Does It Matter What Order You Read the Books of the Bible?

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Wayne Davies

I received this question from a reader recently:

“Can you tell me if there is a certain order that I need to read the books of the Bible. Mr. Gray says to start at Genesis through Revelation. Is that the way you would suggest to go through the Bible or not?”

(NOTE: Mr. Gray is a reference to James M. Gray, former president of Moody Bible Institute, who wrote How to Master the English Bible in 1904. Mr. Gray’s book is what prompted me to write The Forgotten Bible Reading Method.)

Here is my response to the question above:

My short answer is “yes.” Reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is a great idea.

But then I must add that there are several good ways to read through the whole Bible.  One of those is to read the Old Testament in the order of the Hebrew Bible (the Bible that Jesus would have used). The content of the Hebrew Bible is identical to our English Bible, but the order of the books in the Old Testament Hebrew Bible is slightly different, and I find it most helpful.

I’m reading through the Old Testament right now and I’m using this “Hebrew Bible approach.”  You can read more about it here:
https://godwrotethebook.com/2-year-bible-reading-plan/

By the way, I’m grateful that this reader wants to know how to read through the whole Bible in March. Most people think about reading the entire Bible in January, and often make a commitment to do so at the beginning of the year, only to hit a rough patch when they get to Exodus or Leviticus, lose momentum, and then give up altogether. It happens.

If you have a desire to read the whole Bible, any day of any month is a good time to begin the journey. Don’t let the calendar get in your way of deepening your relationship with God through quality time in the Word.

There’s a multitude of 1-year Bible reading plans available online. You can find several of them here:
https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/

For the world’s simplest 1-year Bible reading plan, check this out:
https://godwrotethebook.com/bible-reading-have-you-read-the-worlds-best-selling-book/

You know, there’s a sense in which I didn’t really understand the Bible until I started reading the whole Book.

Posted in Bible reading | Tagged | Leave a comment

How to Lie Down in Green Pastures

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Wayne Davies

I believe the truth of Psalm 119:103 with all my heart: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” And whenever I read the Word of God, like Jeremiah I hope to say to God, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.”

Yes, every verse of the Scripture that we consume comes from God’s mouth to ours. “Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). Every portion of God’s Word is food our souls, and God delights to nourish us with His truth whenever we read it.

Psalm 23 has been the favorite psalm of many believers for centuries. And for good reason. It is filled with great thoughts of our great God. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1). God is the great Provider, and like a shepherd, He provides everything we need in the physical realm as well as the spiritual.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
Psalm 23:2-3

Charles Spurgeon asks: “What are these green pastures?” I love his answer: “the Scriptures of truth — always fresh, always rich, and never exhausted.” Isn’t that a wonderful description of the Word of God? The spiritual food found in the Bible is inexhaustible. You can read the Word every day for the rest of your life and never find a shortage of soul-satisfying sustenance.

Spurgeon continues: “There is no fear of biting the bare ground where the grass is long enough for the flock to lie down in it. Sweet and full are the doctrines of the gospel; fit food for souls, as tender grass is natural nutriment for sheep. When by faith we are enabled to find rest in the promises, we are like the sheep that lie down in the midst of the pasture; we find at the same moment both provender (food) and peace, rest and refreshment, serenity and satisfaction.”

When we lie down in the green pastures of God’s Word, amazing things happen. We experience the peace of God. We find rest for our souls. We are refreshed, rejuvenated and revived. We are filled with contentment.

And all we did was read this Book. How can this be? How does this happen?

Spurgeon explains the mystery of the transforming power of God’s Word:

“But observe: ‘He makes me lie down.’ It is the Lord who graciously enables us to perceive the preciousness of His truth, and to feed upon it. How grateful ought we to be for the power to appropriate the promises!”

When we read the Bible and find ourselves filled to the brim with joy and wonder at the greatness and goodness of God, something miraculous is happening. While we read, God is at work in our hearts, doing what only He can do. He answers the prayer of Psalm 119:18 and opens our eyes that we may see wonderful things in His law.

Of course, the extent to which we experience the Spirit’s illumination can vary. There are days when our understanding of Scripture enthralls us. And then there are days when it just isn’t there to the degree we would like.

Spurgeon addresses this, too: “There are some distracted souls who would give worlds if they could but do this. They know the blessedness of it, but they cannot say that this blessedness is theirs. They know the ‘green pastures,’ but they are not made to ‘lie down’ in them.”

Perhaps your time in the Word hasn’t been what it used to be. If so, take heart. It could be that you have a “distracted soul,” encumbered by the stress and strain of life. I urge you to not give up. Please persevere and do not cease to cry out to God for the strength to read and understand His Word, and He will be faithful to answer that prayer.

And should your reading of Scripture continues to be a source of joy, Spurgeon has a final word for you, too: “Those believers who have for years enjoyed a ‘full assurance of faith’ should greatly bless their gracious God.”

Yes, every time you read the Word and sense His life-changing presence, lift your voice to God in praise, for you have been the recipient of His grace once again.

Posted in Thoughts on the Psalms | Tagged , | 2 Comments

How to Get A Good Christian Book Every Month (for Free)

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Wayne Davies

The abundance of good quality Christian books never ceases to amaze me. And here’s a way to get one of those books every month at no charge. Visit www.thegoodbook.com/free-ebook and each month you can download a well-written Christian book in both Kindle and ePub formats.

Last month’s selection (February 2021) was Passion: How Christ’s Final Day Changes Your Every Day. Pastor and author Mike McKinley takes you through the final chapters of Luke’s Gospel to show how Christ’s final day transforms not only your future but also your present.

I’ve read the first few chapters and it is excellent. Highly recommended, especially during the month of March. This is a wonderful book to read in the weeks leading up to the most important events in the history of the world – the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This month (March 2021) the book is John 13-21 For You by Josh Moody, an exposition of the final chapter’s of John’s gospel. Here you’ll learn how the surprising glory of the cross transforms Jesus’ followers. To hear the author’s overview of his book, visit www.thegoodbook.com/john-13-21-for-you

Do yourself a big favor and get your copy today at www.thegoodbook.com/free-ebook from The Good Book Company. And don’t forget to visit this link every month for a good (and free) Christian book.

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged | Leave a comment

Do People in Hell Get A Second Chance?

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Wayne Davies

I received this question from a reader recently:

“Can you pray people out of hell and bring them up to heaven?”

This is an excellent question. How would you answer it?

And most importantly, does Scripture address this question? Does the Bible have anything to say about whether people in hell get a second chance to go to heaven?

Here are two passages that I believe speak to this issue.

Passage #1
Matthew 25:31-46 – The Sheep and the Goats

These are the words of Jesus:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

What happens to the sheep, those on his right?

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

And what happens to the goats, those on his left?

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Jesus concludes this passage by saying, “Then they (the goats) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous (the sheep) to eternal life” (v. 46).

The key word in the passage, with regard to the question of whether or not people in hell get a second change, is “eternal.” It appears three times. The punishment of the goats is eternal, and so is the kingdom inherited by the sheep.

I take “eternal” to mean “everlasting.” It never ends. Whatever happens to the goats in the next life lasts forever, and whatever happens to the sheep lasts forever. Both the punishment of the cursed goats and the inherited kingdom of the sheep never end.

Passage #2
Luke 16:19-31 – The Rich Man and Lazarus

It is important to remember that this is a parable about the eternal destinies of two men: a beggar named Lazarus and an unnamed rich man who “lived in luxury.”

Lazarus dies and angels carry him “to Abraham’s side.” The rich man dies and goes to Hades, “where he was in torment.” (NOTE: According to the MacArthur Study Bible, in the New Testament, “Hades always refers to the place of the wicked prior to final judgment in hell.” Therefore, Hades is a synonym for hell.)

Then the rich man sees Abraham and Lazarus and cries out, “‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’ (v.24).

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

Luke 16:26 may be the best verse in the Bible to answer the question, “Can you pray people out of hell and bring them up to heaven?” Answer: “None may cross from there to us” (ESV).

This is a sobering truth. And something that Jesus addressed repeatedly, for in the Bible, no one spoke more about hell than Jesus. There’s a plethora of verses in the New Testament about God’s love. (Check out my blog post “Jesus Loves Me, How I Know.) There are just as many verses, if not more, that speak of God’s wrath.

Here’s another way to look at it: Aren’t the many verses in Scripture about hell actually yet another demonstration of God’s love? Jesus and the apostles preached often about hell because of their compassion for people. Can you think of anything more loving that to warn someone of the horrific consequences of their sin, if they remain in a state of unrepentant unbelief?

Sadly, the prospect of spending forever in hell is an unpopular subject, for sure. When was the last time your pastor preached a sermon about hell? Or even mentioned it?

Jesus preached God’s love, and He also preached God’s wrath. We must do the same.

“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Luke 12:5).

Can you think of any other passages in Scripture that address this issue of whether people in hell get a second chance? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Posted in Attributes of God, Salvation | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jesus Loves Me, How I Know

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Wayne Davies


One of the great themes of Scripture is the love of God.

And one of my favorite songs continues to be the celebration of that love.

 

You know this song, too. Wherever you are right now, go ahead and sing the first line:

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Isn’t that a wonderful expression of the truth of God’s Word?

What never ceases to amaze me is the frequency with which Scripture teaches how Jesus loves us. Come with me now and feast on these verses:

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

“The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20)

“Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2)

“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25)

“This is how we know what love is: Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16)

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10)

What is the meaning of the love of God? These verses, and many others, answer this question plainly and beautifully: The love of God is expressed most clearly through the death of Christ.

What does the Bible mean when it says, “God loves you”? It means that “Christ died for you.”

And what is our response? In a word – worship. May our hearts be filled with praise, thanksgiving, adoration and celebration of the One who loved us by dying for us, so we could have freedom from the penalty, power and presence of sin in this life and the next.

May the love of God take your breath away, for “It is staggering that God should love sinners; yet it is true” (J.I. Packer).

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6)

Do any of these verses resonate in your heart today? If so, leave a comment below. I love feedback!

Perhaps you feel the need to spend time engaged in the following practice:

Commit part of each day this week to reflect on God’s love for you. Find a quiet place to read, meditate on and memorize the Scriptures above that remind you of his love. Be sure to include a time of worship – express your praise and thanksgiving to God for the way he has loved you through the death of his Son.

Posted in Attributes of God, Jesus Christ, Thoughts About God | Tagged , | Leave a comment

What Is Jesus Doing Right Now?

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Wayne Davies

What is Jesus doing right now? Does the Bible provide an answer to that question? I believe it does. According to Scripture, here is what Jesus is doing right now.

Jesus is building his church.
He said so. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus is sending me and you into the world to proclaim the gospel so that people repent, believe in him, and become disciples who in turn share the truth with those who are perishing. The end result is that the body of Christ continues to grow, both spiritually and numerically, by the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is praying for his church.
He said so. “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9). And so did Paul. “Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

This is a most amazing fact: every day, the Creator of the universe prays for me and for you. Doesn’t that take your breath away?

When Jesus prays for us, do you have any idea what he prays about, specifically? Again, Scripture gives us the answer.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus prayed this prayer to the Father: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

To “sanctify” means to make holy, or, to make us more like Jesus. And we are sanctified “in” or “by” the truth of God’s Word. No one becomes like Jesus without the teaching and life-changing power of the Word of God. Without the Word, we cannot be transformed into the likeness of Christ. With it, God can and does change us from the inside out to be a “little Christ” (the meaning of the word “Christian”).

Therefore, for the genuine Christian, reading, studying and understanding the Bible is not optional. It is essential to our sanctification.

I hope you see the awesomeness of these two truths: Jesus is building his church, and Jesus is praying for your sanctification. And we get to be a part of this supernatural work of God, the greatest building project the world has ever known.

It’s amazing to me, just amazing. Thinking about it overwhelms me. I get caught up in the wonder of God’s greatness and I get so excited, I hardly know what to do with myself.

So I sit down at the computer and tell you about it. That, too, is a blessing beyond my comprehension. I am so glad to be here to watch it happen. To see Jesus building his church and sanctifying his people is just incredible to me. How about you?

Posted in Evangelism, Jesus Christ | Tagged | Leave a comment

How to Get 49 Free Christian Books Online

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Wayne Davies

If you have access to the Internet, you can find a boatload of quality Christian eBooks at no charge. This is a blessing that I hope you are taking advantage of. Many of these eBooks will help you understand and apply the teaching of God’s Word. Can there be a better way to utilize the time you spend reading?

I have found so many good resources, it’s hard to decide where to start.

I’ll begin with two of my favorite authors:

R. C. Sproul
Crucial Questions Series (39 eBooks)
This is a great place to get solid Bible teaching from one of America’s most popular Bible teachers.

For immediate access to all the eBooks in this series, click here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0844K1VFW

You’ll find topics like:
Can I Know God’s Will?
Can I Lose My Salvation?
What Does It Mean to Be Born Again
Are These the Last Days?
Can I Be Sure I’m Saved?
Does God Control Everything?
How Should I Think About Money?
What Can I Do With My Guilt?
What Is Repentance?
And many more!

Charles H. Spurgeon
Best known for his preaching, this 19th century British pastor is also the most prolific author in the history of Christianity, by far. Click on this link to find many of his eBooks on Amazon at no cost, or 99 cents.

https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Haddon-Spurgeon/e/B000APSXTK

Here’s a few of my favorite Spurgeon freebies:
The Soul Winner: How to Lead Sinners to the Saviour
Following Christ: Losing Your Life for His Sake
Life in Christ: Lessons from Our Lord’s Miracles and Parables (3 volumes)
The Greatest Fight: Spurgeon’s Urgent Message for Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists
The Heart of the Gospel
The Golden Alphabet: An Exposition of Psalm 119
Words of Warning: For Those Wavering Between Belief and Unbelief
Honest Faith
Spurgeon Gems
Jesus Came to Save Sinners: An Earnest Conversation with Those Who Long for Salvation

Enjoy!

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

COVID-19 and the Fear of Death

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Wayne Davies

The headlines in our local newspaper stated the grim facts:

“Death toll reaches 2 million.”

The article then began with these disturbing words: “The global death toll from COVID-19 topped 2 million Friday, crossing the threshold amid a vaccine rollout so immense but so uneven that in some countries there is real hope of vanquishing the outbreak, while in other, less-developed parts of the world, it seems a far-off dream.”

How do you react to news like that?

Do you ever think about death? It’s been in the news for the past year in a way I’ve never seen in my lifetime. We hear about it constantly. The media keeps telling us, every day, how many people died the day before.

It’s also one of the main themes of the Bible.

“People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Jesus talked about death repeatedly. “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:24).

The purpose of this blog post is to ask you this question:

Are you afraid to die?

Fear of death is a common experience. It’s part of the human condition.

But thanks be to God, Jesus came to save us from both death itself and the fear of death.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Many people are slaves to the fear of death. Wow. That’s quite a statement. And the events of the past year bear witness to that reality, don’t they?

How about you? Are you afraid to die?

I pose that question because I care about you and your eternal destiny.

I had the opportunity to pose that question to one of my closest friends.

You can read the story of that conversation here:

God’s Answer to Man’s Ultimate Question
https://godwrotethebook.com/mans-ultimate-question/

In closing, here is Resolution #9 from Jonathan’s Edwards famous list of 70 resolutions.

“Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.” Thinking much about death motivates me to think much about living each day as if it will be my last. It may be.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post is the first in a series of 6 articles that answer the question, “How can I be set free from the fear of death?” Here are the links to all 6 articles:

God’s Answer to Man’s Ultimate Question
https://godwrotethebook.com/mans-ultimate-question/

What Does It Mean to Be Saved?
https://godwrotethebook.com/meaning-of-saved/

How to Receive Salvation
https://godwrotethebook.com/meaning-of-grace-and-faith/

The Meaning of “Not By Works”
https://godwrotethebook.com/meaning-of-not-by-works/

The Meaning of “Good Works”
https://godwrotethebook.com/meaning-of-good-works/

Does Jesus Contradict Paul?
https://godwrotethebook.com/does-jesus-contradict-paul/

Posted in Salvation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

70 Resolutions for 2021

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Wayne Davies
Do you ever make New Year’s resolutions?

I do . . .

Just about every day.

A young man by the name of Jonathan Edwards thought long and hard about what God wanted him to do with his life, and he wrote down 70 resolutions, way back in the early 1700’s.

Edwards went on to become arguably the greatest preacher and theologian in the history of the United States.

Have you ever read these resolutions? They are some of the most God-focused and Christ-honoring words I’ve ever read (outside of the Bible). I highly recommend that you take time to go through them. Pick out a few that you like and use them to stimulate your prayer life, with a view to living every moment of every day for the glory of God. That was the #1 goal of Edwards’ life. May it be ours, too.

To read all 70 resolutions in their original order . . .
http://twominutetheology.com/the-resolutions-of-jonathan-edwards/

For an updated version in modern English . . .
https://wdennisgriffith.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/revised-resolutions-of-jonathan-edwards/

To listen to them being read . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-Pfy8o5Wr4

Here’s an article that sorts the resolutions into categories, such as Overall Life Mission, Good Works, Time Management, Relationships, Suffering, Character, and Spiritual Life (Assurance, The Scriptures, Prayer, The Lord’s Day, Righteousness, Sin and Self-Examination, Communion with God).
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-resolutions-of-jonathan-edwards

Which resolution do you find most helpful? Let me know down below. I love feedback.

My favorite is #9:
“Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.” Thinking much about death motivates me to think much about living each day as if it will be my last. It may be.

Posted in Quotes, Thoughts About God | Tagged , | 2 Comments

My Favorite Christmas Verse

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Wayne Davies

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

For many, today will be a day of consumption, feeding our bodies with food and other material goods. May this also be a day of much-needed spiritual consumption, feeding our souls with the Word of God and the great truths of the birth of Jesus.

Here’s my favorite Christmas verses:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Because Jesus left the glory of heaven, we have received spiritual riches of infinite value.

Forgiveness of sins, deliverance from the wrath of a holy God, a reconciled relationship with the Father – these are but three of the countless gifts that come from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, all because He was willing and able to enter our world.

For 10 more verses about the meaning of Christmas, please check out this resource:
10 Key Bible Verses on Christmas.

Why not spend time today reading these familiar yet timeless Scriptures about the plan of God in Christ, along with insights adapted from the ESV Study Bible.
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-christmas/

What’s your favorite Christmas Bible verse? Please let me know in the comment box below!

Posted in Christmas, Jesus Christ | Tagged | Leave a comment