My Bible Reading Plan
By Pastor Alfred B. Davis, Richfield Bible Baptist Church
29 December 2016
Do you have a Bible reading plan? I mean a plan that helps you to read your Bible on a consistent daily basis with some goal in mind. A plan of systematic, deliberate, persistent, habitual Bible reading that allows the Word of God to enter into you, fill you, and wash you. A plan that allows you to appreciate, enjoy, experience, and absorb God's Word on a daily basis while feeding, strengthening, and improving your heart and mind.
After all, a good Bible reading plan is as essential to the growth and development of a Christian as milk is to a baby. First Peter 2:1-3 says, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
As we read the Bible we begin to grow stronger in our faith. Lack of reading stunts our spiritual growth, as illustrated in Hebrews 5:12-14: "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
A good Bible reading plan goes hand in hand with Bible study. For instance, Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Or, as the Old Testament puts it in Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
The more we read the Bible, the more we will find ourselves echoing Jeremiah's sentiment, found in Jeremiah 15:16: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts." The more we echo Jeremiah's words, the more we will find ourselves reading God's Word, meditating on God's Word, and growing in the knowledge and understanding of God's Word. After all, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
Now, when I was younger, I really did not have much focus in my Bible reading, let alone a plan. My reading was sporadic and inconsistent at best. More often than not, I would open the Bible at random and start reading a few verses, maybe even a whole chapter. It was, I suppose, better than nothing.
A little later in my life I, while in college, I realized that I needed to read the Bible more regularly and determined to read at least a chapter a day. I cannot say that I always did so, but at least it was a plan and it gave me something to aim for. It even motivated me to try to make up when I missed a chapter or two by reading extra chapters. Eventually, I managed to read the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, for the first time.
After college, I joined the United States Air Force. While stationed in England, I rededicated my life to the Lord at a little Baptist missions work near our base and God brought me under conviction about my need to spend more time reading the Bible. I began trying various reading plans and found some were better than others but was not really satisfied with any of them.
Over time, however, I began to fashion my own plan, uniquely tailored to my own goals and reading style. I realized that I wanted several things from a Bible reading program. I wanted a plan that was easy to use, had realistic goals, and was easy to catch up with or get back on track if I missed some reading. I wanted to be able to read and compare both Old and New Testaments in conjunction with each other and provide familiarity with the contents of the Bible. I wanted a plan that would provide both inspiration and instruction. I also wanted a plan that provided continuity over the long term.
Eventually, I came up with a workable plan, tailored to my goals, which I have managed to keep up with since 1987. Although I have tweaked and adjusted it over the years, it has met my needs and has greatly improved my knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of God's Word. Consequently, I want to provide an outline of my personal Bible reading plan in the hope that it will inspire you to develop a plan that works for you.
Because I believe that God has preserved His Word for us in the Authorized King James Version, I use only the King James Bible for my Bible reading and study. In addition, I use separate Bibles for reading and study. The Bible I use for reading is relatively free from study notes, commentary, and references and has an easy to read font. That makes it easier to focus on just the text, so I can read without being distracted by extraneous information and material. In addition, I do not mark in my reading Bible for the same reason. I use my study Bible for that.
The most important part of my Bible reading plan involves reading through the Bible, alternating Old and New Testament books at the rate of five chapters a day. In doing so, I started with the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis, followed by the first book of the New Testament, Matthew, followed by Exodus, then Mark, then Leviticus, then Luke, etc. I also keep a note card where I am reading to keep track of my progress and where I am, crossing off what I have read and noting what is next. I note the chapter that I will be starting in next time on right side of the card and on the left, I note what book I am in and what book is next. It looks something like this:
Through the Bible Reading Record
1Genesis[previous book]
6Matthew [current book]
11Exodus [next book]
16
Because there are 39 books in the Old Testament and only 27 in the New Testament, I find myself reading through the New Testament faster. Consequently, I started by reading Genesis followed by Matthew followed by Exodus followed by Mark followed by Leviticus and ended up reading Daniel followed by Revelation followed by Hosea followed by Matthew followed by Joel followed by Mark. By the time I reached the end of the Old Testament, I finished Malachi, and followed it by Colossians followed by Genesis followed by 1 Thessalonians followed by Exodus, etc.
Eventually, using this approach, I have been able to read every Old Testament book in conjunction with every New Testament book. I have found this approach much more helpful in comparing the various books of the Old and New Testaments side by side, seeing events and prophecies in the Old referred to and fulfilled in the New, than by reading from Genesis to Revelation.
In addition to reading five chapters a day, alternating between the Old and New Testaments, I also read several other chapters from various sections of the Bible, using note cards to help keep track of where I am reading:
- Genesis-Ruth [the Law and history]
- 1 Samuel-Job [history]
- Psalms [prayer and praise]
- Proverbs-Song of Solomon [wisdom]
- Isaiah-Ezekiel [major prophets]
- Daniel-Malachi [minor prophets]
- Matthew-John [Gospels]
- Acts-Romans [history and doctrine]
- 1 Corinthians-2 Thessalonians [Pauline Epistles]
- 1 Timothy-Philemon [Pastoral Epistles]
- Hebrews-Jude [doctrine]
- Revelation [prophecy]
(You can come up with your own divisions.)
At one time, I endeavored to read a chapter from each of these sections every day. Today, however, I read a chapter or two from Psalms and a chapter from the Proverbs-Song of Solomon section each day. In addition, I read a chapter from one of the other sections on an Old-New Testament alternating basis, a book at a time (I know, it is confusing but it works for me...). This further helps me travel all over the Bible fairly quickly, comparing books and passages between both Testaments and within them.
Of course, there are many of plans available to help you read through your Bible. You can follow a plan like mine or make up one of your own. You can follow a plan to read the whole Bible in a year, checking off the each day's assigned portion as you go or you could embark on your own cover to cover reading adventure without a time frame. Reading just a chapter a day will get you through the Bible in a little over three years. Two chapters a day will get you through the Bible in about a year and a half. Read five chapters and you can read the entire Bible in just under eight months. You can even read the Bible chronologically from the oldest book written (Job) to the most recent (Revelation).
The point is, while there are many Bible reading plans available, the most important thing is that you actually read the Bible. You need to find a plan that works for you. You need to find a plan that will challenge you to commit to reading God's Word but is not so difficult or demanding that you get discouraged and stop reading.
Whatever plan you use, however, the most important thing is that you get into the habit of reading your Bible on a daily basis and stick with it. Even if you only read one verse a day, it is better than reading no verse each day. And, who knows, you might find that by reading a verse a day you can do two or three, maybe even a whole chapter or more. No matter what plan you use, just get into God's Word and read. Enjoy it. Let it soak into you and fill you. It will change you, for the better.
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalms 1:1-3)"