Read Through the Bible Resources
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you; let me know wander from you commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!
With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Psalm 119:9-16 ESV
Follwers of Christ value and encourage the regular reading of God’s Word. How can we seek God, keep our way pure, and avoid sin? We do this by reading the Word of God, meditating on it, delighting in it, and remembering it. I don’t think any of us would say, “I don’t really think reading the Bible has anything to do with pursuing God and becoming more like Jesus Christ. I can do just fine without it.” Most of the time when I find myself making wrong choices or doing and saying things that aren’t representative of Christ and His followers it’s because I’m not spending time seeking the heart of God. My spirit desperately needs to be tied to God’s Spirit or else I’ll go my own selfish way. So far, my way hasn’t given me anything but trouble and a persistent red handprint on my forehead.
That’s why we encourage each other to read the Bible. Our toddlers learn the song, “Read your Bible, pray everyday,” and “The B I B L E, yes, that’s the book for me,” because we want them to understand the importance of Scripture at an early age. Regular Bible reading is often mistaken as a formula to prmote a successful Christian life. We create year-long checklists and daily reading journals not because checking a box each day and spending n minutes in prayer fills up God’s divine scorecard, but because we understand that a young man can keep his way pure by guarding it according to God’s Word.
With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of sites that provide various scorecards lists and resources you can use to read through the Bible in a year. As 2006 comes to a close and you start to make plans for the coming year, get a head start on ordering and offering these resources to those in your congregation.
Personally, I’m a bigger fan of reading the Bible in larger chunks than just 3-4 chapters per day. I’d encourage you, if your goal is to read through the entire Bible over a period of time, to read it in 30, 60, or 90 days. It might take you a little bit of time each day but you’ll get the advantage of seeing a broader context by consuming larger portions in one sitting. Imagine watching all eleven or so hours of the LOTR Extended Editions in 15 minute segments over a period of a month and a half. You wouldn’t get a good grasp of the storyline and the flow, would you? Put down Tom Clancy or those romance novels for a couple months and spend that time reading through the Bible.
Here are some resources for you to plan for yourself, your family, or your congregation to read through the Bible. Since there are many ways to read through the Bible (OT & NT each day, chronological, straight through, etc), I’ll let you dig around those sites and find which one you would prefer. I have, however, included in this list the methods that each site provides whether it’s a printable list, an daily email service, or the ability to read it online.
http://www.squidoo.com/readingplans/ also provides links to other sites, reading plans, and resources.
You can also purchase Bible’s that are created for the purpose of reading through it in a year. Each day’s passages are clearly marked so you just have to read what is designated for that day. One year Bibles are not laid out like a traditional Bible but are divided up into 365 readings with passages selected from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.
The most important thing is that you are being transformed on a regular basis by the Word of God and your spirit is being aligned with God’s Spirit through the Scriptures. Do you have any successes, struggles, experiences, or tips on methodically working your way through the Bible on a yearly basis? Share it in the comments.
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