One of the points we emphasize with both the stateside and international pastors we train is how essential it is for them to be spiritually nourished from reading the Bible every day. This is true for every believer. God’s Word makes it clear in Joshua 1:8 that we should meditate on God’s Word day and night so that we may be prosperous and successful. The Psalmist in nearly every verse of Psalm 119 (longest chapter of the Bible) gushes out his love for the Word of God and how useful and precious it is. Jesus uses the Bible as the primary response to the temptations Satan throws at him in the wilderness, and we know according to Eph. 6 that it is the Sword of the Spirit – our primary offensive weapon in our spiritual arsenal. The Bible is inspired by God, useful for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and must be handled well (2 Tim. 2:15).
Certainly daily Bible reading is a discipline, a habit which must be established and maintained. The enemy wants to keep us from it, and will throw a host of distractions our way. But God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebr.4:12), and as we learn to wield it well, it will be the primary way God guides us through life. We must learn to read it not just to get something for me out of my reading, but to learn about God and what His will is, since He is the primary subject of the Book. We encourage those we train to read systematically through entire books rather than jumping around using the hunt and peck method.
So I want to attach a couple reading plans I have developed that work week by week instead of day by day, which allows some extra flexibility for those days when you can read less or more while still staying on target. I also like to read some OT and some NT back and forth, week by week. Feel free to take these and make them your own, and I pray God uses your daily reading to be a significant encouragement to you as this is the primary way that God speaks to us. Press on and may you be blessed. Eric
Eric’s 52-week Bible reading plan (Thru OT once and NT twice / year)
WEEK 1 – Genesis 1-25
2 – Genesis 26-50
3 – Matthew
4 – Exodus
5 – Mark
6 – Leviticus
7 – Luke
8 – Numbers
9 – John
10 – Deuteronomy
11 – Acts
12 – Joshua
13 – Romans
14 – Judges – Ruth
15 – 1 Corinthians
16 – 1 Samuel
17 – 2 Corinthians, Galatians
18 – 2 Samuel
19 – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thess.
20 – 1 Kings
21 – 1 & 2 Tim, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews
22 – 2 Kings
23 – James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude
24 – 1 Chronicles
25 – Revelation
26 – 2 Chronicles
27 – Matthew
28 – Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
29 – Mark
30 – Job
31 – Luke
32 – Psalms 1-50
33 – John
34 – Psalms 51-100
35 – Acts
36 – Psalms 101-150
37 – Romans
38 – Proverbs
39 – 1 Corinthians
40 – Ecclesiastes, Song of Sol., Isaiah 1-25
41 – Isaiah 26-66
42 – 2 Corinthians, Galatians
43 – Jeremiah 1-35
44 – Jeremiah 36-52, Lamentations, Ezekiel 1-14
45 – Ezekiel 15-48
46 – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thess.
47 – Daniel – Hosea
48 – 1 & 2 Tim, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews
49 – Joel – Nahum
50 – James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude
51 – Habakkuk – Malachi
52 – Revelation
Alternate plan – through OT once and NT three times / year
WEEK 1. Genesis 1-21; Matt. 1-21
2. Gen. 22-42; Matt. 22-Mark 14
3. Gen. 43 – Ex. 13; Mark 15 – Luke 19
4. Ex. 13 – Ex. 34; Luke 20 – John 16
5. Ex. 25 – Lev. 15; John 17 – Acts 16
6. Lev. 16 – Num. 9; Acts 17 – Romans 9
7. Num. 10-30; Rom. 10 – 1 Cor. 14
8. Num. 31 – Deut.15; 1 Cor. 15 – 2 Cor. 13
9. Deut. 16 – Josh. 2; Gal. 1 – Phil. 2
10. Josh. 3-23; Phil. 3 – 2 Thess. 3
11. Josh. 24 – Judges 20; 1 Tim. 1 – Philemon 1
12. Judg. 21 – 1 Sam. 16 Heb. 1 – Jam. 1
13. 1 Sam. 17 – 2 Sam. 6 James 2 – 1 John 2
14. 2 Sam. 7 – 1 Kings 3 1 John 3 – Rev. 8
15. 1 Kgs. 4 – 2 Kings 2 Rev. 9 – Rev. 22
16. 2 Kgs. 3-23 Matt. 1-14
17. 2 Kgs. 24 – 1 Chr. 19 Matt. 15-28
18. 1 Chr. 20 – 2 Chr. 11 Mark 1-14
19. 2 Chr. 12-32 Mark 15 – Luke 12
20. 2 Chr. 33 – Neh. 7 Luke 13 – John 2
21. Neh, 8 – Job 5 John 1-16
22. Job 6-26 John 17 – Acts 9
23. Job 27 – Psalms 5 Acts 10-23
24. Psalm 6-26 Acts 24 – Romans 9
25. Psalm 27-47 Romans 10 – 1 Cor. 7
26. Psalm 48-68 1 Cor. 8 – 2 Cor. 5
27. Psalm 69-89 2 Cor. 6 – Gal. 6
28. Psalm 90-110 Eph. 1 – Col. 4
29. Psalm 111-127 1 Thess. 1 – 1 Tim. 6
30. Psalm 128-141 2 Tim. 1 – Heb. 6
31. Psalm 142 – Prov. 5 Heb. 5 – 1 Peter 2
32. Prov. 6-19 1 Peter 3 – Jude
33. Prov. 20 – Eccl. 2 Rev. 1- 14
34. Eccl. 3 – Song of S. 4 Rev. 15 – Matt. 6
35. Song of S. 5 – Is. 10 Matt. 7-20
36. Isaiah 11-24 Matt. 21 – Mark 6
37. Isaiah 25-38 Mark 7 – Luke 4
38. Isaiah 29-52 Luke 5-18
39. Isaiah 53-66 Luke 19 – John 8
40. Jeremiah 1-14 John 9 – Acts 1
41. Jeremiah 15-28 Acts 2-15
42. Jeremiah 29-42 Acts 16 – Rom. 1
43. Jer. 43 – Lam. 4 Rom. 2-15
44. Lam. 5 – Ezekiel 13 Rom. 16 – 1 Cor. 13
45. Ezekiel 14-27 1 Cor. 14 – 2 Cor. 11
46. Ezekiel 28-41 2 Cor. 12 – Eph. 6
47. Ezekiel 42 – Dan. 7 Phil. 1 – 2 Thess. 1
48. Dan. 8 – Hosea 9 2 Thess. 2 – Titus 2
49. Hosea 10 – Amos 6 Titus 3 – Hebr. 12
50. Amos 7 – Micah 6 Hebr. 13 – 2 Pet. 3
51. Micah 7 – Zech. 2 1 John 1 – Rev. 6
52. Zech. 3 – Malachi 4 Revelation 7-22