Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 (emphasis added)
These verses are a great “nudge” when as we conclude a year and enter another. There may not be anything spiritual about New Year’s Day, but the coming of a new year affords us a great opportunity to do somethings of spiritual value. Here are three—one spiritual, one physical, and one relational.
So, something spiritual in the coming new year. I can think of few things as spiritually impacting as following a Bible reading plan. Which of us would dare argue that reading the Bible is “unimportant”?!
That said, follow a plan because “if you aim at nothing you will hit it every time!” There are many plans. Let me suggest some options.
The “Four Year Plan.” This is a simple, not very demanding plan that will take you through the whole Bible in four years—at a less than strenuous pace. You’ll read some portions only once, while reading other portions numerous times. I love this plan! Read about it by Clicking Here.
Many other options. Ligonier Ministries has a page on their website with numerous suggestions. Unless one just doesn’t want to follow a reading plan, I’m confident that at least one of these plans will be doable for you. Click Here for more.
Devotional readings are never a replacement for reading the Bible itself. That said, devotional readings in addition to Bible reading can provide a great supplement. May I suggest reading this blog? It comes out nearly daily on the weekdays. These blog post are short enough that they take little time to read. With exceptions, the blog is almost always a verse by verse meditation through books of the Bible (currently in Acts). You can subscribe on the GBC Homepage.
One additional thought: If for any reason you get behind in whatever reading plan you choose to follow, do not quit! Either do what you can to catch up, or just skip ahead to where you would be had you not fallen behind! Do not allow reading God’s Word to become a guilt-inducing burden or a source of discouragement that causes you to give up!
Next time, a few thoughts on physical plans for the New Year.