Seven (7) MORE Ways to Read the Entire Bible in One (1) Year

I hope you already read my previous article entitled Seven (7) Ways to Read the Entire Bible in One (1) Year. If not yet, CLICK HERE to read. God through many of His faithful scholars and servants, has produced hundreds of Bible translations. In this way, God doesn't limit His Written Word with only the original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic languages. You and I in Malaysia (and all over the world) can read the Bible in our mother tongue or native language. God is also the God of Iban, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Dusun - all languages. With this awesome privilege to know God and His Mind, why wouldn't Christians don't want to read the Bible for his or herself?

Deep inside we know that as Jesus' followers we need to read the Bible consistently. But you and I know that most Christians have never even finished reading the New Testament, let alone the entire Bible (Matthew 26:41 says, "For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!"). As you know too, the Bible is a BIG volume book. But do not be discouraged! By dividing the Bible into 366* daily readings, your goal of reading the Bible in a year can easily be accomplished. Get a Bible reading plan today and start where you are. It's not too late (yet). In addition to the 7 ways to read the entire Bible in 1 year that I already suggested in the previous article (again, please check it out), here I would like to add another 7 ways or tips to encourage you in this noble and profitable holy-curious-reading to know the living God through His written Word:

*year 2020 have 366 days

#8 LISTEN TO (DRAMATIZED) AUDIO BIBLE

In my opinion, reading is better than listening to the Bible in terms of memorizing, familiarizing and imagining the Scripture. But listening is as Biblical as reading the Scripture. Romans 10:17 puts it this way: "[Faith] comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." I love to listen to podcasts, audiobooks and dramatized audio Bible. In my office, we have a set of The Bible Experience (TNIV) audio Mp3 and I love it very much. If Mp3 is too old school for you, you can download or listen to audio Bible online such as through http://www.bible.is/ website or App (untuk Bahasa Indonesia, saya cadangkan kamu mendengar https://www.alkitabsuara.com/). By all mean, try to READ the actual, physical Bible. Use the audio Bible if you need to catch up with some of your readings or to listen to the overall ideas or themes of the book that you are read now.

#9 WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS, REFLECTIONS & QUESTIONS ON YOUR NOTEBOOK OR JOURNAL

When the apostle John was in exile in the Patmos island, he was given a vision of heaven. The Lord appeared to him and said, "Write on a scroll what you see... Write, therefore, what you have seen" (Rev. 1:11,19). Likewise, you can write what you have read and 'seen' in Scripture. If your Bible has big margins, write your responses there. If you think your Bible is too 'sacred' to write something on, then use a notebook or post-it-notes. Some people use a journal, you can, but I'm not that disciplined. As you read and meditate on the Word, some insights and observations may come to mind, so you should write it down while it is still fresh.

Most of the time, when I read the Bible, I have more questions than insights. Question is good and very important provided that you have the initiative to ask God to reveal it to you in prayer and to search for the answer(s) later. Even if God doesn't give you the answer to your question immediately, just write it down. Who knows, maybe a few years later the answer may come to you unexpectedly but divinely orchestrate. Sometimes there is no answer... and it's okay too.

#10 FIND A QUITE, COMFORTABLE & LESS DISTRACTION PLACE TO READ

I would love to say that I get up early morning every single day, pour a cup of coffee and spend two hours reading my Bible and praying on my knee. Sorry, I don't. I'm not that spiritual. I do, however, when I wake up (probably around 7-9.00am, even 11.00am, depending on what time I sleep), tidy up my bed, drink water, take a shower and then I read my Bible as I boil the water to make myself a cup of coffee. After I post a daily reminder of Bible reading for that day (if you want to receive a daily reminder of 1 Year of Chronological Bible Reading Plan, follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/), I put my phone on airplane mode to avoid digital distraction while I’m reading. 

Since I stay alone, so, it's easy for me to find a quiet and comfortable place to read. In the past, I used to read the Bible in the toilet. For some people, this can be disguised, but for me, this was the only option I have to read peacefully and away from distractions. I also used to find that the quietest place in the morning is in my car on the way to the office. Be creative and adjust your priorities. Some people love to read the Bible at night. I don't recommend it. Reading novels or other books are okay. The psalmist says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). As you begin to step into the day, let God's Word be the lamp and the light to your feet.

#11 ITS OKAY TO SKIP 'HARD CHAPTER', COME BACK TO IT AGAIN LATER

The Bible can be a difficult book to read when you begin, but the more you read it, the more you'll get to grips with it. If you keep going you'll learn to love it and understand it better, and soon you won't be able to remember how you get by without it. Most people I interviewed said they stop reading regularly after they get into the Book of Leviticus. Some are more endurance; they give up after the Book of Deuteronomy. No doubt, there are some difficult, hard and torturing chapter(s) to read, but don't give up yet. Keep the good fight!

If it's such a pain for you, skipped it for a while and come back later, until the end of that particular book (by God's grace, we have studied the Bible from Genesis chapter-by-chapter for 3 years now. When we get to the Book of Leviticus, I thought that we were going to end there, but amazingly, I learned such great lessons from that book!). Camden McAfee, a blogger, says it well: "We need Scripture we enjoy and Scripture we don't in order to have a healthy spiritual diet. Sometimes the passages hardest to digest are the passages we need most. By approaching with humility to listen, faithfulness to examine ourselves, and courage to speak, we can turn the hard parts of the Bible into essential nutrients for our souls."

#12 SHARE SOME OF YOUR FINDING(S) AND/OR VERSE OF THE DAY FOR YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA

I don't particularly do this, but I find this is a great idea to encourage you to read the Bible and at the same time may encourage others as well. I don't like to read just Bible-verse posts. I like to read Bible-verse posts with thoughtful captions. I love to read someone's honest reflection of a particular passage or verse online provided that they don't simply cut and paste but seriously thought about it. It's not how many words you share but the substance that's matters. What you put in words is what you really thoughts through. Save some very personal stories, but don't let your life experiences and the Word's reflections deprived others of these wonderful blessings. Share it!

#13 READ TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR ROOMMATES

If you can read the Bible by yourself, great! But if you can't or lack of discipline in this area, then read the Bible with other people. I have found that when we read the Bible together (especially during Bible Study) we all bring our own experiences to the Bible so it's really helpful to read the Bible with other people. This is of course provided that we know essential doctrines of the Bible and have an accountable partner(s) that can keep on encouraging one another. You'll gain other people's perspectives on what they think the Bible says. To get some different ideas, read it with someone from a different culture or ethnic, age, working experience, etc. Read a chapter or two together and then after a time of reflection (say 10-15 minutes), share what God has spoken to you through His Word [P.s: the smaller group, the better]

#14 KNOW THE BIG PICTURE OF THE BIBLE

One of the most helpful things you can do to understand the Bible better is to gain a clear comprehension of the whole sweep of the biblical story. To see and know "the big picture." Early in my journey as a Bible-reading Christian, I was (and is) greatly helped by the ministries of Charles W. Missler a.k.a. Chuck Missler and John David Pawson. These two Bible teachers are God's faithful servants who expand my knowledge of the Scripture and spark my passion for the truth. I used to play and devoured 24-hours teaching DVD of Missler's Learn the Bible in 24 Hours in my bedroom. Two times! And then, as I first enter the full-time ministry, I consumed the whole DVD series of Pawson's Unlocking the Bible. Whenever I want to be reminded of the big picture of a particular book that I read, I come to David Pawson. He provided an excellent and easy-to-understand overview of the Bible. Once you grasp the big picture - that includes the contexts and backgrounds - your view of the Bible will never be the same again! If you want to apply only one of these suggestions, take #14 with you. Nowadays you don't need to slot DVD into the player to watch these videos, all you have to do is log on to YouTube and watch online.

____________

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Seven (7) Ways to Read the Entire Bible in One (1) Year

Half a dozen people asked me about how to read the Bible in 1 year. This is such a noble and respectful desire that I want to share with you Seven (7) Ways to Read the Entire Bible in One (1) Year below 👇 click each picture and read some write up for each tip ya 😉 Let's pray the prayer of Jesus for ourselves: "Lord, make us holy by Your truth; teach us Your word, which is truth. Amen" (based on John 17:17) 🙏 #ServeToLead #ReadTheBible #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

#1 Pray for the Holy Spirit to Guide You BEFORE You Read

In John 16:13, Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of truth” and “all truth” can be found in the Bible both in the Old Testament (“All Scripture...” 2 Timothy 3:16) and New Testament (“...everything I have told you...” John 14:26). So it is wise to start your reading by praying first. Below is the example of my prayer which I printed and put it in the Bible that I’m using now:

Father, in the name of Jesus, I have opened this book because I desire to know and understand who You are. I realize this is impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit. I ask that You would anoint me with Your Spirit. Open my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my heart that I might know and understand what You are saying to me.

As I read, let me hear Your voice within the words of this book. Transform me, change me. Then lift me again with the goal of eventually seeing You face-to-face. Let my life be so transformed that I will never be the same. For this, I give You all the praise and glory and honor, both now and forever. Amen.

#2 Hunger & Thirst for the Word of God

During the temptation, when Jesus was physically hungry and thirsty, He quotes the Scripture, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). He was referring to spiritual food. As Christ-followers, we must be continuously hunger and thirst for His Word, then we can be satisfied. Otherwise, we’ll be ‘malnutrition’ Christians. This satisfaction is supernatural and that will always come to God for more. If you have this inner motivation to read the Bible, you’ll not feel ‘forced’ to read it but out of your need and initiative because you’re ‘starving’ for - both the written and the living - Word of God.

#3 The Rise of False Teachers & Teachings

If hunger & thirst for the Word of God is your inner motivation, then the rise of false teachers & teachings should be your outer motivation to read the Word of God for yourself! Many people are swayed by false teachers and teachings nowadays, especially in Sarawak, and when I investigate further, I have found the number one reason (one of the reasons) is due to the lack of Bible knowledge. Paul reminds Timothy as to us today: “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Based on this, I partly understand that false teachers are actually the product of the people who want to “follow their own desires” and so they “reject the truth.” False teachers increase as our knowledge of the truth decrease. If you want to protect yourself from false teachers and teachings, read your Bible!* (*this can reduce the probability)

#4 No Idleness & Wasting Time

To sum up: Honestly, we are lazy to read our Bible. Not that we don’t have time (we all have 24 hours either you’re a saint or the chief of sinners) but because we used our time for something else other than spending our time for God and His Word. We have time for video games, Netflix, YouTube, and social media. The key is not to ‘find’ time but intentionally to SET time. Not time expansion but time management. Schedule it, put it in your calendar, prioritized it.

Also, maximize time. I always bring books in my bag with me, one of them is the Bible. Whenever there are pockets of free time, I read. After breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I read. While waiting for the rain to stop or before meeting start or when I’m not online, I read. Read the Book of Proverbs and you’ll find that nothing positive ever said about lazy people!

#5 Use the Bible Reading Plan

#5, #6 and #7 are more practical. First, it is helpful if you have a plan. You can read the Bible entirely without a plan. You can do it! I’ve done it. I just read and read, and continue where I’ve left the day before. But nowadays, as I’m in the ministry, a Bible reading plan is very helpful. There are lots of Bible reading plans you can choose. Go to https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/ > choose > download > print > use! Also, if you like, you can use Bible reading plan Apps.

For me, this year, I use the Chronological Bible Reading Plan. With this I can read through the Bible - 3 to 4 chapters per day - in the order the events occurred chronologically. Try your best to stick to the assigned reading but don’t feel guilty about skipping it when you’re really busy. You can catch up during the weekend (sometimes when I’m curious, I just read the entire book or just bookmarked where I stop).

#6 Choose Bible Translation Suitable for You

The Biblical languages - Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic - are very rich and colorful. Thank God we have more than 450 English translations now (based on Wikipedia). It is exciting but at the same time it can also be confusing... so you have to choose which translation that is suitable for you. In almost every Bible, there is an introduction by the translators where they explain the philosophy and methodology of the translation (as I write this, I refer to the introduction to the New Living Translation). This is how I choose which translation to use for what. For Bible Study, I use KJV, NKJV, and ESV (and sometime NIV) because these translations seek to preserve the original syntax and sentence structure as much as possible. Basically, these are under Word-for-Word* (*Google to understand what this means) translation category. For Bible reading, it is better for you to use the Thought-for-Thought* translation category. I use - and suggest to you to use - simple English translations such as:

> New Living Translation (NLT)

> Today’s English Version (TEV is also known as Good News Bible)

> New International Version (NIV) or Today’s New International Version (TNIV)

> Alkitab Versi Borneo (AVB)

Paraphrased Bibles also good for reading but probably NOT suitable for serious Bible Study. Among my favorite are:

> The Message (MSG)

> The Living Bible (TLB)

> JB Philips New Testament (PHILIPS)

Whatever translation that you use, it is better for you to stick to one translation for Bible reading because it can help you to familiarized and memorized the Scriptures.

#7 Use Actual Book Rather than App

Bible Apps sound easy to excess, modern and technologically savvy. But (this is where my personal preference comes) Apps can be distractive. Why reading an actual book is good? Well, for me, holding the actual, physical Bible can set the mode and mood to read it. There is no ‘bing’ ‘ting’ and ‘ping.’ Besides, you don’t have to keep on charging it. Yes, the Bible is still the Bible regardless of format. But print, physical and actual book Bible allows us to better recognize the sense of permanency and supremacy of the Word of God than Apps does.

If you only read the Bible on your phone, it can give you the sense that the Bible is just another App. This is especially important because many young people today, who are digital natives growing up immersed in a sea of temporary pixels, may view (have a mental picture of) the Bible as equivalent as Angry Bird and PUBG. By all mean, Bible Apps are very helpful. I use it to prepare for Bible studies. Don’t reject or ditch Apps all together... just use it wisely. If your goal this year is to read the entire Bible in 1 year, I highly recommend using physical, actual Bible book. Plus, it smells good!

____________

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.