You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.
You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.
Since BOTH of my children added this to their 8 things to do this year I found this article from The Teaching home of particular interest!
In This Issue: New Year / Bible Reading 1. Spend Time with the Lord Every Day! 2. How To Read The Bible 3. How To Interpret the Bible 4. The Teaching Home's Bible Reading Schedule
Happy New Year!
Although we can start afresh each morning, the New Year inspires us to reassess our priorities and then make course corrections, plans, and schedules to aim for those goals.
Our highest priority is to teach our children God's Word.
"These words, which I am commanding you today,
shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your sons."
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
"This Book of the Law
shall not depart from your mouth,
But you shall meditate on it day and night,
So that you may be careful to do according
To all that is written in it;
For then you will make your way prosperous,
And then you will have success."
Joshua 1:8
We can protect our family from error and counteract the worldly influences around us in no better way than by immersing our family in God's truth through systematic reading and study of God's Word.
May the Lord bless your family as you love, read, and follow His Word during this New Year!
Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian
The Teaching Home is a home-school, family-run business operated in our home since 1980.
1. Spend Time with the Lord Every Day!
Be sure your family's daily schedule includes daily time with the Lord. Family Bible time or devotions do not need to be long or complicated. Just do it!
• Daily Schedule
Set aside a time each day, perhaps while everyone is still at the breakfast or dinner table or before going to bed at night.
• Read God's Word
Let God talk to you by reading His Word. You can read through the Bible each year in just 15-20 minutes a day.
• Study God's Word
Take a few minutes to discuss what you've read. Recall facts, test comprehension with questions, expand understanding by paraphrasing, and make applications. (See Newsletter #29.)
• Also Include
In addition to your Bible reading, include praying, singing hymns and spiritual songs, and memorizing Bible verses.
If you don't do anything else in 2007, bring your family together to meet with the Lord each day!
2. How To Read The Bible
You can read through the Bible in one year with your family by reading just 15 or 20 minutes a day. Below are several helpful suggestions and a schedule.
How To Come to Your Bible Reading
1. Pray for understanding.
2. Be right with God and others.
3. Be eager to hear God's Word.
4. Be willing to do His will.
When Reading Your Bible
1. Seek for God in His Word.
2. Note instructions to obey.
3. Find and trust promises.
4. Observe good (and bad) examples.
Add to Your Bible Reading
1. Meditation
2. Memorization
3. Discussion (throughout the day)
4. Application (to practical situations)
Bible Reading Tip
You can listen to an audio recording of the Scriptures while following along in your own Bible. This is especially helpful to get through the names in the Old Testament and to keep the pace from getting bogged down.
3. How To Interpret the Bible
Although most of the Bible is straightforward and clear, the following principles will help ensure that you come to an accurate understanding of God's words to you:
1. Stay true to the context of the passage.
2. Use standard word definitions and grammar rules.
3. Observe literary forms.
4. Explore background of history, geography, and customs.
5. Compare Scripture with Scripture; it will agree with itself.
6. Use clear passages to interpret unclear passages.
7. Look up difficult words in the Greek or Hebrew.
Use Bible Study Tools
Bible reference books can help you and your family study God's Word.
1. Bible Handbook
2. Subject Index & Chain Reference (in Bible)
3. Topical Bible
4. Interlinear Bible
5. Hebrew & Greek Lexicons
6. Concordance
7. Maps
8. Commentaries
9. Parallel Bible
10. Bible Dictionary
11. Bible Encyclopedia
You can build your own Bible reference library book by book. Many of these study helps are available to use free online at: CrossWalk.com
4. The Teaching Home's
Bible Reading Schedule
We have designed a unique Bible reading schedule with the following features:
• Start any month.
• Read 6 days a week (allows for church on Sunday).
• Read 4 weeks per month (24 days per month).
This gives you 4-7 days per month, counting the Sundays, to catch up and stay on schedule. We have organized Bible readings into three columns to facilitate different reading options.
Column 1:
Complete Bible (minus Psalms and Proverbs)
Column 2:
Psalms and Proverbs
Column 3:
Optional Second Reading of New Testament
These selections may be combined in different ways. For example:
• You may want to do one or two family readings of Columns 1 and 2 and use Column 3 for private or school reading.
• Alternatively, if you have very young children, you may want to do Columns 2 and 3 for your family reading and Column 1 for your private reading.
Get The Teaching Home's complete Bible-reading schedule online.
See the Bible reading schedule for January in the left-hand column.
Other Online Schedules
Choose from five ways to read through the Bible: chronologically, historically, Old and New Testaments together, beginning to end, or blended at Back to the Bible website.
"O how love I Thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97
