Bible Reading In The New Year

On reading the Bible, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, wrote:

You read your Bible regularly, of course; but do try and understand it, and still more to feel it. Read more parts than one at a time. For example, if you are reading Genesis, read a Psalm also; or if you are reading Matthew, read a small bit of an Epistle also. Turn the Bible into prayer. Thus, if you were reading the First Psalm, spread the Bible on the chair before you, and kneel and pray, “O Lord, give me the blessedness of the man”; “let me not stand in the counsel of the ungodly.” This is the best way of knowing the meaning of the Bible, and of learning to pray.

John Piper writes:

I have never met a mature, fruitful, strong, spiritually discerning Christian who is not full of Scripture, devoted to regular meditation on Scripture, and given to storing it in the heart through Bible memorization. And that’s not a coincidence.

He goes on to give ten reasons "to make Bible reading, Bible understanding, and Bible memory essential to the Christian life" in this helpful article: Make The Bible Part Of Your Everyday In 2024.

7 Thoughts on Reading the Bible by J.C. Ryle

1) Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it.

2) Read the Scriptures with a simple, childlike faith and humility.

3) Read the Word with a spirit of obedience and self-application.

4) Read the Holy Scriptures everyday.

5) Read the whole Bible and read it an orderly way.

6) Read the Word of God fairly and honestly.

7) Read the Bible with Christ constantly in view.

A Booklet By Jim Elliff: My Preferred Way To Read The Bible

Bible reading plans and other resources to consider for this new year:

1. Robert Murray M'Cheyne plan

Another layout of M'Cheyne's plan

2. Discipleship Journal plan

3. Various plans from Ligonier Ministries

4. Pastor Matthew Everhard's "No Guilt" Bible reading plan (His short video about it!)

5. Various resources on reading the Bible from Desiring God

6. A helpful article on Bible reading

7. Thoughts on Bible reading from Tim Challies (2023)

Thoughts on Bible reading from Tim Challies (2024)

8. Other Bible reading resources from Tim Challies

9. On reading and delighting in God's Word

10. On memorizing God's Word

11. The Spiritual Battles In Your Bible Reading by John Piper

God And The Gospel

To learn more about the great and true Triune God, the God-Man, Jesus Christ, His cross, and His glorious Gospel message and everlasting Kingship, please watch American Gospel: Christ Alone. You can watch the full documentary here with a free, 3 day trial.