New Beginnings 2019: Bible Reading

New Beginnings 2019: Bible Reading

The beginning of a new year is a great time to evaluate what steps we can each take to continue to grow in our pursuit of becoming like Jesus Christ. You will find a new post on the blog each day this week with a challenge to consider to help you grow in a different aspect of your personal discipleship.

One of God’s greatest gifts to His people is the Bible. The Bible is how we know who God is and what He has done for us. God continues to communicate with His children through his Word. Because the Bible holds what we need to know to be saved and transformed through the work of Jesus, it is imperative that we regularly spend time in it. Just as a child will not grow without proper nourishment, how can a son or daughter of God grow in the faith without feasting on the scriptures? They cannot. Do you regularly spend time in God’s Word?

What should your Bible study goal be for 2019? Perhaps it is to actually read the Bible. While many of us know that reading the Bible is important, in practice, it is not. Maybe you have a consistent habit of daily reading God’s Word and this year you should begin to study the Scriptures more thoroughly by increasing the amount of Scripture you’re reading, journaling your thoughts and questions, or adding a commentary to read alongside each book of the Bible you read. No matter what your current Bible study habits are, make a goal for this year and write it down. This goal should be challenging, yet attainable. Goals are easier to follow through with when shared with others. Consider sharing it with your spouse, accountability partner, or community group. These people can encourage you and hold you accountable.

A great way to find direction when reading Scripture is to have a plan. A Bible reading plan will guide you through all or parts of God’s Word. An intentional plan removes the hurdle of not knowing where to start and provides a measurable goal that can prevent you from being overwhelmed and tempted to quit. You can easily make a plan yourself by deciding what you want to read and how long you want to take to read it. If you start tomorrow reading one chapter of Luke a day you can read through the book by the end of the month. Google Bible reading plans and you will find an unlimited amount of options. Here are a few options you can print and stick in your Bible or journal. Remember, set a realistic goal. If you don’t currently have a habit of reading the Bible, deciding to read 4 chapters a day is probably not the way to start.

While all you need is a personal copy of the Bible and a journal to effectively study God’s Word, there are resources available to assist you. The ESV Reader’s Bible removes the chapter and verse numbers to help the Scriptures flow with the ease of reading a book. The ESV Scripture Journal: New Testament and Old Testament provide a blank page for notes after each page of text for a clean way to record your thoughts as you work through the Scriptures.

If you have any questions regarding reading plans or other resources, please email me. I’d love to talk with you.

Scott Riessen