One Year Bible Reading and Commentary, January 1st God Creates the Heavens and the Earth, Matthew's Gospel - The Jewish Gospel!

 I hope you are as excited as I am to walk through the bible in One Year.

Below are the two links where you can either read or listen on online. If you have any problems feel free to email me at mfa9864@gmail.com

I would encourage you to read or listen to the passage before reading the commentary below. If you have additional insights please post in the comment section on the blog page! 

Let's get ready, 2022 is going to be the best year yet!

Audio Link:

One Year Bible Link

Link to the Readings:

January 1st Readings

Old Testament Reading - Genesis 1:1 - 2:25

It is great to start the new year with our Old Testament reading from the book of Genesis. The word "Genesis", means "beginnings". It is also one of my favorite rock bands. LOL As you read/listen to these verses note a couple of things. After God created each aspect of His Creation he said, "It is good!" When we take time to look at the earth, sun, moon and stars around us, we see what God created is indeed "Good". 

The problem is we have get so much messaging about what is "bad" in the world that the goodness of God's Creation gets lost. Take some time each day this year to look at God's creation and remember all of it is "Good" because it reflects His Divine handprint. Most of all Genesis tells us that we too are "good", because we were made in God's image! Take tme each day to remember you are "good" because you are made in God's image. The only true self esteem coming from knowing how God "esteems" you.  If we keep that in mind our identity will always be based on him and not anything or anyone else. Ah what a relief!

New Testament Reading - Matthew 1:1-2:12

The first book in the New Testament is the gospel of Matthew. Matthew was one of Jesus' disciples, and he was also called "Levi". He was a "tax collector". You may wonder why Matthew's gospel is the first book in the New Testament. Matthew' s gospel is the perfect first book because he connects the Old Testament with the New Testament. His purpose is to show that God has been faithful to the covenants he made with Israel to bless them and make their name great, and to provide a king forever thorugh the house and line of David. 

So while the Old Testament gives us the "First Adam", the New Testament is all about the Second Adam", Jesus Christ. We are born in the image of the first Adam and re-born in Jesus' image as a child of God.  Matthew meticulously gives Jesus' genealogy from Abraham to David and then all the way to Joseph the father of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus the Messiah. 

Throughout the gospel of Matthew, we will see how he connects the Old Testament promises with the fulfillment of those promises the person and work of Jesus. This is why his gospel is often called the "Jewish gospel". 

Psalm 1:1-6

This is the perfect psalm to start out with because the psalmist takes about the benefit of reading God's Word, the bible. He says that those who meditate on God's word day and night are like a stream of water planted along a river bank, which bears fruit which never withers. Then he makes an astonishing statement, "Whatever they do prospers" 

Why because the meditate on God's word all day long and put it into practice. Do you want to have a prosperous New Year. Let's stick together in God's Word each day and have our best and most fruit bearing year ever. And remember this fruit does not wither but lasts forever. When you put God's Word to practice you are making an eternal impact. 

Proverbs 1:1-6

The Proverbs are written by and large by King Solomon. When God asked Solomon what gift he wanted, he asked for wisdom, which pleased God greatly. We can learn a lot from these pithy little sayings that are the wisdom of God for us and for our family. 

Here is a great summary from our reading today, 

"Their purpose of the proverbs is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,  to help them do what is right, just, and fair."

Wisdom is seeing things from God's perspective! As we read through 31 chapters of the Proverbs, they will give us insight so we can live our lives from God's perspective, not perspective of the world.

Congrats!  We are done with Day 1 of reading through the bible together. GREAT JOB!

See you tomorrow! 





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