SS17: Keep Walking in the Light

I can't remember a time when I didn't have Psalm 119:105 memorized. And, being a child of the 80's, when I think of the words, Amy Grant's voice immediately comes to mind.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

It's straight out of Psalm 119:105 in the King James version of the Bible that many of us grew up hearing. Years before Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant wrote the song, my mom taught me the verse. As a child and later as a teenager I knew the words, but it wasn't until I was old enough to struggle with making decisions (like where to go to college and who to marry!) that I truly started depending on God's Word to light my path and guide my steps.

God's Word has been a guide and comfort to me ever since.

Sometimes God brings words from a scripture passage to mind for me. Sometimes it's a specific book of the Bible or chapter that I think of and look up. But over the years, the best way I've found to hear God through the Bible is to just keep reading. And when I have a plan I'm much more likely to read than when I don't have a plan and wonder what to read next.

If you would like to join those of us who are reading through the New Testament this year, it's not too late! You can jump in any time. But whatever plan you follow, let's keep reading. Let's keep asking questions and seeking answers and applying the truth we read in the Bible. Our hearts and souls and minds need the truth God's Word contains as much as our bodies need water. (And we here in Fresno in summertime know that's a lot.) Let's keep seeking the light.

"...come, let us walk in the light of the Lord." 

Isaiah 2:5b

Sister Studies New Testament Reading Plan Update

While I knew the New Testament wasn't organized chronologically, I'm surprised I've never wondered more about it. I'm learning, though! The New Testament we use is organized into the Gospels, History, Paul's letters (in order based on how long they are!), other letters to the church, and prophecy. Because a timeline and dates weren't included in the actual scriptures as they were written, we have to depend on historians and scholars to put the timeline together for us. There are still question marks.

So far this year we've read the gospels of Luke and Matthew, and Acts 1-16. (Slow and steady, right?) We've read about the first years of the early Christian church and one of the things that strikes me is how quickly we can read through 20 years of history. That's approximately how much time passed between Jesus's crucifixion and ascension to heaven in Acts 1 and events of Acts 15. 15 chapters cover more than 15 years! It's really easy for me to read it as if things happened faster. (God is patient!)

The Jerusalem Council that takes place in Acts 15 was held around the year AD 48. According to many scholars, the book of Galatians was likely written by the Apostle Paul between AD 48-52, though there is some debate about whether Galatians was written before or after the events in Acts 15 took place. There is even debate about who exactly he was writing to. Galatians could refer to either an ethnic group or a political region where we know Paul planted churches. (If you're curious to know more, check out this post. Who knew?!)

No matter exactly when it was written or even exactly which people it was addressed to, the themes discussed in Galatians are closely related to what was discussed in Acts 15, and it was written around that time, so it makes sense for us to read Galatians now. After Galatians, we're going to read the book of James, written by one of Jesus's half-brothers, as it was very possibly also one of the earliest letters written.

Here's the plan for this week and the next two weeks as we read Galatians and James. If you want to read an intro to each book check out this link.

6/24-28	Galatians 1-3
7/1-5	Galatians 4-6, James 1
7/8-12	James 2-5

Blessings to you, sister, as you keep walking in the light of God's Word!

Love,
Melissa