- As we begin this New Year I have plans to do certain things this year. I hope that you have things you want to do and are making plans to get them done. I always plan to read my Bible through each year. I have a Bible that is set up to allow me to do this. I have searched for a Bible like the one I have and it is hard to find, not impossible though. So if you want to read your Bible through this year, I hope, the following will help you begin to read your Bible through this year. I hope to put in the bulletin what passage you can read to make it through reading your Bible in a year. Although you might be behind right now you can catch up. Here is the reading for the first 13 days:
Day one Gen. 1-2, Matthew 1; Day two Gen. 3-5, Matthew 2; Day three Gen. 6-7, Matthew 3; Day four Gen. 8-10, Matthew 4; Day five Gen. 11-12, Matthew 5; Day six Gen. 13-15, Matthew 6; Day seven Gen. 16-18, Matthew 7; Day eight Gen. 19-20, Matthew 8; Day nine Gen. 21-22, Matthew 9; Day ten Gen. 23-24, Matthew 10; Day eleven Gen 25. Matthew 11; Day twelve Gen. 26-27, Matthew 12; Day thirteen Gen. 28-29, Matthew 13.
One could read about 82 verses a day and make it through the Bible in a year. This is not to take the place of Bible study, this is just reading through the Bible in a year. One could use this to begin their Bible study. One might find a word or a phrase to study. One might find a subject to study. One could even get interested as to when the book was written and to whom the book was written. This would help in knowing the setting of the Book, which would in turn help in understanding the Book. The point is to keep studying your Bible. Don’t let reading your Bible and studying your Bible conflict.
There are several passages that teach us we are to study our Bibles. Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). We see an example of those who did in Acts 17:11, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” There is of course that passage that everyone thinks of “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). We should want to know the truth and the only way to do this is to study the truth, which is God’s Word (John 17:17).
This is one thing that we can do this year. There are other things that we can do also that would make our spiritual life more enriching this year. How often do you pray? Do you pray only at meals? If one would study prayer, one would find that we can go to God with all our troubles, problems, worries, difficulties and strifes. God does care for us and we can cast all our cares upon Him (I Peter 5:7). Another passage “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made know unto God” (Philippians 4:6). Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount taught His disciples this about prayer, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh is shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:6-11). Prayer will enrich one’s life.
Another thing that one could do this year is to work on the Christian Graces. They are found in 2 Peter 1:5-7. They are faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. There are eight of these Christian Graces and working on these Graces is a lifetime affair. It is ongoing and continues until the day we die. Adding these Graces to our lives each time will also enrich our life.
These are just a couple of things that we can do this year, spiritually speaking to enrich our lives. We also need to never give up on working on these things. Oh, we may have some setbacks along the way. We may not work on them, but never give up. Work on them when we can. Working on these things can become a habit. Studying and reading God’s Word can become a habit that will enrich our lives for years to come. You will find passages that will help you when times are hard and also when life is going easy. The idea is to work on them and never quit. Oh you might forget to do them but when you remember to work on them do. You might have to write yourself a note to remember for a while but then you will remember and it will become second nature to you.
So let’s start and have a good 2025.
Love Keith
