Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 36, Ecclesiastes 7-8
Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 ESV — Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.
Being Patient in the Trials – FormerAtheist58
Psalm 126:5-6 ESV — Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
1 Peter 1:3-9, 13 ESV — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls…. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I will Wait for You (Psalm 130) – Shane and Shane
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 35, Ecclesiastes 4-6
Getting personal here.
A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
Ecclesiastes 6:3 CSB
A Stillborn Baby is Better Off? – FormerAtheist58
Be Still my Soul – Sounds like Reign
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 33, Ecclesiastes 1
Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us.
Ecclesiastes 1:10 ESV
None of us – not Elon Musk, not Bill Gates, not President Trump or Charlie Kirk or Billy Graham – can make anything truly NEW. But I know someone who can. Do you know Him?
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5 ESV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
All Things – Sovereign Grace
Vanity of Vanities – Nothing is NEW under the Sun – FormerAtheist58
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 6, 1 Chronicles 3-4
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 ESV — Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 2, Romans 13
Personally, I don’t often struggle with obeying America’s government authorities. I agree that I should obey the speed limit and make a complete stop at a stop sign. I agree that I shouldn’t steal or murder or lie in court.
My government allows me to freely worship and to teach my children all the ins and outs of our Christian faith. When I was a homeschooling parent, my state’s laws allowed me the freedom to choose any curriculum I believed to be appropriate for my children, and now as a director for a local LifeWise program, I’m honored to be able to help public school children learn the Bible even during hours with parental permission.
But what would I do if I lived in a nation that forbade such practices?
What if my country regulated what pastors were allowed to say from the pulpit?
What if my country said I wasn’t allowed to teach my children the Bible or take them to church?
What if my country banned prayer altogether, even a child’s silent prayer before eating lunch or taking a test?
What if my nation wouldn’t allow me to choose a private Christian school or a Christian homeschooling curriculum?
What if my government banned homeschooling altogether?
When would I say, “I must obey God rather than men,” (Acts 5:29) and refuse to submit to the government’s orders?
Many of our brothers and sisters in other nations are currently wrestling with these issues, and I’m afraid many of these issues are on the horizon for us as well. Please join me in prayer.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the freedom that we in America have enjoyed for hundreds of years, the freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth, the freedom to teach our children the Word with passion and conviction. I pray that we would make the most of this freedom while we have it. I pray that we would not give up meeting together, and that we would teach our children diligently, verse by verse and precept upon precept. I pray for our brothers and sisters in other nations who do not enjoy these freedoms. I pray that You would give them wisdom about when to submit and when to refuse. Help them to have genuine love for their enemies and to overcome evil with good. Help them to remember that Your Word is their most powerful weapon. Please, Father, fight their battles for them and shelter them under Your wings. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Romans 13:8-14 ESV
What do I think about night after night, day after day? Am I thinking about loving and obeying God or loving and obeying my own fleshly lusts?
Before coming to faith in Christ, sexual immorality was a normal part of my life, but by God’s grace those chains have been broken. But what about quarrelling and jealousy? What about selfishness and gluttony? What about laziness and pride?
Am I putting on Jesus Christ every morning, clothing myself with His righteousness? Or am I still walking in the lusts of my flesh?
Am I loving the Lord by loving my neighbor? Or do I simply “love me some ME“?
Again, the Word brings conviction and forces me to ask hard questions about how I’m living and where my treasure and pleasure are found – in Christ or in created things, in the Word or in the World?
Heavenly Father, You are my greatest treasure. Your Word is both convicting and comforting. I need Your help to live a pure, holy life. Please speak deep into my heart, that I would live for You and not for me, that I would follow You rather than my flesh. I know that Your ways are good and good for me. Please help me to trust You moment by moment and walk in the obedience of faith. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. Amen.
Found It in Jesus – Stephen McWhirter and Matt Maher
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 30, Romans 10
Dear friends, if you are reading this and have not yet bowed the knee to Jesus, let me appeal to you. Turn to Him today and be saved. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, left the glories of heaven, took on human flesh, was born as a human baby, lived a perfect and sinless life, performed numerous miracles before thousands of eye witnesses, taught with authority explaining the way of salvation by faith in the One true God. He died on a Roman cross to pay the punishment for the sins of humans like you and me, making a way – the only way – for man to be forgiven by a just and holy God, and now He invites us to trust in Him and be saved from the wrath of God.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 22, Romans 1
This one chapter addresses so many modern “hot-button” issues. Jesus is the only way to God. God created the universe. Homosexual relations are shameful acts. Whew! As Christians, we need to align ourselves with what God has clearly spoken, rather than bowing down under the waves of our culture.
We need to be prepared to answer when Satan whispers to us, “Did God actually say…” like he did to Eve in the garden of Eden many centuries ago. We may not have all the answers, but we need to know the Word. When someone asks you, “Where does God say that homosexuality is a sin?” or “Where does the Bible say that God created the world?” will you be able to answer them?
But, let me add a caveat here. As much as I want every Christian to be able to defend their position on these cultural issues, I even more deeply want every Christian to be able to share the gospel, clearly, concisely, and compellingly. Like Romans 1:16-17 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Please, friends, don’t expect people to believe in Biblical ethics if they haven’t trusted in Jesus and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. I remember so many times I argued with Christians about these very topics – all religions are equal, the universe is the product of evolution, homosexuality is a valid lifestyle choice – but I never heard the gospel.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16
Heavenly Father, please help us to be different from the culture of the world. Strengthen our faith that we will shine brightly in a dark world. Draw all men to Jesus as we lift Him high. Give us opportunities to proclaim the glorious good news of the gospel and help us to recognize those open doors. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
The Good News of Faith in Jesus – from a Former Atheist
My Testimony as a Former Atheist – The Importance of Sharing the Gospel as well as Follow-Up Discipleship
All of our Tomorrows – SovereignGraceMusic
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 21, Acts 27-28
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.
Proverbs 21:31 ESV
For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.
Acts 27:23-25 ESV
The Victory Belongs to the LORD, not YOU – FormerAtheist58
Battle Belongs – Phil Wickham
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 20, Acts 25-26
And [Paul] said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.”
Acts 26:15-20 ESV
Repent, Turn to God, Walk in Your New Life – FormerAtheist58
And Can It Be – Hymns of Grace
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Teach What is Good 
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