Praise the Lord for His faithfulness in seeing us through 2018 and we are looking forward to all that He has in store for us in this New Year! One of the benefits in the start of a new year is to evaluate our physical health and to set some goals (aka resolutions) for the next year to help us take better care of the bodies that the Lord has given to us.
But as important as taking good care of our bodies is, it is far more important to consider our spiritual health and how we might more faithfully discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7-8). One of the most important spiritual disciplines that we can commit ourselves to is the regular reading of Scripture. It is essential for us to be reading and meditating on God’s Word so that we might continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18) and experience God’s true blessings in our lives (Psalm 1:2-3; cf. Josh. 1:8). The start of a New Year is a great time for you to think through how you have been approaching this discipline of reading Scripture and to consider how you might improve in this area.
Here’s a few questions for you to consider:
- How consistent am I in the regular reading of God’s Word?
- Do I seek to truly grow in my relationship with God as I read His Word? Or is it something that I just check off a list to feel better about myself?
- Am I currently using a Bible reading plan?
- If so, should I consider switching to a different plan?
- If not, how might I benefit from a Bible reading plan?
- Should I commit to a particular Bible reading plan along with my spouse, family, friend(s), etc?
Bible reading plans are certainly not commanded in Scripture. But they can be a helpful tool as you seek to become more disciplined in your regular intake of God’s Word.
As a helpful resource to your Bible reading in 2019, we would like to recommend the following articles:
- From Ligonier ministry: Bible Reading Plans for 2019
- This article lists out many different Bible reading plans (!!) that you can access for FREE. Most of them are available as a PDF download that you can save to your computer or print out. The article gives a brief description of each of these plans. This gives you PLENTY of options!
- From Desiring God ministry: A New Year, A New Bible ReadingPlan (you can listen to this as an audio recording or to read the transcript)
- In this article (which was originally a podcast broadcasted on 01/01/18), John Piper tells us which of the Bible Reading plans he uses (it’s called The Discipleship Journal Bible ReadingPlan) and explains why this is his preferred reading plan. He also goes on to challenge us to consider the critical question of WHY do we (or should we) read the Bible regularly?
For any of you that like to read your Bible on your mobile device(s) (tablet, phone, laptop, etc.) you can find a number of Bible reading plans built into these FREE apps:
We would also like to encourage you to consider committing yourself to faithfully attending one of our 9:00am Sunday morning opportunities:
- Prayer Time: join with other BBC members for a time of corporate prayer. Located in classroom # 3, first classroom on your left when you enter FTS.
- Sunday School Class: We are currently working through Donald S. Whitney’s helpful book: Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life. This class is located in the Worship Center.
May 2019 be a year of growing together in our knowledge of and love for our Savior, as we spend time each day hearing from Him through His Word!
In Christ alone,
Pastor Matt
Pastor George
