Bible Reading Suggestions

Bible Reading Suggestions

One of the most important things you can do as a Christian is read the Bible regularly. The Bible is nourishment for the soul. It is truth. It is God’s Word and the primary way we hear from God. We encourage you to make Bible reading a regular part of your life. The New Year is always a great opportunity to make a fresh start.

1. Use a Bible Reading Plan – Bible reading plans can help us stay on track with regular reading from God’s Word. It helps give some structure to reading through the Bible. Plans can vary with the type, pace, version, etc. Try different combinations and see what works for you.
   1. Type – Choose the type of plan you would like. Here are several options to consider.
      1. Since we recommend that you choose a specific reading plan,  we often provide several options at the end of the year for you to consider using. There are One-Year Bibles available in LCF’s library that you are welcome to check out and borrow for the year. 
      2. Beginning to End – This is the simplest; just read straight through the Bible
      3. Blended – There are many variations of this plan. Each day you will read from several sections of the Bible.
      4. Chronological – This plan attempts to read the Bible in order that the events happened since the arrangement of the books is not in chronological order.
      5. New Testament only or Old Testament only – You may want to focus on just one main section for the upcoming year.
      6. Commentary – Some reading plans have devotionals that help you think about and apply what you are reading.
      7. Topical – Read through scriptures that relate to a specific topic that you have interest in or may be dealing with (eg. hope, pride, worry, leadership, marriage, etc.)
   2. Pace – Choose a pace that works for you. You can read through the Bible in a year, two years, or even 90 days. It depends what you need at the time. You may need a good overview of the Bible or you may need to take it slower and digest it more.
   3. Version – Pick a translation that you can understand. If you don’t know the original Greek and Hebrew, learn to compare translations to get a more balanced reading of scripture. Learn to appreciate word-for-word translations like the KJV and ESV as well as thought-for-thought translations like the NIV or NLT. Paraphrases like The Message can be helpful for devotional reading as well for those who already know the Bible well, but are less useful for in- depth Bible
      study.
   4. YouVersion.com – This is one of the simplest ways to get started on a Bible reading plan. They have any kind of plan you can imagine and automatically put the references in front of you on your smartphone or tablet. It keeps track of which days you have completed.
2. Have a Regular Time & Place – It can be helpful to set a specific time aside each day, like you would if you had a regular meeting with someone. In this case you are setting time aside to meet with God. Pick a quiet place where you are not likely to be interrupted. 
3. Find Ways to Go Deeper – Spend some time thinking about what you have read, applying it, and allowing God to use it to change you.
   1. Think about it (also called mediating on it) – consider the context, the writer, how it applies to you today, etc.
   2. Journal – Some find it helpful to journal their thoughts about a particular passage.
   3. Listen to it – If you don’t enjoy reading, or if you learn better by reading and hearing, consider listening to it. YouVersion allows you to listen to any of their reading plans with their audio Bibles.
   4. Memorize – Memorization is a lost art today since we have the ability to pull up anything on the internet. Learn to hide the scripture deep in your heart by memorizing verses, passages, or even books. Scrituretyper.com can be a great too to help with memorizing.
   5. Highlight – Underline or highlight passages that have made an impression on you as you read. Don’t be afraid to mark up your Bible. You want to be able to find that verse or passage when God brings it to mind again.
   6. Write it out – Writing out the scripture in your own handwriting helps you to slow down and think about it, and gives you space to write down your own additional thoughts and questions about it. If there is a verse that you want to remember or memorize, write it on a note card and place it at a place where you will see it frequently.
   7. Discuss – Talk regularly with others about what you are learning or questions you have about what you read.
   8. Read with Someone – Consider reading with someone or at least use the same plan as a friend. You may want to read with your spouse or have a family time of reading the Bible each day.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17