How I did it: Reading the Bible in its entirety seemed an incredibly daunting task, and in years previous, I had fallen into the habit of re-reading the books I was comfortable with, most of them in the New Testament.  When I came across YouVersion.com, I checked out a few of their short topical reading plans, and liked how I was able to keep track of my progress, or readjust the plan's dates if I read ahead or fell behind.

I chose the "Blended" reading plan, because it coupled a few chapters of the Old Testament with the New Testament each day, and for me, it allowed me to get more comfortable reading books of the Old Testament.  From Day One, I loved how they were paired, as well - Genesis 1 was perfectly paired with Romans 1 (which talks about creation as well, in verse 20).

As the months passed, I could see the Old Testament unfolding, and really felt like the Holy Spirit was teaching me - deeper than the head knowledge that I had, but heart knowledge that I could apply to my life.  I saw for myself that this general belief that the God of the Old Testament is cruel and angry while the God of the New Testament is loving and merciful is a complete fallacy.  God's justice and mercy is very consistent throughout the Old and New Testaments, and I found myself sometimes weeping with joy over God's passionate love and mercy in sections of the Old Testament (especially in the Prophets), and deeply convicted and made somber by warnings I found in the New Testament.

As time passed, I also found that I craved more and more Scripture.  Sometimes, I would read 2-3 days at once, and there were often periods of time where I completed shorter reading plans while I continued the year-long "Blended" reading plan.  He truly gave me a zeal for His Word, and the knowledge and understanding He gave me made daily life application much more natural.

By making myself accessible to Him, and committing to seek Him by learning His ways through daily reading the Bible - He really used that and honored it.  What an incredible treasure this is; I literally wept with joy when I realized I had read the entire Bible.  (I've never cried so much in a year - and they've been nearly all happy tears!)

I'll be starting the "Chronological" reading plan soon, which is very heavily OId Testament at the start - but I feel comfortable with it now, and have seen the incredible value, especially in knowing how Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Law and all the Messianic prophecies.  My desire is to better understand the historical context and timeline of all these events, and even to venture into a firmer grasp of geography of the Old and New Testaments.  I'm expecting even deeper revelation from Him now - and am so excited.

Reading the Bible through has absolutely deepened and enriched the servant friendship I have with God, and my obedience is fueled by an even deeper love.  Obligation and stress and worry are much farther from me than ever, and knowing Him more is a greater treasure than I know how to describe.

Lessons & tips:

1. Follow a reading plan. I recommend YouVersion.com because of the variety of year-long plans available, the variety of versions available, and the ability to read the Word at your computer or on your smart phone.
2. Set aside a time each day to commit to reading, and don't overdo it.  As time passes, the habit will become more natural as opposed to scheduled, and you may find that you desire to read more.  That's great - but don't force it.  If you fall behind, just pick up where you left off, and spend some time reminding yourself why you want to continue - don't kick yourself needlessly, but make sure you're doing this in a state of awareness and purpose.
3. Keep in mind that you're not reading the Bible "just to get through it" - so don't rush it, or make it all about "checking off the day."  Sometimes, I would re-read a passage two or three times, and found that time of mediation on a few verses to be more valuable than if I'd checked off a few days' worth of reading.
4. You hear it all the time when instructed on how to read the Bible - but don't "yeah, yeah, I know" this suggestion: pray beforehand.  It's an acknowledgment to God that you're not going to "lean on your own understanding" and an invitation for the Spirit to be a part of your study.
5. If you come across something that confuses or offends you - don't ignore it.  Seek out explanation.  I found Matthew Henry's commentary to be helpful, but there are others that are very good as well.  You can Google-search some explanation, but be mindful of the source.
6. Remember that you can't make the Bible say what you want it to say.  Many times, people find "contradictions" in the Bible because they've picked out one thing to mean what they want it to say, and then the rest of the Bible isn't going to sync up with that inconsistency.  The Word should be changing and shaping you - not the other way around.
7. You can also feel free to touch base with me - I'm happy to encourage you and cheer you on.  :)

Resources: YouVersion.com - I used their "Blended" reading plan, but there are many to choose from.

Apr 14, 2011, 06:31AM PDT | 4 comments | 4 cheers