At this time of year it seems like everyone is offering a through-the-Bible reading plan.
Many of us wonder at times why we should read through the entire
Bible in a year. Some parts are boring. Some parts we simply like better than
others. Everyone has parts they prefer over others. And following bible study plans can be intimidating.
But God chose to give us the entire Bible. He included books like Lamentations with its
dreary news, and Leviticus with all those rules, for a reason. We are told,
“All scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that
the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17[ESV]
All Scripture. That means we need to cover it all, the entire Bible, not just
our favorite parts. In t his way we see the passages the Lord meant for us to
look at. We may question, why did He include this?
That’s okay. We can pray for guidance. And by following a bible reading plan, we can be sure we don’t miss anything.
Bible Study is Always in Style
Sometimes people say they read the Bible once, 40 years ago, and
they decide that’s enough. But the Word of God is living and active. If we stop
reading it, we forget who God is. We forget who we are in his eyes. We no
longer focus on the path he has created for our lives, and we don’t hear the
voice that whispers, “this is the way; walk in it.”
By not doing bible study, we open ourselves up to false teachings that will lead us astray. Bible reading is for all ages; we are never too old to understand scripture. Instead, the meaning becomes even deeper as we get older. Additionally, we build on what we learned before.
Bible Study Helps us See the Big Picture
I’m an oil painter. One thing I had to learn to do early on
was stop painting and take a giant step backward to look at my work every so
often. Up close, I see the details – the slightly crooked line, the brush
strokes, the wetness of the paint. But stepping back I can see it in its
entirety. Suddenly instead of a series of green brush strokes and crooked lines,
I see a palm tree in front of an ocean, with umbrellas along the sand.
That’s how it is with Bible study. Reading through it quickly
(because a year is pretty quick, when you consider that the Bible is 66 books)
you see the Creation, the fall, redemption and restoration. You see God’s
promises and his mercy and love. Following a Bible reading plan is a way to get a great overview of God’s word.
Bible Reading Helps us Understand God’s Plan
Seeing all of Genesis makes you realize that every single
doctrine has its roots in this book. Salvation, marriage, family – all are
touched on in the book of Genesis. The Holy Trinity, Satan, Christ… we need to read
Genesis often. We would never realize this without bible reading.
Reading Israel’s sin cycle shows us why God became angry and tossed them out of the Promised land. (He later let them return) It also helps us understand human nature, why we do some of the things
we do. And of course it demonstrates God’s grace.
We have a deeper knowledge of the New Testament when we’re
able to grasp the nuances that refer to the Old Testament. Paul connected all
fallen beings with Adam. A New Covenant was mentioned as far back as Jeremiah. The
book of Hebrews refers to ‘types’ and figures of Christ – which are Old Testament
references.
God’s Word is Truth
Besides all the above, when we devote ourselves to
continually reading the Bible, we uncover truth. This helps us balance all the
distortions and lies we’re exposed to day after day in the workplace and
beyond. It keeps us on that right path. Bible study keeps us hearing that voice.
“This is the way. Walk in it.”
The Bible, once you delve into it, is truly amazing. it is a place where we can continually learn, and improve. We turn to the Bible as a source of peace. We turn to it in times of stress. If Bible reading becomes a habit, the book itself becomes even more familiar and comforting. So the Bible in a way is a source of therapy.
How to Make it a Habit
Reading the Bible can easily become a habit, probably in a month or less. You can get started by setting a timer for a certain time every day that you’re going to read. Then get your Bible and one of our Bible reading plans. And start reading! That’s all you have to do.
Additional Study
Of course, it’s fine – and encouraged – to do additional studies. Some people enjoy listening to exposition, which means studying verse by verse. Some people like to listen to extra sermons through podcasts or online. And some people work through Bible study books in addition to their year-long reading plan.
The Bible Plan for You
There are plenty of Bible plans available. Depending on your situation, you have the possibility of selecting any of the following physical study plans. It is possible to read some part of your bible each day, it works. It is advisable to spend some time with God daily. Try starting prayer time with intentional reading, and see how your faith grows.
Make sure you plan for it. It makes sense to take five minutes to plan something quick and simple but for best results I recommend you stick to 30 minutes daily bible reading at first. Eventually you’ll find the exact amount of time that works best for you.
How do I choose a Bible study plan?
Make sure you take into account your daily schedule and how many minutes you can devote to reading the Bible. Once you determine how much time you will spend reading the Bible every day, then you have to decide what plan you can follow. If you have never read the Bible before, the 5 day a week/One Year plan might give you a good overview without being overwhelming. You can easily catch up your reading on the 2 “off” days each week.
Wont’ you join us in reading your Bible this year?
The Through the Bible reading plan listed below is a plan for reading 5 days out of every week, so that you have time to catch up on the weekend. It’s not dated, so you can start today or tomorrow – right on time. Just check the boxes as you finish each reading. You’ll be glad you did.
Please click the picture below to download your Bible Reading Plan.
