Category Archives: Read the Bible in 90 days

Jacob and Joseph

Genesis 28:20-40:11 Day 3 of 90

I loved today’s reading. There was so much information to process so I’m gonna jump right in.

1. Talk about love at first sight! Jacob loved Rachel and promised to work for seven years in order to marry her. Seven years was up and Laban tricked him into sleeping with Rachel’s older sister, Leah. Jacob promises to work another seven years for Rachel.

2. In chapter 30, Leah conceives and believes she will finally be loved. She felt this way even with the third son she bore. She knew Jacob didn’t love her as he loved Rachel

3. Rachel couldn’t conceive, so she gave Jacob her servant. Did we not learn anything from Sarah?? Leah also gives Jacob her servant to lie with. Leah had six sons and a daughter before Rachel had a son. His name was Joseph. This story just screams that we need to be patient and have courage to wait for God. I know I struggle with that.

4. Jacob is on his way to see Esau and he is very apprehensive about how he will be received. 32:22 says he took his 2 wives, 2 servant wives, and his 11 sons across the Jabbok river. What about his daughter, Dinah? She isn’t mentioned until she is raped by Shechem, and her brothers exact revenge upon him. I feel sorry for her because she isn’t really consoled or taken care of. Something so horrible happened, and she is allowed to go with Shechem until her brothers come to kill him.

I love how Esau greets Jacob. It’s as if the time has healed the distance between them and all is forgiven. Forgiveness can do amazing things for you!

In 33:14 Jacob tells Esau he would meet him at Seir, but then he stops at Shechem. Why did he do that?

5. Jacob wrestles with God! And he is not giving up until God blesses him.

6. There is so much in the story of Joseph to talk about, but the big thing is that God blesses him and helps him succeed in everything he does.

What do you have to say about today’s readings?

Genesis 17:1-28:19

I didn’t get the chance to blog last night because my daughter cheered at her 2nd game. She is more important, so I’m updating now. I’ll just give you the highlights, and hope you will read it for yourself. Let me know your thought too.

1. I was surprised when Abraham laughed to himself in disbelief as God told him Sarah would give him a child. Even though he had doubts, he still obeyed God.

2. Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?

3. I questioned Lot and his intentions when he offered his daughters to such wicked men. Do you think he was banking on them not being interested in her?

4. I love that the angel grabbed Lot’s hand and his wife’s and rushed them out of the city. How cool is that?

5. The faith of Abraham has always stunned me when God asks him to sacrifice Isaac. I wish I could say I would be just like him, but I know I would honestly argue with God. What I’ve never really paid attention to is Isaac. I mean, he asks where the sacrificial animal is and Abraham tells him that God will provide, but then Abraham straps him on the altar. Isaac didn’t resist! It was then that God intervened.

6. Jacob deceives Esau for his birthright but Esau saw what he wanted and exaggerated starvation. Instant gratification early on in the bible! Esau didn’t stop to think about the consequences.

7. Isaac follows his fathers footsteps-tell them you are my sister. Was he shaped by his father?

8. Jacob deceives a second time when he listens to Rebekah and gets Isaac to bless him.

Ok, you go read it and come back so we can talk about it!

Genesis 1:1-16:16

After a rough start, I can officially check day one off the list. I should know by now that making a commitment like this gets satan all out of whack, so that he then takes it out on me. Well try as he might, he did not win.

I listened to the reading on my phone by using You Version, and after dinner I sat down with a pen and journal to do the reading. I wanted to share a few of the things I jotted down.

-God CHOSE to create heaven and earth because He loves us and wants to fellowship with us.
-By placing the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden, God gave Adam a choice to obey God or not. Without the choice or free will, the obedience is hollow. We have to choose God. The simple disobedience of eating the fruit brought sin into the world, and their family when Cain killed Abel.Shortly thereafter, Lamech also kills a  man.
-Noah was a man that fully loved and obeyed God when the rest of humanity didn’t. “Everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.” Gen 6:5 NLT
-“So Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him.” That is stated twice, in verse 6:22 and again in 7:5. Can I say the same?
-Abram moved in faith when God called him to. God promised to bless him if he obeyed, and through the line of Abram, Jesus was born to save us.
-12:14 Abram lied to Pharaoh about Sarai because he lost faith in God to protect him, and he brought hardship upon them.
-King Melchizedek only ever appears in chapter 14, verses 17-20, yet it is obvious he loved God and he blessed Abram.
-Sarai showed her lack of faith when she gave Hagar to Abram. She had the opportunity to be patient and wait for God to move and give her a child but she took things in her own hands. Once Hagar was pregnant, she changed and Sarai took her frustrations out on her, so much so that Hagar ran away. I chuckled when Sarai looked to Abram for help in the situation and he told her, “look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” The angel of the Lord told Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her authority and he would bless her. I just thought of how I try to control situations sometimes and God still works in the mess that I make.

I would love to share these insights every day, but I’m not going to make a promise.  The next two nights will be filled with Basketball games and practices. I enjoyed digging deeper into the reading today.

Read the BIble in 90 Days

I’m going to be reading through the Bible  in 90 days again. The last time I did this, I read the NIV. Recently though, I have been reaching for the NLT, so that is what I will be using. Specifically, it is the Tyndale Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation.

I have heard people say they read through the Bible in 90 days just to say they have read it, and if that’s you, that is fine. I am going to use this time to dig deep and really use the study guide. I have a journal where I plan to jot down verses that jump out at me, thoughts that I have, and prayers. It will probably take me an hour each day, but I can’t think of any better way to spend it! I’m part of a Facebook group for accountability and support, and really looking forward to it. I’d love it if you would join me too! There is a link to the Reading guide at the top of this page where you will find two versions of reading plans. The second one gives you two “grace” days which may be helpful around the holidays. That is the plan that I will be following this time, so I can be on schedule with everyone else.

Please let me know in the comment section if you want to join us tomorrow, or if you have done this in the past.

90 Day Bible Reading-Jeremiah

Jeremiah had a prophetic ministry that involved bringing the people of Judah back to the Lord.  He warns them of the impending exile at the hands of the Babylonians.  The people didn’t want to listen to Jeremiah, and surely didn’t believe that God would punish them by allowing their temple and land to be destroyed.  They continued living in their old ways, and didn’t really allow God into their daily lives.  God called Jeremiah to be over the nations and kingdoms, to UPROOT, TEAR DOWN, DESTROY, OVERTHROW, BUILD, and PLANT.  It was a big task, and it made Jeremiah weary when they didn’t hear his message. 

God’s patience wore out, and everything that Jeremiah had prophesied came true.  Jerusalem was overwhelmed and the temple destroyed. 

Jeremiah also offers hope.  Hope that an ideal leader will rise up from David’s line.  We know he’s speaking of Jesus.  The only hope we have for salvation. 

“The time is coming…when I will make a new covenant…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”  Jeremiah 31:31-33

90 Day Bible Reading-Isaiah

Isaiah was a prophet and one of God’s greatest messengers.  He tried to tell the people to focus on God, He is the one true thing, and He will never leave us.  The prophecies cover before, during, and after the exile.  The Kings who trusted God experienced peace, but the kings who didn’t experienced disaster.  God revealed His plans and asked everyone to follow them.  The book of Isaiah demonstrates that God is trustworthy.  Will  you follow Him? 

Is. 1:16-20  Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

Is. 55:6-7Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

90 Day Bible Reading- Song of Songs

I have to admit, this was a hard one for me.  I really wanted to go to my regular bible and read the notes so I could understand.  It was hard for me to follow the love poems without a little explanation.  The underlying tone is all about love and sex, how powerful and important they are in our lives, and that’s how God made us.  It’s not a bad thing!  We are to be disciplined in keeping it in our marriage.  The sanctity of the marriage is where God created it to be.  A few key verses-Song of Songs 2:7 “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”  SOS-8:6-7 “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, it’s jealousy unyielding as the grave.  It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.  7Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” 

90 Day Bible Reading- Ecclesiastes

The search for the meaning of life.  The king of Israel thought happiness came from success.  He found success, but not happiness.  Success was meaningless, and not permanent.  Neither is money, wealth, pleasure or fame.  It all sounds like things we strive for, doesn’t it?  We strive for, because we focus on ourselves.  I think what Ecclesiastes is teaching us, is how to live a God centered life.  Focus on the fact that everything that we have is a gift from God.  Our troubles also come from the hand of God, but for those we should give thanks too.  He never promised a trouble free life.  We need to adjust our expectations if we’re always falling short of the goal, and that makes us unhappy.  We can learn lessons from the adversity that is dealt to us.  Make the best of it and go on.  Focus on what’s ahead of you.  Enjoy life, and enjoy what you have.  It’s a great gift from God. 

90 Day Bible Reading-Proverbs

Proverbs is a book about wisdom.  God is wise, and He wants us to be wise too.  He will direct the path of those who trust and seek Him, and walk in faithful obedience.  Reading through it, you might find one verse that seemingly contradicts another.  In reality, it applies to different situations that you might encounter.  An example is Proverbs 26:4-5.  v4:  “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.”  v5:  “Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”  Don’t, then Do?  Well, the wise person knows what to do in which situation.  How do we get wise?  STAY IN HIS WORD!!  I’ve noticed His presence so much since I’ve been doing this 90 day reading.  He will speak to You!~  Try it.