A famous missionary, J. Hudson Taylor, said, “There is a living God. He has spoken in the Bible. He means what He says and will do all He has promised.”
One of the most important habits you can have is reading the Bible every day. Whether you are a brand new believer, a seeker trying to figure faith out, or a Christian who has walked with God off and on your whole life, reading the Bible will help you.
By reading the Bible consistently and prayerfully, you will become closer to God, you will be strengthened to overcome sin, and you will be a more effective witness for Him.
For 2017, as a church we are reading through the New Testament. This amounts to one chapter per day, five days a week. It is something that all of us can do. Each week, Pastor Pat’s message will come from the portion that we have read that week.
But don’t just read the passage, let the passage read you. Or, better put, let God speak to you about your life through the passage.
As you read this chapter during your daily devotions, consider using the S.O.A.P.S. method. This is a great way to listen to what God is saying to you through His Word. S.O.A.P.S. is an acronym that stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer, and Share.
S = SCRIPTURE
Read the daily passage of Scripture with an open heart.
Underline or highlight anything that grabs your attention. Yes, it’s okay to mark in the Bible.
Out of what you marked, pick one verse that means the most to you and write it down.
O= OBSERVATION
Read the verse a few times and maybe try to memorize it. Ask yourself, “What is it about this verse that grabs your attention? What does it say to you about God? About yourself?
A = APPLICATION
How can you apply this to your life? What should you do, think, or believe differently? Listen to the Holy Spirit.
P = PRAYER
Say a simple prayer about what you have just read and learned. Write it out.
S = SHARE
Throughout the day, share what you have learned with your family, friends, or whomever the Lord would lead.
Lastly, we are encouraging you to invite others to read the New Testament in 2017 and to share what God is showing you on social media. Use the hashtag #NTin2017 and let the world know about God’s Word.
Here is a link to download the plan.
What if you want to read the entire Bible in a year? That’s awesome!
Use the plan above for the New Testament, and use this plan for the Old Testament.
The most important thing is that you don’t just read the Scriptures, but you apply them to your life. God is looking not at just how much we know, but how much we obey.
We pray that God would richly bless your time in His Word!