2010 Bible Reading Plan

Another year has come and gone and yet another year I make no resolutions. This past year I challenged myself I read through the Bible in a year, tonight I will finish the reading it through. I really enjoyed this plan, given out by Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL last year as a challenge to their church. I read this year through the ESV Reformation Study Bible.

This coming year I intend to start the plan over starting at the beginning. This time reading through my ESV Study Bible and looking for a couple specific things as I read, which helps me to pay much more attention to detail.

I benefited tons and learned so much more as I looked at all the scriptures...I'm left with many more questions as I ponder the text. I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to study, freely, the word of the Lord. I look forward to other studies I will be beginning in addition to the read through the Bible plan. My prayer from here on is that the Lord would give me more desire and a deep hunger to study, ponder, meditate, read the scriptures, that He'd reveal new things to me in each verse, and that he'd transform my life.

Sermon prep for the Congregation - Consider how you listen

I was catching up on some blog reading this afternoon and was convicted by a couple of blogs posts written by Tim Challies on the topic of considering how we listen to sermons. I recommend giving both posts a read.

The first of the posts is excerpted from a George Whitfield sermon...These pearls of wisdom will help you listen to sermons in a way that will bring great blessing to your soul. Or as Whitefield said, “Here are some cautions and directions, in order to help you hear sermons with profit and advantage.”

The second post is a great list of ways we who do not preach can prepare for the Sunday sermon..."What we consider less often, I think, is that while a pastor bears great responsibility in preparing for and delivering the Word of God each Sunday, the listener shares in the responsibility. The church has no place for an audience. We are all to be involved in the preaching, even as listeners." - Tim Challies

Jake and USC football

I came across this video on a couple blogs I read, it's worth taking the 7 minutes to watch. It'll make you cry, least it did me.