A NOTE FROM PASTOR MAYLAN SCHURCH
One of the safest ways for a Christian to protect himself or herself from discouragement or false teaching–and to fall more deeply in love with God–is to acquire a good working knowledge of what’s in the Bible, from one end to the other. However, following a through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan can be pretty daunting, mainly because some parts of Scripture just aren’t nearly as interesting as other parts. Here are a few suggestions to make this work for you:
- Ask the Lord to use His Word to change you. That’s what the Bible is for–to change us from what we were before to what God wants us to become! Always pray before you start each day’s reading: “Lord, what message do you have for me today?”
- Choose the right Bible–a readable version with clear print. Why not try a version you’ve never read before? For steady reading for longer periods of time, a hardcover version is sometimes easier to handle. Check out used bookstores for inexpensive Bibles.
- Decide on a specific time and place for your daily reading, and stick to it. Morning’s probably best for most people–your mind’s freshest and there’s less chance for distraction. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than normal. If it’s not January yet, start “practicing” with the December readings. That way your habit pattern will be already up-and-running by the new year.
- Try to think of a goal for your reading, such as “This year I’m going to try to discover Jesus in every book, maybe even every chapter,” or “I’m going to try to find what God is really like, what’s in His heart,” or “How did Bible people pray, what did they pray for, and how did God answer them?” or “I just want to know what the Bible actually contains.”
- Read some chapters slowly, others more rapidly. For now, read the stories slowly and carefully, but skim the “begats” and other non-story segments more quickly. This is especially true if your goal is to get an “airplane” view of the Bible. You can always come back for further study to areas which intrigue you.
- Get ready to be very surprised. Or shocked, or jolted, or disturbed, at some of the things you read. But as you ask yourself “How can people be that horrible to God, or to each other?” you’ll also be asking “God, how can You be so patient with us?” Occasionally His love will move you to tears. At such times, tell Him how much you love Him and how willing you are to be a light in the world for Him. I believe that you’ll conclude the year’s reading with a deeper respect and love for your Creator, and a greater desire to be part of His witness to the world.
- If you skip a few days, ignore what you’ve missed and jump back into the schedule. Remember, the key is to read the Bible every day, not necessarily read it through in a year. Just keep moving through Scripture. If you can’t read the entire day’s reading, just do a few verses of it.
- Contact me with your questions. I can maybe answer your questions or direct you to other resources which can. My e-mail is maylanschurch@gmail.com. — Pastor Maylan
JANUARY
1 -Gen 1-3
2 – Gen 4-7
3 – Gen 8-11
4 – Gen 12-15
5 – Gen 16-19
6 – Gen 20-22
7 – Gen 23-25
8 – Gen 26-27
9 – Gen 28-30
10 – Gen 31-33
11 – Gen 34-36
12 – Gen 37-39
13 – Gen 40-42
14 – Gen 43-45
15 – Gen 46-47
16 – Gen 48-50
17 – Ex 1-4
18 – Ex 5-8
19 – Ex 9-11
20 – Ex 12-13
21 – Ex 14-15
22 – Ex 16-17
23 – Ex 18-20
24 – Ex 21-23
25 – Ex 24-27
26 – Ex 28-29
27 – Ex 30-31
28 – Ex 32-33
29 – Ex 34-36
30 – Ex 37-38
31 – Ex 39-40
FEBRUARY
1 – Lev 1-4
2 – Lev 5-7
3 – Lev 8-10
4 – Lev 11-12
5 – Lev 13-14
6 – Lev 15-16
7 – Lev 17-19
8 – Lev 20-22
9 – Lev 23-25
10 – Lev 26-27
11 – Num 1-3
12 – Num 4-6
13 – Num 7-8
14 – Num 9-11
15 – Num 12-14
16 – Num 15-16
17 – Num 17-19
18 – Num 20-21
19 – Num 22-24
20 – Num 25-27
21 – Num 28-30
22 – Num 31-32
23 – Num 33-34
24 – Num 35-36
25 – Deut 1-3
26 – Deut 4-6
27 – Deut 7-9
28 – Deut 10-12
MARCH
1 – Deut 13-16
2 – Deut 17-19
3 – Deut 20-22
4 – Deut 23-25
5 – Deut 26-28
6 – Deut 29-31
7 – Deut 32-34
8 – Joshua 1-4
9 – Joshua 5-8
10 – Joshua 9-13
11 – Joshua 14-17
12 – Joshua 18-21
13 – Joshua 22-24
14 – Judges 1-3
15 – Judges 4-5
16 – Judges 6-8
17 – Judges 9-10
18 – Judges 11-12
19 – Judges 13-16
20 – Judges 17-19
21 – Judges 20-21
22 – Ruth
23 – 1 Sam 1-3
24 – 1 Sam 4-6
25 – 1 Sam 7-10
26 – 1 Sam 11-13
27 – 1 Sam 14-16
28 – 1 Sam 17-19
29 – 1 Sam 20-23
30 – 1 Sam 24-27
31 – 1 Sam 28-31
APRIL
1 – 2 Sam 1-4
2 – 2 Sam 5-7
3 – 2 Sam 8-10
4 – 2 Sam 11-12
5 – 2 Sam 13-14
6 – 2 Sam 15-17
7 – 2 Sam 18-19
8 – 2 Sam 20-21
9 – 2 Sam 22-24
10 – 1 Kings 1-2
11 – 1 Kings 3-4
12 – 1 Kings 5-6
13 – 1 Kings 7-8
14 – 1 Kings 9-10
15 – 1 Kings 11-12
16 – 1 Kings 13-14
17 – 1 Kings 15-16
18 – 1 Kings 17-19
19 – 1 Kings 20-21
20 – 1 Kings 22; 2 Kings 1
21 – 2 Kings 2-3
22 – 2 Kings 4-5
23 – 2 Kings 6-8
24 – 2 Kings 9-11
25 – 2 Kings 12-14
26 – 2 Kings 15-17
27 – 2 Kings 18-19
28 – 2 Kings 20-21
29 – 2 Kings 22-23
30 – 2 Kings 24-25
MAY
1 – 1 Chron 1-3
2 – 1 Chron 4-6
3 – 1 Chron 7-9
4 – 1 Chron 10-12
5 – 1 Chron 13-16
6 – 1 Chron 17-20
7 – 1 Chron 21-24
8 – 1 Chron 25-27
9 – 1 Chron 28-29
10 – 2 Chron 1-4
11 – 2 Chron 5-7
12 – 2 Chron 8-9
13 – 2 Chron 10-13
14 – 2 Chron 14-16
15 – 2 Chron 17-20
16 – 2 Chron 21-23
17 – 2 Chron 24-25
18 – 2 Chron 26-28
19 – 2 Chron 29-31
20 – 2 Chron 32-33
21 – 2 Chron 34-36
22 – Ezra 1-3
23 – Ezra 4-6
24 – Ezra7-10
25 – Neh 1-4
26 – Neh 5-8
27 – Neh 9-11
28 – Neh 12-13
29 – Esther 1-4
30 – Esther 5-7
31 – Esther 8-10
JUNE
1 – Job 1-2
2 – Job 3-5
3 – Job 6-7
4 – Job 8-10
5 – Job 11-14
6 – Job 15-17
7 – Job 18-19
8 – Job 20-21
9 – Job 22-24
10 – Job 25-28
11 – Job 29-31
12 – Job 32-34
13 – Job 35-37
14 – Job 38-42
15 – Ps 1-9
16 – Ps 10-17
17 – Ps 18-22
18 – Ps 23-30
19 – Ps 31-35
20 – Ps 36-39
21 – Ps 40-45
22 – Ps 46-50
23 – Ps 51-55
24 – Ps 56-61
25 – Ps 62-67
26 – Ps 68-71
27 – Ps 72-77
28 – Ps 78-80
29 – Ps 81-85
30 – Ps 86-89
JULY
1 – Ps 90-99
2 – Ps 100-105
3 – Ps 106-110
4 – Ps 111-118
5 – Ps 119
6 – Ps 120-134
7 – Ps 135-139
8 – Ps 140-144
9 – Ps 145-150
10 – Prov 1-3
11 – Prov 4-7
12 – Prov 8-11
13 – Prov 12-15
14 – Prov 16-19
15 – Prov 20-24
16 – Prov 25-27
17 – Prov 28-31
18 – Eccl 1-4
19 – Eccl 5-8
20 – Eccl 9-12
21 – Song of Sol 1-4
22 – Song of Sol 5-8
23 – Isa 1-4
24 – Isa 507
25 – Isa 8-10
26 – Isa 11-14
27 – Isa 15-19
28 – Isa 20-23
29 – Isa 24-26
30 – Isa 27-29
31 – Isa 30-33
AUGUST
1 – Isa 34-37
2 – Isa 38-40
3 – Isa 41-44
4 – Isa 45-48
5 – Isa 49-51
6 – Isa 52-55
7 – Isa 56-58
8 – Isa 59-62
9 – Isa 63-66
10 – Jer 1-3
11 – Jer 4-6
12 – Jer 7-9
13 – Jer 10-13
14 – Jer 14-16
15 – Jer 17-19
16 – Jer 20-23
17 – Jer 24-26
18 – Jer 27-29
19 – Jer 30-32
20 – Jer 33-35
21 – Jer 36-38
22 – Jer 39-41
23 – Jer 42-44
24 – Jer 45-48
25 – Jer 49-50
26 – Jer 51-52
27 – Lamentations
28 – Eze 1-3
29 – Eze 4-7
30 – Eze 8-10
31 – Eze 11-13
SEPTEMBER
1 – Eze 14-17
2 – Eze 18-20
3 – Eze 21-23
4 – Eze 24-26
5 – Eze 27-29
6 – Eze 30-32
7 – Eze 33-35
8 – Eze 36-38
9 – Eze 39-41
10 – Eze 42-44
11 – Eze 45-48
12 – Dan 1-3
13 – Dan 4-6
14 – Dan 7-9
15 – Dan 10-12
16 – Hosea 1-4
17 – Hosea 5-9
18 – Hosea 10-14
19 – Joel
20 – Amos 1-4
21 – Amos 5-9
22 – Obadiah, Jonah
23 – Micah 1-4
24 – Micah 5-7
25 – Nahum
26 – Habakkuk
27 – Zephaniah
28 – Haggai
29 – Zech 1-4
30 – Zech 5-8
OCTOBER
1 – Zech 9-11
2 – Zech 12-14
3 – Malachi
4 Review Old Testament.
5 – Matt 1-4
6 – Matt 5-7
7 – Matt 8-10
8 – Matt 11-13
9 – Matt 14-16
10 – Matt 17-20
11 – Matt 21-23
12 – Matt 24-26
13 – Matt 27-28
14 – Mark 1-3
15 – Mark 4-6
16 – Mark 7-9
17 – Mark 10-12
18 – Mark 13-14
19 – Mark 15-16
20 – Luke 1-2
21 – Luke 3-5
22 – Luke 6-8
23 – Luke 9-11
24 – Luke 12-14
25 – Luke 15-17
26 – Luke 18-20
27 – Luke 21-22
28 – Luke 23-24
29 – John 1-3
30 – John 4-6
31 – John 7-9
NOVEMBER
1 – John 10-11
2 – John 12-13
3 – John 14-15
4 – John 16-18
5 – John 19-21
6 – Acts 1-3
7 – Acts 4-6
8 – Acts 7-9
9 – Acts 10-12
10 – Acts 13-15
11 – Acts 16-18
12 – Acts 19-21
13 – Acts 22-23
14 – Acts 24-26
15 – Acts 27-28
16 – Rom 1-4
17 – Rom 5-7
18 – Rom 8-10
19 – Rom 11-13
20 – Rom 14-16
21 – 1 Cor 1-4
22 – 1 Cor 5-7
23 – 1 Cor 8-10
24 – 1 Cor 11-13
25 – 1 Cor 14-16
26 – 2 Cor 1-4
27 – 2 Cor 5-7
28 – 2 Cor 8-10
29 – 2 Cor 11-13
30 – Gal 1-3
DECEMBER
1 – Gal 4-6
2 – Eph 1-3
3 – Eph 4-6
4 – Philippians
5 – Colossians
6 – 1 Thessalonians
7 – 2 Thessalonians
8 – 1 Timothy
9 – 2 Timothy
10 – Titus
11 – Philemon
12 – Heb 1-3
13 – Heb 4-6
14 – Heb 7-9
15 – Heb 10-11
16 – Heb 12-13
17 – James
18 – 1 Peter
19 – 2 Peter
20 – 1 John
21 – 2, 3 John, Jude
22 – Rev 1-3
23 – Rev 4-6
24 – Rev 7-9
25 – Rev 10-11
26 – Rev 12-14
27 – Rev 15-17
28 – Rev 18-19
29 – Rev 20-22
30 Review of New Testament
31 Review of Old Testament