2022 Bible Reading #8

Bible reading week of 19 - 25 February 2022.

I am reading the NIV 84 for my Daily Offices from the Book of Common Prayer

• Psalm 95-119:104
• Proverbs 19-25
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs
• Job 1-14
• 1 Samuel 13-31
• 2 Samuel
• Mark 1-11
• Ephesians 3-6
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus 
• Philemon

The Bible I am using for my morning tea devotional time is the Berean Study Bible. I am using the Five Day Bible Reading Plan. 

• 2 Kings 21-25
• 2 Chronicles 33-36
• Isaiah 45-66
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel 1-21
• Psalm 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 126,  128, 130, 133, 136, 137, 147,  149
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• 1 Corinthians 13-16
• 2 Corinthians
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• John 1-7

I began the Power 60 Reading Plan and am using the NASB 2020

• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth 
• 1 Samuel 1-10

I have TWO ongoing year-long 30 Day MacArthur plans going.

• In February, I will be reading Daniel 1-4 thirty times: NASB 77, NKJV, NASB 95, ESV,  KJV, NIV 84, NASB 77,
• In February, I will be reading Isaiah 6-10 thirty times: NASB 77, NKJV, NASB 95, ESV, KJV, NIV 84, NASB 77

My miscellaneous Bibles:

Great Bible 1539 

• 2 Kings

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

11. The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church

The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church. Dustin W. Benge. 2022. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: The church is beautiful. Beautiful is not a phrase we often associate with the church. Words like organization, mission, vision, and even body come to mind, but not beautiful.

Dustin W. Benge's newest book is on the church. It is a comprehensive book. It is wider and broader than many other books about the church that I've read in the past. (I hope this makes sense.) Instead of focusing on little bits here and there, we see a much bigger and more inclusive picture of what the church is. And what ties it all together is this notion or concept that the church is lovely and beautiful. Again, not many books about the church chime in with that exact message.

Benge writes, "This book has one aim: to set before you a thoroughly biblical portrait of the church that derives its life from the sweet fellowship of the Father, Son, and Spirit, creating a community of love, worship, fellowship, and mission, all animated by the gospel and empowered by the word of God. By beholding such radiant beauty and loveliness, may we lift our collective and worshipful cry, 'Indeed, the church is the loveliest place on earth.'"

The chapter titles:

• You Are Beautiful
• The Household of God
• Our Father and Friend
• Our Savior and Head
• Our Helper and Beautifier
• A Pillar and Buttress of Truth
• In Spirit and Truth
• Shepherding the Flock
• Feeding the Flock
• Good News
• In Remembrance
• Walking Worthy
• Blessed Persecution
• We Are One

I read this book slowly. (That's a good thing.) It wasn't what I was expecting. Not really. So many books about the church either focus on the many, many, many ways the church is failing (in one way or another) OR focuses on how to do something (how to improve small groups, how to evangelize in your city, how to reach more people with your sermons, etc.) OR about worship wars. 

This book takes the focus off of us, if you will, and keeps it centrally--no, exclusively--on God (the Father, the Son, the Spirit). 

I love how it uses quotes from so many classic theologians.

Quotes:

• The church is beautiful because the lens through which Christ regards her is his cross--the focal point of blood, righteousness, forgiveness, union, justification, regeneration, and grace. His cross makes her beautiful. His perfection makes her beautiful. It is his sacrificial, substitutionary, sinless blood that washes her garments as white as snow. The cross of Christ makes her beautiful not only inwardly by justification but also outwardly through sanctification. From giving second birth to final glory, the righteousness of Christ creates a beautiful church. 
• Christ is beautiful to the church because he rescued her from her enemies and set her in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Christ is beautiful to the church because he freely offered his life as payment for a debt she owed. (John 10:11). Christ is beautiful to the church because he satisfied God's wrath against her sin and victoriously conquered death (Romans 3:24-25). Christ is her Savior. Christ is her Redeemer. Christ is her beauty.
• As believers, we never move past the love of Christ. We never tire of the love of Christ. A true believer is one who never gets over the profound words of the childhood song "Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so."
• The church cannot exist for one moment without Christ as her life. Christ is the church's ventilator--consistently filling her lungs with life-giving spiritual breath animating her, gifting her, and empowering her. This means that we who serve in the church serve her only as Christ empowers and enables us to do so. 
• The beauty for which we are saved is accomplished only through an intense, heartfelt stare at Jesus.
• Regeneration is literally God breathing the eternal sweet air of salvation into the corpse of a fallen sinner. (John 3:3-8). You see, all of the Christian life is powered and animated by the breath of God.
• Authentic biblical worship occurs only when the very core of our being is employed in worshipping God. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

2022 Bible Reading #7

Bible reading week of 12 February - 18 February

I am reading the NIV 84 for my Daily Offices from the Book of Common Prayer

• Psalm 62-Psalm 94
• Proverbs 12-18
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel 1-12
• Luke 18-24
• Acts
• Galatians
• Ephesians 1-3

The Bible I am using for my morning tea devotional time is the Berean Study Bible. I am using the Five Day Bible Reading Plan. 

• 2 Kings 15-20
• 2 Chronicles 26-32
• Amos
• Hosea
• Psalm 9, 10, 22,  55, 58, 61, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68, 118, 128
• Micah
• Isaiah 1-44
• Matthew 13-28
• 1 Corinthians 1-12

The Bible I am using for my afternoon tea devotional time is the Wycliffe Modern Spelling Bible on YouVersion. I started the Bible in 90 Day Plan in late November. 

• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

I finished the Wycliffe Modern Spelling Bible on February 12, 2022. I began the Power 60 Reading Plan and am using the NASB 2020

• Genesis 
• Exodus
• Leviticus

I have TWO ongoing year-long 30 Day MacArthur plans going.

• In February, I will be reading Daniel 1-4 thirty times: NRSV, NASB 95, NKJV, CSB, ESV, NASB 77, RSV, 
• In February, I will be reading Isaiah 6-10 thirty times: NRSV, NASB 95, NKJV, CSB, ESV, NASB 77, RSV, 

My miscellaneous Bibles:

Great Bible 1539 

• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

10. The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God

The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God. David Schrock. Edited by Miles Van Pelt and Dane C. Ortlund. 2022. [February] 144 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: In the beginning God created a priest. And not just any priest, but a royal priest--a man made in God's likeness, a son fashioned to reflect God's beauty, an image-bearer commissioned to rule God's world with holy affections. God commissioned the first family--Adam and his fellow image bearer, Eve--to be fruitful and multiply and fill the world with God's glory. 

The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God is one of the books in Crossway's series Short Studies in Biblical Theology. This book traces the theme of the royal priesthood through the entire Bible--Genesis to Revelation. 

Early on it defines (explains) the terms priest and priesthood. Schrock makes clear the importance (significance) of the concept of the priesthood in Scripture. He writes, 

"The aim of this book is to study the priesthood so that we might delight more fully in the glory of God's Son, our great high priest. Moreover, by learning the history and purpose of priesthood in the Bible, we will better understand God's work in redemption."

Schrock defines priesthood in this way, "Priests are consecrated mediators between God and his covenant people, who stand to serve at God's altar 1) sanctifying God's Holy Place, 2) sacrificing God's offerings, and 3) speaking God's covenant."

He then unpacks how the books of the Bible fit together (work together) to portray this image, this concept of the Royal Priesthood. He traces everything out as is made clear in the table of contents:

1. In the Beginning: The Royal Priesthood Patterned
2. The Law: The Levitical Priesthood Legislated
3. The Prophets: The Priesthood Promised, Compromised, and Promised Again
4. The Writings: The Royal Priesthood Anticipated
5. The Gospels: The Royal Priesthood Arrives
6. Acts through Revelation: The Royal Priesthood Multiplies

I love that he uses the Jewish ordering of the Old Testament! I think it makes his argument stronger/more coherent. 

You might suppose that this one would be "dry" or "boring" or too scholarly to be appealing/engaging. But I found it a good, solid read. I didn't find it confusing or too weighty/heavy. I thought it offered much food for thought. 

I agree with the author when he writes, 

"In a world of competing glories, therefore studying the priesthood is basic for Christian discipleship. When secular priests entice Christians to worship in their temples, we need the true priest-king interceding for us and applying his blood to atone for our sins. We need a biblical vision of Christ's priestly glory to empower us to reject all substitutes and worship him alone. In short we need a biblical theology of royal priesthood that leads us to Christ. For to be made in God's image and created for God's glory means Christ's disciples are called to be a family of royal priests--sons and daughters who serve in the presence of the Lord by means of the finished work of Christ, our great high priest."

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

2. Wycliffe's Bible with Modern Spelling

Wycliffe's Bible with Modern Spelling. John Wycliffe and John Purvey. 1395. 1000 pages estimate only. [Source: YouVersion]

First sentence: In the beginning God made of nought heaven and earth. Forsooth the earth was idle and void, and darknesses were on the face of depth; and the Spirit of the Lord was borne on the waters [or the Spirit of God was borne upon the waters]. And God said, Light be made, and the light was made. And God saw the light, that it was good, and he parted the light from darknesses; and he called the light, day, and the darknesses, night. And the eventide and the morrowtide was made, one day.

I read a modern spelling version of Wycliffe's New Testament several years ago. The person doing the updating/modernizing was different. I loved, loved, loved this little book. 

I read this "modern spelling" Wycliffe Bible (both testaments) on YouVersion. I could not find further information on WHO did the updating/modernizing. Just the dates of the modernizing--2017 for the whole Bible, earlier years for the Old Testament and New Testament. 

I started this translation in November 2021. I read Genesis through Psalm 89 in 2021. I was using the Bible in 90 Days plan. I ended up getting ahead of myself and finishing the plan early. 

The translation was from the Latin Vulgate. The initial translation was done in the fourteenth century. It has been "updated" into "modern" spelling starting around 2001-2017. 

Psalm 23

1 The psalm of David. The Lord governeth me, and nothing shall fail to me;

2 in the place of pasture there he hath set me. He nourished me on the water of refreshing;

3 he converted my soul. He led me forth on the paths of rightfulness [or rightwiseness]; for his name.

4 For why though I shall go in the midst of shadow of death; I shall not dread evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff; those have comforted me.

5 Thou hast made ready a board in my sight; against them that trouble me. Thou hast made fat mine head with oil; and my cup, that filleth greatly, is full clear.

6 And thy mercy shall follow me; in all the days of my life. And that I dwell in the house of the Lord; into the length of days.

Isaiah 9:6

6 Forsooth a little child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and prince-hood is made [up]on his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, A counsellor, God, Strong, Father of the world to coming, A prince of peace, [or Marvellous, Counsellor, God, Strong, Father of the world to come, Prince of peace].

I do think that 99.9% of people will need a modernized version if they want to benefit from this translation. 

Here are the first five verses of Genesis in the original spelling:

In the bigynnyng God made of nouyt heuene and erthe. Forsothe the erthe was idel and voide, and derknessis weren on the face of depthe; and the Spiryt of the Lord was borun on the watris. And God seide, Liyt be maad, and liyt was maad. And God seiy the liyt, that it was good, and he departide the liyt fro derknessis; and he clepide the liyt, dai, and the derknessis, nyyt. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, o daie.

Even so, I found that it was tricky to read. Not every verse, every chapter. But there were some true puzzlers that even modern updates couldn't "save." In other words, I didn't find it as edifying as I was hoping. I wanted to find it an engaging read. Something "new" (or new to me) and unique and special. Sometimes--and I'm being 100% honest--I found myself skimming instead of taking the time to unwind the text fully. (Imagine the text being barbed wire.) Again, not every verse of every chapter of every verse. But enough that I felt a disconnect. This is NOT how I read the King James Version or even the King James Version in the 1611 spelling. How does one measure how much one actually reads when there is skimming involved???

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

2022 Bible Reading #6

Bible reading week of 5 February - 11 February 2022.

I am reading the NIV 84 for my Daily Offices from the Book of Common Prayer

• Psalms 24-61
• Proverbs 5-11
• Exodus 
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Daniel
• Malachi
• Luke 1-17
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians

The Bible I am using for my morning tea devotional time is the Berean Study Bible. I am using the Five Day Bible Reading Plan. 

• 1 Kings 12-22
• 2 Kings 1-14
• 2 Chronicles 10-25
• Ecclesiastes
• Psalm 20, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 53, 119, 125, 129, 131
• Joel
• Jonah
• Matthew 1-12
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• Jude

The Bible I am using for my afternoon tea devotional time is the Wycliffe Modern Spelling Bible on YouVersion. I started the Bible in 90 Day Plan in late November. 

Acts 17-28

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus 
• Philemon
• Hebrews
• James

I have TWO ongoing year-long 30 Day MacArthur plans going.

• In February, I will be reading Daniel 1-4 thirty times: NRSV, NLT, KJV, NASB 2020, ESV, NIV 84
• In February, I will be reading Isaiah 6-10 thirty times: NRSV, NLT, KJV, NASB 2020, ESV, NIV 84

My miscellaneous Bibles:

Great Bible 1539 

• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

9. Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It: Knowing and Loving the Bible

Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It: Knowing and Loving the Bible. Hunter Beless. 2022 [April] 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Have you heard of the special book God gave to us? If not this is something that we should discuss! This book is the Bible. It's timeless and true. It's God's written Word--both for me and for you. 

We read it out loud, so we hear what God says. We say it to hide its truths deep in our hearts. We sing it so others can come and take part.

Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It is a picture book for (young) children. Written in rhyme, it celebrates the Bible being THE BOOK. The illustrations show different families reading, sharing, loving the Bible as the Word of God. I wouldn't say the picture book is 100% a gospel presentation, but, at the same time I wouldn't say the gospel wasn't present. 

I definitely enjoyed this one. I do wish I'd held a [physical] copy in my hands instead of an e-galley. (Though I am thankful for the e-galley). I do think picture books in particular need the physical format to be fully appreciated and enjoyed. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible