Reading the Bible and Finding a Plan that is Right for You

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As I mentioned in the video, my favorite plan for reading God’s Word is the One-Year Bible. You can find a One Year Bible at any bookstore or online store or you can get it as an e-book. It breaks the Bible down into dated, daily readings of an Old Testament passage, a New Testament Passage, a Psalm, and a Proverb. Some years I read the Bible through in a year, while other years I choose to read through the Old Testament in one year and the next year I read through the New Testament, along with Psalms and Proverbs. There is also the One Year Chronological Bible, which gives you daily readings in the order that they were written. Also, most Study Bibles include a plan to read the Bible through in a year.

Some Bible teachers suggest starting with the Gospel of John as a good introduction to who Jesus is and God’s redemptive plan. Author and pastor R.C. Sproul offers a pattern for people who have never read the Bible. He suggests the following:

The Old Testament overview:

  • Genesis (the history of Creation, the fall, and God’s covenantal dealings with the patriarchs)
  • Exodus (the history of Israel’s liberation and formation as a nation)
  • Joshua (the history of the military conquest of the Promised Land)
  • Judges (Israel’s transition from a tribal federation to a monarchy)
  • 1 Samuel (Israel’s emerging monarchy under Saul and David)
  • 2 Samuel (David’s reign)
  • 1 Kings (Solomon and the divided kingdom)
  • 2 Kings (the fall of Israel)
  • Ezra (the Israelites’ return from exile)
  • Nehemiah (the restoration of Jerusalem)
  • Amos and Hosea (examples of minor prophets)
  • Jeremiah (an example of a major prophet)
  • Ecclesiastes (Wisdom Literature)
  • Psalms and Proverbs (Hebrew poetry)

The New Testament overview:

  • The Gospel of Luke (the life of Jesus)
  • Acts (the early church)
  • Ephesians (an introduction to the teaching of Paul)
  • 1 Corinthians (life in the church)
  • 1 Peter (an introduction to Peter)
  • 1 Timothy (an introduction to the Pastoral Epistles)
  • Hebrews (Christology)
  • Romans (Paul’s theology)

Sproul adds, “By reading these books, a student can get a basic feel for and understanding of the scope of the Bible without getting bogged down in the more difficult sections. From there, he or she can fill in the gaps to complete the reading of the entire Bible.”(ligonier.org/blog/get-basic-overview-bible).\

Scripture Union is a ministry that offers tools to help both adults and children read, know, and love God’s Word. They offer an Essential 100 Challenge (E100) as a way to read through the essential passages in Scripture. The E100 Challenge is based on 100 carefully selected short Bible passages, 50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New. The plan helps you get the big picture of the Bible and also helps you keep up with your progress. They offer a little pocket-sized planner listing the scriptures to read and providing a punch card so you can chart your progress. This is a great plan to do as a family or with other individuals. You can get the E100 planner at www.E100challenge.com.

Another tremendous resource for reading the Bible is www.Bible.com (You Version) that offers a Bible app for your phone, iPod, tablet, or computer. You may already have their app, but did you know they offer reading plans as well? If you go to the “Plans” link on their menu, you will find a variety of ways to read the Bible. The cool thing is, the app keeps you informed on your progress and even gives you reminders if you are falling behind. You can choose a reading plan under the headings of Devotional, Topical, Partial Bible, Whole Bible, Youth, and Family, and You Version is constantly featuring new plans. The point is to find a plan that works for you. There are no perfect formulas for reading God’s Word; the important thing is simply to do it.

Know Him 2016

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As we begin the new year, let’s consider ways we can continue to move in a positive direction, both spiritually and emotionally. Here at Positive Life Principles, I want to encourage you as you seek to deepen your relationship with the Lord and get to know Him in a more personal way.

2 Peter 1:3 reminds us, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.”

For the next few weeks I will be posting videos which will help you come to know the God of the Bible. As we explore ways to read and meditate on God’s Word, you will understand His great love for you, and your love for Him will be enriched. Join me each week as we come to Know Him in a deeper and richer way.

Anything but Boring

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Enjoying a winter day

Where are you with the Bible? Perhaps you’ve tried to read it and just haven’t connected with it. Or maybe you simply didn’t know where to start. On the other hand, you could be that person who has gone to Bible studies for years, and yet your interest in it has grown a little stale. Perhaps you’ve never had any interest in the Bible at all. When it comes to the Bible, we are all at different places. No matter where you are, my hope is that you will come  to a place of connection – connecting your life with the greatest book that has ever been written.

There are some people who may think the Bible is irrelevant or doesn’t pertain to our lives today, but I’m pretty sure those people haven’t read it! What could be more relevant than a book filled with stories of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, all reflecting the human condition and the desperate need inside each of us for love and redemption? The beautiful theme throughout the entire book is not how bad we are, but how good God is. Every page is infused with God’s grace.

The Bible is a book about messed-up lives and God’s unmerited favor. There is no other book on earth that conveys the abiding love of Almighty God toward His people. Why wouldn’t you want to read a book like that? Throughout the centuries it has given strength and inspiration to artists, businesspeople, authors, musicians, athletes, and world leaders. It has offered hope to the ailing in hospitals to the suffering on the battlefields, and to the starving in poverty. Yet, to be honest, true poverty is the “poverty of the soul.”

How sad to have all the comforts that life can offer, yet be empty or starved spiritually. The Bible is food to feed our hungry hearts, bringing fulfillment and nourishment to our soul. This is why we read the Bible—because like food—we need it for our very existence. It is filled with life-giving sustenance for those who hunger to know God’s grace and love. Cultural blogger Jim Denison wrote, “This hunger for the God of grace is universal. How could it not be? We were designed to need food, and will hunger for it until the day we die. In the same way, we were designed to need our Designer.”[i] Yes, “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

As we enter 2016, let us ask God for a renewed hunger for his word and devote ourselves to getting to know the greatest book ever written.

 

This is an excerpt from Becoming a Woman of the Word. Click here to order your autographed copy and begin a journey of loving, learning and living God’s Word.

 

 

[i] Jim Denison, Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, www.Denisonforum.org, January 20, 2014 entry.

5 Tips to a Having a Positive Christmas

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under tree

Although we sing about Christmastime being the “hap, happiest time of the year,” a majority of people experience quite the opposite. Whether it’s family relationships, financial struggles or stress-filled schedules, this time of the year can be a challenge for even the most joyful of people. Here are a few holiday happiness boosters to help you discover delight in the season.

Determine to find the treasure in everyone. Let’s face it, during the holidays we are surrounded by a few (or more) negative and annoying people. But just as every coin has two sides, so every person has both difficult qualities and pleasant ones. Sometimes we have to dig a little deeper to find the hidden treasure in a person. Make it your own personal challenge to discover the treasure in every person you encounter from the lady in front of you at Target to your odd uncle from California.

Choose to forgive. Make a positive decision to give up the grievance or bitterness you are harboring in your heart toward someone. It is only weighing you down and making you unhappy. Move forward and let go of whatever you are holding onto, and you will experience a great sense of relief and freedom. You may need to continue to set wise boundaries from hurtful people, but hand your unforgiveness over to the Lord. He came at Christmas to offer forgiveness for all our sins, how can we not do the same for others?

Stay healthy. Be deliberate about taking care of your body during the holidays. Get the rest you need and don’t forget to take your vitamins (I know I sound like your mother). A good stress-relieving walk will strengthen you, both physically and emotionally. And be thoughtful about what you are putting in your mouth. If you eat crap – you will only feel crappy.  Try to be intentional about eating green and lean when you can throughout the holidays.

Give joyfully.  Keep your gift-giving perspective bright and loving. Instead of getting frustrated and stressed out as you shop, turn your attitude toward the wonderful thought that this is an opportunity to bless others. Pray for each person on your list and ask the Lord to show you what would be meaningful to that person. Remember, you can choose your perspective, so shop with a heart filled with love rather than grumbling.

Be Thankful. Every morning this week, take a moment to thank the Lord for at least five ways He has blessed you. Gratitude to God brings a fresh delight to your day. As you thank God for your immediate blessings, take a moment to reflect on the fact that Holy God came to this earth as a humble baby to bring us the greatest present of all – His Presence. He came to show us love and to offer His life as a sacrifice for our sins.

My hope for you this Christmas is that you will find your strength in Him and that you will know the love He has for you.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4:9,10