If you're anything like me, you're easily distracted and always pressed for time. That's about par for the course these days. With technology at our fingertips and the news feed constantly updating itself with new posts and statuses and pictures of people's friend's babies to "like," it's as if things never slow down. Life is fast-paced, and we shove as much as we can into our day to fill the voids and gaps without taking any time for ourselves to just
rest.
Which is why, when I started
The One Year Bible plan on my iPhone
YouVersion Bible app last year, I thought for sure I'd fail at it, but I knew I needed to give it a shot. It's something I'd tried to do on my own and have always failed at.
When I was in college, I worked at a desk for several hours a day. We were allowed to do our homework while on the clock, but once that was done, I needed something else to do. For a while, I tried to read the Bible cover to cover. Then I got to Leviticus. Who actually
likes reading Leviticus? I read the whole book in two sittings, basically skimming the whole thing. Then I got to Numbers. I thought that by getting Leviticus over quickly I'd be home-free. Guess again! I got lost somewhere in Judges, and by that time it was finals week and I was too busy studying to keep going. I put the Bible down and picked up the textbooks.
I never attempted to read the entire Bible through again until last year. I don't really know why I decided to do it except that I knew my quiet times with God were lacking. I'd tried to read the Bible on paper in a year and it didn't work, but maybe a reading plan on my phone would work better. It's certainly not the most conventional way to read the Bible, but it is becoming more popular. There has to be some reason why more and more people are using the Bible on their iPhones in church -- whether you like it or not.
I started The One Year Bible plan on New Years Eve 2011 and, yes, I did get behind a few times. But unlike last time, I felt like I had a mechanism to get me caught up. It also helps that this particular plan doesn't go straight through the Bible cover to cover. Instead, it is a passage from the Old Testament, a passage from the New Testament, a Psalm and a Proverb. It breaks the scripture down into shorter passages, which I found actually helped me remember the stories I read -- especially those of the Old Testament, which I had never read before.
Now I'm not trying to write an advertisement for iPhone Bibles, the YouVersion app or Tyndale, who created The One Year Bible plan. What I am trying to do is encourage you that, yes, it can be done. I finished the entire Bible on December 30, 2012. I took a day off, looked through the plans on the app, and then, on December 1, I restarted the same plan over again. After a year of doing it, I just can't imagine not having it there every morning to start my day. It's become a permanent fixture of my life. Whereas before I had trouble fitting time with God into my day, now it's something I can't go without.
I want to leave you with a challenge: try it for yourself. Do it the way that works best for you, and don't give up until you find the method that fits your lifestyle. Because the scriptures are incredibly important to our lives as Christians, and the more we invest ourselves in private spiritual disciplines, the more God can teach us, mold us and grow us into the people He wants us to be.
Have you ever read the entire Bible through in a year? Have you started it at the start of this new year? Are you willing to give it a shot? What impact has reading scripture daily had on your life?
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Comments (21)
I tried to read the Bible in its entirety but I got distracted fairly early :(
I think this could be a great thing for me to do as I have my breakfast every morning. I'm trying to do grow more in my faith and this will definitely be good for me :) ... but reading it on a phone? Not my cup of tea, personally. I prefer my Bible in paper.
As a teenager, I read it straight through, and I believe it was within a year. I also prayed a lot as I read it, asking for understanding and asking questions. I had always believed in a loving Heavenly Father, but the Bible taught me to recognize the voice of Jesus speaking to me through its words. He said His sheep would hear His voice and it is true. The Bible also taught me to recognize the promptings and impressions of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit bore testimony to my spirit countless times of the principles and truth of what I was reading and feeling.I can't even tell you how many verses I underlined that I knew were meant for me, but it was all a lesson in love. The Bible was the way that Jesus became the foundation of my spiritual life.
@lomal@xanga - Your comment has given me a lot of encouragement! This year, I plan on reading the bible in chronological order. I have several methods that I'm using to try and help me understand what I'm reading, and if all else fails I turn to my pastor! But my biggest motive for reading the bible is to learn how to recognize God's voice, like you talked about. I am very determined to make it all the way through the bible!
In response to the original blog, I will definitely get the bible on my iPod for the days that I'm at school for long hours and I don't have my bible with me. It's a fantastic idea and it'll help me stay on track!
What is the purpose in rushing to read the entire biblical script in a year? You can try reading it 10,000 times and memorize the whole thing, but if you never truly understood what it was saying and focused more in getting it over, then did you truly finish it? For me, the Bible is your longtime companion, that is meant to teach you to become the person Jesus thoroughly wants you to be. You can take it one step at a time. If you applied what you learned from it into your life and to others then that is when you truly made a big step into fulfilling its true purpose.
Right, today I found myself a great minister. Once, I read some of her quotes from a friend's Facebook and decided to learn more about her. Then I decided to watch one of her video sermon. I liked her the very instant I watched her not only because she is funny, but because she is very true to herself and her teachings. Her name is Joyce Meyer. You can try checking her out. I'm planning on watching her videos whenever I have free time now. She is kinda becoming one of my stress reliever.
If you'd like to know more about her, here is the website:
http://www.joycemeyer.org/BroadcastHome.aspx?video=Payday_Is_Coming_%E2%80%93_Pt_1
Rats. I've forgotten one of my goals for the year, already. I was going to read through the NT. Still plenty of time, I guess. Anyway... I've read through the bible in a year a couple times. Doing so makes me feel too rushed, but I find it beneficial to make the grand tour every five years or so.
My father has been reading the bible in a year each year since 1956. I have been reading the bible in a year since 1992.
I've done it a couple years, but, honestly, I felt like I was just rushing through. I do think every Christian needs to read through the Bible, but I'm not sure putting a time frame onto it is the best way to get much out of it. I much prefer taking a book at a time and really taking my time to read, research and pray through it.
@Marica0701@xanga - I prefer my Bible in paper too, but I usually forget to bring it to work with me. Luckily I have an ESV bible on my phone that I can read (if I remember too ): ).
@Pepin909@xanga - I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. If you've never read the Bible in it's entirety, maybe setting a goal like that will help.
@xhalesx - A bad thing- definitely not, but it is choosing quantity over quality.
Every Christian, every believer in any faith for that matter, needs to read their holy books. This includes the NT and OT for Christains. How can you truely call yourself anything if you haven't read the book that explains exactly what it is?
Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago just finished reading the Bible in a year through devotions each day.
Um. My sister read it in five months. She was a religion major and got her professor to make a class on reading the whole bible which was a semester long, so five months.
She'd also already read the entire thing before by then though.
@Pepin909@xanga - At the same time, every christian needs to have the entire Bible read. If setting a goal like that is what works, then go for it!
Roses are red, Violets are blue, Jesus sucks and God isn't real.
@FattiesGonnaFat@xanga - what do U mean? Islam recognizes Jesus. God (Allah) is real. Please U read here. Thanks.
@ridwanafandy@xanga - okay, sorry let me change my reply. Roses are red, violets are blue, Muhammad sucks and allah isn't real.
@FattiesGonnaFat@xanga -
a lot of people named Muhammad 
you are gifted to be a storyteller or comedian 
@ridwanafandy@xanga - How do you know me so well?
@FattiesGonnaFat@xanga - from your comment & your picture
@ridwanafandy@xanga - Ohh Mr. Muhammad. You're so silly/