Bible Reading Update for March 2023

This is the busiest week of the year for two reasons.

1. Choir practice or singing most evenings during Passion Week.
2. Finishing up the Bible Study Fellowship year as a Children’s Leader. The last class is May 3.

During the month of March, I read all of Psalms, going by the Lectionary, one-month-Psalm cycle, from the Book of Common Prayer. Psalms has 150 chapters. I am reading Psalms every month in 2023. I love this reading plan.

I read Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Micah. I am reading through the whole Bible in 2023. Some of the Bible books were read through the BSF study. Also, through the study I’ve read other OT books. For example: 1 and
2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles. Currently we are in Jeremiah. Next is Lamentations. I started reading the Bible books going by the One Year Chronological Bible reading plan. However, some of the books are being read because of BSF readings which places me way ahead in the Chronological reading plan. In going by the plan, I am almost in the August reading.

I read Scripture from several different translations. Sometimes I read from multiple Bibles at the same Bible reading time.

The translations I use the most are the ESV, NIV, NKJV, and CSB. I like the NASB, but it is not as fluid or smooth in reading as the others. The ESV is my favorite.

All Scripture links are to Bible Gateway.

Bible Reading Update for February 2023

For the month of February, I read:

1. In BSF, 2 Kings chapters 21-25; 2 Chronicles chapters 33-36. Isaiah chapters 1-66. I read all of it in the NIV, parts of it in the ESV. The book of Isaiah was read through quickly, and later it was read through slowly.
2. I read through all 150 chapters of Psalm using the Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer.
3. I started the year reading through the whole Bible using the Chronological Bible reading plan. I read in the month of February: Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, and most of 1 Chronicles. Reading the Scripture chronologically takes me through parts of Psalm and 1 Chronicles (while reading 1 and 2 Samuel.) The Psalms I’ve read are chapters 59, 34, 57, 142, 52, 54, 60, 51, 3, 63, 7, and 18. The Scripture read in 1 Chronicles are chapters 2-22. The verses to read were a little here and a little there as far as the 1 Chronicle readings. I went ahead and read whole chapters. I’ve read way ahead in the Chronological Bible reading challenge. When I finish this plan, I will start back reading the morning and evening Bible readings in the Book of Common Prayer.
4. I’m reading 3 devotionals. The Our Daily Bread magazine, InTouch magazine, and a new book I received from the Our Daily Bread Publishing: Standing on the Promises: 365 Daily Assurances of God’s Love, Care, and Guidance.
5. I also read either the morning or afternoon or evening prayer portions from the Book of Common Prayer.

After having an account on Twitter since 2010, I deleted my account. Several reasons, but the main reason is I don’t read it. I used it to link my blog posts. I am thinking of deleting Instagram which I joined last year. I look at it maybe once or twice a week. It had gotten to a point that I was looking at social media more than actually reading or being productive at real life.

I enjoy reading websites and blogs. Every Saturday I receive all the blog posts of those who I follow in bulk emails. It takes me a while to read through them or rather skim through, pausing to read slowly those that catch my interest. I follow a few blogs and websites that come to my email daily. I love websites that post once a week. Some post daily or multiple times a day.

I have Facebook and Pinterest accounts. I look at Facebook too much. I look at Pinterest about once per week.

At what point do I say enough is enough in always looking at my phone. I have created an idol in that phone. It is so lovely and smart. It tells me when to take my daily meds. It counts the steps I take every day. It is distracting. It wants to rule my day. It wants to rule my life.

In my mid 50s, I began to think more about what I invest in. What I spend time doing. What I think about. What is really the most important things I choose to do in the limited hours in day.

A cell phone and social media is like many other things in life. I have to make a decision about what limits to set. I decide if it will rule me, or I will limit it.

I’ve read several articles about youth and cell phone use. Teenage mental health has declined since 2008, especially with teenage girls. There is an excellent article titled The Phone in the Room from the NYTimes. The reasons for depression in teenagers is varied, but cell phones and social media are solid and logical reasons.

Maybe the phone that is always with us is a pseudo friend. A constant companion but with no intimacy. No bond. No real deep and meaningful connection.

Humans, whether they are an introvert or extrovert, are created to have connection. Real, abiding, meaningful connection. Social media is scripted. People post what they want me to know. And it is done without face-to-face interaction. A cell phone makes it possible to be alerted and to hold our attention. I will not let it master me anymore. I am setting limits.

All Scripture links are to Bible Gateway.
I am a Bible Gateway partner, and a part of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid.

Bible Reading Update for January 2023

Why do I post a record of Bible readings?

1. It holds me accountable.
2. It hopefully inspires and encourages others to read the Bible.

I have a busy life like most people on this planet, but I make time in the day to read from Scripture. I have days that are harried, but I catch up at some point. Most days. Most ordinary days. I read from the Bible.

It is a discipline. Most people don’t use that word in reference to reading the bible. But it is true.

I’m reading the whole Bible chronologically in 2023. I started January 1 with reading Genesis 1, 2, and 3. The plan I’m using is from the One Year Chronological Bible. The Bible translation is Christian Standard Bible or simply CSB.

So far, I’ve read the following chapters in this plan:

Genesis 1 to 50.

1 Chronicles 1 to 2:8.

Job 1 to 42.

In BSF, the study this year (September 2022 until May 2023) is “People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided.”

In January we read and studied:

Amos 1 to 9.

Joel 1 to 3.

Obadiah 1.

Hosea 1 to 14.

2 Kings 15 to 25.

2 Chronicles 26 to 36.

The translations I use to read and answer the adult questions are the NIV and the ESV.

I am a Children’s Leader in BSF. The translation I teach from is the NIV.

Isaiah is the next book we will start in February.

The next 2 (whole year) studies in BSF will be the Gospel of John (which includes the NT letters of 1, 2, and 3 John) and Revelation for the year afterwards.

The devotional magazines I read from are Our Daily Bread and InTouch.

I read from the Book of Common Prayer most mornings. However, I sometimes read the afternoon or evening/compline sections. I rarely read all of them in one day.

I am reading through Psalms every month using the Book of Common Prayer Lectionary. For the readings, I am using a lovely NKJV Spurgeon and the Psalms edition.

All Scripture links are to Bible Gateway.

Bible Reading Plans to Start in 2023

Something most people who encourage Bible reading do not pass along in their encouragement to read the Bible is Bible reading is a discipline. It is a Spiritual discipline. And the word discipline trips people up. There are negative feelings about that word.

Distractions will prevent Bible reading.
Discouragement will prevent Bible reading.
Not making it a priority will prevent Bible reading.
People who do not like to read will talk themselves out of reading the Bible.
People who have a hard time with reading comprehension will talk themselves out of Bible reading.
People who do not believe it is important will talk themselves out of Bible reading.

Bible reading is tantamount to a Christian’s development in Spiritual growth, encouragement, comfort, knowledge, wisdom; and the primary way God speaks to us is through His Word.

Bible reading is important.

I’ve heard several people remark they do not understand what they are reading in the Bible. It is God’s Spirit who teaches, reveals, and uses His Word to create in us a new heart-a right mindset-a pliable heart open to conviction and repentance and growth in Christ Jesus. Psalm 119:11. Hebrews 4:12. Psalm 119:105. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Isaiah 55:11.

Bible reading is not to be looked at with a drudgery mindset. It is not another item on the to do list. It is not a way to make us look better or feel better about ourselves in regard to bragging about our Bible reading skills.

Bible reading is easy to put off for another day, except the next day and then the next day there is still no Bible reading. Before you know it, years have gone by with no Bible reading.

My dad was the greatest role model for me in reading the Bible. I saw him each morning have a quiet time. He read from the Bible and from a couple of devotional magazines. He had prayer time. He literally spoke aloud to God at times. Daddy was loud enough for me to hear him. He sat in an office type chair in his bedroom. He would swing to the right in his chair and ask God a question or reveal something in his heart.

I don’t know how many years ago I began reading through the whole Bible. I don’t remember how many times I’ve read through the whole Bible. I believe that I’ve read through the whole Bible within a year about 15 times.

I started a daily devotional time at age 29. It grew through the years from reading a couple of devotional books or magazines and grew to add reading through the whole Bible. In addition, I began Bible Study Fellowship in 1994. This added more Bible reading. I’ve been in other Bible studies and book reading with Bible references to read and study.

All of the Bible reading is layer upon layer building a foundation. A foundation that is solid. It is immovable. It is a foundation God is building. It is His work. I am the vessel.

God’s Word is read by my eyes, circulates in the brain, pierces my heart (inner person) and literally changes me from the inside out. It is not done alone. It is in strong combination with God’s Spirit.

This is a list of sources I’ve found to use a Bible reading schedule:

1. From Chritianity.com, 20 Best Bible Reading plans.
2. From Bible to Life, Top 5 Bible Reading Plans.
3. From Ligonier Ministeries, Bible Reading Plans for 2023.
4. From Bible Gateway, Chronological Bible Reading plan (61 days.)
5. From Ascension, Bible Reading in a year with Fr Mike Schmitz. This has a podcast, YouTube, and printable reading schedule.
6. From Our Daily Bread, their Bible in a year is in a devotional magazine. You can sign-up to get the magazine by mail or read online.
7. YouVersion Bible app. You can read the Bible in a year or through different studies.
8. From CSB or Christian Standard Bible, Every Day With Jesus
9. This is a book you can purchase from Amazon. Reader’s Guide to the Bible, Chronological Reading Plan.
10. There are several different chronological type Bibles to purchase. The differences are the translations. Link at Amazon for the full glance at the choices.
11. From Tim Challies, My Bible Reading Recommendation for 2023. This is a 5 day a week reading challenge.
12. From the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. You will need to scroll down to read the Lesson readings for morning and evening.

In some of the choices above, listening to the Bible audibly may be the best way for you to read/hear the Bible.

You can choose to read the Bible in snippets or small bites. For example, the goal may be to read Matthew in a year or Matthew and Genesis in a year.

The first thing to do before reading the Bible is to pray. The prayer can be brief. A few words acknowledging and praising God with an attribute. For example, God you are Holy. God you are Creator. God you are merciful. Ask Him to help you understand His Word. Ask Him to teach you what you are to know. Ask God to change your heart.

Are you reading your Bible?

Scripture links are to Bible Gateway.

Bible Reading Update for October 2022

I read in the month of October:

The book of Leviticus and Hebrews through She Reads Truth. We are currently reading a topical type of Bible readings on prayer. These Bible readings are from the OT and NT. All the Bible readings are from the Christian Standard Bible.
I’ve canceled the subscription box that I’d been receiving once per month. I’m tightening the family budget.

In Bible Study Fellowship, the study is Kingdom Divided. We began the 2nd week of September with 1 Kings chapters 11-14, and 2 Chronicles chapters 10-12. We are currently in 2nd Kings chapters 4 to 6. I am a Children’s Leader for the lower-level elementary age.

I am primarily reading the Bible using the Book of Common Prayer, 2019 edition. In the Daily Office Lectionary, there are lessons 1 and 2 which is morning and evening readings/prayer. By using these lessons, the OT is read through in a two-year period. The NT is read through every year. Psalms is read through every 60 days. Included in the Book of Common Prayer is an alternate to read a 1-month cycle of Psalm readings.

In addition to the above, I am reading the following devotionals: Whispers of Hope: 10 Weeks of Devotional Prayer by Beth Moore, Truth for Life: 36 Daily Devotions by Alistair Begg, and In Touch monthly magazine devotional by Charles Stanley.

I’ve read Hebrews again. This time in the ESV Study Bible. This is the 11th time this year. One more time to go.

I’ve decided to read two books of the Bible before the end of the year: Exodus and Romans. This is my own choice to read these. I’m not going by someone else’s reading plan.

Links of interest:

From Christianity Today, Jeffrey Dahmer and Killing Our True Crime Obsession.

From Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition, You Want to Be Addicted to Distraction.

Book prices are going to go up. From the Guardian. Book Prices Set to Rise as Production Costs Soar.

From Atlas Obscura: The Ultimate Guide to Wonderous Bookstores.

Are you reading your Bible?

Scripture links are to Bible Gateway.