Friday, December 31

Be intentional in 2011

On December 30, 1842, a 29-year-old Scottish pastor named Robert Murray M’Cheyne wrote a letter to his congregation. He said:
"MY DEAR FLOCK,—The approach of another year stirs up within me new desires for your salvation, and for the growth of those of you who are saved. “God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” What the coming year is to bring forth, who can tell? . . . Those believers will stand firmest who have no dependence upon self or upon creatures, but upon Jehovah our Righteousness. We must be driven more to our Bibles, and to the mercy-seat, if we are to stand in the evil day. Then we shall be able to say like David—, “The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from thy law.” “Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word.” It has long been in my mind to prepare a scheme of Scripture reading, in which as many as were made willing by God might agree, so that the whole Bible might be read once by you in the year, and all might be feeding in the same portion of the green pasture at the same time."
D.A. Carson provides a great resource to help us understand the Bible as we read it.  This is the resource I will be using -  Vol.1 of "For the Love of God" and doing the reading plan over 2 years. 

Why I chose this option:
-  It's available for free online
-  It gives a small portion of commentary on a large portion of scripture rather than the opposite, like many devotionals.
-  Carson is a brilliant expositor of Scripture,  and many times I walking away from reading wondering what exactly I just read...Carson's commentary will help with that.
-  During year 2 I will use Vol. 2 of his book
-  This plan follows M’Cheyne's reading plan that has you read in 4 different places of the Bible each day, however I will be only reading 2 and then picking up the other 2 in the second year to help keep up.

The resource is further explained and available free in PDF format HERE.

May you press into the Lord in 2011 in ways you never have before...and May you never be the same!

Pursuing Him with You,
Dave

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