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Read Through the Bible in Two Years

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For the last several years, I have done a Read Through the Bible in One Year plan. I like plans like this that include a reading from the Old Testament and New Testament, plus a Psalm and Proverb. I think it’s important to read the entire Bible, every word of it, and I’m glad that I’ve done that.

But, I’ve found that the whole Bible in one year is a lot to absorb and it doesn’t give me much time to reflect and meditate on what I’ve read, so this year I decided I wanted to do a “Read Through the Bible in Two Years” plan. Simple enough, right? Nope.

So, I made my own and I’d love to have you join me.

The plan is set up to read through each book of the Bible from beginning to end, alternating between Old Testament and New Testament books. I tried to keep the Old Testament books in chronological order. For example, Job is read after Genesis and before Exodus. I also intentionally placed New Testament books with related Old Testament books to help us see the connections in the text. For example, Hebrews is read between Leviticus and Numbers. I love to read one chapter of Luke every day from December 1-24, so each year ends with reading the book of Luke.

You’ll also notice that the Bible reading plan is set up week by week rather than day by day. One week you will devote every day to the four chapters of Philippians. In this weekly format, you could read the whole book on the first day of the week, then reread little parts the other six days … or you could read half of each chapter every day. You decide. Another week you’re assigned to read fourteen chapters of Leviticus – you might read several chapters one day and just one chapter another. Having a week by week format allows you this flexibility, but still keeps you on target.

One more thing, Psalms and Proverbs are not included in this reading plan. This, too, is intentional. I suggest that you use three sticky notes. Place one sticky note wherever you are in the Two-Year-Bible-Reading-Plan, then place one in Psalms and one in Proverbs. Begin each day with a passage of Psalms, then a few verses in Proverbs, and end with your daily reading. Each day move your sticky notes as needed, so you’re ready for the next day.

I started Week 1 of year 2 today, Monday, January 1, 2024. Who wants to join me?

Follow me on Instagram: kim_endraske or YouTube: http://www.YouTube.com/formeratheist58

You’re welcome to share this reading plan, but please include my reference info, and don’t charge for it.

TEACH-WHAT-IS-GOOD-readthroughthebiblein2yearsweekbyweek-1Download

God Can Restore the Years the Locusts Have Eaten. Thoughts from Joel.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Joel 1-3

Twenty years have passed since I first heard Bev Bradley’s talk titled, “Loving and Teaching the Difficult Child.” I was in the thick of homeschooling my two oldest children along with taking care of a toddler. Mrs. Bradley shared from her heart about how much she had damaged her son (and her relationship with him) through harsh words and critical attitude.

I remember how often I reacted with sinful anger when my child absolutely, positively refused to obey my commands. I remember how often I spanked and shouted and screamed in anger, sin upon sin, in my attempts to get this child to comply. I walked around with a perpetual chip on my shoulder. I was angry at my husband, angry at my child, angry at the world. And underneath it all, I was angry at God. 

Why had He done this to me? Why had He given me this difficult, disobedient child?

I went to Mrs. Bradley’s talk looking for some tips for training my child to obey, and I left with a dagger in my heart. Her words brought conviction of sin. I finally saw the log in my own eye, how much my own anger was contributing to this ongoing battle between two very strong-willed individual sinners. It was a turning point in my life as a mom.

But I also remember
Mrs. Bradley’s words,
“The Lord is restoring the years that the locusts have eaten.”

At the time I wasn’t familiar with the book of Joel. I thought she was referring to the locust plague that God sent on Egypt in Moses’s day, but still, those words encouraged me that it wasn’t too late, that there was still hope.

So I began to pray for that. I began to ask God to do that for me and my child, my family, to restore and heal the barrenness that my sharp tongue had caused.

Lord, please, will You please restore the years that the locusts have eaten?

Give me a new heart. Help me to be patient and kind. Help me to discipline with tenderness and righteousness. Keep my tongue from evil. Forgive me. Do a new thing in our family, Father, please. I need You. My family needs You. Please help us!

I wish I could say that things changed overnight, but that wouldn’t be true. I was still struggling and so was my child, but year after year, the Lord has grown us both. He gave me beauty for ashes and seedlings have sprouted in a desert land.

God has taught us more about the nature of love – that love and forgiveness and grace are intricately woven together.

Resurrection Sunday – Preaching a Gospel of Repentance and Forgiveness

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He’s Alive – Don Francisco

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 3:1-12 ESV

As he [Jesus] said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.“

Luke 11:27-32 ESV

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him [Jesus] both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Acts 2:36-39 ESV

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Acts 17:24-31 ESV

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Romans 2:4-8 ESV

A Free Slave. Thoughts from 1 Peter 2.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Peter 2.

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

1 Peter 2:16 ESV

The Christian faith is full of impossibilities. One God in three persons. A man who is God. An omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God.

Likewise, the Christian life is full of impossibilities. Walking by faith in a God you cannot see. Dying that you may live. And here, living as a free slave.

God is my master. He owns me. He bought me, not with temporary things like silver or gold, but with the most precious blood of the Lamb of God.  (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Yet, He invites me to walk in the joy and power of freedom, with my head held high and the shackles of sin that once held me captive forever broken and cast into the sea.

Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty. I’m free at last!

Oh, but I’m still a slave, slave to the Most High, Most Holy Ruler of the Universe, slave to Almighty God who tells me to die to myself that I might live for Him.

I’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is Good, and I want to be His slave. I have willingly given my life to Him and again and again I say, “Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord, for Thee.”

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.


Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.


Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.


Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.


Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.


Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

“Take My Life and Let It Be”
Story Behind the Hymn

A 1 Peter 1 Prayer

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Peter 1

Heavenly Father, Blessed be Your Name. Praise You, Father, the giver of abundant mercy and new life and living hope. Thank You for that  incorruptible, undefiled, unfading inheritance that is waiting for me!

Help me to fix my eyes on that promise, though now trials of various kinds assail me. I know that these trials are necessary as well as temporary, and I know that my faith will come out more pure and brilliant and certain because of them.

Thank You for the blessing of faith. It is a good and gracious gift to believe in You, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, though I have never seen You. I know that one day my faith will be sight, and I will behold Your glory face to face. What a glorious day that will be! In the meantime,

Father, help me to be sober minded and steadfast, with my mind prepared for action, fixing my hope permanently and unwaveringly on Jesus Christ. Keep my heart, mind, and body from sin, idolatry, pride, and covetousness. Make me Your obedient child. I want to be holy as You are holy.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Lord, I pray. Amen.

Mark 16: God’s Word is Trustworthy and True

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 16

When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome arrive at Jesus’s tomb, they were alarmed to see the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. They discovered an angel sitting in the tomb who said to them,

“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

Mark 16:6-7 ESV

This week in my study of Joshua for Community Bible Study, I’ve been thinking a lot about telling the truth. That led me to thinking about God and His Word being 100% true and trustworthy. And like my March 17 post, here we have it again, Jesus tells the truth. He is trustworthy. He isn’t like Lucy with Charlie Brown and a football, saying one thing, only to change His mind a minute later. If God said it, you can believe it.

“Every word of God proves true.” (Proverbs 30:5a)

If you want to have your faith strengthened, take a little time today to watch this video titled “Jericho Unearthed” from Expedition Bible about the archaeological findings at Jericho.

Heavenly Father, You have told us what is true. You have given us Your Word that we might know You and follow You by faith, being fully convinced of what we cannot see. You are trustworthy and Your Word is true. Strengthen us to believe You and obey You, even when it’s hard and even when it’s scary. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ who is the truth, the life, and the only way to You. Amen.

Mark 15: The Curtain has been Torn

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 15

My son has three big windows in his bedroom. During the day, when the curtains are pulled back, light streams into his room. We have to cover them with 2″ wooden blinds as well as thick room-darkening blinds so that he can sleep past sunrise.

The Most Holy Place in the temple was separated by a 40 foot long curtain which was miraculously torn from top to bottom at the moment of the death of Jesus Christ.

And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Mark 15:37-38 ESV

The book of Hebrews explains more about the significance of this event.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:11-15 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…

Hebrews 10:19-22a ESV

Are you refusing to come into the light and be saved, wanting to keep the curtains closed, though they’ve been torn?

Do you want to keep sleeping, though the Savior is calling, “Arise, my love, arise’?

Listen, friend, the time has come to wake up, to step into the light, to put off the deeds of darkness and be clothed in the light of Christ. Come to Jesus today!

Arise, my Love
Softly and Tenderly

Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Your Only Begotten Son to make a way back to You, to be my Mediator and Redeemer and Savior. Please, Father, draw all men to Yourself. Take the blinders from their eyes. Open their ears. Soften their hearts. For the glory of Your Name in all the earth. Amen.

Mark 14: True or False.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 14.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me God.

Jesus always and only told the truth.

If He said one of the twelve disciples was going to betray Him, it was so. If He said He would not drink of the vine until He drank it again in the kingdom of God, it was so. If He said, “See, my betrayer is at hand,” it was so.

But Jesus didn’t only speak the truth prophetically. Jesus spoke the truth personally, without exaggeration or hype or grandstanding or posing. He simply spoke truth. The whole truth. And sometimes He simply held His tongue and didn’t say a thing.

I want to be more like Jesus, telling the truth without exaggerating, without twisting or shaping it to make it look nicer, or to make me look better. How about you?

Heavenly Father, Your Word is truth. Every word of Your Word is true. If You said it, we can believe it. We never have to question or doubt what You said. You never exaggerate. You never tried to make Yourself into something You’re not. Please, Father, I want to be more like You. Help me to be content in my weakness, knowing that my weakness glorifies Your immense, almighty, perfect power. Help me to not hide from You, for I trust that You already know all of me. Keep me from the fear of man. Keep me from wanting to show off and win the praise and approval of man. I want to live for Your praise and approval, not theirs. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Lord, my Judge, and my Friend. Amen.

Mark 13: Be On Guard. Keep Awake.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 13.

Be on guard, keep awake.
For you do not know
when the time will come.

Mark 13:33 ESV

When I was little, my parents would sometimes get a babysitter and go out for a late night by themselves. I would try so hard to stay awake in bed until they got home, but I was usually unsuccessful. The following morning, I’d wake up disappointed that I’d missed hearing them come home.

In more recent years, I’ve had a similar, but opposite struggle, trying to stay awake until my teenage children come home. I usually just head to bed and my husband does “staying awake duty” for us both. Like the disciples Peter, James, and John in the garden of Gethsemane, I just can’t seem to stay up for my eyes are so very heavy.

Oh, but I don’t want to miss the return of Jesus! I want to be found watching and waiting with eyes wide open with eager expectation! I want to be on my guard like a watchman in the midst of a fierce battle. My brothers and sisters, my King, and my children, need me – and you – to stay awake. Let us not grow weary of well doing, knowing that in due season we will reap a bountiful harvest, if we do not give up! (Galatians 6:9)

Heavenly Father, Forgive us, please. Too many of Your children have fallen asleep on the job. We have forgotten that we’re in a battle. We have left our battle stations. We have quit watching for our King’s return. We have given up our posts and gone home to our warm beds. Forgive us for falling prey to our adversary’s schemes and temptations. Wake us up, Lord! Your army needs to be shaken awake! We need to hear the trumpet call crying, “I am coming soon! Make way for the return of Your King! Herald the good news to every corner of creation! Make straight the way of the Lord! Put on your armor and take up Your swords and shields, for the battle has already begun!” For Your glory and fame we pray this in the Name of King Jesus! Amen.

Midnight Cry

Mark 12: An Unbroken Thread of Loving God and Loving Others.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 12.

I’m trying to look at this chapter as a sum, a whole, a complete thought with an unbroken red thread running through it, rather than a bunch of little unrelated vignettes.

First, Jesus tells a parable about the owner of the vineyard who will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others, for the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and this was the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in His eyes.

And Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

And then Jesus said to some others, “Have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

And then a scribe asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” And after Jesus answered him, the scribe said, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that He is one, and there is no other besides Him. And to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 

Jesus saw that the scribe had answered wisely, yet later Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

And the chapter ends with Jesus praising a poor widow who gave everything she had to live on more than the rich who give large sums out of their abundance.

I see condemnation of pride and self-sufficiency, and praise of humility and trust in God. I see praise of love for God and others and condemnation of love of self. I see God wooing His people who come by faith and condemning those who come by pretense.

I want to come to the Lord on my knees, in humble gratitude for His mercy to me.

Heavenly Father, You are worth my all. Everything I have is from You. I want to give it all back to You. None of it belongs to me. None of it is mine. It’s all Yours. You are the eternal God, the God of the past, the present, and the future. I want to love You with my all and love others the way You have loved me. By Your power and strength and grace at work in me, I give myself back to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ my Savior and my God, I pray. Amen

Lord, I Give You my Heart. Shane and Shane.

Mark 11: Forgiven

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 11

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Mark 11:25 ESV

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace and mercy and forgiveness. You have forgiven me, not because I deserve it, not because I’ll never do it again, but because of the blood of Jesus shed on my behalf. Help me to trust You more, to trust that You are good and faithful, that You are sovereign Lord over heaven and earth. And as I trust You, help me to forgive others, to lay them once and for all at Your feet, to stop punishing them myself and let Your justice be enough. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Judge  and Ruler, I pray. Amen.