Daily Bible Reading Schedule

January 01, 2007 is two hours away - at least where I am just now.  I mentioned in Thursday’s Bible Bite that I would send you some information on Daily Bible Reading Plans.  Start the New Year off right. Prepare your heart spiritually and your mind psychologically to commit to the regular, consistent and consecutive daily reading of your Bible throughout 2007. The information below is from the email I sent out this time last year. Just delete this, if you were on the distribution list last year.

Reading someone else's daily devotionals is good. Even reading a Bible Bite on Tuesdays and Thursdays may be helpful - but you will starve to death spiritually if that's the extent of your diet. If you want to have a robust year for the Lord in 2007 - there is no substitute for reading your Bible diligently and daily. You need more than occasional 'bites'. We all need a daily intake of spiritual food if we are going to thrive spiritually for the Lord.  (Psalm 119:9-16)

I am attaching three WORD documents containing three Bible Reading Schedules. Let me know if you have difficulty receiving them.

Plan A - this daily reading plan takes you through your entire Bible once a year. Each day you read from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Plan B - this daily reading plan takes you through your Old Testament once a year and through the New Testament and Psalms twice a year. It is called the McCheyne Plan. I have been enjoying this plan for several years, even though it has 'four' different places for you to read each day. Robert Murray McCheyne died at 29. He was a very Godly young man and saw more done for the Lord in a few short years than I will ever accomplish in a lifetime. He developed this plan for the congregation he was pastoring.

Plan C - this daily reading plan takes you through the Old Testament once a year and the New Testament twice a year.

Print out the Plan you choose and keep it in your Bible.

You can search for other options online. Under the links section of www.heaven4sure.com you will see a website listed that gives you a variety of options. As a minimum, be sure to select an option that gives you a balanced daily diet of reading something from BOTH the Old and New Testaments each day.

Are you afraid to start following a Bible Reading Schedule in case you miss a day or two here and there? You're afraid to commit to a schedule in case you can't follow it? You don't like New Year Resolutions - because you can't keep them?  What do you have to lose? Let's say you followed the plan until March and then you got off track with the schedule.... what have you lost by following it in Jan, Feb and March? Nothing!!  Go for it! Try it!

TIPS:

1. Before you read, pause to confess your sins to the Lord and ask Him to speak to your heart as you read His Word. Many suggest that we should do our reading first and then when we pray, we have a starting point. The Lord has spoken to our hearts through His Word and now it is our turn to speak to Him.
2. Read prayerfully. As you read, pause at certain verses or phrases and speak with your Lord about what the verse means and how it might pertain to your own life.
3. Block out a 30 minute time slot that is most likely to be convenient for you to read your Bible - the same time every day. Even if you have to set your alarm clock earlier - go for it. If you were training for the Olympics you would make the time to practise. Rigor and discipline is required. Satan will never hand you extra time to read your Bible. He will keep you busy. If you are going to read your Bible, you will have to TAKE the time.
4. If you miss a day every now and then, don't try to go back and catch up. You will find that too difficult and discouraging. If you have lost a day or a week because of extraordinary events in your life, just get back on schedule and read that day, where the Plan states you should read. You can read the missed chapters next year, if the Lord spares you.
5. If you have completed all your readings for the day and you are about to close your Bible without enjoying anything .... (and that happens to all of us)... go back and just select one verse or a phrase or a single word in that verse and mull it over in your mind for a few minutes and pray.  For example, let's say you selected Job 21:13 out of your readings:  "They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave."   You could think of the wealth of sinners and how shallow it is compared to your wealth as a believer. You could think about 'a moment' - in a moment you could be at home with the Lord. In a moment the Lord could come and you could thank the Lord for the 'moment' you trusted Christ.  Or you could think about 'going down to the grave.' Your body may go down but you will go up. Praise God!  Yeah, it may not seem like much, but at least it is some little nugget for you to have in your mind as you go through your day. Underline that phrase or that verse in your Bible. Jot down your little thought in a note pad and date it.
6. Get at least one other friend to adopt the same plan and then challenge each other with the Lord's help to follow the Plan.
7. Your daily reading according to a schedule is the minimum. Every Christian should also spend time 'studying' the Word of God.

Warmly,

Peter

www.heaven4sure.com

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