Storyline Challenge: Numbers

Today (Thursday, April 17) we begin to read Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible, which picks up where Exodus leaves off at Mt. Sinai, and follows Israel’s forty years of wandering in the desert. It is the story of God’s faithfulness and compassion despite His people’s disobedience. It shows how God prepares His people to conquer the land He promised them through Abraham (in Genesis). In fact, the book—Numbers—gets its name from two main sections in chapters 1-2 and 26-27, each where a census is taken to determine the number of able-bodied warriors there were in Israel. There is also a genealogy of Aaron’s family and the Levites (those who performed priestly duties) in chapters 3-4, which is important because the book is also concerned with the purity of the people who offer proper worship to the Lord. The flow of the story may seem a bit random. But the big picture is that this Storyline book is the bridge between the Israelites being freed from Egyptian slavery (in Exodus) and conquering the Promised Land (in Joshua).

Take the Storyline Challenge and establish a personal habit of Bible reading by reading just one chapter a day. Here is our schedule:

April 13 – 19: Exodus 37-Numbers 3
April 20 – April 26: Numbers 4-10
April 27 – May 3: Numbers 11-17
May 4 – 10: Numbers 18-24
May 11 – 17: Numbers 25-31
May 18 – 24: Numbers 32 – Joshua 2

To learn more about the Storyline Challenge go to Bible.TowardTruth.com.

Everyone needs a good study Bible.

Listening to Dane speak on Sunday served to further my resolve to exhort us all to establish a habit of Bible reading this year. There will be various issues we discuss at Fuel and in our various groups, but always with the goal of developing a biblical perspective and living out biblical principles. If there's one thing I hope to accomplish this year is that everyone in The Journey will have established a regular, second-nature habit of reading the Bible.

If you are reading this right now and you haven't laid this important foundation yet, start reading the Old Testament book of Numbers with us starting, Thursday, April 17.

In his sermon, Dane recommended the NIV Study Bible. I totally agree that a study Bible is the best all-in-one resource for reading and understanding the Bible. But there are other good ones out there as well. Let me introduce you to a few of them...

NIV Study Bible - $19 (softcover)
This one does have it all: study notes, concordance, cross-references, maps, topical reference. It is a good study Bible in a classic modern translation. My only problem with it has been that it usually does not have a satisfying explanation for the truly difficult passages. If you want a good, all-purpose study Bible, look no further.

TNIV Study Bible - $20 (softcover)
I haven't used this one yet, but I do primarily use this translation for my sermons. It has the same features as the NIV Study Bible with an updated look and the updated version of the NIV translation called, Today's New International Version (TNIV). If you want an updated version of a good, all-purpose study Bible, this is the one.

The Quest Study Bible - $27 (hardcover)
I have never used or owned this one, but I have always wanted to. It has all the cool stuff the NIV and TNIV Study Bibles have, but it specializes in answering questions. The study notes are all in Q & A format. So, when questions pop into your head as you're reading, this study Bible has already anticipated your question and has an answer. If you are the inquisitive type, this might be the one for you.

Life Application Study Bible - $15 (paperback)
I have not used this one myself. But I have had trusted friends use this study Bible to great benefit and encouragement. It comes in just about any translation. I would personally choose the New Living Translation (NLT) with this particular Bible. If you are less interested in theology and mostly want some pratical insight about how to live out what you're reading, this is the one for you.

The New Spirit-Filled Life Bible - $53 (genuine leather)
When I was in high school, my campus pastor gave me this Bible as a gift. Regrettably, I lost the original. But the replacement has been a cherished resource for many years. It has all the good stuff of a study Bible (commentary notes, cross-references, maps, concordance), plus amazing articles on worship, healing, prayer, praise, end times, God's will, and the power of the Spirit. It is edited by one of my pastoral hereos, Jack Hayford. The only downside is the reliable, but less readable New King James Version (NKJV). If you are looking for a study Bible that presents a theologically balanced charismatic perspective, this is it.

The Apologetics Study Bible - $27 (hardcover)
I got this one for Christmas. Cristina and I have been using it to read the Storyline Challenge. It features the very readable Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) translation and many notes and articles answering questions about hard to understand passages and objections to the faith, some written by professors of mine at Biola. If you want to confidently defend the faith against rival religious, cultural, scientific, ethical, and philosophical views, this is a good place to start.

TNIV College Devotional Bible - $20 (softcover)
Okay, it's not a study Bible, but it is for college-aged young adults. So if you think you might benefit for a Bible that features stories that connect the scripture with your everyday life, this is the one for you.

I have provided links to the least expensive version of each of the study Bibles at ChristianBook.com. Most of them come in softcover, hardcover, bonded leather, genuine leather or Italian leather, in various colors. They are available at most bookstores, like Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

For those of you in need of a good study Bible, it may be time to put some of your tax refund/rebate to use! There really is no better tool for helping you understand the Bible as you read.

connecting the dots

I've been a christian for about 13 years now. In those 13 years i've read bits and pieces of the bible here & there. I've tried to read from the beginning a few times only to get to Genesis Ch 3 or 4 and then no further. There have been times when I've felt ashamed that I din't know the bible. At times it seems as if my sister (a claimed athiest) knows more about what's in the bible than I do.

I'm enthusiastic to say that that's slowly changing! Tonight I was at the women's bible study. We were studying Miriam tonight (Moses' sister). I never knew why the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt until tonight. It all made sense though because I've been reading along with the storyline challenge. I was able to connect everything. People and places have become more real to me. There are 2 other women in the group that are going through the challenge as well. It's neat to be on the same page as everyone else in our readings. Talking about it makes everything so much clearer.

To some who know every book in the bible, this may seem trivial. To me, it's a huge step in my walk with God. I'm excited to continue reading His Word and getting a clearer picture of who God is and His people. I encourage anyone else to go through it also. If you haven't started yet, just pick up from where we are on that day. The schedules is on http://www.towardtruth.com/ or below.

Storyline Challenge: Exodus

Tomorrow, we begin reading Exodus, the second of the Five Books of Moses, located in the beginning of the Bible. Exodus covers the birth of Moses, God's deliverance of His people from Egypt--over 2 million people--in about 1446 B.C. (including the 10 plagues and parting the Red Sea), and the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.

If you do not have a regular Bible reading routine, please consider reading along with us. Here is the reading schedule for this week...

Saturday, March 8 – Exodus 1
Sunday, March 9 – Exodus 2
Monday, March 10 – Exodus 3
Tuesday, March 11 – Exodus 4
Wednesday, March 12, Exodus 5
Thursday, March 13 – Exodus 6
Friday, March 14, Exodus 7

for more information about the Storyline Challenge visit bible.towardtruth.com.

Reading Through God's Victory - The Storyline

“What passes for history is merely the propaganda of the victor transcribed by different hands and described from different angles. The reason the Bible can never become irrelevant or outmoded is that, unlike all other histories, in its case the victor is God. Thus, in the most literal sense, the Bible is the Word of God.”

-Maclcom Muggeridge, from the book Christ and the Media.

Break your unholy fast!

Some of you who have been with The Journey for a while may have noticed the absence of a call to fasting this lenten season. Usually, in the forty days leading up to Easter, we fast from something in order to identify with the suffering of Christ. We're not asking you not to fast. In fact, it may be something you decide you need to do. But this year, instead of calling a holy fast, we are calling you to break your unholy fast from God's Word.

Our theme this year is "be the difference." But how can we be the difference in our worlds if we aren't allowing God to be the difference in our hearts? Too many of us neglect our spiritual diets, starving ourselves at home and eating out only once or twice a week.

We at Centerpoint enjoy a good feast of biblical truth every time we get together. But if that's your only source of biblical nourishment you may need to rethink your diet. We all need to develop a habit of reading and a skill in studying the God's Word. We won't all be master theologians, just like we aren't all great chefs. But just as we should all be able to make ourselves a basic sandwhich, we should all learn to meditate on God's Word.

Of course, the first step in understanding the Bible is reading it. So, our challenge to you is to read just one chapter a day. If you would like to read along with us, here is this week's the schedule...

Saturday, February 23, 2008 – Genesis 37
Sunday, February 24 – Genesis 38
Monday, February 25 – Genesis 39
Tuesday, February 26 – Genesis 40
Wednesday, February 27 – Genesis 41
Thursday, February 28 – Genesis 42
Friday, February 29 – Genesis 43

Journey Update for 2/23

Greetings Young Adults!

I need to let you know about three things…

First, the College-Age Group is having dinner and a movie today, SATURDAY (2/23), at the Dahlke's at 4pm. If you are 18-23, be there!

Second, there will be no men’s group or women’s group THIS MONDAY (2/25). We will return next week. Stay tuned for more details on new series for those groups.

Third, if you have not yet started the Storyline Challenge, now is the time! The Storyline Challenge takes you through 13 books of the Bible that tell the whole story of the Bible from Creation to the Church. All the other books fit into that storyline somehow. So, if you read just these 13 books you would have a better understanding of how the entire Bible fits together. And the best thing is you can finish all these books in one year by reading just a chapter a day!

If you’re just joining us, today we are beginning the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, then rose to power in Egypt. It is an example of how God can take a messed up life and turn it around for the good. Here’s a reading schedule for the week…

Saturday, February 23, 2008 – Genesis 37
Sunday, February 24 – Genesis 38
Monday, February 25 – Genesis 39
Tuesday, February 26 – Genesis 40
Wednesday, February 27 – Genesis 41
Thursday, February 28 – Genesis 42
Friday, February 29 – Genesis 43
And so on…

You can find the starting dates for each of the 13 books at bible.towardtruth.com. This is an easy way for you to start, or get back into, an infinitely beneficial habit as the Spirit of God opens the pages of His Word to you.

Enjoy the journey!