Since becoming a Christian I have yet to read the whole Bible, so this year my plan is to read it cover to cover, starting from Genesis right through to Revelations. I have read Genesis almost four times and each time I finish it I feel like I missed something so I go back and start all over again. I also have a habit of putting off my Bible study time till "later on", and next thing I know it's been two weeks and I haven't cracked open my Bible. How can I be a good model as a Christian if I don't even know what I'm talking about? The answer is simple: I can't. If I want to live my life according to God's word I need to know His word. There is so much time that is spent mindlessly staring at screens, whether it is a T.V. screen, a phone, or a computer, and I need to ask myself, "would God rather have me reading scripture, or reading someone's status?" Would God rather have me watch a T.V. show that encourages adultery and sinful behavior, or have quiet time and strengthen my relationship with Him? We live in a world that is constantly pulling us away from Christ and we can either let it happen or run even closer to God.
To help me stick with my goal of reading the the whole Bible I have made myself a little schedule to stick to and I hope some of you may want to use it as well! I have also compiled a list of tips that will hopefully help you get into the habit of reading your Bible everyday, and help you resist the temptations and struggles we all face on a daily basis. Before I get into the tips and the schedule I made, I just want to say that everything I talk about is just stuff that has worked for me and things that I have had issues with. There is no right or wrong way to study the Bible and being a "good" Christian isn't dependent upon how often you do or do not read your Bible. Reading your Bible regularly does help you grow closer to Him, however.
Helpful Tips:
- When you can't sleep at night reach for your Bible instead of your phone or romance novel.
- Memorize a few different verses that you can recite to yourself when faced with temptation.
- When tempted to indulge in something sinful or something that may lead you further away from Christ, pray for someone you know is in need of it. It's good to turn your attention to someone/something else rather than focusing on trying to avoid a particular activity or thought.
- If you have an iPod or a phone that apps can be downloaded to, get a Bible app so that whenever you have a free moment it can be devoted to God. I personally prefer reading from my actual Bible, but the apps are still a great resource!
- When reading from the Bible always have a pen and sticky notes with you and possibly a journal. You will absorb a lot more of the information if you are analyzing what you are reading. Try to underline certain verses or passages that stand out to you and make little notes in the page margins or on sticky notes that you can stick on the page. A journal can also be helpful if you don't like to write in your Bible or if your notes do not fit in the margin.
- Reread something as many times as you have to if don't understand what it is saying.
- Set aside a certain time during the day so that you can read with no interruptions.
I have made a schedule that I will be going by and I made it into a PDF so that any of you can use it if you'd like! Every month I will posting a new schedule for anyone to use. Again, this might not be a good schedule for everyone, but it is something that works for me.
For the January Bible Study Schedule just click
here.
