On December 30, 1842, a 29-year-old Scottish pastor named Robert Murray M’Cheyne wrote a letter to his congregation. He said:
MY DEAR FLOCK,—The approach of another year stirs up within me new desires for your salvation, and for the growth of those of you who are saved. "God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." What the coming year is to bring forth, who can tell? . . . Those believers will stand firmest who have no dependence upon self or upon creatures, but upon Jehovah our Righteousness. We must be driven more to our Bibles, and to the mercy-seat, if we are to stand in the evil day. Then we shall be able to say like David—, "The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from thy law." "Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word." It has long been in my mind to prepare a scheme of Scripture reading, in which as many as were made willing by God might agree, so that the whole Bible might be read once by you in the year, and all might be feeding in the same portion of the green pasture at the same time.
Let me encourage you to commit to reading the Scripture devotionaly during 2013. I am going to use this system for my Scripture reading. The following Bible reading plan is designed to take you through the Old and New Testaments in two years, and through the Psalms and Proverbs four times during that period. This plan is based on the book by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book. Use this plan together with Fee and Stuart’s book.
6 comments:
I for one hope I can keep up with your plan Gregg,
Thanks for your New Year wishes.
Yvonne.
I'll take a look at Fee and Stuart's book. Thanks for the reference. I track my Scripture reading each month so that I have a record of what I'm reading and what I'm not. This helps me to concentrate my reading on particular books or sections of Scripture when I want to, and it also helps me to recognize blindspots in my study of Scripture. For example, in reviewing my monthly charts from 2012, I see that I sorely neglected Acts, and so I plan to read Acts at least a couple of times in the beginning of 2013.
First, your are welcome.
Second, I chose to use this plan for the same reason you mentioned. If you click on the link and print it out then you will see it is less reading than most plans, therefore should be a little easier to keep up with. But it is only a suggested goal, don't panic or beat yourself up if you fall behind.
@ Leslie - sounds like you have a great system for tracking. This plan is for those who have no system at all or want to make annual reading easier.
Don't forget, I believe every believer should have a morning devotion where he or she is reading and meditating and praying over 8-10 verses at a shot; then an annual reading plan, and a systematic study plan.
8-10 verses a morning is not much and takes minimal time.
annual reading plan can be 2-5 chapters or more a day, little more time, later in the day
systematic study 2 times or so during the week (not to be overloaded)
Thanks for the link to the reading plan. I'm still in the process of finishing the one from last year but this one looks good.
Gregg, I think that you're absolutely right that every Christian should have an annual plan and a systematic plan, as well as doing daily devotional reading. Scripture requires serious study, but the rewards, which come from God, are immeasurable. What a treasure Scripture is!
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