2008 Bible Reading Challenge

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, After much prayer & research in which Bible Reading Plan would best challenge Christ Community Church for our busy 2008 schedules, I came across something awesome. The World’s Greatest Story in 5 Acts! Check it out! No “specific” dates…. Read at your own pace; no stress! Hey, let me know if you’re going to do it with me.

May God Bless the Reading of His Word, Cheryl B.

Reading the World's Greatest Story

The heart and soul of the Bible is its story. It is the real saga of a particular people, how God called them and intended for them to bring a blessing to all people. Story is also the word that best describes our own lives. While we may or may not follow the right rules, investigate certain facts and attempt to live wisely, none of these activities provides the central way we make sense of our lives. Stories give context and provide meaning. All the different part of the Bible come together as one narrative. To understand the Bible you must get to know its characters, understand its setting and follow its plot. The ultimate resolution will make sense only if you've followed the earlier parts as a story. Learn to feel the tension and wrestle with its major conflict.

We present an abbreviated version of the story of the Bible as a drama in five acts. Although this is not an exhaustive list, the following passages will give you a helpful overview of God's story.

Information From The International Bible Society at http://www.ibs.org/niv/appendix/gettingstarted.php

Act I: Creation

• The creation: Gen. 1; 2:1-3
• Praise God for his creation: Ps 8
• Praise to the Creator of all things: Ps 104
• Praise for creating me: Ps 139

Act II: The Fall

• The fall into sin: Gen. 3
• Noah, the flood and the ark: Gen. 6, 7, 8, 9:1-17
• A prayer of repentance: Ps 51
• No one is righteous: Rom. 3:9-26

Act III: Israel

• God's covenant with Abraham: Gen. 12:1-9, 15:1-21
• Abraham almost sacrifices his son Isaac: Gen. 22:1-19
• Jacob receives his father's blessing: Gen. 27:1-40
• Jacob's (Israel's) family: Gen. 29:16-35, 30:1-24
• Joseph the dreamer: Gen. 37:2-36 (see also 39-50)
• Moses is born in Egypt: Ex. 1; 2:1-10
• Ten plagues: Ex. 7:14-24; 8; 9; 10; 11:1-10
• The Passover: Ex. 12:1-17
• The Israelites leave Egypt: Ex. 12:17-50; 13; 14; 15:1-21
• God's covenant with Israel: Ex. 19; 20
• Rahab the prostitute hides the Israelite spies: Josh. 2
• God keep his promise: Josh. 23; 24
• David kills Goliath: 1 Sam. 17
• David becomes king: 2 Sam. 5:1-5
• God's promise to David: 2 Sam. 7
• David and Bathsheba: 2 Sam. 11; 12:1-25
• The Lord is my shepherd: Ps 23
• A prayer of thanksgiving: Ps 100
• Israel sent into exile: 2 Chron. 36:15-23
• Queen Esth. saves her people: Esth. 1
• Messiah's birth prophesied: Isa. 9:1-7
• God's promise to return: Isa. 52:1-12
• Dan.'s dream of God's kingdom: Dan. 7

Act IV: Jesus

• The birth of Jesus: Lk. 1; 2
• The temptation of Jesus: Matt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:1-13
• The Sermon on the Mount: Matt. 5; 6
• Jesus shares his calling with the people: Lk. 4:16-30
• Jesus' teaching on prayer: Lk. 11:1-13
• The lost son: Lk. 15
• New birth: Jn. 3
• Jesus is the resurrection and the life: Jn. 11
• Three prayers of Jesus: Jn. 17
• The Lord's Supper: Lk. 22:7-38; 1 Cor. 11:17-34
• The death of Jesus: Lk. 23:26-56; Jn. 19:16-42
• The resurrection of Jesus: Lk. 24; Jn. 20
• Jesus ascends into heaven: Acts 1:1-11

Act V: The New People of God

• The Great Commission from Jesus: Matt. 28:16-20
• The coming of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:1-21
• "Repent and be baptized": Acts 2:22-47
• Jesus, the fulfillment of Abraham's covenant: Acts 3
• Salvation in Jesus alone: Acts 4
• Paul's conversion: Acts 9:1-31
• Paul's testimony before King Agrippa:
  Acts 25:23-27; 26:1-32
• What real love is: 1 Cor. 13
• The fruit of the Holy Spirit: Gal. 5:22-23
• The armor of God: Eph. 6:10-18
• Imitating Christ: Phil. 2:1-11
• Heroes of the faith: Heb. 11
• Faith in action: Jm. 2:14-26
• The return of Christ: 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Peter 3:3-14
• The new heaven and earth: Rev. 21; 22

CCC New Testiment Reading Plan

"And the word of God increased; and the number of disciples multiplied..." Acts 6:7

Commit now to establish a daily quiet time with the Lord!

"My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will up." Psalm 5:3

Suggested ingredients for a (morning) quiet time:

• Praise and thanksgiving
• Meditation on the Word
• Seeking and waiting upon God
• Confession of sin
• Intercessory prayer for others
• Personal requests
• Prayers for guidance (How shall I order my life today Lord, according to your perfect will) and service to others (How can I be a witness to, and minister to other today)

If you wish, keep a daily journal of your quiet time and of your walk with the Lord