The Word – Exploring God's Library

Exploring God’s Library 2022-2023 Bible Reading Calendar

Greetings fellow Bible Readers!!

Our EGL2022-2023 #BibleReading journey begins on October 22, 2022 using the Exploring God’s Library Reading Calendar. You’re welcome to join us whether this be your first time reading the Bible or your 50th. You’ll not be on this journey alone, but if you would like will be in a group reading the Bible for the next 51 weeks.

Here’s the link to the Exploring God’s Library 2022-2023 Bible Reading Calendar.

https://exploringgodslibrary.files.wordpress.com/2022/10/reading-schedule-2022-to-2023-5783_10.12.22.pdf

Exploring God’s Library One year reading calendar is a bit different from other Bible reading calendars in that it commences in the fall according to an ancient Jewish reading regimen of the Torah which begins anew each year following the fall feast known as the Feast of Tabernacles. It is different though in that it also contains daily readings from the Old Testament historic books and Prophets, the Psalms, Proverbs and readings from the New Testament.

It takes approximately 20 minutes a day to read the select sections. It is not a straight through the Bible read from Genesis to Revelation, rather it systematically reads through the Torah, also known as the Pentateuch, the Historic Books, Prophets, the Wisdom literature, Proverbs, Psalms for devotion, and a section of the New Testament.

We are very excited as it is the first time that we know of where all the Holy Scriptures are portioned out in tandem with Jewish Torah Parashat so that the entire Bible is read through, with the exception of the Psalms which will be read twice through. The Hebrew Parashat has been used by the Jewish community since the Babylonian captivity which allows everyone to be on the same page in their reading of the Holy Scriptures providing for rich discussion in the community of faith.

The calendar we use is the western calendar, but it also lists appropriate holydays from the Hebrew Calendar as well as the Christian calendar for those who come from the various Christian and Messianic traditions. Each holy day will have Scripture surrounding that special day or week.

The calendar changes slightly every year and notes the holy days as they occur. Our family and neighbors come from many backgrounds, some are Jewish, some are Christian, some are Orthodox, some celebrate Christmas on different dates

The Exploring God’s Library Reading Calendar enables us to plan and be aware of one another’s religious calendar in the Jewish and Messianic and Christian communities which celebrate certain days with great solemnity such Yom Kippur and Passover and others with great joy like Christmas or Resurrection week, or Feast of Tabernacles for 8 days.

If you have any comments, criticism or praise, or suggestion on the EGL reading please keep it kind, constructive and Biblical. You may either post it here or send an email to James and Elizabeth Stephens re:EGL 2022-2023 Bible Reading Calendar exploringgodslibrary@gmail.com.

You may also wish to subscribe to our Exploring God’s Library Facebook group which enables you to join us on Tuesday evenings for a one hour coaching session from 6-7 pm Pacific Standard Time (Los Angeles, California) based on that week’s readings. Note: we are presently having difficulties with FB live, but you can access it daily as we do post the daily reading and supplementary materials.

Please Subscribe here to the private EGL FB Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1871385569648323/?ref=share

If you are unable to attend the session because of time differences or if you are not on Facebook, we will also post it on the Exploring God’s Library YouTube channel. We recommend that everyone subscribe to the channel so that you are automatically notified. There you will find a special list of many, many valuable resources for your study of the Scriptures.

Please subscribe here to the EGL YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/channel/UCx236kaMv50VylKKDYvneMA

Please feel free to share it with your Church, Bible study, Youth Group, school Messianic synagogue, colleagues, neighbors, friends and family who desire to read through the Word this year to gain a richer understanding.

There is no fee. You are however invited to contribute if you desire to help us keep the reading calendar and weekly coaching session free. We have readers from all over the world many who can not afford the expense. It is a free will offering. We are free church members and not a 501(c)3.

https://www.givesendgo.com/egl

Looking forward to being on the journey with you this year.

In Christ’s refuge and strength,

James and Elizabeth Stephens

Bible Reading Plan for 2022

So you start off your year with a list of goals and that includes the discipline of reading the Bible in a year. Then comes February and the normal litany of excuses we’ve all made at one time or another arise. It really serves no good purpose here to regurgitate them. You know all too well what I am talking about. You’re not alone. That’s one club that has far too many members

So let’s talk solution. There are numerous charts and suggestions on how to read through the Bible. You’ve probably used them or seen them at one time or another. No problem there. But it is like having a map which you pick up at a gas station. It may get you to point B or C. However, the problem is that you don’t have an experienced guide who knows the route you need to take which avoids detours or which may direct you to more enjoyable scenery. We usually miss many interesting points along the way as we pass through the area at 65 mph.

There is a better way.

Whenever we travel to points unknown, we would first go the the Auto Club where one of the travel planners would pull out a triptik (c) and carefully add sheets and highlight the route which would detail what accomodations or points of interest are along the way which can make your trip more safe, enjoyable and fulfilling.

Difference between Bible Study and Bible Reading.

A: Bible study often refers to our own personal study as you seek to find answers to one of your questions or personal needs. It also at times refers to a study in a smaller fellowship which may choose to focus on a particular book or topic

A: Bible reading moves at a much faster pace in order to read through the entire Bible in a set period of time, be it a year or over three years.

The original Bible reading plan was established by the Jewish community in the 6th century B.C. during the Babylonian captivity when the Jewish community was in exile for 70 years. It was called the Para Shah which portioned out the readings of the Old Testament Torah over an entire year. In that way everyone was generally on the same page throughout the year which promoted their cohesiveness and communication.

Exploring God’s Library is more than just Bible Reading Plan

Q: I have my own preferred plan for reading through the Bible in a Year.

A: That’s great. We also used a special Bible for a number of years designed to read the Word in a year.

Q: What makes EGL different?

A: Design. We started Exploring God’s Library as a Bible reading program which incorporates the Para shah which Messianic Jews use to schedule the readings of the Torah, aka Pentateuch or first five books of the Bible. Jewish and Christian holidays and begins not on January 1 which is based upon the Julian Calendar, but upon the Hebrew Calendar which is tied to the lunar cycles and thus begins in the fall on Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year.

Exploring God’s Library 2021-2022 Bible Reading Calendar

Greetings fellow Readers!!

As you may know, our EGL2021-2022 #BibleReading journey begins on October 2 using the Reading Calendar. You’re welcome to share it with your church, colleagues, neighbors, friends and family who desire to read through the Word this year. There is no fee.

Here’s the link to the Exploring God’s Library 2021-2022 Bible Reading Calendar.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1523XkfNhUqxtnn5G1Gy41-r8tI1YwH1a/view?usp=sharing

Our one year reading calendar is a bit different from other calendars in that it commences in the fall according to an ancient Jewish reading regimen of the Torah which begins anew each year following the fall feast known as the Feast of Tabernacles. It is different though in that it also contains daily readings from the Old Testament historic books and Prophets, the Psalms, Proverbs and readings from the New Testament.

Please Subscribe here to the private EGL FB Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1871385569648323/?ref=share

If you are unable to attend the session because of time differences or if you are not on Facebook, we will also post it on the Exploring God’s Library YouTube channel on Thursday. We recommend that everyone subscribe to the channel so that you are automatically notified.

Please subscribe here to the EGL YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/channel/UCx236kaMv50VylKKDYvneMA

Looking forward to being on the journey with you this year.

In Christ’s refuge and strength,

James and Elizabeth Stephens

The Book of Acts

EGL2020. Although we are still reading through the Old Testament and will continue to do so at our present pace, we have finished our journey through the New Testament. However, we thought that it would be a profitable experience for those who choose to during the remainder of our reading year to experience what it would be like to plunge into an exposition of one book of the New Testament.

We have chosen the Book of Acts. We fondly recall as new believers devouring audio tapes each evening after work. With Bible and pen in hand, we intently listened at our little kitchen table in Santa Monica, California, to Pastor John MacArthur exposit the Book of Revelation and First John.

Much of our exploration of the Word this year has been built upon the foundation of our years at Grace Community Church listening to three live sermons by Pastor MacArthur each week as he taught through the Scriptures verse by verse on Wednesday evening, Sunday morning and Sunday evening. We have utilized his excellent Bibliography on commentaries and helps along with our experience of his multitude of references to historic resources of the church from Gurnall to Owen, to Spurgeon to Watson.

So here’s the plan. While we may not get through the entire Book of Acts, we will be reading the Word along with his two set commentary on Acts and each day posting the verses we will read accompanied by a link to the appropriate sermon on Acts. They are about 50 minutes long, but so worth your time as is the Word of Grace website which is a treasure house which you will want to visit over and over as you continue to mine the riches from God’s Word.

Before we plunge into the verse by verse study of the Book of Acts by Pastor MacArthur, we start today with his excellent introduction. You may not have his commentary set, but neither did we when we first started attending Grace back in 1985. You will definitely want to have your Bible, your pen, highlighters and pad of paper ready for a most profitable journey through this exciting Book.

We look forward to your comments and questions along the way. Please subscribe to this blog for the daily updates. And if you haven’t joined us before on the journey, Welcome aboard!

May God bless us all on this journey,

James and Elizabeth Stephens

Exploring God’s Library

An Introduction to the Book of Acts.