Congratulations on your commitment to read through the entire Bible in one year. The journey you are about to start is one that is guaranteed to bring you increased wisdom and knowledge of our Lord God and His plan for the ages. To help you in this endeavor, the Disciple’s Bible Reading Plan is designed to benefit your spiritual growth in many ways.

Optimally, you should try and have a time of meditation each morning, before you start your day’s activities, to prepare and strengthen yourself against the pressures of the world. The daily reading of the Psalms and Proverbs are ideal for this task. The Disciple’s Bible Reading Plan allows you to explore the entire book of Psalms twice in a year, and the Book of Proverbs every month. The other sections of Scripture can also be read in the morning or later in the day as one prefers.

Secondly, the daily readings of the Old Testament are provided in a “chronological order”, meaning you will read about the events in the most probable order they unfolded in history. Using this approach, in one year you will read the entire Old Testament and gain a deeper understanding of the events that form the foundation of God’s plan to redeem the world. This method makes for some very exciting reading.

Thirdly, the daily readings of the New Testamenet are designed to allow you to read the entire New Testament twice a year. The first reading will also be done chronologically and will help you gain a clearer understanding of the actions of our Lord and the events surrounding the early years of the Church. The second reading is done in the traditional order of the canon allowing you to appreciate the wondrous way the Holy Spirit inspired the authors as they wrote their gospels and letters for the Church. Again, this can be read in the morning or later in the day as time permits.

Additionally, the Disciple’s Bible Reading Plan is designed to be versatile. A person can easily adapt it to their time constraints through the week, and still stay on track to read the entire Bible in a year. If time is at a premium, then a person can elect to modify their daily reading or elect to not repeat a section of Scripture once it has been completed. For instance, if you have already read through the Proverbs once, then you could elect to skip them one week if your schedule is hectic. Or, you may (as often is the case) become so enthralled in the narrative that you read ahead several days when time is aplenty thus allowing you some leeway during the busier time in the week. The plan is designed to facilitate your enjoyment of reading God’s word, not to be a harsh task master.

Finally, the multiple study-helps and the chrononlogical listing of Scripture will help you to form a “mental timeline” of the events as they unfolded throughout history as well as give you a ready reference of favorite Scriptures in times of emotional need. Keep the plan in your Bible and use it as a tool to enrich your efforts as you mine deeply into God’s Word and reveal its treasured wisdom. We encourage you to pray before and after reading the selected Scripture. This will strengthen your commitment and increase your understanding as you read the “Greatest Story” ever written.

Todd