Reading the Bible with a Friend

Scripture Readings Proverbs 18:15Numbers 7–8Matthew 4Psalms 1 Verse Focus (Proverbs 18:15) The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,     for the ears of the wise seek it out. Meditation Happy Fourth of July (for those of you who began this plan on January 1st)! Our verse focus today is Proverbs 18:15. As the ESV translates it, “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” The CSB says, “The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it.” So the intelligent mind, or the discerning mind, acquires knowledge. As you recall, in Hebrew…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 90:12Numbers 5–6Matthew 3Habakkuk 3 Verse Focus (Psalms 90:12) Teach us to number our days,     that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Meditation Psalms 90:12 has been one of my favorite verses for a very long time. “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Time management. Oh, yes! Yesterday, I was asked what kind of superhero I had wanted to be when I was a child. I wasn’t into comic books much, and there weren’t many movies or television shows that featured superheroes when I was young. So there wasn’t…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 86:11Numbers 3–4Matthew 2Habakkuk 2 Verse Focus (Psalms 86:11) Teach me your way, LORD,     that I may rely on your faithfulness;give me an undivided heart,     that I may fear your name. Meditation Ta dah! Today is the official half-way point, at least in terms of number of days. So congratulations, once again, for completing one half year. 🙂 Our verse focus today comes from Psalms 86:11. As the ESV says, “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” I especially love the second part of this verse. As…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 72:19Numbers 1–2Matthew 1Habakkuk 1 Verse Focus (Psalms 72:19) Praise be to his glorious name forever;     may the whole earth be filled with his glory.AMEN AND AMEN. Meditation Today, as we begin reading the New Testament again, some of you may be wondering why we’re doing so. If you read “About this Plan,” then you will remember that I told you from the beginning that we’d be reading through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs twice. But now that we’re actually doing it — well, it’s no longer theoretical. And you might be wondering why. (Wouldn’t it be much…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 68:19Song of Solomon 7–8Revelation 21–22Proverbs 31 Verse Focus (Psalms 68:19) Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,     who daily bears our burdens. Meditation Congratulations, everyone! With today’s reading, we complete six months of the reading plan. That’s a fairly significant milestone. You have read through all of the New Testament, the Psalms, and the Proverbs, and, of course, half of the Old Testament. Yay, you! (Yay, me!!) 😀 Our verse focus today is Psalms 68:19. It’s a lovely verse (as so many of them are), but it means a lot to me today. “Praise be to…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 62:1Song of Solomon 5–6Revelation 19–20Proverbs 30 Verse Focus (Psalms 62:1) Truly my soul finds rest in God;     my salvation comes from him. Meditation Psalms 62:1 is lovely. “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him,” says the NIV. The ESV says, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.” I love how these two translations capture the slightly different meanings of the Hebrew words. Finding rest in God, and waiting in silence for God. If it weren’t for this verse, it wouldn’t have occurred to me that these are…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 57:11Song of Solomon 3–4Revelation 17–18Proverbs 29 Verse Focus (Psalms 57:11) Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;      let your glory be over all the earth. Meditation Our verse focus today, Psalms 57:11, comes from one of my favorite psalms. “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” God is exalted above the heavens, of course. But this verse calls us to recognize that fact first and then to work to see that God’s glory is recognized everywhere on earth. So how do we do that? I think speaking and singing…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 55:22Song of Solomon 1–2Revelation 15–16Proverbs 28 Verse Focus (Psalms 55:22) Cast your cares on the LORD      and he will sustain you;he will never let      the righteous be shaken. Meditation Our verse focus today is both a wonderful invitation and promise. Psalms 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” The ESV says, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”There is a lot of comfort in this verse. Sometimes, under the weight…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 54:4Lamentations 3–5Revelation 13–14Proverbs 27 Verse Focus (Psalms 54:4) Surely God is my help;     the LORD is the one who sustains me. Meditation Our verse focus today is another encouraging Scripture. Psalms 54:4 says, in the NIV, “Surely God is my help; the LORD is the one who sustains me.” The ESV translation is nice, too, saying, “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.” Who better to give you help than the one who gives you life in the first place? God created us; God gives us life and breath. God upholds us…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 47:6Lamentations 1–2Revelation 10–12Proverbs 26 Verse Focus (Psalms 47:6) Sing praises to God, sing praises;     sing praises to our King, sing praises. Meditation Today’s verse focus, Psalms 47:6, is one of worship. “Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.” The psalmist commands us to sing our praise. Not just be thankful, not just speak about what God has done, but to actually sing. I don’t know about you, but I know I don’t sing my praises to God nearly enough. So I’m glad of this verse’s reminder to worship in song. This verse…

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