New/Old Testament in a Year: November 2013

Friday 29 November 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge Week 40

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 40: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now into Week 40 of our New Testament Bible challenge, reading through the rest of Paul’s letters to Timothy…

...and we have added a new resource to the bottom of this page!

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Top Tip!To get the most out of this challenge, start each daily reading with a short, simple, sincere prayer asking God to guide your thinking as you read. Then open the Bible and read slowly, with the aim of learning something new. After the reading, consider how it may affect your life and relationship with Jesus, and allow your increased knowledge of the Scriptures to shape your character and strengthen your trust in God.Take your time - enjoy this opportunity - and may God bless you as you embark upon this New Testament Bible Challenge.
Captain Phil Layton

Monday, December 02, 2013 --- 1 Timothy 6 --- Paul gives instructions about false teachers, and the love of money- v1&2, replace 'master' with 'employer' and 'slave' with 'employee' and see if these instructions can be applied in everyday western working life.

- v10, evidently the 'love of money' (i.e. not money itself) is a highly dangerous thing. Have there been times when perhaps you have been tempted to focus more on money and possessions than on being faithfully obedient to God?

- v17-19, whether your wealth is in money, popularity, or special abilities...here we have the advice of using that wealth to store up 'treasure in heaven'. What does that mean? How could you apply this to your own life?

Tuesday, December 03, 2013 --- 2 Timothy 1--- Paul encourages Timothy to remain loyal and steadfast in the faith- v3, Timothy appears to be a 3rd generation Christian!...but his own faith had to be 'sincere'. What about you? Is your faith built on a personal relationship with God through trusting in Jesus Christ, or is your faith based on keeping up a family tradition?

- v14, we have often seen Paul's emphasis on the need to uphold and protect sound doctrine and to oppose false teachers....but did you know that we have God the Holy Spirit Himself living in us and able to guide us in these things? How can we ask for His help?

Wednesday, December 04, 2013 --- 2 Timothy 2 --- Timothy is told to oppose those who ‘depart from the truth’ (v18)- v3-7, first the 'soldier', then the 'athlete', and then the 'farmer'...what lessons do you think Paul is trying to teach Timothy here? What are the lessons for us from these sayings?

- v18, Paul condemns those who claim that the resurrection had already taken place. What can we learn from this? How might this verse help substantiate the belief in a future Rapture of the church?

Thursday, December 05, 2013 --- 2 Timothy 3 --- The contrast is made between holiness and selfishness- v7, do you know anyone close who is 'always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth'?

- v8, Paul appears to have been referring in the preceding chapters to people who were actually considered to be 'teachers' (presumably faith-related)....does this surprise you?

- v16&17, how important and relevant do you think these verses will be for you and your faith in 2014?

Friday, December 06, 2013 --- 2 Timothy 4 --- Paul again emphasises the importance of sound doctrine

- v1, once again Paul implies that the judgement of the dead will be a future event. What can we learn from this?

- v3&4, to what extent is this prophecy already being fulfilled?

Friday 22 November 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge Week 39

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 39: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now three-quarters of our way through the New Testament Bible reading challenge as we enter into Week 39 …

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, November 25, 2013 --- 1 Timothy 1 --- Paul writes to Timothy, encouraging him to oppose false teachers

- v3, if Timothy is being given authority to 'command certain people not to teach false doctrines', does this mean that there was false teaching actually within the church?

- v3, does this mean it is possible for there to be teachers of false doctrines within the church today too? if so, are we to ignore it or confront it?

- v9-11, is there any act mentioned in this list from Paul which you would not consider to be a sin? if so, why?

- v15-17, Paul claims that he too is a sinner, but one that has been saved through Christ. If he is the 'worst' and yet can be saved, what does this tell us about the other sins mentioned in v9-11?

Tuesday, November 26, 2013 --- 1 Timothy 2 --- Timothy receives instructions on attitudes toward worship

- v11-15, is Paul demonstrating sexism? is he just being old-fashioned? or are these instructions based on Jewish traditions and order in worship? Can these verses be reconciled with modern worship?

- v15, is Paul here referring to the fact that Eve was an ancestor of Jesus Christ?

Wednesday, November 27, 2013 --- 1 Timothy 3 --- Further instructions for choosing deacons and church elders- v1-13, do these verses describe you?

Thursday, November 28, 2013 --- 1 Timothy 4 --- Timothy is encouraged to ‘watch his life and doctrine closely’ (v16)- v7-8, Paul tells Timothy to train himself spiritually, just as you would physically. How is your spiritual 'fitness'? Has your stamina and strength improved within the last 12 months?

- v12, do we ever (even subconsciously) dismiss the advice and teaching of those younger than us? what does this verse tell us about such things?

- v16, is it fair to say that 'life and doctrine' could be rephrased as 'holiness and belief'?

- v16, Why does Paul think doctrine is so important? Is it important to you? Why?

Friday, November 29, 2013 --- 1 Timothy 5 --- Final instructions on how to treat those within the fellowship of believers

- v1-2, does this accurately reflect your attitude to others?

- v8, how high a priority is the spiritual, physical, and emotional welfare of your family and relatives?

- v23, an interesting prescription!

Friday 15 November 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge Week 38

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 38: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now onto week 38 of our challenge to read through the New Testament together within one year…

...this week we enjoy a bit more eschatology!

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, November 18, 2013 --- 1 Thessalonians 4 --- Paul reminds the Thessalonians about the resurrection and rapture- v13, why do you think Paul refers to the dead as those who 'sleep'?

- v15, 'according to the Lord's own word' implies that Jesus had previously supplied this teaching. Have we any record of this? If not, is it legitimate to presume that Jesus may have provided teaching on the subject of our resurrection which is not necessarily recorded?

- v13-16, are we led to believe that the 'dead in Christ' have already been resurrected and are living in heaven? or is the resurrection a future event?

- v17, the Latin word here for being 'caught up' is 'raptus', which is where we get the word 'rapture' from when talking about our resurrection and being taken to heaven.

- v17, how do you interpret this passage?

- v13-18, what are the similarities between this passage and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52?

- v13-18, some people believe that this passage is teaching that there will be a future event when God will decide to resurrect those who have died trusting in Christ and take them to heaven, which will be accompanied by the rapture (catching up) of living believers into heaven too. Is there any other way of interpreting these verses?

***

(please email me if you would like a detailed Bible Study on the subject of the Rapture)

***

Tuesday, November 19, 2013 --- 1 Thessalonians 5 --- The timing of the Day of the Lord is unknown, we are to be ready- v2, what do you think the 'day of the Lord' refers to? Sunday? the rapture/resurrection? the 2nd coming of Christ? or the era of the last days prior to God's final judgment?

- v12, if Paul were writing this letter to you, to whom do you think he would be referring in this verse?

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 --- 2 Thessalonians 1 --- Paul gives thanks for the faith of his readers- v3, is your love for others actually 'increasing'?

Thursday, November 21, 2013 --- 2 Thessalonians 2 --- Paul talks about a future ‘lawless one’ who will oppose God- v1-12, does the 'man of lawlessness' (v3) and the 'lawless one' (v8) appear to be a literal person, or a more vague concept or symbol?

- v13, what is 'the truth' to which Paul is referring?

Friday, November 22, 2013 --- 2 Thessalonians 3 – Paul asks for prayer and warns against idleness- v6, this sounds like very strong teaching. Why do you think Paul wrote this?

- v13, 'never tire of doing what is good'!

- v15, what is Paul's advice with regard to those who do not follow his teaching, and why does he suggest it?

Friday 8 November 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge Week 37

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 37: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

We now continue with week 37 as we continue to read through Paul’s letter to the Colossians,
and begin his first letter to the Thessalonians.

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Top Tip!To get the most out of this challenge, start each daily reading with a short, simple, sincere prayer asking God to guide your thinking as you read. Then open the Bible and read slowly, with the aim of learning something new. After the reading, consider how it may affect your life and relationship with Jesus, and allow your increased knowledge of the Scriptures to shape your character and strengthen your trust in God.
Take your time - enjoy this opportunity - and may God bless you as you embark upon this New Testament Bible Challenge.
Captain Phil Layton

Monday, November 11, 2013 --- Colossians 3 --- Paul gives the Christians in Colossae guidelines for holiness
- v18-21, given that many of us may live in families where it is hard to respect parents, or to love or submit to an abusive spouse, how practical/relevant are these words?

- are they outdated, and only applicable to when the letter was written? if so, has the Bible any real relevance for our daily lives, or can we pick and choose the bits that seem more fitting?

- what would be the danger of taking these Bible verses literally, and without consideration to context then and now?

- what would be the danger of merely dismissing these Bible verses, claiming they are no longer relevant?

- are they a framework for ideals in our relationships?

- v18, can a wife submit to her husband 'as is fitting in the Lord', and in a way that is not an example of mere sexism?

- v19, is it possible to get fixated on the 'submission' aspect of the relationship, to the detriment of the command to 'love'?

- v18&19, is it possible that the combination of mutual submission and love could actually be a proposal for equality?

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 --- Colossians 4 --- Paul ends the letter with further instructions and final greetings
- v5&6, consider what interaction you may have with 'outsiders' in the recent past or future. In what way can your 'conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt'?

- v14, a helpful piece of information telling us a bit more about Luke, the author of Acts and the Gospel.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013 --- 1 Thessalonians 1 --- A first letter from Paul, Silas, and Timothy to the church in Thessalonica.
- v10, we are waiting for 'Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath'. In what way may pre-Tribulation Rapture proponents make use of this verse?

Thursday, November 14, 2013 --- 1 Thessalonians 2 --- Paul reminds the church of his last visit, and his eagerness to visit again
- v13, what is 'the word of God'?

- v18, do you think Paul believed that Satan is real? What about you, what do you believe, and why?

Friday, November 15, 2013 --- 1 Thessalonians 3 --- Paul congratulates the church in Thessalonica for their progress
- v5, who is 'the tempter'?

- what would be your weaknesses if the tempter were to attack you? How can you guard against this?