Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Proverbs 7

    Proverbs 7

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the first 31 days of the year. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. If you missed the first day’s reading or are looking for an overview of the book, click here to catch up!

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Proverbs 7

    Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

    7 My son, keep my words
        and store up my commands within you.
    2 Keep my commands and you will live;
        guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
    3 Bind them on your fingers;
        write them on the tablet of your heart.
    4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
        and to insight, “You are my relative.”
    5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
        from the wayward woman with her seductive words.

    6 At the window of my house
        I looked down through the lattice.
    7 I saw among the simple,
        I noticed among the young men,
        a youth who had no sense.
    8 He was going down the street near her corner,
        walking along in the direction of her house
    9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
        as the dark of night set in.

    10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
        dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
    11 (She is unruly and defiant,
        her feet never stay at home;
    12 now in the street, now in the squares,
        at every corner she lurks.)
    13 She took hold of him and kissed him
        and with a brazen face she said:

    14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
        and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
    15 So I came out to meet you;
        I looked for you and have found you!
    16 I have covered my bed
        with colored linens from Egypt.
    17 I have perfumed my bed
        with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
    18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
        let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
    19 My husband is not at home;
        he has gone on a long journey.
    20 He took his purse filled with money
        and will not be home till full moon.”

    21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
        she seduced him with her smooth talk.
    22 All at once he followed her
        like an ox going to the slaughter,
    like a deer stepping into a noose
    23     till an arrow pierces his liver,
    like a bird darting into a snare,
        little knowing it will cost him his life.

    24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
        pay attention to what I say.
    25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
        or stray into her paths.
    26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
        her slain are a mighty throng.
    27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
        leading down to the chambers of death.

    Go Deeper

    What a picture Proverbs 7 is of the deceitfulness of sexual sin (and sin in general). Throughout this chapter we watch the simple man become ensnared by the adulterous woman in the same way a fly is caught in a spider web. If we are not careful and vigilant, this will be our story. There is much for us to learn from this text but there are two immediate warnings we should learn from this chapter: we should be careful about where we walk and we should never try to walk through temptation by ourselves.

    As the simple man walked down the street, the young man was undoubtedly fantasizing about what his night would hold. He was so consumed by his lust that he didn’t realize that every step he took moved him closer to the destruction and pain that would come for him in the morning. It is so easy to become distracted by the false promises of sin. Think about the false ways sin promises to fulfill us:

    • “This is where life is found.” 
    • “You will feel better if you just…” 
    • “No one will ever know.” 

    The reality is that sin will always lead to death, and it will rot you from the inside out if it goes unconfessed. The key to defending ourselves is in the first four verses of this proverb. We should memorize and live according to God’s Word. Ephesians 6 refers to God’s Word as the Sword of the Spirit, and we see Jesus defending against the Devil’s attacks with this sword in Matthew 4. We need to heed the warnings of these scriptures, or we will be defenseless when the time comes for us to decide which path we are going to take.

    If there is somewhere in our lives that matches the description of “the street near her corner,” let us be weary of it. Do not wait another minute to loop in someone in your Life Group. Give them the tools to help you take another path. Make sure certain apps or websites are blocked on your phone, take a different route to the water cooler, or switch the time you go to the gym. There is no sacrifice that is too great if it will save you from something that “will cost (you your) life.

    Questions

    1. What area in your life can be described as “the street near her corner?” How can you eliminate it from your path?
    2. Do you trust the scripture written on your heart right now to help you fight temptation as it comes?
    3. Is there anything in your life that is currently unconfessed that needs to be confessed to someone in your Life Group?

    By the Way

    Psalm 51 is a helpful look at the heart of a believer (David) who has made a similar mistake to the man in Proverbs 7. Let us learn from the mistakes of others and cling to God and his word when temptation comes.

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  • Proverbs 6

    Proverbs 6

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the first 31 days of the year. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. If you missed the first day’s reading or are looking for an overview of the book, click here to catch up!

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Proverbs 6

    Warnings Against Folly

    6 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
        if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
    2 you have been trapped by what you said,
        ensnared by the words of your mouth.
    3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,
        since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
    Go—to the point of exhaustion—
        and give your neighbor no rest!
    4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
        no slumber to your eyelids.
    5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
        like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

    6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
        consider its ways and be wise!
    7 It has no commander,
        no overseer or ruler,
    8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
        and gathers its food at harvest.

    9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
        When will you get up from your sleep?
    10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
        a little folding of the hands to rest—
    11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
        and scarcity like an armed man.

    12 A troublemaker and a villain,
        who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
    13     who winks maliciously with his eye,
        signals with his feet
        and motions with his fingers,
    14     who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
        he always stirs up conflict.
    15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
        he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

    16 There are six things the Lord hates,
        seven that are detestable to him:
    17         haughty eyes,
            a lying tongue,
            hands that shed innocent blood,
    18         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
            feet that are quick to rush into evil,
    19         a false witness who pours out lies
            and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

    Warning Against Adultery

    20 My son, keep your father’s command
        and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
    21 Bind them always on your heart;
        fasten them around your neck.
    22 When you walk, they will guide you;
        when you sleep, they will watch over you;
        when you awake, they will speak to you.
    23 For this command is a lamp,
        this teaching is a light,
    and correction and instruction
        are the way to life,
    24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
        from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.

    25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
        or let her captivate you with her eyes.

    26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
        but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
    27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap
        without his clothes being burned?
    28 Can a man walk on hot coals
        without his feet being scorched?
    29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
        no one who touches her will go unpunished.

    30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
        to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
    31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
        though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
    32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
        whoever does so destroys himself.
    33 Blows and disgrace are his lot,
        and his shame will never be wiped away.

    34 For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
        and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
    35 He will not accept any compensation;
        he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

    Go Deeper

    Since the Proverbs are mostly a collected grouping of wise sayings rather than one cohesive narrative, it can be difficult (at times) to isolate the theme of a chapter down to one idea. In chapter six. Solomon continues to instruct his son about the danger of indebtedness, laziness, and adultery. There is one specific grouping of verses that we will focus on today: verses 16-19.

    The passage starts with a common Hebrew poetic method of stating things that God hates–the things that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a wicked-scheming heart, feet that rush to evil, a false witness, and…a person who stirs up conflict in the community. At first glance, it seems like one of those things is not like the others. Murder, lying under oath, and a wicked heart and feet that run to evil all make sense on that list. But, someone who simply is a pot-stirrer? Sure, nobody loves that person, but does God really have the same level of hatred for that as he does for murder?

    It surely seems to be the case if we look throughout the rest of the Bible. Throughout scripture, we see that God really cares about unity. He is often seeking to unify, not to divide. Think about the following passages:

    • The two have become one (Ephesians 5:31). 
    • There is neither Greek nor Jew…for you are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). 
    • Jesus’s prayer in John 17 is that we would be one as he and his Father are one (John 17:21). 

    So there is something essential in the heart of God that abhors it when we delight in division. A level of abhorrence that rivals his feelings about the worst depravity of man.

    And as we examine ourselves and our own habits, we see how easily we have slid into a world where sowing division is as simple as pushing a button, posting a meme, or liking an Instagram post. It is true that friendship with the world is enmity towards God (James 4:4) but we have so easily forgotten that God sent his son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him (John 3:17).

    As we ponder the heart of God for the lost, evil, and dying masses, we know for certain that tribalism, animosity, and disdain are not what God would have us sow into the current cultural climate. Let us respond to the admonishment by putting down the phone, choosing not to add to the caustic conversation and instead to seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14).

    Questions

    1. As you read through Proverbs 6 the first time, which verse(s) stuck out to you the most? Why?  
    2. Why does unity matter to God so much? Can you think of any other passages that speak to God’s desire for His people to be unified?
    3. What can you do to bring unity into each situation you step into today?  

    A Quote

    In his Enduring Word commentary, Pastor David Guzik says the following about this passage of scripture:

    “Most of these sins are connected to something we do, in or through our body. The eyes have a proud look, the tongue lies, and so on. We are again reminded of what Paul wrote in Romans about presenting the parts of our body (our members) to God for the work of righteousness, not sin (Romans 6:13).

    This collection of seven sins is also focused on how we treat others. We must honor God and worship Him in spirit and in truth, yet God is also concerned about how we treat others. Each of these are serious sins against others.”

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  • Proverbs 5

    Proverbs 5

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the first 31 days of the year. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. If you missed the first day’s reading or are looking for an overview of the book, click here to catch up!

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Proverbs 5

    Warning Against Adultery

    5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
        turn your ear to my words of insight,
    2 that you may maintain discretion
        and your lips may preserve knowledge.
    3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
        and her speech is smoother than oil;
    4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,
        sharp as a double-edged sword.
    5 Her feet go down to death;
        her steps lead straight to the grave.
    6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
        her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.

    7 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
        do not turn aside from what I say.
    8 Keep to a path far from her,
        do not go near the door of her house,
    9 lest you lose your honor to others
        and your dignity to one who is cruel,
    10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
        and your toil enrich the house of another.
    11 At the end of your life you will groan,
        when your flesh and body are spent.
    12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
        How my heart spurned correction!
    13 I would not obey my teachers
        or turn my ear to my instructors.
    14 And I was soon in serious trouble
        in the assembly of God’s people.”

    15 Drink water from your own cistern,
        running water from your own well.
    16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
        your streams of water in the public squares?
    17 Let them be yours alone,
        never to be shared with strangers.
    18 May your fountain be blessed,
        and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
    19 A loving doe, a graceful deer—
        may her breasts satisfy you always,
        may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
    20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
        Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

    21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
        and he examines all your paths.
    22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
        the cords of their sins hold them fast.
    23 For lack of discipline they will die,
        led astray by their own great folly.

    Go Deeper

    A theme throughout Scripture is that there is a way of foolishness and wickedness that leads to death and there is a way of righteousness and wisdom that leads to life. In this chapter, Solomon is going to show us both paths, as he pleads with his son to choose the path that brings about life.

    In the first six verses we see that sexual immorality, specifically adultery, leads to death. Even though the temptation may seem to be sweeter than honey (which was the sweetest substance in Israel) and smoother than oil, it is actually as bitter as gall (the most bitter substance in Israel) and leads to death. He warns his son to keep far away from the adulteress woman (v. 8), and to “not go near the door of her house.” This is a principle repeated throughout the Scriptures. When we are faced with the enticement of evil and temptation of sin, walking in holiness isn’t merely telling yourself in your own strength to “not sin”, but instead making every effort by the grace and power of the Spirit to flee from sin. 

    Paul encourages us in 2 Timothy 2:22 to “flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Peter encourages us in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” We must not tip-toe around sin and try to get as close to the line as possible. We must run as far from our sin as we can, and instead chase after the way of righteousness and purity. Since our sinful desires are waging war against us, we must fight faithfully by fleeing!

    Though sexual immorality leads to death, there is a way of righteousness and wisdom that brings about life. It is found in walking in God’s way and design. In this specific chapter, Solomon speaks of the joy that is found in walking in God’s design as it relates to sexual intimacy in the context of marriage. Intimacy one experiences in marriage ought to be reserved for one another alone in the safety and protection of the marriage covenant. There is joy, blessing, and satisfaction to be found in the love and physical intimacy of your spouse. This is the way God intended it. To walk in the righteousness and wisdom of purity leads to the good life God intends for us. This applies to other areas of our life too! No matter if you are single, or married, the eternal principle of walking in God’s design rather than pursuing our own sinful desires applies to us all. Sin ensnares us but walking in the wisdom of God’s best brings about freedom! 

    Questions

    1. How are you facing temptation this week? How can you flee from them and not even “go near the door of her house,” as it relates to your own sin?
    2. Evaluate your “teachers” and “instructors.” Are there people in your life that you are fully known by and confessing sin to who you can gain wise counsel from? Or are you living in isolation, making decisions on your own, and not known by trusted believers? 
    3. If you fully believed verse 21, that “your ways are in full view of the Lord,” how would that change the way that you live?

    Pray This

    Father, 

    I thank you that your design leads to life. Help me crave your way over my own way. Might my appetite for sin consistently decrease as my appetite for you increases. I want to desire you more than I desire my own sin. Please show me that my sin is as bitter as gall, and leads to destruction and ruin. Show me the way that is everlasting and conform me into the righteous image of your Son. Thank you for the gift of your Spirit, and the way the Spirit helps me in my weakness. I cannot pursue righteousness outside of depending on your grace and strength. Thank you for being a God that is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and purify me of all unrighteousness. I love you and I trust you. Amen.

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  • Proverbs 4

    Proverbs 4

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the first 31 days of the year. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. If you missed the first day’s reading or are looking for an overview of the book, click here to catch up!

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Proverbs 4

    Get Wisdom at Any Cost

    4 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
        pay attention and gain understanding.
    2 I give you sound learning,
        so do not forsake my teaching.
    3 For I too was a son to my father,
        still tender, and cherished by my mother.
    4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
        “Take hold of my words with all your heart;
        keep my commands, and you will live.
    5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
        do not forget my words or turn away from them.
    6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
        love her, and she will watch over you.
    7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
        Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
    8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
        embrace her, and she will honor you.
    9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
        and present you with a glorious crown.”

    10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
        and the years of your life will be many.
    11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
        and lead you along straight paths.
    12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
        when you run, you will not stumble.
    13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
        guard it well, for it is your life.
    14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
        or walk in the way of evildoers.
    15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
        turn from it and go on your way.
    16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
        they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
    17 They eat the bread of wickedness
        and drink the wine of violence.

    18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
        shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
    19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
        they do not know what makes them stumble.

    20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
        turn your ear to my words.
    21 Do not let them out of your sight,
        keep them within your heart;
    22 for they are life to those who find them
        and health to one’s whole body.
    23 Above all else, guard your heart,
        for everything you do flows from it.
    24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
        keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
    25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
        fix your gaze directly before you.
    26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
        and be steadfast in all your ways.
    27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
        keep your foot from evil.

    Go Deeper

    The tone of this Proverb is thick with urgency. The author is resolved to communicate the absolute necessity to not just momentarily listen to his instruction, but to make sure his listener forever holds onto what they’ve heard. He says phrases like “pay attention”, “take hold of my words with all your heart”, “do not forget my words”. All of this communicates that this wisdom is both important, and easily ignored. Many people will not live in the way of wisdom and it will keep them from living in the way that life is meant to be lived. The author here is adamant that there is a path that leads to pain and a path that leads to peace. You cannot just live your own truth and find a steady path. It is only along the path of the righteous that people will find a life that gets better and better. This is why when you hear true wisdom, it must be guarded like it is a pearl of great price.

    Since the writer is so insistent that we listen, we need to be honest with our ability to forget. Unless we take Biblical wisdom seriously, we will fall prey to the “wisdom” of the world. Every day we are inundated with thoughts and perspectives that come in opposition to Scripture. If we are to walk along the right paths, we need to be absolutely sure which wisdom is true and which is false. If we do not guard our doctrine closely we will be prone to traveling along the roads of the unrighteous. These paths are not just incorrect, but dangerous. 

    Embracing Biblical wisdom also means assuming that you do not already possess all wisdom. Proverbs will tell us to do things that we don’t initially want to do. We must approach the Bible with a submissive and humble posture so we don’t just pick and choose the verses that we like. We must embrace the totality of Biblical wisdom, not just the catchy sayings. On our own, we will not choose the right path. However, with Scripture as our guide there are sure and steady paths available to those of us who will fight to listen. 

    Questions

    1. What does this chapter have to say about the benefits of wisdom?
    2. What do you think it means in verse 23 when the author says you must “guard your heart”?
    3. What keeps you from listening to and living out biblical wisdom?

    Keep Digging

    Check out this article from GotQuestions.org for more on what it means to guard your heart.

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    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

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  • Proverbs 3

    Proverbs 3

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the first 31 days of the year. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. If you missed the first day’s reading or are looking for an overview of the book, click here to catch up!

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Proverbs 3

    Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

    3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
        but keep my commands in your heart,
    2 for they will prolong your life many years
        and bring you peace and prosperity.

    3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
        bind them around your neck,
        write them on the tablet of your heart.
    4 Then you will win favor and a good name
        in the sight of God and man.

    5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
        and lean not on your own understanding;
    6 in all your ways submit to him,
        and he will make your paths straight.

    7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
        fear the Lord and shun evil.
    8 This will bring health to your body
        and nourishment to your bones.

    9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
        with the firstfruits of all your crops;
    10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
        and your vats will brim over with new wine.

    11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
        and do not resent his rebuke,
    12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
        as a father the son he delights in.

    13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
        those who gain understanding,
    14 for she is more profitable than silver
        and yields better returns than gold.
    15 She is more precious than rubies;
        nothing you desire can compare with her.
    16 Long life is in her right hand;
        in her left hand are riches and honor.
    17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
        and all her paths are peace.
    18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
        those who hold her fast will be blessed.

    19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
        by understanding he set the heavens in place;
    20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
        and the clouds let drop the dew.

    21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
        preserve sound judgment and discretion;
    22 they will be life for you,
        an ornament to grace your neck.
    23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
        and your foot will not stumble.
    24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
        when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
    25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
        or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
    26 for the Lord will be at your side
        and will keep your foot from being snared.

    27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
        when it is in your power to act.
    28 Do not say to your neighbor,
        “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
        when you already have it with you.
    29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
        who lives trustfully near you.
    30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
        when they have done you no harm.

    31 Do not envy the violent
        or choose any of their ways.

    32 For the Lord detests the perverse
        but takes the upright into his confidence.
    33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
        but he blesses the home of the righteous.
    34 He mocks proud mockers
        but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
    35 The wise inherit honor,
        but fools get only shame.

    Go Deeper

    In Proverbs 3, we see Solomon’s continued instructions on how to live a wise and righteous life. On the surface it might seem as if this chapter is all over the place, but we can actually pick up on a pattern that is threaded from the beginning to end of Proverbs 3. Throughout this chapter Solomon outlines sets of instructions followed by the benefits of following those instructions. Some of these instructions involve submitting to wisdom, receiving God’s discipline, and how we should interact with the people around us that God has placed in our lives. 

    Towards the beginning of this chapter, we see one of the most recognizable passages in all of Proverbs. Let’s re-read these often-memorized words of Proverbs 3:5-6:

    5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart    
    and lean not on your own understanding;
    6 in all your ways submit to him, 
    and he will make your paths straight.

    If you have spent much time in church at all, you have probably heard those words before (and maybe even heard a sermon or two about them). Most of us want to trust in the Lord with all our heart. But how? How do we do it when the seemingly powerful voices of the world around us are consistently nudging us to lean on our own understanding? 

    First, we have to acknowledge how little of the big picture we’re able to see. As much as we wish our understanding of the world was even remotely equivalent to God’s, 1 Corinthians 1:25 says, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” Our understanding is often driven by how we feel, not necessarily what we know to be true about God.

    Secondly, we submit to him in all of our ways–both the large and small. If we wake up each day and submit each appointment, meeting, conversation, and interaction to God (no matter how significant or insignificant it might seem), we develop the muscle of living faithfully. The more we learn to live faithfully in the small parts of our lives, the more natural it will become for us to live faithfully in all parts of our lives. 

    Questions

    1. On your first read through this chapter, which verse(s) stuck out most to you? Why? 
    2. How has your own understanding led you astray? 
    3. What are some ways you need to submit your ways (large or small) to God today?

    By the Way

    Verse 3 instructs the listener to “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” This passage is reminiscent of the shema from Deuteronomy 6:5, where the Israelites are told, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” They are also instructed a couple of verses later to write those instructions on their hands and to bind them to their foreheads. The principle for us from both passages is simple: We should be marked by our devotion to Jesus and we need to constantly find ways to remind ourselves of that devotion.

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  • Proverbs 2

    Proverbs 2

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the first 31 days of the year. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. If you missed yesterday’s reading or are looking for an overview of the book, click here to catch up!

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Proverbs 2

    Moral Benefits of Wisdom

    My son, if you accept my words
        and store up my commands within you,
    2 turning your ear to wisdom
        and applying your heart to understanding—
    3 indeed, if you call out for insight
        and cry aloud for understanding,
    4 and if you look for it as for silver
        and search for it as for hidden treasure,
    5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
        and find the knowledge of God.
    6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
        from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
    7 He holds success in store for the upright,
        he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
    8 for he guards the course of the just
        and protects the way of his faithful ones.

    9 Then you will understand what is right and just
        and fair—every good path.
    10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
        and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
    11 Discretion will protect you,
        and understanding will guard you.

    12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
        from men whose words are perverse,
    13 who have left the straight paths
        to walk in dark ways,
    14 who delight in doing wrong
        and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
    15 whose paths are crooked
        and who are devious in their ways.

    16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
        from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
    17 who has left the partner of her youth
        and ignored the covenant she made before God.
    18 Surely her house leads down to death
        and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
    19 None who go to her return
        or attain the paths of life.

    20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
        and keep to the paths of the righteous.
    21 For the upright will live in the land,
        and the blameless will remain in it;
    22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
        and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

    Go Deeper

    The NIV translation titles this section of Scripture “Moral Benefits to Wisdom.” In other words, Proverbs 2 is telling us why wisdom really matters. If we know that the book of Proverbs is an entire book on wisdom, then we must understand why seeking wisdom matters to know the value this part of Scripture holds.

    Proverbs 2:5 tells us that if we search for wisdom, “… then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Why does wisdom matter to us? Because it helps us know God more. Wisdom is when our eyes are opened to who God is and what God sees, changing the way we live our lives.

    This chapter also reminds us that wisdom comes from God, and that He freely gives us wisdom when we seek it. He doesn’t withhold wisdom, giving it only to specific people, but wants each of us to know him and trust him. God invites us into Scripture so that we can understand more of His heart toward us, so we can walk with Him, and so we can experience abundant life. Psalm 119:68 says, “You are good and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.” As we walk in knowing God more, our eyes are opened to His goodness on display around us.

    Through gaining wisdom, we look different and live differently than the world. We walk in a way that reflects God to the world around us, seeking justice and righteousness. With wisdom, we are able to discern between what is evil and a distorted image of God, and live out God’s best. Wisdom allows us to experience the abundant goodness of God, and it allows others to see God through us. Proverbs 2 tells us that “discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” Through wisdom, God invites us into seeing the world the way He sees it. While we do not see and know all that God can see and know, wisdom is a piece of His right perspective that gives us hope and trust as we wait for His complete redemption. This hope guards us as we walk and wait for Christ’s return.

    Through the book of Proverbs, may our eyes be opened to know more of who God is and His heart toward us. May we seek Him and gain wisdom to live as salt and light in the dark world around us.

    Questions

    1. What does this passage teach you about God? What does it teach you about humanity?
    2. While reading through the book of Proverbs, how can you be intentional about seeking wisdom?
    3. How have you seen the benefit of wisdom in your life or in someone else’s life?

    Keep Digging

    Check out this article from GotQuestions.org that gives us a deeper dive into the importance of godly wisdom.

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  • Proverbs 1

    Proverbs 1

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    As we begin a new year, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the next 31 days. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. 

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Proverbs Overview

    The book of Proverbs, similar to Psalms and Ecclesiastes, is categorized as wisdom literature in the Bible. Written (mostly) by King Solomon, the son of King David, this book is full of sayings, instructions, and principles meant to tell its readers how to live. While other books might focus on deep theological truths (like Romans) or outline a historical narrative (like Genesis or Acts), this book is full of practical guidance. While Proverbs doesn’t necessarily give us an exhaustive list of what to do and not to do, it does give us principles to live by. 

    The origin of this book takes place in 1 Kings 3 when Solomon, with humility, asked God for wisdom in leading the Kingdom of Israel. God ultimately granted Solomon wisdom (along with more wealth and material possessions than anyone on earth–but for more on that, read Ecclesiastes). As this book unfolds, you’ll see that wisdom on display through practical sayings and entire chapters overflowing with images and metaphors.

    Chuck Swindoll, a pastor and theologian, said this about understanding Proverbs: 

    “Proverbs contains some of the most applicable nuggets of truth in all of the Bible. Most of the proverbs are pithy statements brimming over with imagery from the real world. This approach allows us to see very clearly how any particular proverb might be applied to any number of everyday situations we encounter—from getting out of bed in the morning to building a strong foundation in our relationships with others.”

    As we read this book to begin a new year, note that we are going to go straight through with new readings each day, skipping our normal Sunday rest day format. Some days we’ll focus on the whole of what’s happening in a chapter, while other days it may be as simple as a sentence or two that we can all apply to our lives. As you read, take notes. Highlight the proverbs that stick out most to you. Commit some of them to memory. Most importantly, ask God to grow your understanding of Him through these words that we will read together over the next 31 days. 

    Read Proverbs 1

    Purpose and Theme

    1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

    2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
        for understanding words of insight;
    3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
        doing what is right and just and fair;
    4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a]
        knowledge and discretion to the young—
    5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
        and let the discerning get guidance—
    6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
        the sayings and riddles of the wise.[b]

    7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
        but fools[c] despise wisdom and instruction.

    Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

    Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

    8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
        and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
    9 They are a garland to grace your head
        and a chain to adorn your neck.

    10 My son, if sinful men entice you,
        do not give in to them.
    11 If they say, “Come along with us;
        let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
        let’s ambush some harmless soul;
    12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
        and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
    13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
        and fill our houses with plunder;
    14 cast lots with us;
        we will all share the loot”—
    15 my son, do not go along with them,
        do not set foot on their paths;
    16 for their feet rush into evil,
        they are swift to shed blood.
    17 How useless to spread a net
        where every bird can see it!
    18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
        they ambush only themselves!
    19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
        it takes away the life of those who get it.

    Wisdom’s Rebuke

    20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
        she raises her voice in the public square;
    21 on top of the wall[d] she cries out,
        at the city gate she makes her speech:

    22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
        How long will mockers delight in mockery
        and fools hate knowledge?
    23 Repent at my rebuke!
        Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
        I will make known to you my teachings.
    24 But since you refuse to listen when I call
        and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
    25 since you disregard all my advice
        and do not accept my rebuke,
    26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
        I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
    27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
        when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
        when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

    28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
        they will look for me but will not find me,
    29 since they hated knowledge
        and did not choose to fear the Lord.
    30 Since they would not accept my advice
        and spurned my rebuke,
    31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
        and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
    32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
        and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
    33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
        and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

    Go Deeper

    The book of Proverbs begins with an explanation for why the book was written in the first place. Solomon begins in verses 2-6 explaining some of the practical purposes of understanding the following proverbs, then he gets to the thesis statement of the book in verse 7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Fearing the Lord means having a reverence and humility for who God is and an understanding that He holds all things together. If we will humbly submit and follow Him, wisdom and knowledge will follow. The foolish, however, reject God’s ways and live as the world does.

    The second section of this chapter (v. 8-19) continues to set up the book by warning against the enticement of sin. Solomon, as we know from other Old Testament narrative books, at times throughout his life rejected wise and righteous living to chase what the world had to offer him. He chased pleasure and every other worldly desire. In the same way, we too can look to the world to fulfill our desires when we feel like God is moving too slowly or that sin is more enticing than pursuing the life God has called us to live. The wise, however, flee sin because they know that it ultimately leads to death. 

    The final section of this chapter (v. 20-33) introduces a metaphor that is used throughout this book. Wisdom is personified as a beautiful woman, shouting loud enough for anyone to hear. But we know that not everyone listens to wisdom and we know that not everyone heeds her instructions. Let that be a reminder to us as we begin this study of Proverbs: We can choose to grow in wisdom this year. We can read these 31 chapters and find the principles that we need to learn and apply them to our lives, or we can choose to foolishly reject wisdom and chase after the world. Which will you choose?

    Questions

    1. Who is the wisest person you know personally? Why would you say it’s that person and what has informed their worldview?
    2. What does it look like for you to fear the Lord?
    3. When was a time that you chased sin and ultimately dealt with the consequences of it like Solomon talks about in verses 8-19?

    Watch This

    For a really helpful overview of the book of Proverbs, check out this video from The Bible Project!

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  • 2022 Year In Review

    2022 Year In Review

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    Beginning January 1, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the next 31 days. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. 

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    2022 Year in Review

    We covered a lot of ground in 2022 through the Bible Reading Plan! If you have followed along with us since January, we have read through 21 different books this year (plus different Gospel accounts throughout Holy Week). Here are the books we covered (in order) this year from January 1-December 31:

    • Job
    • Obadiah
    • Hosea
    • Ruth
    • Titus
    • Judges
    • Holy Week readings (primarily in Mark)
    • Ephesians
    • Amos
    • Jonah
    • Micah
    • Lamentations
    • Colossians
    • 1 & 2 Kings
    • Jude
    • Song of Songs
    • 1 & 2 Peter
    • Leviticus 
    • Matthew 
    • Isaiah

    Our breakdown this year was 82% Old Testament vs. 18% New Testament. This year we continued to bounce back and forth between the Old and New Testaments, giving us a clearer picture of how each book (and type of literature) points us to the common thread throughout scripture: God had a plan to redeem a broken world through Jesus. 

    Some of the books we read were cautionary warnings from prophets that are as applicable to us today as they were to their original audiences. The weighty stories in Job and Judges revealed the brokenness in the world around us. Our New Testament readings gave us eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s time on earth and helped develop our theology of who Jesus was and why the Gospel is good news for us.

    In his book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, author and theologian Eugene Peterson says this about the scriptures:

    “No literature is more realistic and honest in facing the harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempts us from difficulties. What it promises is preservation from all the evil in them. On every page of the Bible there is recognition that faith encounters troubles.”

    Hopefully, through our readings this year, you have found that statement to be true and have felt the Bible come alive in new and fresh ways. Even in the chapters that felt hard to read or understand, we can trust that God is still speaking to us today through His inspired Word. 

    Before we look ahead to next year, it’s helpful to pause and reflect on what God taught us this year. Think through (and please answer in the comments!) the following questions:

      1. Which character or story in scripture that we read this year sticks out the most? Why?
      2. What did you learn about God’s Word in 2022 that you didn’t previously know?
      3. If you were to summarize what God taught you this year into a word or phrase, what would it be?
      4. What is your prayer for 2023? What do you hope God teaches you in the upcoming year? 

    As we look ahead to next year, we’ll begin the year studying the book of Proverbs through the month of January. If this resource has been helpful to you, please share it with others! We want to continue to make it freely available to any individuals, small groups, and churches that may find it to be helpful. 

    Whether you have been following along since day one or joined us somewhere along the way, we hope that the BRP has helped you know, understand, and love God’s Word more. It is our hope that the BRP is helpful to you as you grow in your relationship with Jesus.

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  • Isaiah 64

    Isaiah 64

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    Read Isaiah 64

    64 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
        that the mountains would tremble before you!
    2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
        and causes water to boil,
    come down to make your name known to your enemies
        and cause the nations to quake before you!
    3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
        you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
    4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
        no ear has perceived,
    no eye has seen any God besides you,
        who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
    5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
        who remember your ways.
    But when we continued to sin against them,
        you were angry.
        How then can we be saved?
    6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
        and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
    we all shrivel up like a leaf,
        and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
    7 No one calls on your name
        or strives to lay hold of you;
    for you have hidden your face from us
        and have given us over to our sins.

     

    8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
        We are the clay, you are the potter;
        we are all the work of your hand.
    9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
        do not remember our sins forever.
    Oh, look on us, we pray,
        for we are all your people.
    10 Your sacred cities have become a wasteland;
        even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation.
    11 Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors praised you,
        has been burned with fire,
        and all that we treasured lies in ruins.
    12 After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?
        Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?

    Go Deeper

    This chapter continues with Israel’s prayer as they plead with the Lord to “look down from heaven” and deliver the believing remnants. The lamenting people appeal for divine favor, remember God’s past faithfulness, and confess their unworthiness before Him. The Israelites had received favor from God, yet they turned their backs on Him and worshiped false gods. God claimed their righteous deeds to be unclean. Isaiah is aware that the natural human condition is uncleanliness. In Isaiah’s vision in chapter 6, he declares, “I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (6:5). When Isaiah gets a glimpse of God’s holiness, he clearly sees the uncleanliness of himself and of the people. This is the same language used in the book of Leviticus, that the people’s uncleanliness caused separation between them and God. 

    In this chapter, the remnant of Israel confessed their unworthiness before the Lord. They say that “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away” (v. 6). The Isrealites found their confidence in their own self-righteousness, and God compared their righteousness to “filthy rags.” Our good deeds are tainted by our sinful motives. Romans tell us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (3:23). Our sin makes us unclean and unworthy to be in a relationship with Him (v. 6). We can not escape our brokenness on our own, and our good acts can not save us. Martin Luther once said that “the most damnable and pernicious heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man was the idea that somehow he could make himself good enough to deserve to live with an all-holy God.” Everything we do for a holy God is polluted by our sin. There is nothing we can ever do to work our way up to Him. 

    But God, because of His great love, sent His one and only Son to save us from the power of sin and death. Jesus came into this world and took the humble position of a servant. He lived the life that we could never live and died the death that we deserve, so that by believing in Him, we can have a relationship with God forever. Every single one of Jesus’ acts were righteous and pure. He knew that we could never live a perfect life on our own. Jesus paid the price for our sin, so that we can be declared righteous before the Lord. He did the work on our behalf. 

    We can’t earn our way into Heaven. We can not work to be justified. If we had to work our way to get to God, either Jesus died for nothing, or His death was insufficient to cover our sins. Jesus saved us, not by works we have done in righteousness, but according to His own mercy (Titus 3:5). Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” We respond to the free gift of salvation by our works, but our works will never save us. We get to walk in the freedom of this reality, and that is good news for us today!

    Questions

    1. What are some ways that you try to work to receive favor with God? 
    2. What does this chapter teach you about the character of man?
    3. Who is someone you can share this good news with today?

    Keep Digging

    Isaiah 64:6 says that “all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags”, but why? And what does that even mean? Check out this helpful article from GotQuestions.org!

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  • Isaiah 63

    Isaiah 63

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    Beginning January 1, we’ll be studying the book of Proverbs for the next 31 days. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2023. 

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    Read Isaiah 63

    God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

    63 Who is this coming from Edom,
        from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
    Who is this, robed in splendor,
        striding forward in the greatness of his strength?

    “It is I, proclaiming victory,
        mighty to save.”

    2 Why are your garments red,
        like those of one treading the winepress?

    3 “I have trodden the winepress alone;
        from the nations no one was with me.
    I trampled them in my anger
        and trod them down in my wrath;
    their blood spattered my garments,
        and I stained all my clothing.
    4 It was for me the day of vengeance;
        the year for me to redeem had come.
    5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
        I was appalled that no one gave support;
    so my own arm achieved salvation for me,
        and my own wrath sustained me.
    6 I trampled the nations in my anger;
        in my wrath I made them drunk
        and poured their blood on the ground.”

    Praise and Prayer

    7 I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord,
        the deeds for which he is to be praised,
        according to all the Lord has done for us—
    yes, the many good things
        he has done for Israel,
        according to his compassion and many kindnesses.
    8 He said, “Surely they are my people,
        children who will be true to me”;
        and so he became their Savior.
    9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
        and the angel of his presence saved them.
    In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
        he lifted them up and carried them
        all the days of old.
    10 Yet they rebelled
        and grieved his Holy Spirit.
    So he turned and became their enemy
        and he himself fought against them.

    11 Then his people recalled the days of old,
        the days of Moses and his people—
    where is he who brought them through the sea,
        with the shepherd of his flock?
    Where is he who set
        his Holy Spirit among them,
    12 who sent his glorious arm of power
        to be at Moses’ right hand,
    who divided the waters before them,
        to gain for himself everlasting renown,
    13 who led them through the depths?
    Like a horse in open country,
        they did not stumble;
    14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
        they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord.
    This is how you guided your people
        to make for yourself a glorious name.

    15 Look down from heaven and see,
        from your lofty throne, holy and glorious.
    Where are your zeal and your might?
        Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
    16 But you are our Father,
        though Abraham does not know us
        or Israel acknowledge us;
    you, Lord, are our Father,
        our Redeemer from of old is your name.
    17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander from your ways
        and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?
    Return for the sake of your servants,
        the tribes that are your inheritance.
    18 For a little while your people possessed your holy place,
        but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
    19 We are yours from of old;
        but you have not ruled over them,
        they have not been called by your name.

    Go Deeper

    Commentator Warren Wiersbe explains, “Whenever a prophet foretold the future, it was to awaken the people to their responsibilities in the present. Bible prophecy isn’t entertainment for the curious; it’s encouragement for the serious.” This is a great explanation of what’s happening in Isaiah 63.

    In the first six verses of this chapter, Isaiah gives a prophecy of the great Second Coming, and it seems to have done its job in awakening the Israelites to their situation. Isaiah reminds them that not only will their Messiah come to save them through His birth and resurrection, He will come again in vengeance to proclaim ultimate and eternal victory. 

    We see in the verses following this prophecy that the Israelites begin to recount all of the ways that God has provided and cared for them. This was the God that redeemed them, saved them from Egypt, and brought them across the depths of the Red Sea. This was the God that called them His children and who guided them safely through enemy territory. And yet, they had “rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit.” (v. 10).

    Isaiah’s prophetic words and warnings seem to awaken their love for God and encourage their devotion to Him, because the chapter concludes with a prayer to Him in recognition of His glory. They acknowledge the need for His mercy and grace and beg for Him to no longer withhold His tenderness and compassion from them. 

    We will see this prayer continue through Isaiah 64 tomorrow and then read how God answers the Israelites in Isaiah 65. But for today, we can learn by putting ourselves in their shoes. We can spend time thinking about the future Second Coming and ultimate victory that we are promised, so that it awakens us to our current responsibilities. Instead of curiously reading this for entertainment, we can recognize the encouragement it provides. The very same God that brought the Israelites across the desert, also has a promised land for us. 

    He is still capable of making the impossible possible. He is still able to and delights in moving the unmovable. He forgives the unforgivable, and He loves the unlovable. He finds joy in making the unknown known. He is the Father to the fatherless, and Hope for the hopeless. Today as we focus on His character, ask Him to realign your heart with His and awaken your love and devotion to Him just as He did for the Israelites. 

    Questions

    1. What characteristics of God mean the most to you?
    2. What sea do you need God to part for you right now? Spend time being honest with Him about this need.
    3. How has God shown you His steadfast love (Isaiah 63:7), and how can you offer your gratitude to Him?

    A Quote

    “It is good to pause in our lives and just recount the steadfast love of the Lord. The praises of the Lord according to all the Lord has granted us.” – David Platt

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