Bible Archives - Lisa notes

2-Year Bible Reading Plan {Updated}

LisaNotes — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 20:10:00 +0000

Do you struggle to finish a 1-year Bible reading plan?

Trying to squeeze all 66 books of the Bible into 12 months of reading is no easy task, especially if you don’t want to just speed through.

Here’s an alternative option:

Use this 2-year Bible reading plan instead.

5 days a week (no weekends)
Alternate 2 weeks in the Old Testament/1 week in the New Testament
No dates; start anytime
Take several weeks off per year as needed (total schedule=95 weeks)
Basic chronological order within each Testament
Psalms and Proverbs sprinkled throughout

With this plan you only read 5 days a week and take the weekends off. Two weeks in the Old Testament alternate with one week in the New Testament. The blocks aren’t dated so you can start anytime. You can also skip days here and there and still finish on time. Or read straight through and finish in less than 2 years.

I created this two-year plan based on a chronological timeline of the Bible, with the exception of Psalms and Proverbs, which are interspersed throughout the plan.

If you try it, let me know what you think.

We should never have to rush as we read through the Bible. We benefit more from a steady, smooth pace.

Reading the testimonies of others’ encounters with God can awaken us to our own encounters with God.

(not dated, so start anytime)

Download the plan here.

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Do you have a daily Bible reading plan you like? Please share in the comments.

republished from the archives

Is the Word of God a What or a Who? —Plus 8 Quotes from A More Christlike Word

LisaNotes — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0000

“It is Christ himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to him.”
– C. S. Lewis

Give Thanks, Not Worship

I grew up on Sword Drills and Bible Bowls. I could quickly turn to any text called out, Old or New Testament, as quick as lightning. I knew Bible trivia to answer any question thrown into the ring for competition. I had notebook after notebook full of Bible verses I’d written from Sunday morning sermons.

The people in my denomination were known as “walking Bibles.” We were people of the book. We thought we had figured out the Bible. At least I thought so.

But did I know Jesus? Was I prioritizing loving God and loving others, the first and second great commandments according to Jesus’s words in the Bible (Matthew 22:36-40)?

I’m thankful for the rigorous education I got on the Bible. It taught me the bones of the Bible, which continues to prove valuable to me.

I still read the Bible. I still study the Bible. I still memorize passages of the Bible.

I give thanks for the Bible.

But I don’t want to worship the Bible. I don’t want to be a bibliolater (one who makes an idol of the Bible, placing it as equal with God).

Heart for the Living Word

Perhaps I did qualify as a practicing bibliolater in those days. I concentrated more on the written words than the Living Word.

That was then. It was what I knew.

But this is now. My heart belongs to the Living Word, not the written word.

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” (Thanks, Maya Angelou).

I still tremendously value the written words from God, don’t get me wrong. I learned and continue to learn about and from Jesus through the written words (and also through experiences with him, in conversations with you, in the testimonies of believers throughout the ages, etc.). I’ll finish up the 2-year Bible Reading Plan again on Friday (even though it took me longer than 2 years again).

But I don’t worship the messenger. My delight is in who the message is about.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
John 5:39-40

Even the Bible Says So

Perhaps it sounds as if I’m just nitpicking words. But I’m just trying to prioritize my values.

When I give you my word, I give you my truth, my promise, my reputation. When God gives us his word, he does the same but amplified: he gives us Jesus.

We read it in the Bible itself: Jesus is the Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
John 1:1-3

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14

I appreciate how Bradley Jersak says it,

“I’ve met the Word of God, and he’s far more than a book.”

Is the Word of God a what or a who? My answer is a who.

It’s Jesus.

8 Quotes from A More Christlike Word

For more explanations, research, and scriptures, I recommend a fantastic new book I just finished by Bradley Jersak, A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way. He goes into detail on these issues (and dozens more).

You might not agree with everything Jersak says. That’s okay. I offer my usual caveat for this book as I do others:

You don’t have to agree with everything to get value from some.

Here are 8 excerpts from Jersak’s book. See what you think.

1. A BEARD

“The Word of God is Jesus Christ. I believe that the Word of God is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. And when he was about eighteen years old, he grew a beard.”

2. THE LIVING VOICE

“Christ gets the final word, and the Scriptures testify to his authority. I relate to Christ as God’s Word and to the Bible as one (and not the only) venue where I can hear the living Voice.”

3. HEAR THE FATHER

“It’s possible to spend a lifetime studying the Bible without once hearing the Father or knowing the Word.”

4. ORIENT YOURSELF

“We might say the proper orientation for entering Scripture is love for God, humility before God, and openness to God.”

5. RIGHT HAND OF GOD

“We see this subversion [of bibliolatry] when the Bible is elevated to the right hand of the Father and honored with the title “Word of God”—the name that belongs to Jesus Christ alone.”

6. READ FOR GOSPEL

“Do we read our own biases into the text? YES. Should we? NO. But we should and must read the gospel into the text AND from the text, or we risk reducing our Bible to the same dead letter the Pharisees read so fruitlessly.”

7. STUDY HOW TO STUDY

“Studying the Scriptures includes studying how to study the Scriptures.”

8. OUR STORY IS . . .

“[The cross of Christ] reveals the gracious heart of the Father who has always been, is now, and will always be perfectly revealed in Jesus. And that, my friends, is our Story.”

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Do you have a complicated history with the Bible too? Share in the comments.

UPCOMING

Coming this fall we’ll join the Hide His Word memorizing community to take a 6-weeks online walk together through 1 John 1.

You get to choose your preferred approach, including any or all of these:

Memorize the words
Read the ten verses in different translations
Meditate on the truths verse by verse
Do a deep-dive study of the chapter.

We’ll provide the resources, the community, and the encouragement. Our goal is to enhance our experience with the Word in deeper relationship.

We’ll officially begin after Labor Day, but we’ll prepare our hearts this month.

Get on the list now to receive the resources as they become available.

My thanks to Speakeasy for the
review copy of A More Christlike Word

Do You Go Wide or Go Deep with Bible Study?

LisaNotes — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Is your goal to become more familiar with God’s story as a whole? Go wide in your study.

Is your goal to personally connect with God through one passage? Go deep.

But either direction, go directly to the source.

I’m writing today at Do Not Depart. Will you join me there for:

“Choose Your Direction—Go Wide or Go Deep {Personal Bible Study Resources}”

Free Printable for Hebrew/Greek Word Studies – It’s Easier Than You Think

LisaNotes — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 10:05:39 +0000

Deeper Meanings

Sometimes a word means more than we realize.

While it’s definitely NOT essential to know the original Biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek to understand God’s grace, it can be helpful to look up words in the original languages when we want to learn more.

It can take less than 5 minutes to enrich your study of God’s truths.

And it’s easier than you think.

We want to help make it as simple as possible. Download our printable worksheet to start your own study of Hebrew and Greek words.

Read it all and get the printable here:

Bible Notebook: Original Language Word Study Sheet

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Do you like studying root words? I’m writing today at Do Not Depart. Will you join me there? We’re doing a series with printables, #BuildABibleNotebook.

Let the Conference Come to You {Enjoy God’s Word Online Conference}

LisaNotes — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 11:00:52 +0000

UPDATE:

Learn about my topic and other topics I’m looking forward to hearing!

It’s here again.

If you want to benefit from a women’s conference but don’t have the time, energy, money, etc., to go to one, this one comes to you.

Details of the Conference

The goal of the conference is to encourage you, equip you, and help you enjoy your time in the Word.

WHAT: The Enjoy God’s Word Women’s Bible Conference
WHERE: Online
WHEN: April 23-25, 2019
WHO: 25 Women Bible Teachers
WHY: To make an investment in your spiritual life to receive the encouragement and training you need to ENJOY the Word of God for a lifetime

The hosts are Katie Orr, Stacey Thacker, Angie Elkins, and Erin Warren.

I participated in this conference last year. It was done so well and was super easy to connect to. I learned a lot from the speakers and appreciated having the digital conference notebook to follow along with. I also enjoyed the camaraderie of community via Facebook and especially had fun with the Facebook Live chats after each session.

You can watch each session during its scheduled time slot, April 25-25, and/or save them to watch anytime, anywhere. Once you buy your ticket, the sessions are yours to keep forever. (I’m doing a session on “How to Create a Spiritual Growth Notebook.”)

Bonus Price and Freebies

Tickets go on sale today. The conference is not free (that’s the only downside), but the earlier you buy your ticket, the cheaper it is. Now is the best price of $42.

As a bonus, if you buy your ticket Monday or Tuesday (March 4-5), you’ll also receive a coupon for $10 OFF any Dayspring product (it will be emailed to you) + you’ll receive a free art print of Psalm 119:24.

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Have you ever participated in an online conference? What did you think? Please share in the comments.

Read the Bible Differently – Review of “Inspired”

LisaNotes — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 10:00:28 +0000

I grew up reading the Bible. King James Version at first. Then a daring move to New International Version in my teens.

I wasn’t sure what it all meant. Scriptures can be confusing. But I listened to the thoughts of my parents, my teachers, my friends.

I kept growing.

I kept reading the Bible. I still do. And I still listen to others’ interpretations.

But now I know that others don’t understand all the Bible either.

It’s not as easy to decode as some make it out to be. None of us have it nailed down. We do the best we can with what we’ve learned, with what we’ve seen, with what we’ve experienced.

That’s what Rachel Held Evans does, too, just like the rest of us.

She’s gotten bad press the past few years for how she interprets the Bible. But she loves the words and she loves God. Even though she wrestles with the words, like many of us, it’s in the Bible that we learn the stories about Jesus. And ultimately, about ourselves.

Rachel’s latest book, Inspired, is all about the Bible. About her love for it. She shares her wranglings, her quests, her discoveries. I recognize many of my own in hers.

“With Scripture, we’ve not been invited to an academic fraternity; we’ve been invited to a wrestling match. We’ve been invited to a dynamic, centuries-long conversation with God and God’s people that has been unfolding since creation, one story at a time. If we’re lucky, it will leave us with a limp.”

This book is different from her other books. It’s a collection of genres instead of a simple narrative. In one chapter she’s retelling a favorite Bible story. In another chapter she writes a poem. Yet another may be a memoir moment. Or an exegesis of a biblical text. I admit it’s not my favorite book of hers (I prefer her straight narratives). But it’s still worth reading.

Rachel doesn’t ask us to agree or disagree with her in this book. She’s just sharing where she’s been and where she is now. And like the rest of us, who knows where she’ll be next?

“I’m still learning, still getting things wrong. But sometimes God knows the kind of deliverance you need the most is deliverance from your own comfort.”

Quotes

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book. The first quote is long, but it’s one I love the most.

“Jesus didn’t just ‘come to die.’ Jesus came to live—to teach, to heal, to tell stories, to protest, to turn over tables, to touch people who weren’t supposed to be touched and eat with people who weren’t supposed to be eaten with, to break bread, to pour wine, to wash feet, to face temptation, to tick off the authorities, to fulfill Scripture, to forgive, to announce the start of a brand new kingdom, to show us what that kingdom is like, to show us what God is like, to love his enemies to the point of death at their hands, and to beat death by rising from the grave.

Jesus did not simply die to save us from our sins, Jesus lived to save us from our sins. His life and teachings show us the way to liberation. But you can’t fit all that on a bumper sticker.”

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“So perhaps a better question than, ‘Do I believe in miracles?’ is, ‘Am I acting like I do?’ Am I including the people who are typically excluded? Am I feeding the hungry and caring for the sick? Am I holding the hands of the homeless and offering help to addicts?”

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“To demand that the Bible meet our demands is to put ourselves and our own interests at the center of the story, which is one of the first traps we must to learn to avoid if we are to engage the Bible with integrity or care.”

~ * ~

“But their assurances, however sincerely intended, proved empty when, as a young adult, I started asking those questions for myself.

. . . Instead of bolstering my confidence in the Bible, its most strident defenders inadvertently weakened it.”

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“The gospel means that every small story is part of a sweeping story, every ordinary life part of an extraordinary movement. God is busy making all things new, and life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has opened that work to everyone who wants in on it. The church is not a group of people who believe all the same things; the church is a group of people caught up in the same story, with Jesus at the center.”

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“These questions loosened my grip on the text and gave me permission to love the Bible for what it is, not what I want it to be.”

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How’s your relationship with the Bible? At what age did you first begin reading it? Please share in the comments.

My thanks to Net Galley
for the review copy of this book.

Have You Memorized the Beatitudes? Want to Try Now? {New Scripture Memory Challenge}

LisaNotes — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:00:28 +0000

Beginning next week, April 2, the community at Do Not Depart is going to tackle a new Scripture Memory Challenge. You’re welcome to join in!

Our plan is to memorize Matthew 5:1-19, one to two verses per week. We intentionally go slowly so the words can sink into us as we can sink deeper into the Word.

The goal of memorizing isn’t to check off boxes on a spiritual checklist, but rather to swap words back and forth with God. It’s a conversation by choice.

The words in Matthew 5 are straight from the lips of Jesus. They include the Beatitudes (“Blessed are the…”), passages on being light, on being salt, and more. Read it all here.

See the full schedule here.

If you want to join in, sign up here.

You’ll then receive a link to resources you can download and print. And for each week we do the challenge, you’ll receive a short email on Monday mornings reminding you what the verse-of-the-week is.

We have an active Facebook group you also can join, Hide His Word. We meet there each week and share what we’re learning and tips to help each other along the way.

This will be good!

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Have you ever memorized the Beatitudes? Do you have a favorite chapter you’d like to commit to memory? Please share in the comments.

2018 Enjoy the Word Online Bible Conference

LisaNotes — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 11:00:55 +0000

There’s a different kind of conference coming up.

About stirring up your enjoyment in the Word.

But you don’t have to get a plane ticket or drive to another city or book a hotel. You don’t even have to get out of your pajamas. It’s all online.

Watch on your computer or smartphone live on May 2-4 with a fun private Facebook group, a pajama kick-off party, and live Q&A’s with the speakers. (I’m doing a session on Memorizing Scripture.)

Or watch (and re-watch) whenever is convenient for you (you get lifetime access). You can also listen to audio-only versions if you prefer. Co-hosted by Katie Orr and Jami Balmet.

Includes:

6 teaching sessions through the book of Jonah
Lifetime access to over 20 sessions
Sessions on “Practical & Everyday Faith”
Sessions on “What the Bible has to say about ____”
Sessions on “God’s Word & Our Family”
Digital Conference Notebook so you can follow along
Access to the private Facebook group
Live discussions with the speakers

Best price is now through March 20, $39.95. On March 21, the price goes up to $49.95, so if you’re interested, register here now.

Free Bible Study Giveaway

LisaNotes — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 11:00:14 +0000

Here’s a free Bible Study giveaway for any who are interested. It’s sponsored by the upcoming Enjoy the Word online Bible conference.

Enter to win resources for your study time, including:

Journaling Bible
6 Books and Bible Studies
Journaling Accessories
12 Sets of Scripture Memory Cards
Home Management Binder
Recipe Binder
Audio Series
eBooks
…and more

It’s only open March 1 – March 5. Sign up here. Free to anyone to enter.

Coming soon are details about the online conference, “Enjoy the Word.” It will be hosted by Jami Balmet and Katie Orr with lots of speakers and sessions (I’ll be doing a session on Scripture Memory).

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How Do You Enjoy the Word? A Free eKit

LisaNotes — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 11:00:38 +0000

If you want to better enjoy your Bible time, here’s a free eKit to help.

Enjoy the Word eKit

It’s from Katie Orr, a Bible study author, wife, and mom. Katie consistently creates resources to help us stay in the Word. (I started writing for Do Not Depart in 2011 when Katie was at the helm. I’ve followed her and been inspired by her faith ever since.)

Sign up for the free eKit here and get a video lesson on 5 ways to enjoy the Word, a PDF guide, two Scripture art prints, and a color-the-Word bookmark.

Daily Lent Reading

I’ve been enjoying the Word differently during Lent. I’ve set aside my regular daily Bible reading and am concentrating time instead in the gospels of Mark and John with Do Not Depart. It’s not too late to join in if you’re looking for a short chapter-a-day reading and a Facebook community to share about it daily.

Ordering Our Affections

Also during Lent I’ve been reading/doing this great devotional from Dr. Melissa McCrory Hatcher, Ordering Our Affections–Lent. (I did Melissa’s Advent devotional last Christmas.) The daily readings are short, and each include either a poem, a hymn, a painting, a to-do activity, etc. I particularly enjoy these extras because they get me out of my head and more into a heart of worship.

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We’re so blessed to live in an age with so many tools to help us benefit from and enjoy scripture. Do you have a favorite way? Please share in the comments.