Take the Read the Bible DAILY Challenge

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Psalm 119:103

The Word...the very words of God.

To think that the Creator of the universe left us with His Word.  Why would I not want that?  Why would I not want to read word for word?

I remember when Sarah and I were dating.  I was living Edmond and she was living in Mounds, OK.  This was before cell phones and texting and internet.  Each week, we would write letters to one another and mail them off.  I remember when I would receive one of her letters, I would smell the letter to see if there was a hint of of her perfume (that's what we did back then).  I would read the letter and then I would re-read the letter, and then I would re-read the letter.  Later that day or the next, I would re-read it.  It was fuel for my day knowing that there was someone that adored me just as much as I adored her.  I would wait anxiously each week for her letter to arrive.

Man, what if I responded to God's Word in a similar fashion.  As a reminder, He is the groom and I am His bride.  He has given me a letter not just weekly but minute by minute and day by day.  It speaks of His love for me.  It speaks encouragement to me.  It reprimands when necessary.  My Groom has written a letter to Me.  Your Groom has written a letter to You.

May we read, re-read, and re-read the very words of our Groom to us in 2021.  I guarantee that your life will be changed.  You will be reminded that there is a Groom that awaits at the altar preparing for eternity.  Until then, He has left us with His very breath to show us to be the "lamp to my feet and the light to my path."  

What do I recommend?

1.  Read the Bible daily.  Some are ready for trying to read the Bible in a year plan.  Others are not.  Start where you are.  Don't compare yourself.  You are not more spiritual if you read through the whole Bible in a year vs reading daily Scripture.  The Lord will speak regardless and it will not return void.

2.  What plan should I use?

• There are so many plans out there, but a good start is YouVersion.  Check out "the Bible Project" as a starter.  Each book includes videos specifically designed to enhance your understanding.  They have partial Bible plans and biblical study plans as well.
• Consider just reading through the New Testament.
• Take your time and find what will work for you
• I am going to go through Live Dead Joy by Dick Brogden again this year.  It gives a devotional, three passages of Scripture and an unreached people group to pray for.  For those not ready to read the whole Bible through in a year, choose one of the three passages of Scripture.  I do have some copies on hand and have more ordered for $15 or you can go to livedead.org to order.  You can also get on Amazon through Kindle for $4.99
• Missionary God, Missionary Bible by Dick Brogden.  Another one I will tackle.  This is a one year, missions-centered, chronological reading of the Bible.  This is in bite size chunks in reading the Bible.  You can get on Amazon through Kindle for $4.99.
• The Journible.  Go through one book for the whole year and hand write your own copy of the Scriptures.  In Deuteronomy 17, Moses is leaving final instructions concerning the future of Israel. As a prophet of God, Moses foretells of when Israel will place a king over the nation (v. 14). In verse 18, the king is commanded to not simply acquire a copy of the law (the entire book of Deuteronomy) from the “scroll publishing house,” but to hand write his own copy of the law. Thirty-four hundred years later, educators are “discovering” that students that physically write out their notes by hand have a much greater retention rate than simply hearing or visually reading the information. Apparently, God knew this to be true of the kings of Israel also. From such understanding came the conception of this series of books.

3.  Other advice

• Go through your plan with other people.  If you are a part of Church Inside Out, get with your House Church and determine a plan and walk together in that plan.
• Don't get discouraged if you miss a day.
• Journal.  Write out what God says to you.  You will be amazed during the course of the year your growth.  Simply write out what you are learning and write down as the Holy Spirit reveals.  Write out your prayer requests daily as well.  
• Set aside the same time each day.  Establish a routine.  They say it takes 21 days to establish a habit.  If this is your first time in establishing a habit of reading the Bible,  your flesh will find every reason not to, but stick with it and make yourself read.
• You aren't going to always feel like reading your Bible, but again remember that these are the very words of your Groom.
• It won't be every day during that particular moment that you will "get something" from the Word.  But in time, the Word will not return void and the Word planted in your heart will grow.  
• You are meeting with a person, the Holy Spirit!  This is not a check the box duty.  You are dining with the King of Kings as you allow the Word to speak to your heart.
• Apart from reading and listening to the Word, you cannot grow as a believer.  Dig in and you will notice the fruits of the Spirit spring from your life.

I guarantee You will notice a difference in a year and I believe others will notice a difference, but the main thing is you get to hear from Jesus, our groom, who is preparing a place for us as believers for all eternity.  This love letter has been gifted to us while on this earth.  Very soon, we won't read the Word, we will SEE the Word and until then His presence is with us!

Our Groom is Coming Soon!

Let's Go!
Mike

*Below is my theme song for 2021

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