A new year is upon us and I urge you, encourage you, exhort you to make a plan for how you will spend time with the Lord in 2015. There will be a million distractions and temptations to keep you from reading the Word each day, but with a plan in place it will be easier to overcome the myriad excuses that will pop up to keep you away from your Bible.
And why do we read? There are so many reasons, but JOY is an important one. Even on those days when you feel there is no time to sit down with Scripture for a few minutes, even on those days where your reading plan feels like the most burdensome checklist, there is joy to be found in meeting with the Father and satisfaction to be found in learning more about His Son. Even though your reading will feel monotonous some days, on other days it will feel like refreshing water to your soul, hope for your weary heart, guidance for your wondering mind, and encouragement for your dreams and passions. And one by one, the days of turning God’s pages, whether in weary obedience or glad anticipation, will add up to joyful transformation in your heart and your life when the year is through.
This is my prayer for you… that you will be obedient and that you will be changed. I pray that 2015 is the year God’s Word becomes more precious to you than ever before. So pick a plan. Stay the course. There is grace for the days you miss and wild joy for days you spend in His Word.
Ligonier Bible Plans – An awesome comprehensive list with so many options.
The Bible App {YouVersion} – This is how you can read on your phone at work, in the car, or in the waiting room on the craziest of days.
ESV Study Bible – This is my favorite Bible version and they have 12 different plans available in various formats.
Challies Round-up – Another great list of reading plans.
Shirkers and Slackers Bible Plan – This is the plan I’m doing this year. “Slackers” might be misleading because if you follow this plan you will read the entire Bible in a year, but the format is a little more flexible than others, and I like that you read a different genre of the Bible each day of the week.
Chronological Bible – If you’ve never read through the Bible before, this is probably my top suggestion for you. This is a paperback Bible and it tells you exactly what to read each day of the year. You don’t need any additional app or checklist. The plan moves chronologically through the Bible, so the books are in a slightly different order than a regular Bible. For example, Job was a very ancient forefather, so his book comes right after Genesis. When you read about David’s trials and battles in I and II Samuel you will also read the Psalms he wrote during the same time period. When you read through the Gospels, you will read each account of the same miracle or parable side by side. It’s a really fascinating way to read Scripture, and it’s a super organized way to get through a year-long plan.
*Learn more about Bible reading here.*
She reads truth is also a good site for bible studies. I love their plants and they have new ones all the time.