 1:26-56

Luke 1:57-80

Luke 2:1-21

Luke 2:22-40

Matthew 1:1-25

John 1:1-18

Colossians 1:1-20

Ephesians 3:1-12

Romans 1:1-17

Philippians 2:1-11

Isaiah 60

Hebrews 1

Hebrews 2

John 5

Psalm 72

Matthew 2

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday Salon #48

Current Bibles

NKJV Sovereign Deuteronomy 4-34; Ezekiel 31-48; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk;  Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi; 2 Chronicles; 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon; Hebrews; James; 1 Peter; 2 Peter; 1 John; 2 John; 3 John; Jude; Revelation; 

RSV CE 2 Deuteronomy 16-34; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; 1 Samuel 1-15; Proverbs 6-31; Ecclesiastes;  Songs; 1 Kings; 2 Kings; Isaiah 22-66; Jeremiah 1-27; Luke 7-24; Acts; Romans 1-8

KJV Giant Reference: Psalms 95-119:1-104; Jeremiah 34-52; Lamentations; Ezekiel; Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk, Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi; Song of Songs; Luke

NASB 77 Genesis; Exodus 1-19; Matthew; Mark; Luke;

NASB 73 (bedtime) Psalms 23-150; John

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

82. The Book of Common Courage

The Book of Common Courage. K.J. Ramsey. 2023. [January] 224 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Lord Jesus,

who stepped down

onto the muddy banks

of the Jordan where

your cousin John

pulled you under

to be drenched in the baptism

of a repentance God surely didn't need

so that every waterlogged ear

could be freed to rise to the sound

of the Voice of Love coming down:

we want to hear

what you heard

that strange day.

The Book of Common Courage is a devotional written in verse. Are these verses poems? Maybe. Maybe not. Probably. Think of the 'verse' in a verse novel, this is similar. There are verses and verses. (Pun intended. Each bit of poetry is introduced with Scripture verses.) Some seem to be intended to be prayers. Though not all of them have that prayer vibe going. (Though to be fair there's always more than one style of prayer.) What keeps some of them from being prayer--in my own subjective opinion--is that they have more of a vibe of being an uplifting message from Jesus to you. Christ does speak to us in his Word. I think Genesis to Revelation, you can certainly hear God speaking--plainly, clearly. With the indwelling Holy Spirit as both your guide and the author, without a doubt the Word of God is speaking. 

This is definitely a devotional more than a prayer book. Though devotional books can contain plenty of prayers. Is this one meaty enough? That's a subjective question. It isn't as meaty theologically as I personally want in a devotional book. However, I think the goal is emotional and spiritual health. 

Quotes:

I shall not want

except that I do.

I want a Shepherd

who comes through.

I want my stress

to be wrapped

in God's arms.

I want my life

to be healed

from all harm.

Perhaps it would

be better to say

I lack nothing

because Love

will stay.

Jesus,

You say the words

we hate hearing,

but you never

demanded anything

you were not willing

to live first.

Tune our ears

to recognize the syllables of love

thrumming through the sentences

that make us shudder

For your resurrection

reminds us

that suffering

can shift us

into a better story.

Amen.

Jesus, the Promised Shepherd,

you who are always making a way

for your people to rest

when other shepherds demand

performances and success:

reveal the green pastures

where we can heal

that we, the plundered,

may become those

who thunder

kindness as the sound

of a Shepherd's kingdom

where mercy 

abounds.

Amen.

Blessed are the broken,

those shattered in spirit by those

who should have made them strong.

Blessed are the grieved

in a world that pretends

positivity will take away pain.

For while the kingdoms 

of the able and affluent

corral and crush,

the kingdom of God

is a seed 

split open.

May you know 

your breaking

is a broadening.

May you trust

your ache

is an awakening>

The kingdom of God

is a seed split open

and the kingdom 

belongs to you.

If God keeps track of your tears

and holds them safe in a bottle,

then perhaps

your pain is precious.

Perhaps

your tears

tell truth.

Perhaps 

you don't have to stop

the flow of what God

wants to hold as a treasure.

---crying is holy. 

Prayer 

is not

constant 

positivity.

It is honesty

held in our hands

and hurled at the sky.

When David dared

to curse at the air

and Christ cried

from the cross

that the Father

was not there,

they both pierced a hole

in the 

universe's clouds,

and now Love's ears

are tuned to the sound

of candor and cries

as much as praise

rings out.

The world has forever

been widened

for worship.

Our worst words

of self-pity and 

loudest wails

now have become

welcomed prayers.

Christ's prayer

pierced

the veil. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

17. NKJV Sovereign, Personal Size Reference

NKJV (New King James Version). Personal Size Reference. Sovereign Collection. God. 2022. 1696 pages. [Source: Bought] 

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 

After falling in love with the King James Sovereign Personal Size Reference Bible this summer, I decided to get the New King James Version edition of the same Bible. It is double column. The cross references are on the bottom of each page. It is red letter. The size is perfectly perfect. 

The New King James Version hasn't been my go-to. It hasn't been my favorite or best. But I started reading it more this fall and I appreciate it more than I ever have. I really feel at home in this translation now. I was eager to read it all the way through--it's a great little Bible. But I'm also a little sad that I finished this one. I definitely see myself picking this NKJV back up when I want to read from that translation.

I used the Super Glutton Reading plan for my read through. I read two columns in the morning and two columns in the evening. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday Salon #47

Current Bibles

KJV Giant Print: Psalms 62-94; 2 Chronicles; Ezra; Nehemiah; Mark; Ephesians; Song of Solomon; Isaiah; Jeremiah 1-23;

NKJV Sovereign Leviticus 23-27; Numbers. Deuteronomy 1-3; Isaiah 51-66; Jeremiah; Ezekiel 1-30; Daniel; Ezra. Nehemiah; 1 Chronicles. Romans; 1 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians. Galatians. Ephesians. Philippians. Colossians. 1 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians. 1 Timothy. 

RSV CE2 Leviticus; Numbers; Deuteronomy 1-15; Nehemiah; Esther;  Job. Judith. 1 Maccabees; 2 Maccabees; Tobit. Sirach. Proverbs 1-5;  Isaiah 1-21; Hebrews; James. Mark. Luke 1-6

NIV 2011 (which I will be quitting after this week because I just can't) Leviticus; 2 Samuel 1-12; Psalms 73-87.; Jeremiah 1-10; Luke 1-5;

NASB 95 (bedtime) Psalms; Matthew 11-24; Mark; Titus. Philemon. 

NASB 73 (bedtime) Psalms 1-25; John 1-3

G4L Psalms 5-8; ASV, NASB 95, ESV, NKJV, Living, 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

81. God's Promises For Your Every Need

God's Promises For Your Every Need. King James Version. Word Publishing. 1995. 340 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Jesus is your Savior. 

Are Bible Promise books still a thing? Maybe. Maybe not. At one point Bible Promise books where everywhere. I picked up this bonded leather edition for a quarter. 

The premise is simple enough. These are selected verses chosen by someone [or a team of someones] to provide insight, guidance, comfort, support for a large variety of potential situations or circumstances. I would say the first two sections, "Jesus Is Your...." and "The Bible is Your...." would be good for "preaching the gospel to yourself daily." I can't remember which christian nonfiction book I read that mentioned the importance of spending time in the gospel ABC's daily, of preaching to yourself daily, but I think these two sections provide a solid foundation. Not in place of Scripture. Repeat after me, not in place of Scripture. These are verses, specifically specially chosen verses that are presented out of context [without context.] The final section, "God's Plan of Salvation," would also fit right into a daily routine. [Though I'm not suggesting to do so in a superstitious way].

The remaining sections are more geared to providing situational guidance or support. Yes, some of these could be part of a daily 'preaching' but not all of them--probably. There might be sections that aren't quite for you--at least not yet, perhaps never. 

The book can be read cover to cover. That's how I read it, but it wouldn't need to be. In fact, it probably was not designed to be. 

Who is it for? Well, this one is in the King James Version. So I would say someone who is well-versed in the Bible. But putting aside the whole readability issue (or nonissue). I would say it is still for someone who has a grasp of the big picture of the Bible. I would say it probably wouldn't be best for someone who is completely new to Scripture and doesn't see how everything fits together. I think reading verses out of context when you have never had context would be problematic perhaps. It would be a good fit for those who long for Scripture but for whatever reason--perhaps many reasons out of their control--they don't have the ability to sit down and read the Bible itself. At least not in that moment. Its small size makes it great for being "on the go." Its small size also makes it great for reading in bed. The font size is large enough for reading to be easy. 

It doesn't have a foreword or an introduction. There's no helps to indicate how to use or not use this one. There are sections about health and prosperity. But no narrator pushing an agenda. These are just verses without context. So you can't read them and argue that the book is pushing the health and prosperity [false] gospel. You also don't have a narrator warning against certain interpretations. The Bible verses [yes, without context] are left to speak on their own. How you in the moment interpret those verses or any verses may depend on your past experiences and past exposures to teaching and preaching. 

One could make the argument that taking verses out of context is never a good idea. I'm not sure I'm willing to take that hard a stance. I'm just not. Could this book be misused? Yes. Could the Bible be misused? Yes. People can take ANY Bible and lift verses out of context. 

I did like most of the topics/subjects covered. I also liked the repetition. There are verses that pop up dozens of times--under dozens of subjects. I didn't mind the repetition. In fact, I think it helps. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday Salon #46

Current reading:

NKJV Sovereign: Exodus 20-40; Leviticus 1-22; 1 Kings 10-22; 2 Kings; Isaiah 1-50; Job; Song of Songs; Ruth; Lamentations; Ecclesiastes; Esther; John; Acts

KJV Giant Reference Psalms 24-61; Deuteronomy; Joshua; Judges; 1 Samuel; 2 Samuel; 1 Kings; 2 Kings; 1 Chronicles; 

RSV CE2 Genesis 6-50; Exodus; Leviticus 1-5; 1 Chronicles; 10-29; Wisdom of Solomon; Matthew 3-28;  Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Ezra; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Titus; Philemon; Zechariah; Malachi; 

NIV 2011: Exodus; 1 Samuel; Psalms 42-72; Isaiah 44-66; Mark 4-16 

NRSV (bedtime reading) Psalms; Matthew

NASB 95 Matthew 1-10

G4L - Psalms 5-8; RSV, NRSV, 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

80. The Girl From the Papers

The Girl From the Papers. Jennifer L. Wright. 2023. [August] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

First sentence: My mama always told me I would live and die as a nobody. Here at the end....I couldn't help but wish she'd been right. 

Premise/plot: The Girl From the Papers is inspired by the infamous criminals Bonnie and Clyde. It is--for better or worse--published by a Christian publisher as Christian fiction. Beatrice Carraway, our heroine, falls head over heels with bad-boy, Jack Turner. These two have big, expensive dreams and want to live above and beyond the law. Both are reckless dreamers. 

While Jack Turner is in prison for his crimes, Beatrice hears the gospel and contemplates the Christian faith. But Jack has no use for God. She'll have to choose between being with Jack and loving him as is--with a dark heart and low values--or choosing the God who loves and forgives.

The plot mostly follows--though it seems to be condensed and perhaps slightly rearranged--the real life misadventures of Bonnie and Clyde. Mostly.

The author has given new names to all the major and minor players. But it's a loose disguise, in my opinion. Anyone who has read a book about the criminal duo will recognize not just Bonnie and Clyde but their gang and family members. 

My thoughts: I've read a handful of books about Bonnie and Clyde. I was conflicted by this one. On the one hand, without a doubt this does make for a fascinating historical read. On the other hand, no matter how you twist and turn it, finding sympathy and love for these two is difficult. 

It seems this one is mostly fan fiction with gospel sermons/presentations thrown in throughout the book. For better or worse. The ENDING for Bea is world's away from Bonnie's end. There are almost three hundred and fifty pages of reckless, ungodly living before you get to the redemption. I suppose Bea's disillusionment with the "Christian faith" and the "Christian church" and "established religion" may relate to some contemporary readers who have also been deeply hurt/bruised by Christians. 

I think some readers will absolutely love it. A few others may be turned off either by a) all the reckless sinning and immorality OR b) all the preaching. You can't please everybody. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Seven days for any book of the Bible?!?!

I am a big believer that ANY book of the Bible can be read in just seven days. Yes, any book. Even Psalms. In fact, I've spent the past few months reading through the book of Psalms weekly paired with compline from the book of common prayer.

You can use math and common sense to break down into chunks or segments. You don't have to have a rigid plan. But I have tossed about some possibilities. I decided to join 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles because so many chapters are naturally skimmable. For better or worse. 

Genesis

Genesis 1-8

Genesis 9-17

Genesis 18-24

Genesis 25-30

Genesis 31-37

Genesis 38-43

Genesis 44-50

Exodus

Exodus 1-7

Exodus 8-12

Exodus 13-18

Exodus 19-24

Exodus 25-29

Exodus 30-35

Exodus 36-40

Leviticus

Leviticus 1-5

Leviticus 6-9

Leviticus 10-13

Leviticus 14-16

Leviticus 17-20

Leviticus 21-24

Leviticus 25-27

Numbers

Numbers 1-4

Numbers 5-9

Numbers 10-14

Numbers 15-19

Numbers 20-25

Numbers 26-30

Numbers 31-36

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 1-4

Deuteronomy 5-9

Deuteronomy 10-14

Deuteronomy 15-20

Deuteronomy 21-25

Deuteronomy 26-29

Deuteronomy 30-34

Joshua

Joshua 1-4

Joshua 5-7

Joshua 8-10

Joshua 11-14

Joshua 15-18

Joshua 19-21

Joshua 22-24

Judges

Judges 1-3

Judges 4-5

Judges 6-9

Judges 10-11

Judges 12-15

Judges 16-18

Judges 19-21

1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1-5

1 Samuel 6-10

1 Samuel 11-14

1 Samuel 15-17

1 Samuel 18-22

1 Samuel 23-25

1 Samuel 26-31

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 1-3

2 Samuel 4-8

2 Samuel 9-12

2 Samuel 13-15

2 Samuel 16-18

2 Samuel 19-21

2 Samuel 22-24

1 Kings

1 Kings 1-3

1 Kings 4-7

1 Kings 8-9

1 Kings 10-12

1 Kings 13-16

1 Kings 17-19

1 Kings 20-22

2 Kings

2 Kings 1-4

2 Kings 5-7

2 Kings 8-10

2 Kings 11-14

2 Kings 15-18

2 Kings 19-22

2 Kings 23-25

Isaiah

Isaiah 1-9

Isaiah 20-21

Isaiah 22-30

Isaiah 31-39

Isaiah 40-47

Isaiah 48-57

Isaiah 58-66

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1-7

Jeremiah 8-16

Jeremiah 17-25

Jeremiah 26-31

Jeremiah 32-38

Jeremiah 39-48

Jeremiah 49-52

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 1-9

Ezekiel 10-16

Ezekiel 17-22

Ezekiel 23-29

Ezekiel 30-36

Ezekiel 37-42

Ezekiel 43-48

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah

Hosea 1-4

Hosea 5-8

Hosea 9-12

Hosea 13-14; Joel 1-3

Amos 1-4

Amos 5-9; Obadiah

Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai

Jonah 1-4

Micah 1-4

Micah 5-7

Nahum 1-3

Habakkuk 1-3

Zephaniah 1-3

Haggai 1-2

Zechariah and Malachi

Zechariah 1-3

Zechariah 4-6

Zechariah 7-8

Zechariah 9-11

Zechariah 12-14

Malachai 1-2

Malachi 3-4

Psalms

Psalms 1-24

Psalms 25-41

Psalms 42-72

Psalms 73-89

Psalms 90-118

Psalms 119

Psalms 120-150

Proverbs

Proverbs 1-5

Proverbs 6-10

Proverbs 11-14

Proverbs 15-18

Proverbs 19-23

Proverbs 24-27

Proverbs 28-31

Job

Job 1-6

Job 7-12

Job 13-19

Job 20-25

Job 26-31

Job 32-37

Job 38-42

Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations

Song of Solomon 1-4

Song of Solomon 5-8

Ruth 1-2

Ruth 3-4

Lamenations 1-2

Lamentations 3

Lamentations 4-5

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 1-2

Ecceliastes 3

Ecclesiastes 4-5

Ecclesiates 6-7

Ecclesiastes 8

Ecclesiastes 9-10

Ecclesiastes 11-12

Esther, Daniel

Esther 1-4

Esther 5-10

Daniel 1-2

Daniel 3-4

Daniel 5-6

Daniel 7-9

Daniel 10-12

Ezra, Nehemiah

Ezra 1-4

Ezra 5-7

Ezra 8-10

Nehemiah 1-4

Nehemiah 5-7

Nehemiah 8-10

Nehemiah 11-13

1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 1-8

1 Chronicles 9-18

1 Chronicles 19-29

2 Chronicles 1-9

2 Chronicles 10-20

2 Chronicles 21-29

2 Chronicles 30-36

Matthew

Matthew 1-4

Matthew 5-10

Matthew 11-13

Matthew 14-18

Matthew 19-21

Matthew 22-25

Matthew 26-28

Mark

Mark 1-3

Mark 4-5

Mark 6-7

Mark 8-9

Mark 10-12

Mark 13-14

Mark 15-16

Luke

Luke 1-3

Luke 4-7

Luke 8-9

Luke 10-12

Luke 13-17

Luke 18-21

Luke 22-24

John

John 1-3

John 4-6

John 7-8

John 9-12

John 13-15

John 16-18

John 19-21

Acts

Acts 1-4

Acts 5-8

Acts 9-12

Acts 13-16

Acts 17-20

Acts 21-24

Acts 25-28

Romans

Romans 1-2

Romans 3-4

Romans 5-7

Romans 8-9

Romans 10-11

Romans 12-14

Romans 15-16

1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1-5

1 Corinthians 6-9

1 Corinthians 10-13

1 Corinthians 14-16

2 Corinthians 1-4

2 Corinthians 5-9

2 Corinthians 10-13

Remaining Paul Epistles

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy and 2 Timothy

Titus, Philemon

General Epistles

Hebrews 1-5

Hebrews 6-9

Hebrews 10-11

Hebrews 12-13

James 1-5

1 Peter

2 Peter and Jude

Writings of John

1 John

2 John, 3 John, Revelation 1-3

Revelation 4-6

Revelation 7-11

Revelation 12-15

Revelation 16-18

Revelation 19-22

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible