What’s Your Bible Reading Plan?

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From my young adult years, I never knew quite how to read the Bible. I used to just open it up and see where it landed and would consider that my reading for the day.  I have also tried the various “reading through the Bible in a year” plans. Guess what? I always failed. I never could be consistent enough.

Actually, there were great periods of time when I did not even read my Bible daily. GASP! How could I call myself Christian? I did listen to Christian radio sermons while in my car. But I now admit, that listening to sermons is good, helps to encourage, and spurs us on, it is not reading the Bible. It is a great supplement.

I had never read through the Bible Genesis through Revelation. What I have done, was read different books of the Bible, not necessarily in order, nor in a certain time frame.

However, my most rewarding plan has been reading through the Old Testament and the New Testament. I read in order, one chapter of the Old Testament beginning with Genesis, and one chapter of the New Testament beginning with Matthew everyday excluding Sundays. (That’s my plan.) I actually started this in January 2015, beginning with Old Testament only at Genesis, but as I was finishing the book of Exodus, I decided to add the New Testament.

So far with this reading plan, I have already finished the New Testament once and was again nearing Revelation, when I decided to pick up my Bible’s reading plan starting from Psalm 119, which where I was in my own plan so that I can now finish both the Old and the New at the same time.

I will return, however, to my old plan starting with Genesis and Matthew again, which means, I will probably read through the New Testament 3 or possibly 4 times before I finish the Old Testament, and to me, that’s okay.

I have found reading through the books of the Bible is helpful because it gives you context to what perhaps you may have heard in a sermon, now you are seeing how God dealt with his people, you witness his power, his grace and mercy, especially through the Old Testament. Reading the Old Testament is like watching a movie. Really. You are an eye witness to his providence, how he unfolds his purposes. In the New Testament, you see Christ, how he lived in complete obedience to the will of his Father. You see how the many prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, and learn how to live in this life through the epistles.

What I’ve learned from reading on my very slow track through the Bible is context is important. Who is the author? Who are they writing to? What is the message? What can I learn from it?

“Open thou my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18 KJV

What’s your Bible reading plan? I don’t think that there is a one plan fits all, but I do know that it should be our daily diet.

“I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12b

18 thoughts on “What’s Your Bible Reading Plan?”

  1. Pingback: How Can We Know Him If We Don’t Read? | Musings and My Two Cents

  2. I’m currently not on a Reading Plan,but I decided to start reading and studying the Gospels to start off.It teaches how to live and be a christain.Currently I’m n the Gospel of John.No matter how many times you read a verse,scripture, or chapter, u should get a new revelation each time that you you read.always pray before reading to seek guidance, wisdom,and understanding of his word.

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    1. I agree the gospels are a great place to start. I am working through the Old and the New Testaments. I am currently on Lamentations and Hebrews. I usually try to pray too – “Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Psalm 119:18
      Thanks for reading and providing your input! I really appreciate it.

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    1. Thanks for sharing what you do! I normally don’t follow the Bible in a year plans, but had been going on my own pace with Old and New per day, but am borrowing the year plan so that I can finish the Old Testament with the New. Reason: I was finishing my second time around at Revelation and was just at Psalms in the Old.

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  4. I don’t have a reading plan for reading my bible. But, I definitely must get one and start one now. It is a great question and goal for me to make. I need to answer it and stick to my plan. I have never been good enough at reading my bible and I know I really need to be better and I know God needs me to and wants me to. Thank you for the question. It makes me realize how I must have a plan and should add my plan to my necessities of life and stick to my plan, follow my plan and do it. Thank you.

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    1. You are so welcomed. For years, I treated this very callously. My reading, has made me convinced more how very necessary it is for me to grow, to know who our God is, and to guide me. I wish you success. Maybe just start with reading one book of the Bible at a time. Not all at one time, but a chapter, or slowly going through a book by reading scriptures until you complete the book. St. John may be a good one to start with, I’ve been told. Be blessed!

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      1. Thank you so much Barbara for the encouraging words. I have read the New Testament and parts the old but have been very bad at reading my bible lately. I want to and need to get better. Thanks for your advice. BTW I Iove your blog.

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  6. I have read straight through the Bible. Then I did the Old Testament New Testament reading. Then I did a read through the Bible that was divided into six different categories. one for each day of the week. Now I am doing a chronological reading through the Bible. Reading gives knowledge of where and what things are there. Study gives meaning and relevance. Read and study.

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    1. I agree. Reading and studying should both be done. We ought to ask questions from the scriptures, look at related scriptures, etc. Thanks for sharing your plan. Reading the chronological order is definitely something I would like to do, after I read one more time through.

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  7. Well, the best thing I ever did was take a three year Bible course called Faith Bible Institute that went from front to back in amazing detail.

    I am more “random,” now I guess. Much of my study is based on writing. When I feel led to write on something, I study it in much detail.

    Sunday School lessons are also great, if approached the right way. There is always much more to plumb in those than just what the teacher teaches. Of course, when I teach class myself, that prompts much study.

    Also, studying behind what the preacher teaches in sermons is great, That is actually how my studies began when I was first saved, I had no idea what to study, so I just studied the things he preached about. That was his fault LOL. He said, “don’t believe it just because I say it, check me out.”

    So, I do!

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  8. I follow the daily readings through the divine office right now. The RC church has readings scheduled for ever day. I though, I think start a different reading plan, as I know the mass readings tend to be repetitious and there is more to the bible that is read daily in church. Good topic!

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So, what do you think?