Bible Reading Plans for 2009

Do you have a Bible reading plan for 2009? There is nothing that can prepare us better for the coming year than being in His Word.

Here are some resources that may help you in seeking God on a daily basis in the year to come.

Reading Plans to download:
Bible in a Year Plan
Bible in a Year - Chronological Plan
Biographical 4 Month Plan
61 Day Bible Highlights Plan
61 Days of Chronological Bible Key Events Plan
31 Days with Jesus Plan

One Year Bibles for purchase:
One Year Compact Bible - NIV
One Year Chronological Bible - NIV
One Year Bible - NLT
One Year Bible - ESV

Online resources:
One Year Reading Plan on YouVersion (also specific iPhone and Blackberry and mobile versions)
Bible Gateway Reading Plans
Daylights Devotional (there is also a one year plan at the bottom of each daily devotional reading)

How could God work in us and through us, if we would each be devoted to His Word on a daily basis?

Why Read The Bible?

7 Reasons to read the Bible from Psalm 119:

1. The Bible will keep us from sin.
Psalm 119:11 - I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

2. The Bible refreshes our souls.
Psalm 119:28 - My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

3. The Bible guides our steps.
Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

4. The Bible brings us joy.
Psalm 119:111 - Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

5. The Bible leads us to wisdom.
Psalm 119:130 - The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

6. The Bible gives us peace.
Psalm 119:165 - Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

7. The Bible connects us to God.
Psalm 119:176 - I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

Do you have a Bible reading plan for 2009?

The Life of the Open Hand

Let's make a point this week to focus on living "the life of the open hand" - to be givers and not takers. If you missed the message from this past weekend, remember that you can listen to it online or download it at either:

http://www.dayseven.com/messages_current.htm

or

http://www.summitviewcc.com/esermons.html

Living Nativity Video

God used the living nativity in so many ways in our own lives and in the lives of others. In case you missed it, here is a short video clip. God is good ALL the time!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Remember that there will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6:00pm at OneLife Center (122 W 29th Street).

Living Nativity Pictures

Here are some living nativity pictures from Saturday night.

Hide-Away Verse: Week of December 21st

Luke 1:37 (NIV)
For nothing is impossible with God.

Calling All "Pray-ers"

We really need your prayers for the Day Seven Church living nativity called "Jesus, Live in Loveland" that starts this weekend.

It will be this Saturday and Sunday the 20th and 21st from 6:00 to 7:30pm with multiple performances throughout the evening. There will also be children activities inside as well as refreshments and live entertainment.

And then on Christmas Eve we will have a single performance as part of our Christmas Eve service. Again it starts at 6:00 and will go for an hour or so with some refreshments afterward.

You can get some more information at www.dayseven.com/nativity.

May It Be To Me

I love Mary's heart in the first chapter of Luke. The Nativity for Mary was very personal. It was only more personal for Jesus and God. I love her response to the angel Gabriel - May it be to me as you have said. Wow! May it be to ME. She could have just said May it be as you have said but she understood the gravity of what this meant for her. She was central to all of this.

And each of us is central to how God wants us to be involved in His kingdom. How much would it bless God if our response to God of His requests of us would simply be: May it be to ME as You have said? If that could just be our default response, how much would that bless God? Immeasurably, I believe.

And of course it takes us believing that what the angel Gabriel said to Mary was true - Nothing is impossible with God.

Day Seven: The Nativity

The Think It Through for Day Seven Church for "The Nativity" teaching can be found here.

There is no Think It Through for Summitview for this week.

A Simple Willingness

It has been a good week reading through the book of 1 Peter. I continue to hear stories of people that were blessed by the presentation of 1 Peter last weekend. Just yesterday, we received an email that said, "I had tears in my eyes by the end of it. The Word is truly powerful and active!" Amen.

1 Peter 5:2-3 (NIV)
² Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

These verses convict me every time I read them or hear them. To willingly do what God wants me to do. There are certainly times, when in my flesh, I ask, "Why me? What do I have to offer?" But then God reminds me that it's only because He wants me to be what He wants me to be. That's why I am what I am - because God has deemed it so. And that it's not what I have or don't have but rather it's about what God can do with a willing heart.

That is true for all of us - no matter what role we play in God's Church. He simply needs a willing heart that He can work through to change the world. As we approach Christmas, let's not forget that it was through the willing heart of Joseph and Mary that God changed the entire course of human history.

A simple willingness to please God matters more than we'll ever understand.

Living Stones

A couple of years ago I did a teaching on being a "living stone."  As part of the teaching, I passed out a small stone to everyone as a reminder that each believer is a "living stone".  I carried the stone around in my pocket for many months and each time I reached into my pocket I would feel the stone and be reminded that I am a living stone.  I lost track of the stone but then found it again last week in the bottom of my backpack and I started carrying it around again.  I must admit that I have missed my stone.

In reading 1 Peter 2 this morning, I was again reminded that we as believers in Christ we are living stones. It's an odd phrase - "living stone."  Normal stones by their very nature seem inert and dead.  Certainly we do not perceive them as living.  But God tells us that we are "living stones."  Odd.  Why does God call us living stones?

We are living stones because our faith is supposed to be living and vibrant and active - not dull and dead.  We become more and more alive in the process of seeking God through His Word as we "grow up in our salvation."  Our "life" is put on display as we obey God, and as we obey, we are a priest testifying and proclaiming the "excellencies of Jesus Christ who has called us out of the darkness."

Let's make every effort today to be "living stones."

SALT Christmas Skating Party

A good time was had by the 80 or so people that made it out to the SALT Christmas Skating party last night. Here a few pictures.

Living Hope

The phrase that caught my eye this morning as I read through 1 Peter - chapter 1 was the simple phrase "living hope." How true is that? That we have a "living hope" and His name is Jesus Christ. What a disappointment a "dead hope" would be!

Verse 4 goes on to speak of our inheritance that the Living Hope has waiting for us in heaven. But how impatient I can be. I want my rewards and my inheritance now - in this life - RIGHT NOW. God help me to wait patiently and to be looking forward with great expectation to my inheritance in heaven.

What words of encouragement did God give you today from 1 Peter?

Hide-Away Verse: Week of December 7th

1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

2008 Year in Review Video

Here is the 2008 Year in Review video from this past weekend. Enjoy!

Ugandan Widows' Craft Bazaar

As a followup to our Hope4Kids outreach a few weeks ago, Carolyn Griebe will be hosting a Ugandan Widows' Craft Bazaar at her home on Wed, Dec. 3rd. If interested, you can get more info here.

No Think It Through!

As you may have noticed this weekend, there is no Think It Through for this week. We'll be taking a break for this week. However, we will be posting some other things throughout the week so check back later.

Have a great week in the Lord - and remember to give thanks.