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Read the Word

Pat Necerato

Hope you're enjoying the last week of 2020 as much as I am! I enjoy the anticipation the last week of the year carries. There's something special about sharing a new chapter with those around you and it seems this year, almost everyone is pretty agreeable that 2020 needs to be on it's way. As my grandmother would say to 2020 if she were here, 'Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you!' (Sorry, couldn't resist. It's true though right?)

I'm so excited to present to you some bible reading plans for the upcoming year. The Word of God is our propeller as a church and individuals. It's God's lifeline to us and ours to Him. We should consume it daily like a hungry child. Or as John puts in chapter 6, we ought to 'munch' on the essence of Christ, which in one sense, is His Living Word.

Before I give you some recommended reading plans, know that it's good to have a plan. If you do like I've done in the past, you tell yourself you'll read through the entire bible. The first week of January, you're motivated. You don't need a plan. You feel strong so you start at Genesis. And it's so interesting. It reads like an adventure novel. Everything is there. Sin, death, serpents, murder, floods, fallen angels, miracle births and so much more. Then Exodus. You're now feeling like a theologian. You dig into the most famous story in all of the world - Moses, the plagues, the escape, the law, etc, etc. And you get it all.

Then you come to Numbers. The first few chapters feel like the middle of movie where the plot starts to sag. All the names starting hitting you like a cure for insomnia :-) But you muddle through and grab the tidbits and remind yourself this is still the Word of God.

So you move through Numbers and right about the time you hit the 'census' chapter (26), you begin to believe Numbers is called 'Numbers' because it will never end. This is usually where I poop out - around Numbers 26. I then start skipping a bit here and there, until I feel that I should reward myself for making it through the first 200 pages or so of the bible, so I take a break. I then jump to the New Testament or to familiar Psalms but unfortunately, rarely do I get back to the original 'plan' of reading through from start to finish.

Some of you may be strong, and if so, go for it. I'm not saying this applies to everyone. And I'm not saying you have to read the whole bible in a year. But unless you want to remain sporadically here and there everyday, and unless you want to miss some of the incredible insights the Lord has for you in every book of the bible, I recommend a consistent, doable plan.

Below are some recommended reading plans. (I will give you my reading plan last which is a bit unconventional. I like to read the bible backwards. More on that in a minute. :-)

First, regardless of what plan you choose, invest in Halley's Bible Handbook...

This book has sooo much easy to follow biblical information, charts, timelines, study tools, etc, but what I like more than anything, is that it gives me a small overview of each chapter of scripture that I'm reading each day.

It gives the historical context along with a bit of theology as well. It doesn't overwhelm you and it makes an excellent companion to any bible reading plan.

Don't just read through your reading plan for devotional application alone. Get the historical and biblical context and then the application for your life will amplify times ten. This is what Haley's allows you to do regardless if you're a beginner or theologian.

Here's a link to Haley's Bible Handbook on Amazon.

Here is a list of one year bible reading plans that we recommend with links to each one: (some are two and three years)

  • The Five Day Reading plan: You read five times a week. This allows time for catching up, taking a day off, read other parts of the Bible to prepare for Bible class, etc. Read the entire Bible or just the New Testament.

  • 52 Week Bible Reading Plan: Read through the Bible in a year with each day of the week dedicated to a different genre: epistles, the law, history, Psalms, poetry, prophecy, and Gospels.\

  • A Bible Reading Chart: Read through the Bible at your own pace. Use this minimalistic yet beautifully designed chart to track your reading throughout the year

  • Every Word in the Bible: Read through the Bible one chapter at a time. Readings alternate between the Old and New Testaments.

  • Historical Bible Reading Plan: The Old Testament readings are similar to Israel’s Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament readings are an attempt to follow the order in which the books were authored.

Most the above plans are provided by Ligonier Ministries

The plans above are all excellent. However, if you want a bit of a challenge, as I mentioned, I have a reading plan which I like to call the 'backward' reading plan (I know, ingenuous name). You'll never guess how it works :-)

I'll tell you my logic on this later, but It's more than just reading the bible backwards. It gives you an amazing historical context of the entire narrative of scripture and radiates God's redemptive plan throughout the history of His people. So you're not bouncing around and you're also taken deep into the stories and theology of each book without distraction.

By doing it backwards, it helps me break the monotony, it keeps my interest, it makes me think more about what and where I'm reading, and more than all that, it gives me a better perspective and appreciation of every book of the bible and where it fits in God's redemptive history.

Here's how it works:

  • Read the bible 15- 30 minutes daily (or more)

  • Read 15 minutes from the New Testament beginning with Matthew and go straight through

  • Read 15 minutes of the Old Testament beginning with the last prophetical books chronologically, first (follow directions for remaining books below)

  • You'll get through the New Testament first, so just begin again or spend the full time in the OT

  • Depending on how long you read, this will take you 1-2 years to get through the entire bible

We begin with the prophetical books to see how the Lord dealt with His people by warning them and promising deliverance during their rebellion:

Here's the order of the prophetical books in reverse. Start here:

  • Post exile (this is after the Jews returned to the land from captivity and begin to rebuild the temple): Read Malachi, Zechariah, Haggai, Nehemiah, Ezra, Esther

  • 70 year exile (during): Read Ezekiel, Daniel

  • Pre- 70 year exile and during northern captivity: Read Lamentations, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Nahum, Micah, Isaiah

  • Pre-exilic prophets: Read Hosea, Jonah, Amos, Joel, Obadiah

We then go the the historical books which took place before and during the exile.

Here you can see all the details of how Israel rebelled, how the kingdom split into a north and southern kingdom, and how many kings rebelled and how some obeyed. Elisha and Elijah's ministry is also featured here:

  • Historical books: Read 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ruth, Judges, Joshua,

  • Poetical books: Read Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Psalms, Job

  • Pentateuch: Read Deuteronomy, Numbers, Leviticus, Exodus, Genesis

Here's the key... use this chart to help guide you and keep you focused on where you are in the story with the backward reading plan.

(I love this chart and have used it for 2 years. I have a printed copy in my bible.)

If you do decide to do the backward plan, I would love to hear from you and even discuss it with you along the way. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Well, I don't know about you but I'm out breath :-) That's one long email update. But hopefully, you can grab some tidbits out of this and come up with a reading plan that suits you perfect. If you've made it this far down the update, you're probably a prayer warrior and you will be on the prayer call tonight :-)

It starts at 7:30 PM.. Hope to see you then!

BTW - Get a head start and read John 9 this week!

Much love in Christ,

Pat

[Act 20:9-10 KJV] 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing [him] said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.