Deciding on a Bible Study Plan can be a difficult task. I have started them several times only to find that they don’t fit my schedule or I am not crazy about how they are laid out. Someone once told me that you should never read the Bible cover to cover as you don’t get as much out of it.
I hate jumping around all over the place but I will admit that cover to cover does get a bit boring at times. I have spent a lot of time searching for a plan I could follow. I have not yet found one but I am still in search. I think that when selecting a Bible study plan you have to take a couple of things into consideration: the way you retain information and your personal preferences.
If you want to skip around and read a little here or there then that is fine, if you want to read cover to cover then that is okay too. I find that when I begin reading some of the stories I have heard and learned over the years I tend to skip certain passages which means important things can be missed.
The plan that I am searching for is one that allows me to read the Bible within the year and understand it. I need something that has notes because I don’t always understand what it is that I am reading. When I find just what I am looking for then I will share it with you and get started.
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I have attempted to read the Bible cover to cover only to fail like a fad diet. I end up not understanding what I have just read, read it again and then end up even more confused. I don’t have a study plan either. I usually end up talking with my neighbor and discussing some verses. I have asked for a new Bible for my birthday that I hope will allow me to read and study on my own.
I pray that you get a new Bible and hopefully like me you find a way to read and understand it.
I want to encourage everyone to try the NLT New Living Translation Bible. My husband bought one for me for Christmas and it really reads like a story. It is laid out for you to read a little every day and finish in a year. I am days behind at the moment, I’ve been able to keep up as long as I don’t get to far behind. I read every night before I go to bed and I find it helps me relax. The Bible is from Tyndale Rewards and they have a program you can join and earn points for a variety of actions. I signed up for their women’s Devotional email that comes once a week. I would highly recommend it, you can sign up for their program at http://www.tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=gyga-5w2g-n7c3-9zh1
I like a good study Bible with notes but I also like to just read thru without interruption. I like to read an OT book and then a NT book. And in between a week of Psalms or Proverbs. Then once in a while I jump to one of my favorite books–like Ruth, James or Esther. I look forward to seeing what you find.
I remember my dad use to say he would say his prayers then open the Bible to a page that he felt God directed him to and many times, it was something he needed to apply to his life. I thought that was pretty neat and it was like he was directed to what God wanted him to read.
Please do share it. I tried reading the Bible from cover to cover and that did not work for me either. I found that the Old Testaments can be a little harder for me to get through vs. the New Testament.
There are some android apps that can help if you are trying to read the bible in a systematic way. For instance, there is an app that will track your daily readings and compare them to a pre-chosen reading plan.
Boy oh boy this is a tough one. I have tried to read it through and understand it as I went. When I get to a part I don’t understand I would go back and reread it. There were times I would read a passage 3 or 4 times before I understood it. The big thing for me is that the Bible is how you interpret the messages. They apply to everyone a little differently based on your life.
So in other words. I am not a lot of help. 🙂
I completely understand. This is something I have been struggling with as well. I wish I had some advice to share!
I have been reading the bible from cover to cover for at least 30 years. I also at times read other books (for instance, I just read Max Lucado’s new book), or supplement with a study guide, etc. I also skip around in addition to the reading cover to cover. That might seem like a lot, but I focus on quality, not quantity. If I realize after reading a passage, that I had hurried through it, I’ll read it again the next day. The good part about doing it outside of a group endeavor to read the whole bible within a certain period of time, is I don’t need to be concerned about quantity. Some days a few paragraphs, some days a few pages. That has been working for me.