Bible Reading

January provides a yearly opportunity for a fresh start. Maybe this is the time of year you reconsider your approach to Bible reading. And maybe you don’t really know where to start? Or you’ve tried before and the wheels fell off by February.

Well, here is good news for us all. We can consider plans without fear of condemnation because bible reading is not something we do to get or keep God’s approval. The basis of God’s love and acceptance is found solely in the gospel. 

We do however want to know God better with each passing year. And this isn’t just knowing more about him, but knowing him relationally as a friend you are growing to love and trust. So, any good plan is intended to create structure and space for you to connect with the Lord. If you want to grow and need some help, we’d recommend 3 steps: Plan | Place | Process

The ESV Study Bible is a very helpful tool - visit esv.org for bible plans - and you can have the readings emailed to you every morning by subscribing.

The Bible app by Youversion has hundreds of bible reading plans and you can listen to audio versions while you drive or walk.

Good reading plans to check out include:
- M’Cheyne One Year Plan
- Bible in 2 Years                
- Chronological Bible          

While sticking to a plan is helpful, recognize that you may need to shift plans because of life transitions or a preferred approach. The goal is fellowship with the Lord, not completing a particular plan.

What kind of timeframe do you have? Can you make adjustments to clear more time? For example: You can pick out clothes the night before, make your lunch the night before, set the coffee maker, go to sleep 30 minutes earlier . . . Etc

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still, [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
- Mark 1:35 - 

Quiet + Low Traffic + Away from screens/emails/texts . . .protects your focus on God’s Word and prayer. 

John Piper has a series of brief prayers from the psalms to get you started each morning: (You can remember it by the acronym: IOUS)

• Incline my heart to your Word and to selfish gain. (Psalm 119:36) 
• Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things in your law. (Psalm 119:18)
• Unite my heart to fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)
• Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love. (Psalm 90:14) 

Read with a highlighter and pen. Mark it up and make notes along the way. This helps you engage while reading and remember what you read! Consider three brief questions:

• What does this text reveal about me? My sin, my need? 
• What does this text reveal about the sufficiency of Christ? 
• What virtue does this text encourage me to put on in response? 

While incorporating music along with your daily Bible reading isn’t required, it can be helpful for attuning our hearts and minds to what we’re about to read, or used as a response to what we’ve just read (Psalm 108:1-5). If you don’t play an instrument, Sovereign Grace Music, Getty Music, and City Alight have an abundance of YouTube videos, or you can simply play them from Apple Music, Spotify, or your preferred musing streaming source. It might be helpful to pick a song to play for the week to better enable you to commit it to heart. Some people have found the Together for the Gospel recordings helpful, as the focus is on rich hymnody sung to a single piano accompaniment. IF you play an instrument, of course, you can either begin or end your time of reading with a song that’s related to one of the passages you’re reading. But that’s not crucial. Any song that directs your mind and affections to God’s glory and beauty in Christ will be helpful! A good hymnal can be an aid here (Trinity Hymnal, Hymns of Grace, or the upcoming Crossway Hymnal “Sing!” are all good options). Also, on the Sovereign Grace website all the songs are classified by theme and Scripture and are downloadable for free. Finally, you can simply sing a song acappella, and know that whether or not you have a great voice, Jesus perfects all our offerings to the Father and makes them fit for joining in the chorus of heaven (1 Pet.2:4-5)!

A guided devotional can be a helpful resource for different seasons of life. Here are three devotional we recommend! 

Hopefully, this starter kit will serve you as you get rolling into the New Year and beyond. As always, let us know if there are any ways we can help you! Looking forward to growing together in 2025.
- Your Pastors