This should take about 10 minutes of your day (you can always give more time, but you don’t have to). The key here is to keep it simple and The goal is to be in God’s word five times a week.
First Things First
- Before you begin reading, simply ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to what he wants you to see and understand from the Bible. I know this sounds so simple, but it reall does work.
- Understand the Bible is a collection of 66 books divided into the Old Testament (pre-Jesus history) and New Testament (post Jesus). Each book can be read as an individual letter but the Bible is arranged in a manner in which the Old Testament gives the general history of man and then focuses in on the particular history of the Jewish people until the coming of Jesus. The New Testament then picks up with the life and work of Jesus in the gospels and then from Acts to Jude deals with the birth and expansion of the new Church that Jesus started. Revelation stands as a different book in that it foretells the coming end of human history.
Reading
- Take the next few minutes and read a chapter for the day. I would suggest staying consistent in your reading. Pick a book of the Bible to work through a chapter a day. I would advise not to jump around but methodically work your way through the books and chapters and I would suggest starting with the New Testament.
- As you read your daily chapter, highlight anything that jumps out at you (an application, observation, question…).
Take Simple Journal Notes
- Write out a key verse that spoke to you from the chapter
- Write out observations from the chapter (what’s going on, who’s involved, how does it link to previous chapters, what significant events or teaching took place…)
- Write out a simple application you can make to your life today.
- Write out a simple prayer asking God to help you apply what you discovered today.
- Go back and now date your entry, give it a title, and mark what chapter you read
Here is how I set up my journal pages . . .
Date: _____________ Title: ____________________ Book & Chapter: __________
Key Verse:
Observations:
Application:
Prayer:
Final Note
It is amazing how consistency can win the day. If you commit to this simple Bible study plan in a matter of a year you will have not just read but studied over half the Bible. I would now suggest you find a group of like-minded people with which you can take the next step by sharing your weekly studies. A small group of people is a powerful means to transform your thinking in incredible ways to reflect more of Jesus’ thinking in your life.
From Pastor John Baker