2021 Study

1.25.21

I’m humbled circumstances have worked to the point that you are reading this.  My reason for writing this blog is simple, I hope that through sharing my personal journey in this study others might be encouraged, learn, or generally be aided in spending more time with God through His Word. 

For 2021 I personally want to be more faithful in sharing my weekly walk with Christ and I will be using this blog style platform as a means of both accountability and transparency to anyone whom might find my personal journey helpful.  If you are looking for a reading plan I will provide a detailed weekly outline regarding what I will be personally reading and praying through each week.  Perhaps you don’t have a personal devotion for 2021 and would like to join in the plan I have outlined for myself?  By all means please join me.  The reading and time commitments anyone can do.  

So what will I be reading?  

After prayer and consideration I will be reading the 4 gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John during 2021.  My plan will be to read these writings in a parallel structure.  What do I mean by this?  These writings are unique in the Bible in that the accounts of the 4 authors are often duplicated by 1 or more of the other authors.  For example, all 4 authors record the account of Peter after Jesus’ arrest but before His crucifixion.  What is fascinating is how all 4 record the same account with varying details.  Obvious is that each author has a unique perspective and I believe has been given to them providentially and therefore is helpful to modern readers to consider side by side.  

Bible Version I will be using?  I will use the English Standard Version of the Bible for my personal time.  While I use the Christian Standard in the pulpit because of it simpler wording and more standard usage in the southern baptist church I prefer the ESV.  My reason for preferring the ESV is due to its more precise use of language.  When praying through a specific word or sentence sequence I have found the ESV to perhaps not read in translation as easily but communicate the author’s original intent more precisely. I also have my CSB close and often consider how translators consider a passage in various ways.  Often if I am really considering a particular teaching in the NT I will reference a greek copy of the text and pray through God’s leading of my own personal revelation and translation of a passage.    

How does my plan work?

I have found that a 4 or 5 day weekly reading plan fits best for me.  Given that I prepare 40 plus sermons a year, for spiritual health reasons, I have learned I need to be intentionally investing personal time with God in His word and in places of the text I am not preaching from.  Therefore a 7 day a week plan for me becomes more religious than spiritually helpful given my time each week in the text in other various areas.  Thus the reason for my plan.

Disclaimer:  In Seminary I was introduced to a book first published in 1922 by A.T. Roberts.  In this book Roberts has a phenomenal outline of the four gospels combined with a side by side display of these writings.  It is from this book I will uses as a physical structure for the individual readings.

Roberts, A.T.  A Harmony of the Gospels San Fransico: HarperCollins Publishers.  1922