Category: One Year

Story from the One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible

As Pastor Houmayoun led a prayer meeting at his home in Shiraz, Iran, secret police stormed in and arrested him, his wife, their seventeen-year-old son, and four other church leaders. After several days of interrogation, the Christians were moved to a prison and ordered to keep quiet about why they had been arrested; the guards didn’t want their Christian faith to spread among the 6,000 prisoners.

Refusing to be silenced by the guards’ warning, the believers took the opportunity to share the gospel with fellow inmates. But they had one problem: They had no Bibles.

Pastor Houmayoun and the other imprisoned Christians began writing down memorized Bible verses on any paper they could find. And later, they asked family members and friends to send them chapters of Scripture written in English as “letters” to be carried into the prison by a local imam who visited regularly.

The Christians inside the prison then translated the Scripture into Farsi.

After several months, they had complete handwritten copies of some books of the Bible. They continued to make additional copies as they read and shared the ones they already had. “Some of the copies went to other prisons,” Houmayoun recalled, “because sometimes when a prisoner was transferring to another prison he would take copies with him. They also would make copies, and like that, the New Testaments were spreading.”

While Bibles were highly restricted outside the prison, inside they were multiplying.

Learn more about the One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible

Learn more about out partners The Voice of the Martyrs 

We are so excited about the different Bibles and resources releasing this year. Here are a few highlights that are just now releasing or will be releasing this spring.

The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible—Now Available

We invite you to join us as we partner with The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) to daily get on our knees and into God’s Word. The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible allows us to enter into fellowship with those who are persecuted for their faith as we bring their needs to the throne of God and spend focused time in his Word. Each daily Scripture reading includes a passage from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. At the beginning of each reading is a prayer prompt to help you focus your prayer time in interceding for those who are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Inspire: Acts & Romans—Now Available

Inspire: Acts & Romans includes all the cherished features from the bestselling Inspire Bible displayed beautifully in a coloring-book-style, square-trimmed edition that features high-quality art paper. Inspire: Acts & Romans features full- and partial-page Scripture line-art illustrations, plus words to color right within the Bible text to inspire Scripture meditation and response.

The Filament Bible Collection Is Growing This Spring!

This spring, the Filament Bible Collection is growing! We are excited to release the anticipated wide-margin edition with 2.25″ lightly ruled margins, making this Bible great for note-taking, journaling, recording prayers, doodling, drawing, or any other creative expression in response to God’s Word. Special features include quality white Bible paper; a beautiful line-over-line setting with an attractive font; a durable Smyth-sewn, lay-flat binding; and a matching ribbon marker. This edition will be available in black, brown palm, and floral ocean blue covers. Indexed editions will also be available.

For giant print fans, we have two exciting new lines releasing. The Super Giant Print Filament Bible has an easy-to-read 16-point font (you read that right—16-point font!) while still being light and easy to carry. This edition features the words of Jesus in red, the full-color Visual Overview of the Bible, and translation notes with minimal interruptions for a comfortable reading experience. It will be available this spring in peony teal, brown, and black covers. Indexed editions will be available, and did we mention how amazing it is that it has a 16-point font size?!

Also releasing this spring is the Compact Giant Print Filament Bible. This portable, easy-to-read Bible is perfect for anyone who is on-the-go. This edition is small enough to fit in a backpack or briefcase but has a large, readable font for a comfortable reading experience. It also features the words of Jesus in red and the full-color Visual Overview of the Bible. This edition will be available in rose metallic peony, mahogany Celtic cross, and navy blue cross covers. Indexed editions will also be available.

All the Filament Bibles include free access to the revolutionary Filament Bible app. With the scan of a page you can find study notes, articles, devotionals, interactive maps and graphics, videos, worship music, and more—all directly related to the passage you are reading. Learn more about the app.

We are excited for how God will use these Bibles and resources to draw people closer to him! Happy New Year!

The amount of time it takes you to read through the Bible really isn’t what’s important. What really matters is that you are spending daily, consistent time in God’s Word. For some people, having a Bible with a reading plan can help them stay on track. Having a goal of reading through the Bible in a year might be the motivation they need to push through some of the more difficult passages (yes, like Leviticus). There are lots of good reasons to read through the Bible in a year, but the most important reasons are to gain a better understanding of who God is and of his relationship with us and to experience his full story of salvation. Like any great book, it’s important to read the beginning, middle, and end (yes, even Leviticus). You don’t want to miss out.

If you think a year-long Bible-reading plan Bible would be helpful, we have a few ideas for you:

The One Year Bible is the #1–selling reading-plan Bible. And there are a variety of different formats and plans so you can pick which one is best for you. The daily variety reading format has a passage from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for you to read each day. If you want to go on a historical trek, the chronological versions are arranged into 365 daily readings that help you experience the Bible events in the order they actually occurred. Both varieties are also available with wide margins for journaling and coloring, and the daily variety format is available in multiple translations. See them

Looking to combine your Scripture reading with focused prayer time? The One Year Pray for Bibles include the New Living Translation Bible text in the daily reading format as well as prayer prompts focused on an urgent topic or need. This year we partnered with The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) on The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible. A unique prayer prompt is included with each daily Scripture reading, covering a wide range of needs facing persecuted Christians today. When we pray for the persecuted and read their stories of courage, faithfulness, and obedience, we enter into fellowship with them. Also available are The One Year Pray for Life Bible and The One Year Pray for America Bible. Learn more

The NLT Daily Reader’s Bible is a new and unique way to read through the Bible in a year. Instead of grouping daily readings by date, this Bible groups them by theme. Each reading includes three passages—a selection from the stories of the Bible (the Old Testament books of Genesis through Esther and the New Testament books of Matthew through Acts); another from the teachings of the Bible, including the prophetic books of the Old Testament (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel through Malachi) and the letters of the New Testament (Romans through Revelation); and a third from the wisdom of the Bible (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations). Since this is a reading Bible, there are no chapter and verse interruptions, and because there are no dates, you can read it at your most comfortable pace. See it

Many Bibles include reading plans to help you engage with God’s story. Some, like the Life Application Study Bible, have a 365-day reading plan checklist in the back. Filament Bibles give you access to a variety of Bible reading plans through the Filament Bible app. Here are a few more Bibles with some great reading plans:

The THRIVE Devotional Bible for Women is a full NLT Bible that includes 365 devotional readings. Devotionals are interspersed throughout the Bible and contain a key Scripture, a love letter from God, a reflection from beloved author Sheri Rose Shepherd, a treasure of truth, and a special prayer for the reader. Learn more

The Wayfinding Bible gives you lots of reading-plan options. With an innovative, full-color visual guide at the top of each reading, The Wayfinding Bible provides you with three paths through God’s Word. Following the Fly-Over Route, you’ll cover the most important events in the Bible in just 40 readings, giving you a fresh overview of how these events tell the story of God’s redemption. Following the Direct Route’s 200 readings, you’ll gain a better understanding of how God’s story develops through history. Following the Scenic Route, you’ll explore new territory while discovering a richness and depth in God’s Word that you haven’t seen before. All without the discouragement of getting bogged down in any single book. And there are even more reading plans. Ready to learn more?

Immerse: The Reading Bible splits the Bible into six volumes and is specially crafted for a distraction-free reading experience, helping you dive in and get immersed in Scripture. Chapter numbers, verse numbers, and all other modern additives have been removed. Each volume includes readings plans so you can read through an individual volume in 8 or 16 weeks. Created to be read in community, it’s a great way to read the Bible with others, like your church, Bible study, book club, and friends. Go deeper

The Daily Walk Bible offers a simple daily reading plan to see how the Bible fits together. Each day’s reading includes an overview to give you a bird’s-eye view of the day’s reading, several chapters from the Bible, an interesting fact from the day’s reading, and a short devotional to help you reflect on and apply a specific insight from the day’s reading. Every seventh day offers a pause on the journey as you are invited to Look Back over the readings from the previous week, Look Up to God, and Look Ahead to the reading to come. Learn more

The DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible is a beautiful wide-margin Bible that takes you deeper into God’s Word using twelve indisputable truths about who you are in Christ such as you are known, you are blessed, and you have a reason for hope that highlight God’s promises and devotion to his children. Devotionals and reflections connected to these truth are scattered throughout the Bible, and each truth has a unique logo to help you visually connect the dots. See it

How will you connect with God’s Word in 2022?

by Molly Jo Nyman

In our world of sound bites, scrolling, and skimming headlines, reading Scripture may seem like an idea destined to fail. And inviting people to read the entire Bible through in one year? Well, that seems even less likely to attract “followers.”

Yet right now, people around the world are committed to—and enjoying—regularly reading the Bible at a pace that takes them through the entirety of God’s Word in 365 days. Grace Fellowship of Kent, a church in the Seattle suburbs, serves as one example of how this goal can take root, grow, and bear great spiritual fruit in individuals, families, and communities.

According to church elder Kristopher Galvin, the idea started in late 2018. A man who had grown up in the church had moved away and then discovered The One Year Bible. He became an enthusiastic proponent for this reading program and had recommended it to his friends and family. When he moved back to Grace Fellowship of Kent years later, he pitched the idea to the elders.

The church website expresses well why the elders chose to elevate the goal:

God has provided such a great blessing in His Holy Word, the Bible. This unique and remarkable book describes and demonstrates His many immeasurable qualities and illuminates the only path to eternal life with Him, which is through His only Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It gives meaning to history, context to our present life and hope for the future.

The Bible provides believers in Jesus with tools to live a life that is consistent with our faith and to share the good news of Jesus with others. The only way to realize those blessings is to read it, meditate upon it, and pray about it. These are some of the reasons that the folks at Grace Fellowship of Kent are reading through the whole Bible in one year.

It’s not a one-time “bucket list task” to complete the reading in a year. Better analogies would be eating and breathing—something to do every day. In our busy daily lives, it is so beneficial to have a daily schedule for exercising your mind and soul to “work out your salvation” (Philippians 2:12) and for “eating a healthy diet” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Like a precious letter from someone you are in love with, you will want to read it all, again and again.

Galvin shared, “We encourage people to follow The One Year Bible reading schedule, so we are all reading the same verses each week; usually about 20 minutes per day. This schedule includes daily selections from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, so readers don’t get bogged down in just one book.”

If you’ve ever attempted to read through the Bible and lost your steam somewhere in the seemingly endless genealogies, you’ll understand the advantage of doing it this way!

Galvin added that community is also a key success factor. “When people see other people enjoying and succeeding with it, they realize they can do it. And by using the same schedule, we’re all ‘on the same page’ each day, which facilitates discussions and prayers in our small groups and during our Sunday worship service.”

The Bible reading emphasis in the church started with offering free One Year Bibles in the New International Version to start the reading program on January 1, 2019. Later, a young man suggested adding the New Living Translation (his favorite). After the elders researched, reviewed, and approved that translation, the young man gladly donated a stack of New Living Translation One Year Bibles.

Galvin said, “We also saw that other interesting formats like The One Year Pray for America and Pray for Life Bibles and the larger-print slimline NIV edition struck a chord with people. So now we are actually giving away more of those.”

The church continues to regularly provide One Year Bibles for free. Anyone who attends is encouraged to take one—or more—to give to friends as they invite them to join the Bible reading program. So far, the church has distributed a total number of copies equal to over 200% of its regular Sunday attendance!

Could you start a Bible reading program in your sphere of influence? With people everywhere hungry for Truth and with the power of prayer, you could be the next trendsetter who elevates the Word of God and its ability to create more faithful followers.

Learn more about One Year Bibles 

Interesting Fact: About one-third of the church body at Grace Fellowship of Kent has one or more Chinese speakers in the family. Their sermons are translated into Mandarin.

Valentine’s Day is a great time to share what you love. And we LOVE Bibles!!! There are so many wonderful Bibles out there, but we have a few that make our hearts so happy. We love them so much that we just can’t help but share them! Here are a few of ours. What are yours?

Maissie Currently I love the Immerse Reading Bible. It is easy to read and understand. There is something special about reading the Bible like a novel without the distraction of verse numbers, chapters, and notes. Reading Immerse reminds me that God is the Author both of the Word and of my life.

Ready to experience Immerse like Maissie?

Callie I’m so excited to own the Art of life Bible! While I wouldn’t say I am a Bible journaler per say or even artistic, I love jotting down my reflections in the margins of my Bible. This Bible gives me extra room to do this alongside new content that I can’t wait to dive into. Who’s ever wondered what the trees and plants look like in the Bible that God talks so vividly about? Or wondered why God goes into such detail on specific animals? I know I have, and it’s always fascinating when someone connects the dots on what the Bible is describing and why it’s important. It’s going to be a great way for me to explore the Bible in a fresh way.

See why Callie loves the Art of Life Bible

Kim One of my favorite Valentine’s Days was when a married friend surprised me with a care package in the mail that included the sweetest note and some personalized items, including a CD with hand-picked worship songs. It touched my heart so very deeply. I would love to do the same for my close single friends and surprise each of them with a Valentine’s care package including a greeting card with a heartfelt prayer-note and either the THRIVE Creative Journaling Bible (for those who would like the blue interior and wide margins for note-taking or creating original art) or the THRIVE Devotional Bible for Women (for those who would prefer a traditional setting without wide margins—and a pink interior). Both Bibles are the same other than those two unique features—the interior second color and the margin width. I think my friends would love this Bible because it is filled with daily readings that encourage us to keep our eyes on Christ and thrive in him. As Sheri Rose Shepherd, the author of the devotionals, says: “God paid much too high a price on the cross for us to live powerless lives.” I pray this Bible would be a daily, tangible reminder to each of them that they are so very loved by God and that they can trust him with their hearts! ❤

Learn more about the THRIVE Bible and see why Kim can’t wait to share it with those she loves!

Dave It has been a joy for me to read through the Bible over many years and I LOVE our New Living Translation One Year Chronological Bible .  For me, this has been the best way for me to understand the big story of God laid out in order. As the Bible Acquisition Director for Tyndale I’m also really excited about a project we’re working on right now to create a One Year Chronological Study Bible……stay tuned for more details in the months ahead about this amazing new resource.

Want to read through the Bible in one year like Dave? See all our One Year Bible options.

Blaine My favorite for 2021 is the Mosaic Bible.  I love the finish on the leatherlike edition with the classic celtic cross design. In the front of the Bible there is a 340 page section of beautiful ivory paper. This section features 52 meditations, each with full-color artwork, thought-provoking writings from historical as well as contemporary scholars, prayers, poetry and space to write my reflections as I meditate and pray. Each week’s theme compliments the Church calendar which helps me stay in rhythm with my fellow believers.  The Bible text is only interrupted by the center column references which are there when I need them but easy to ignore as I read scripture.  A very nicely done Bible in my opinion.

Want to read the Mosaic Bible with Blaine in 2021? See more

Jim There is so much to love about the Life Application Study Bible that it’s hard to know even where to begin. This Bible has had a special place in my heart for over 20 years. I learn something new every time I pick it up! And it is always relevant to what I am facing today.

See why so many people, like Jim, love the Life Application Study Bible.

The Other Jim I once had a Sunday School teacher who, when I – or another student – forgot to bring a Bible to class, would say: “that’s great; you must have it memorized.” I didn’t, but I’ve used his line since then.  And it leads me to my recommendation of a Bible I love. I love the HelpFinder Bible because of its extraordinary 352-page Index-on-steroids.  The index is an amazing guide when you’re looking for biblical counsel on more than 200 topics from Abilities to Worth, including Faith, Humility, Rejection, Sexuality, Success and Vulnerability, and so much more.  Each topic in the Index has questions and answers and biblical references. And alongside the Bible text there are short teachings on many of the topics. It’s a terrific, helpful, must-have Bible for everyone from new believers to Bible veterans.  Unless you have the Bible memorized!

Think you could love the HelpFinder Bible? Learn more

Evie I have been loving the Swindoll Study Bible. My parents were huge Swindoll fans so I have memories growing up listening to him on car rides or hearing my parents discuss Swindoll’s thoughts on different Scripture passages. I feel like he’s my spiritual grandpa. But it wasn’t until I started reading the study Bible on my own that I understood his significant impact on my parent’s walk with Christ. It’s truly like sitting by a beloved mentor as he helps to bring God’s truth and the amazing intricacies of Scripture into a way I can understand and grapple with. One of my favorite features is the Holy Land Tour. It’s like being on a trip to the Holy Land with Chuck Swindoll (#lifegoals)!

Want to go deeper into God’s Word with Chuck Swindoll too?

Every year for 20 years, Hank has read through a One Year Bible. But reading these Bibles goes beyond personal edification or completing a resolution. They are his legacy to spur others on in their Bible reading and inspire them to grow in their relationship with Christ.

“I love the Bible. It’s such a joy to read it, and I just want everyone to have that joy and understand what it can give you,” said Hank.

“For 20 years I have read through a One Year Bible, and each year I dedicated it to a family member. The notes in the margin were personal, such as ‘This is my prayer for you.’ I’ve underlined, circled, and highlighted many passages, letting them know what inspires me. It is my legacy to them,” said Hank.

Through these Bibles, Hank has encouraged a love for God’s Word in others. Sharing his struggles, joys, failures, and triumphs as he moves closer to God has been a comfort and a catalyst for his family members to grow deeper in their understanding of God through his Word.

“When I give it to them and they read it, they always come back saying, ‘I didn’t know you were going through that’ or ‘when you wrote this it helped me to better understand what I was facing.’ The Bible gives me joy whenever I read it, and I get joy by sharing it with others. The more you get into it, the more your joy will grow,” said Hank.

In 2020, Hank read through The One Year Pray for America Bible.

“I especially love the prayers that have to do with that day’s reading. . . . I also love the prayers you’ve inserted throughout the Bible, such as a prayer by Dr. Pridgeon for the anniversary of 9/11,

or the prayer by the Rev. Samuel Smith spoken July 4, 1831, or the broadcast by FDR on D-Day on radio, June 6, 1944. What a wonderful Bible!” said Hank.

We are excited to hear what Bible he will be using in 2021!

What Bible will you be reading through this year? Still not sure which one is right for you? Check out all our One Year Bible options.

The Bible is a huge book. It is made up of lots of smaller books which are made up of stories, letters, poetry, prophecy, and more. The Bible can look overwhelming when we start thinking of it as something other than a beautiful story of God’s love and redemption. When we try to dissect it into categories, it sounds more like a textbook than a life-giving word from our Savior.

That is one of the reasons I like reading through the Bible in a year. It’s important for us to go deeper—learn more about the different stories, trace how the prophecies thread through the different books, see why poetry is important, and so much more—but we can’t lose sight of the overarching story. Using a daily reading Bible helps you to stay connected to the bigger message while discovering areas where God is leading you to dive deeper.

The One Year Bible reading plan is one of the most beloved ways to read through the Bible in a year. It was created to help people move beyond roadblocks and into daily conversation with God through his Word. Understanding each person is different, The One Year Bible offers different ways to read through the Bible in a year.

There are daily reading plan versions that have a portion from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for each day’s reading.

Want to read the Bible in the order the events occurred? There are chronological plans.

Enjoy note-taking, coloring, art-journaling? The journaling editions come with wide-margins, and some editions include beautiful line-art for coloring.

Our newest addition to the One Year family is our “pray for” series. The One Year Pray for Bibles include prayer prompts at the beginning of each day’s reading to help us focus our prayers on pressing issues, allowing us to intercede for others. In the newest edition, we have teamed up with the amazing staff at Joni and Friends to pray for the sanctity of all life with The One Year Pray for Life Bible.

Want to learn more about The One Year Bible? You can see all the options and find the one that’s right for you at theoneyearbible.com.

One more thought: Though not a traditional One Year Bible, the new Daily Reader’s Bible offers another way to read through the Bible in a year. Each day’s reading consists of Scripture from three categories—story, teaching, and wisdom—that are grouped together by theme. Learn more about this Bible at thedailyreadersbible.com

Forward from The One Year Pray for Life Bible

by Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

I am truly excited that you are joining me in using The One Year Pray for Life Bible, especially during this incredible season of opportunity in the Kingdom of Christ. When I look across our broken land and consider the heartbreaking needs around the globe, I am invigorated as never before to pray—to discipline myself to pray for life over the next twelve months and to use the Bible as my prayer guide.

As an aging quadriplegic and a Christ follower for over sixty years, I have witnessed a gradual eroding of the precious safeguards that protect the weak and vulnerable. Whether in America or in the darkest corners of the least-developed nations, a ferocious battle is being waged against all life. Who are the casualties of this war? The baby in Africa left to starve to death because his disability is considered a curse on the family. The clinically depressed teenager in Europe who qualifies for state-sanctioned, doctor-assisted death. The elderly woman in an unlicensed nursing home who suffers from loneliness and abuse. The preborn little girl who is aborted for the simple reason that her mother preferred a son. I am not being an alarmist, nor am I exaggerating facts. A culture of death is advancing throughout the earth and is threatening lives—young and old.

Look across the world and you will find that wherever there exists a famine of God’s Word, all life is at risk. You can see why I am so glad you have chosen to use The One Year Pray for Life Bible. We desperately need to pursue earnest worship of the Creator of life and sincere intercession on behalf of those who bear his image—every single human. Yes, works of mercy and justice are necessary, but prayer is the primary work in this battle. As Oswald Chambers wrote, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.”

Will You Be an Eleazar?

Let me tell you a Bible story. Eleazar was a great warrior who stood alongside the three mighty men of David. During a fierce battle against the Philistines, Israel’s army gave up and fled, but Eleazar “killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:10). The king was impressed that Eleazar ke

pt his heroic grasp on his sword and bravely fought on while others ran away. This exceptional warrior did not cower before the enemy; instead, he put his strength into his sword and rushed into battle with victory on his mind. Because of his noble courage and persistence, God smiled and gave his people a great victory—all because of one brave warrior.

I envision you as a modern-day Eleazar. Our land is teeming with strong and ruthless enemies that war against life. God is calling you to battle on behalf of preborn children in danger of being aborted; families who are breaking apart; depressed teenagers; at-risk children; the homeless; the elderly and medically fragile; and those struggling against addiction, disease,
and loneliness. These people have a target on their backs. Because they are also created in the image of God, they are in the adversary’s crosshairs—especially so because they are weak and vulnerable. These people are in need of earnest prayer support. They are being assaulted by overwhelming enemies such as euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, substance abuse, domestic violence, abortion, and suicide. Pandemic can now be added to the national woes that threaten to overwhelm the vulnerable in our society. Consider how the coronavirus festered and left serious mental health challenges in its wake, not to mention fear and debilitating anxiety.

You are a modern-day Eleazar who will battle against these foes in our land, using prayer as a powerful weapon. You are the mighty warrior who will grasp the Sword of the Spirit—that
is, the Word of God—in your hand. And with God’s Word, you will not run away from the fray; you will overcome our enemy as you weave Scripture into your prayers by reading and praying through The One Year Pray for Life Bible.

This special edition of God’s Word is designed for prayer warriors who long to champion the cause for life. It is filled with hundreds of prayer prompts and other resources to help you pray
as God would want you to pray, whether your prayers are for aging seniors, despairing teens, fractured families, people with disabilities, people with mental health issues, children at risk, or young ones still in the womb. The heart of God is turned toward these precious ones whose lives are at risk because of the dark forces rising against them.

The Bible is the best prayer book you will ever possess. When we pray using the Sword of the Spirit, our praises and intercessions carry weight before God’s throne. The Bible is full of language that you can infuse into your prayers, enriching each petition and intercession with an eternal perspective. The Bible is the key to finding God’s will when we pray against the enemies in our land. Great themes abound—God’s holiness, wisdom, faithfulness, sovereignty, love, and mercy—all of which beautify our praises, adorn our intercessions, embroider our petitions, and give bulk and significance to every supplication as we pray for life throughout our land.

Why This Bible Is Critical in the Battle for Life
We all want greater faith in prayer, but how do we gain greater faith? Romans 10:17 provides the answer: “Faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” When you employ the Word of God in your prayers, your faith will grow—you will believe that God will accomplish great things through your intercessions. You will possess a greater authority in prayer, and your prayers will be large in their scope and importance.

It is wise to keep an open Bible before you as you pray. After all, the Bible underscores two things that God honors above all else: his name and his Word. “I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:1). “Your promises [your words] are backed by all the honor of your name” (Psalm 138:2). When we bring God’s Word directly into
our prayers, we are bringing God’s power into our prayers.

• “The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word gives our prayers life, infusing vitality into our praises and petitions and the thoughts that frame our petitions. God’s Word is active and powerful, interjecting dynamism into our praises.
• “‘Does not my word burn like fire?’ says the Lord. ‘Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?’” (Jeremiah 23:29). To use God’s Word in prayer is to employ divine power in breaking down spiritual strongholds and demolishing arguments of the enemy.
• “We never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). If God’s Word works in our lives, think how much more it works in our prayers.

This Bible is especially powerful in your hands because it will lead you through twelve months of praise and intercession. Imagine how forcefully the Kingdom of Christ will be advanced through a year of Bible reading and prayer, all of it geared toward the sacredness of life. My husband Ken and I have been reading through the Bible together for nearly fifteen years, and we have witnessed an astounding increase of faith in our prayers. As we read through the Bible each year, we have developed a fuller understanding of God’s redemptive plan in history and how much he values the life he has created. Ken and I boast in the Lord when we say that our prayers are rich and weighty as we accompany our Bible reading with prayer. We have invested years of praying for the sacredness of life to be exalted in our land.

For Ken and me, the discipline of reading through the Bible in a year and praying along through Scripture has forced us to meditate on our petitions—to think about what we are praying for. Over the many years of praying alongside our Bible reading, we can picture God and his responses:

• Referencing our Bible when we pray shows God we have thought through our praises and petitions and lined them up against the plumb line of Scripture.
• Using Scripture in our prayers demonstrates to God the importance we are attaching to our requests. It shows the high regard and appreciation we attach to his Word.
• Employing scriptural themes in prayer underscores that we desire to search out God’s heart in a matter and seek to know his will.
• Praying with an open Bible gives our prayer a “divine familiarity,” earmarking us as servants who possess a working knowledge of the most powerful prayer book ever written: the Word of God.

In closing, let me bring you back to the story of Eleazar. I want you to notice a powerful yet poignant insight in 2 Samuel 23:10. The King James Bible tells it this way: “[Eleazar] smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory.” Eleazar was so unyielding in battle, so persistent and confident in the outcome, so tireless—eve

n as others retreated—that his hand and his sword became one. His flesh fused, as it were, with his sword. Pastor J. Saxtell observed that Eleazar did not realize that the hilt of the sword was eating down into the palm of his hand, and that while he was taking hold of the sword, the sword was taking hold of him. I believe that as you use The One Year Pray for Life Bible, it will take hold of your life. Your hand will fuse with the Sword of the Spirit. You will become one with the Word, and it will be your mark of valor and distinction. Others may cower as the culture of death moves through the earth like a dark, poisonous cloud. Others may retreat from the frontlines. Some may collapse in fear before the enemy, overcome by anxiety and overwhelmed by battle fatigue. But you will stand firm on the frontlines, holding fast to Scripture and winning victories for the cause of life and for our King.

God has committed himself and his purposes to prayer. And the Word of God gives you great leverage as you pray for life. So be encouraged. Be blessed. Be invigorated. For Jesus Christ will
delight to bring every intercession that has to do with life before his Father’s throne. After all, he is the Resurrection and the Life; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and the Word of Life. God bless you for taking hold of your sword—The One Year Pray for Life Bible—and gaining victories for the Prince of Life and his people!

Learn more about The One Year Pray for Life Bible

Learn more about the Joni and Friends International Disability Center

We all have our own unique Christmas traditions. Maybe you open gifts on Christmas Eve or wait until Three Kings Day in January. Maybe you create a special family recipe or play a game each year. Do you decorate a tree or buy gifts for someone in need? One of my favorite traditions is helping my kids make their Christmas lists.

This year I asked my fellow team members to make their own Christmas lists and include which Bible they wish would be waiting under their Christmas tree. One of the things I love most about working on the Tyndale Bible team is that we are all so different. Each of us brings our individual gifts and abilities so that together we can bring God glory. But though we are all different, yet we are united in the Word that became human. What a reason to celebrate!

Here is what the Bible Team hopes is under their Christmas trees this year. You can click on the Bible title if you want to learn more.

Callie is excited for the new NLT Daily Reader’s Bible.

“I am asking for the Daily Reader’s Bible. I am really curious about the unique layout, and I love the fact that the readings are numbered, not dated. My plan is to start in January, but because the readings are numbered, I don’t have to fear getting behind. I can just pick right back up when I can!”

Blaine is hoping to unwrap a beautiful new classic Bible.

“For Christmas this year, I have selected the NLT Filament-enabled Personal Size Giant Print Black Genuine Leather Indexed edition. Its uninterrupted readable text will allow me to focus on the Scripture without the distraction of study notes or other features. Knowing that a full suite of carefully curated study notes, devotionals, videos, and even worship songs is available to me by simply opening the Filament Bible app and pointing my phone at any page makes this a Bible unlike any other I’ve had the privilege of using over the years. I’m really looking forward to 2021 with this new Bible.”

Kim loves Bibles and surprises so she is sharing her top three so she will be surprised at what shows up under her tree.

“The new Art of Life Bible because this Bible is so gorgeous and artsy—and there’s nothing else like it out there that I know of! I absolutely love that this Bible is slightly oversized with wider margins, comes in a slipcase, and has the most beautiful teal hardcover cloth design with gold foil accents. It looks more like a coffee table book than a Bible, but that’s what I love about it! The inside has amazing hand-drawn illustrations of Bible things like people, animals, and plants scattered throughout along with descriptions. It will be a really fascinating way to read through the Bible and reflect on this artist’s rendition of things mentioned in the Bible. It’s a spacious setting, so I could embellish, color, paint, or add to the illustrations if I wanted to do some Bible journaling in it, but I think I might reserve this one for reading since it’s already so amazing.

The new THRIVE Creative Journaling Devotional Bible for Women just released in two new bindings, and I absolutely love the teal cover with “Thrive” displayed in rose gold foil across the front. Probably my favorite thing about this design is the rose gold page edges. It is stunning, and it pairs so beautifully with the teal. I will be able to spend the whole year reading through the daily devotionals and journaling my reflections and prayers in the wide margins.

The new Inspire PRAYER Bible is another Bible I cannot wait to read and Bible journal in! I would love to use the extra-wide margins in this Bible to write out personal prayers focused on my marriage and also listing out ways (bullet journaling style!) that I can challenge myself to become more like Christ. I would love either of the cover designs—so surprise me! I adore the metallic champagne gold Hardcover LeatherLike binding because it is so special and unique (like me!), but I also love the colorful one because it is so cheerful—and floppy! This Bible has thirty-two of the most beautiful, colorful vellum sheets with prayers on them, prayer prompts in the margins, and hundreds of line-art illustrations I could watercolor, paint, or color in!”

Jim J. is wishing for the genuine leather brown NLT Filament-enabled Edition Personal Size Giant Print Bible. He even wrote this poem:

Under the tree this Christmas morning
I’ll search for the gift I find myself yearning

The Word became flesh we remember this day
Come to teach and to save us, his life to pay

And the Word we are given to keep and to cherish
Comes in beautiful books without being garish

I look for a Bible that is handy in size
With the magic of light, the Filament prize.

With print that is giant, truth without explanation
Expressed in the language of a living translation

For me I want brown with the rich touch of leather
That gift would bring joy as our family’s together.

As I think of that day of holy observance,
I wish for a Bible to illumine remembrance.

Linda is wishing for a stalwart favorite: The One Year Chronological Bible in the NLT.

“It’s not flashy or new, but I would like The One Year Chronological Bible, NLT, Large Print. This year, more than ever, I’d like to start 2021 on a fresh foot, with renewed commitment to good habits that are healthy for my body, mind, and soul. I like the idea of reading the Bible chronologically as it happened, and I think the reading schedule and the way The One Year Bible breaks the Bible into manageable portions for each day is helpful and sets me up to successfully complete reading the whole Bible in a year. The large print edition is also easy on the eyes and would be nice to have.”

Dave is excited to partner with Joni and Friends to intercede on behalf of the most vulnerable by using The One Year Pray for Life Bible.

“The Bible on my wish list this Christmas and the one I plan to use daily in 2021 is The One Year Pray for Life Bible. With sanctity of life issues continuing to dominate the news cycle every day, I look forward to listening to God in his Word daily. I also look forward to joining my voice with thousands of other Christians around the world to pray not only for those who are threatened and impacted adversely by laws and policies but also for those who hold the power to write and support laws that defend the weak and powerless among us.”

Evie is all about relationships, so her wish list Bible is about time with family.

“I am hoping the purple and pink swirl Hands-On Bible is waiting under our Christmas tree. The interactive activities and lessons help me to engage with my girls in God’s Word in a way that keeps them entertained and excited to learn more. I love that we can play together while learning about God and his plan for our lives. It’s so wonderful to come together as a family to have fun and grow in our understanding of God’s Word.”

Jim G. has had a life-long love for the Life Application Study Bible. Here is the one he’d like under his tree.

“The Life Application Study Bible has been such a blessing in my life. Not only did I have the privilege of providing this life-changing Bible to thousands of people when I served in retail stores, but I also recently had the honor of working on the team that published the new ‘Third Edition.’ I just love how I can go anywhere in the Bible, begin reading, and understand how God’s Word really relates to me today. I learn something new every time I pick it up! The notes and features were updated through an amazing collaborative effort between the founding editors and a group of editors across generations which resulted in trustworthy biblical teaching that is incredibly relevant today—regardless of who you are. Also, my eyes appreciate a larger print font size, so the new Large Print Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition, in the handsome brown genuine leather is the forever Bible that I hope to have under my tree this Christmas.”

We are so thankful that the most precious gift given to the world wasn’t wrapped in beautiful gift wrap and placed under a tree. It was a baby placed in a lowly manger who was himself the Word become human.

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:14, NLT

Forward from the One Year Pray for America Bible

by Dr. Barry C. Black, Chaplain of the United States Senate

The One Year Pray for America Bible provides springboards for prayer that enable you to pray more effectively. It gives a different prayer prompt each day, encouraging us to pray for our government and make petitions on behalf of our leaders and fellow citizens for security, forgiveness, mercy, justice, humility, and wisdom. Prayer enables us to make our voices heard in heaven regarding America’s needs.

Prayer helped to make America a beacon of freedom. At the birth of this nation, people sought God’s help in making the dream of Liberty a reality. At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, when the participants had reached an impasse, Benjamin Franklin suggested that they pray, and they eventually did. Those prayers aided in our nation’s birth.

One of the first acts of the new American legislative branch in 1789 was to establish a chaplaincy. A key responsibility of this chaplaincy was to begin each legislative session with an invocation. Prayer has continued almost uninterrupted since that time, because seeking God’s assistance for a person, nation, or world is laudable. The Bible reminds us, “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Humanity can cooperate with Divinity in making a nation great.

If our nation started with prayer, perhaps we should also sustain it with the same. We should get back to praying because, after all, God is sovereign over all nations. Job 12:23-24 says this about God: “He builds up nations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them. He strips kings of understanding and leaves them wandering in a pathless wasteland.” These verses make it clear that humanity will not have the ultimate word in what happens to nations; God will.

Getting Back to Praying for Our Nation

We should get back to praying for our government because God has ordained government to establish order in society. The apostle Paul puts it this way:

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (Romans 13:1-7)

God ordained government for our good. Paul instructs us that government officials deserve our prayers, finances, honor, and respect.

We should get back to praying for our government because God commands us to pray for it. We find these words in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”

We should get back to praying for our government because life should not be divided into sacred and secular. God has sovereignty over all our lives because in him we live, move, breathe, and function (Acts 17:28). According to Proverbs 21:1, even the king’s heart is in God’s hands; the sovereign God guides the king’s heart as he desires. Our lives are sustained by a powerful divine providence, and the sacred permeates every part of our existence, including government.

We should get back to praying for our government because people of faith have a role in influencing public life and policy. We must give to Caesar what belongs to him (Matthew 22:21), fostering morality in government and holding authorities accountable. The Bible challenges us to be salt and light to our world (Matthew 5:13-16). This means refusing to be missing in action when it comes to governmental affairs. Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel are just three examples of how believers should relate to government constructively.

We should get back to praying for our government because the ends sought by the government should be morally acceptable. In short, when Caesar’s dictates collide with God’s commands, we must obey God instead of Caesar (Acts 5:29). When the Babylonian king demanded that Daniel and his friends eat inappropriate food, Daniel negotiated an acceptable alternative that satisfied this demand (Daniel 1:5-16). When, however, the same king insisted these young men bow and worship an idol or be executed in a fiery furnace, the young men chose to risk death rather than compromise their faith (Daniel 3:1-18). Therefore, we must cooperate with government whenever it does not violate our allegiance to God and resist it when it does. Part of our cooperation entails praying.

We should get back to praying for our government because we are urged to pray for others. In Jesus’ model prayer for his disciples (Matthew 6:9‑13), the pronouns are plural. It does not say “My Father” but “Our Father.” We are not told to pray “give me today the food I need,” but “give us today the food we need.” Jesus does not admonish us to pray “don’t let me yield to temptation, but rescue me from the evil one,” but “don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” Although some may find it difficult to believe that the effectiveness of prayer goes beyond the private and interior life of the intercessor, the Bible urges us to pray for others (James 5:16).

We should get back to praying for our government because intercessory prayer is an affirmation of faith in the God who desires to serve humanity. God says in Ezekiel 33:11: “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?” In his book on prayer, Eric Hayman observed, “The power of our intercession is not our isolated pressure on a God remote from us. It is the action of His Spirit in and through our little souls, self-offered to the purpose of His will. So our intercession depends on our keeping open both to the perfect will of God and also the need and suffering of the world.”* Perhaps this is why Elton Trueblood speaks of the church as a “fellowship of the concerned.”†

We should get back to praying for our government because God blesses nations that acknowledge him. Psalm 33:12 states: “What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.” God shows special favor to those who respect his sovereignty. He protects these nations, surrounding them with the shield of his love (Psalm 5:12).

How We Should Pray

So, how should we pray for our government? First, we should pray for our government’s needs. One Greek word that can be translated as “supplication”in 1 Timothy 2:1 is deēsis, which is a word that suggests that God expects us to ask him to meet our government’s needs. God has promised to supply all our needs out of his celestial bounty (Philippians 4:19). He invites us to cry out to him when we are confronted with trouble (Psalm 50:15).When our government is overwhelmed by moral, financial, and even safety concerns, we should intercede for its needs. We have an example of praying for the needs of the government in James 5:16-18. These verses remind us that Elijah prayed and asked God to stop the rain from falling. Elijah was concerned because the government under King Ahab had endorsed the worship of Baal. The government seemed certain that it was Baal who sent the rain and produced a bountiful harvest, not the God of Israel. Elijah was concerned about governmental deviation from God’s law. He wanted the sovereign God of Israel to assert himself, and God answered his prayer,which was prompted by this need.

Second, we should pray with total dependence on God. Another Greek word in 1 Timothy 2:1 that can be translated as “prayer” is proseuchē. This word suggests that we should seek God as the sole provider of our government’s success. This dependence on God’s power is implied in Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.” The notion of total dependence upon God is also captured in the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai: “You must not have any other god but me” (Exodus 20:3). God desires to be our sole provider.

Third, we should pray confidently, knowing that we have complete access to God. The Greek word enteuxis in 1 Timothy 2:1 can be translated as “petition.” In this word, we can see an admonition to come boldly before God’s throne of grace to receive help in the time of need (see also Hebrews 4:16). We hear this same sentiment in 1 Peter 2:9, which describes believers as royal priests. A priest is someone who has access to both God and the people and is a bridge between God and the people. When we pray for our government, we should intercede with an awareness of our complete access to God in heaven.

Finally, we should pray with thanksgiving. The final Greek word in 1 Timothy 2:1 that shows us how to pray is eucharistia, which can be translated“thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving adds perfume to our petitions ascending to God’s throne. Philippians 4:6 says: “Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Everything includes our prayers for our government. Believers are also encouraged to give thanks in every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Continual thanksgiving is God’swill for our lives.

The Difference Prayer Can Make

Imagine the difference our prayers would make if we asked specifically for God to deal with the needs of our nation. What would happen if we prayed for a stronger economy, or more harmonious race relations, or greater civility among our political leaders, or better cooperation between our branches of government? Specificity matters. God is waiting for us to be specific about our needs.

Imagine what would happen if we sought God as our first option—not the fourth or fifth. It would be wonderful to avoid the mistakes of the disciples in a storm at sea. They first attempted to save themselves; they waited before awakening Jesus (Mark 4:35-41). Our prayers for government can be energized by understanding that God is the sole source of our strength and help.

Imagine what would happen if we took frequent advantage of the complete access God has given us to his throne because of our status as royal priests. It can take months to meet with a government leader, but God has provided us with continuous access to his presence, mercy, grace, and might.

Imagine what would happen if Thanksgiving came every day instead of once a year. How much more effective our prayers would be if we decided with the psalmist to praise the Lord at all times, with his praises constantly on our lips (Psalm 34:1). Perhaps then we would know experientially the truth of Psalm 22:22-31, which envisions a holy God who is continually praised by his people. The greatest days of our nation are linked to the holiness of its citizens. By God’s grace, let’s get back to prayer. The One Year Pray for America Bible is a great starting point.

* Eric Hayman, Prayer and the Christian Life (London: Student Christian MovementPress, 1948), 122-123.

† Elton Trueblood, Alternative to Futility (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1948), 58.