Even though I was raised in a home where every child read the entire bible before they were eight years old — even though I have always been around bibles and bible believing people — even though I finished five years of seminary – I still struggle to read Scripture on a consistent daily basis.
Maybe you are not like me. Maybe you are a bible reading machine. You have no issue in reading it every single day. You have no distractions that haunt you and no notifications that delay you. You eat year-long reading plans for breakfast. You have Genesis and Revelation for lunch. I don’t even want to imagine what you are having for dinner. If this is you, I am getting nauseous just thinking about you. But let’s get back to the point of this post.
When Paul writes Timothy a letter, he tells him that all Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16). He is literally saying that God wrote the bible, God created the bible, God would like for you to read the bible and God chose the bible as His primary way of communicating with you. I do not think you have an issue with that. The problem here is not with sufficiency but with consistency.
Why is it that every single item or task is vying for our attention and distracting us from the very source that gives us life the very minute we sit down to drink from it? The moment you sit down to read Scripture, there begins a deluge of disturbances. Your phone starts buzzing. Your notifications start blinking. Your food on the stove starts burning. Your friend just happened to have a melt-down the minute you poured yourself a nice cup of earl grey, about to start reading your NIV with the ribbon bookmark .
I can’t explain why this happens. All I know is that it does happen. This is why we must be in battle mode every single day. We must win the battle to read our bible every day. Our spiritual health depends on it. Our gospel fortitude is fueled with it. Our Christ-centered principles are empowered by it.
I want to share with you what has really helped me to read my bible on a consistent daily basis. I hope this will help you as well. The point here is not methodology (how I do things). The more important part here is consistency (actually doing it).
Principally, these items can be applied to anyone who wishes to read their bible on a more consistent basis. Functionally, they might look different in terms of how you fit them into your daily rhythm of life. Here are five items that help me stay consistent in reading Scripture every single day:
1. Location I do not mean whether you read in your living room or in the break room. What I mean is where is your bible located? Is it in a convenient location? Is it easy for you to retrieve at a moments notice? What specific apps do you use if you read your bible on your mobile phone?Are those apps helping or hindering your daily word intake? What has really helped me is when I incorporated my daily bible reading into the regular rhythm of my life. I currently subscribe to over one hundred different blogs using google reader. Since I am already accessing that particular program every single day, I went ahead and subscribed to the Through the Bible in a Year RSS feed. Every single day when I access google reader, the text for that current day is at the top of my RSS feeds. It is the first thing that I read before I read anything else. Each day includes a reading from the OT and the NT. Starting in Genesis and Matthew, the readings continue sequentially, and over the course of a year, I never read the same passage twice. There are twelve more plan types to choose from. You can check out that page by clicking here. Since I started doing this, my consistently has been unparalleled. Because I incorporated this into my daily rhythm of life, it is becoming a pattern that is seldom broken. Location is everything.
2. Practicality What are you using to read your bible? You might be using an app on your phone. But the app might freeze up constantly or it has difficulty switching seamlessly from chapter to chapter and from book to book. You might have a bulky ESV bible with which you will outsmart everyone at bible study. But how practical is it to take to work with you? You need to have multiple versions of the same bible. Find something that you will like holding and you like how it feels. If you have not switched over to reading everything exclusively on a screen, there is a plethora of choices. Find something that you like. Find something that is practical for you. If you need to get a bible with a camouflage cover or a cute pink kitty on it — go ahead and purchase it. It does not matter what you read it on — so long as you are reading — and being transformed into the image of Christ – with every text you read.
3. Variance I have never been a big fan of unrealistic bible reading plans. They make me read ten chapters of Genesis. Then I have to read another thirty chapters of 2 Chronicles. And this is just my morning reading. If I find myself trying to keep up, then this is not the plan for me. This is why I love the (realistic) plan that I am on right now. I read both the OT and the NT at the same time. One chapter I am worshiping with David over the satisfaction we have in the Word of God — the next chapter I am learning about the importance of being a cheerful giver from Paul. This provides variance. It gives my brain a chance to switch gears and be refreshed. Sustain the variance in what you read. This will help you keep up the consistency.
4. Schedule Often, our to-do lists, commitments and plates are so heavy laden that we forget to fit into our flawless schedule the infallible Scripture. Sometimes, we have the temptation to be productive before positioning ourselves in front of the word. This is why when you are creating a schedule for your day — or when you are still wrapped up in your five hundred thread count egyptian sheets, — create in your mind a slot for when you will without distraction, devote time to reading that which God would like for you to know for the day. Do not be legalistic about it. If you are not a morning person — and you concentrate better in the evening, then read it in the pm. Find what works for you. Find the pulse of reading that coincides with your daily rhythm.
5. Prayer One thing that has helped me keep up with my consistency in reading Scripture — is coupling my prayer time with reading Scripture. I literally pray through the text that I am reading. This accomplishes two things:
- It aids my prayer in being foused, specific and vigilante.
- I pray about items that I might not have even thought of — but because I just came across a particular text, I bring it to the attention of my Heavenly Father.
While you are pouring over your text, go ahead and pray through it.
The above is what helps me remain consistent. I experience an unquenchable desire to run to and read Scripture. Practically, these are small items that aid and stimulate me to do it consistently.
Question: In the comment section, please share with the rest of the commuinty — what specifically has helped you personally in consistently reading Scripture. What can you advise for others to do? What points from above personally resonated with you.
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I like your point on variance. At one point I was definitely bogged down with a plan but I have switched over to one that does some from the OT, some from the NT, and some from the Psalms and it really is so much better because of the fact that my brain can switch gears!
I am a pretty self motivated person therefore when it comes to Bible reading because of how incredibly vital I have found it to be in my life I cannot slack off in it. I know there will still be so many distractions that creep up when you do grab the Bible but if you have really tasted and seen how good his word is you will be more likely to stay consistent because you hunger for that goodness.
Oksana — good points — and cool point about the variance — I agree — once you taste how good it is — you can’t live without it — it becomes then not a habit you have to do but a vital part of your life that you get to do, and you want to do!
Bogie,
Great pertinent and practical post!
I was wondering, are you still doing the Prof. Horton’s Bible Reading System that you got me on?
David — how are you! Thank you for stopping by and commenting, I really appreciate it! You know what is ironic, the same reading system that I got you onto, I got myself off of! It had to do with point #3 from my post “Variance.” I found another plan that has worked really well for me and I have stuck to it! This is the plan that I am currently on.
Bogie, I am doing rather well, PG, thanks for asking!
As for the variance point, are you trying to say that it had TOO MUCH variance? After all, (in the Prof. Horton Bible reading system) you are reading from 10 different places. Or was it somewhat unrealistic?
Either way, I’m glad you have a plan that works well for you, and thanks again for introducing me to the one I’m currently on.
David — good to hear about your well-being, I am glad. I would say yes to both of your statements. This was the case (for me personally). Glad I could be of help. Are you still preaching regularly? How is the work of the ministry you are a part of going?
Peace,
Bogdan.
Bogie, sorry for the late reply; but no, I am not preaching regularly, at least not from the main pulpit. I find myself precisely in the “challenging environment” which you wrote about recently (one, in my opinion, of your most relevent blogs yet).
However, I do get the privilege to preach every once in a while at our teen services which is a huge blessing to me. The teen ministry that I’m currently in is going great. I look forward to our teens growing in pursuit of the Lord and pray that they would live gospel governed lives — which I strive to portray in my, err, scratch that, HIS life in me.
David — no worries! I am glad you enjoyed that article. I hope the steps I outlined in the post will greatly help you in making the right decisions that will make the most influential impact. That is great that you get an opportunity to preach in that context. I started in very much the same way — preaching my first sermon at the age of twelve. I love to see your enthusiasm around the teens — I love teens myself — they are very fun to work with — they are intellegent, teachable (most of the time), able to quickly analyze things — so those are the positives and what makes it a joy to work with that particular group. Glad to hear the impact you are making in the local church — keep fanning into flame the light of the gospel, where you are, with the people around you — for the glory of God, by the grace of God.
Thanks for the post Bogie! It definitely served as an encouragement.
I would like to share that for me personally, Location in the sense of where I am at is important. I carry my bible in purse always and have the app on my phone, so there have been numerous occasions when I have opened my Bible in random places at random times, but I am a person that is easily distracted by my surroundings, so I like to know the exact place I’ll do it. I am not a morning person so I usually spend my time in the Word during my hour lunch break and I find that if I don’t have a clear plan in my mind as I’m leaving my office that I will get my lunch at point X and go to point Y where I will eat and read, then I can get distracted or waste my time either by looking for a good spot or ending up in a cafe that is too noisy for me to get focused and having to move, etc… I don’t limit it to one spot so that I have some variety in my life, but I have a handful of particular spots that I have found work the best for me in that way
Olga — you are welcome — and I love your strategy! You are so intentional in your approach — this is exactly what I was talking about — the importance is not methodology but consistency! You are also right about the plan — we have to plan to do it, put it on some sort of calendar or schedule — and fulfill our commitment — or else the whole day will slip by and we will neglect our soul by not feeding it. Glad to hear this has become a steady rhythm in your regular routine!
I have read throught the Bible in 90 days once this year and once last year. My family members (husband and almost all 6 children; sisters and prayer group members) were helping me by keeping me accountable.
Wow you are amazing! That is some heavy-reading! How many chapters a day were you reading? And did you dip into both the OT and the NT every day?
Our church started a church-wide reading plan, which we called SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer). Initially, it’s a partial reading plan that goes from when we started in September to Feb 18 (our anniversary). It covers the whole New Testament + Psalms and Proverbs.
Now, more importantly what I want to mention is this idea of SOAP. Basically this is intended to primarily be a group activity (or at least one other person). If possible physically together or otherwise remotely interacting somehow, either through Facebook, text messages, etc (this IS the 21st Century). The point is to share with each other our Bible reading experiences (revelations, observations, applications, even prayers in light of a passage).
So to break up the acronym (you probably already guessed most of it). S: I read the scripture, then O: I take note of any observations or passages that get highlighted to me and A: I think on how it could be applied to my life, then P: I pray that scripture and application into my life. It is also encouraged that each person keep a journal throughout this activity, writing down observations and prayers.
Reading the Bible has become an exciting and attractive activity for many. Now SOAPing has become a trend, with the hashtag #SOAP and mentions of SOAPing popping up on Twitter and Facebook.
Vlad — this sounds really cool — thank you for explaining how it works — I have heard about it but did not really know the specifics of it.
Ooo Godsent post!
had on my mind for days now of how to make consistent bible reading working for me! Thanks 