There is no greater way to spend your reading time than with the Bible. It not only provides knowledge and helps you formulate good theology; it strengthens your prayer life, impresses biblical decision-making principles into your mind, and is the only proper focus for Christian meditation. A deeper understanding of the Bible sheds light on what you read and hear in church classes and sermons; and you have an independent, first-hand knowledge that keeps you from being led astray by anyone who would wrest verses from their contexts and meaning.
God has used many avenues to reveal Himself to people, but when it came to the Bible, God gave His revelation in words, sentences, and paragraphs--statements that were true as opposed to false, and not merely opinions or expressions of feeling. It was God's will to preserve these sixty-six books we call the Bible as the entirety of the verbal revelation that God has chosen to preserve for all ages, including ours. In the Scriptures we find all we need to know about God and how to relate to Him, and anything else we read or observe must be tested by what the Bible says.
It has become sort of a tradition among Christians who want to read through the Bible to do so in about a year. There are several published Bible studies designed for that approach, as well as dozens of devotional and One Year Bibles that divide the Scriptures into 365 daily readings. Unfortunately, few of us can manage to get to that reading every single day; trying to "catch up" can be discouraging, and that frustration distracts from the reading and studying itself. For that reason I use 300-day schedules in recognition of human frailty, while still trying to read something of the Bible every day. I've also left the schedules undated so that you don't have to wait until January 1 to get started. God's Word is always there, waiting to deliver its message to you.
A few personal tips on reading through the Bible:
Passing your eyes over the words doesn't do any spiritual magic. Think about the message of what you're reading, and feel free to highlight, underline, or take notes in order to retain any insights you receive or remember any questions you have.
There are many ways people interpret the Bible, but the basic goal is to find out what the author was trying to communicate to his readers, along with the timeless implications that message carries. Look for how the statements connect to one another and how they convey that message.
If readings are feeling too long, or you think you're going too fast to pick up the meaning, slow down--even move to a slower-paced schedule if necessary. This isn't a race.
On the other hand, if you're on a roll, keep going! You're picking up some well-needed spiritual nutrition.
If you get bogged down in a book that seems boring or irrelevant, here are a few suggestions:
Skip to a more appealing place in the reading schedule, with the intention of coming back to the passage later.
Use reference tools to learn more about the "boring" book or passage; once you know when and why it was written, and what its message was, you may be more eager to read the material.
Talk with a pastor or other qualified church teacher about how you might benefit from reading the material.
Remember that this is not just a chore. Good communication is important in any relationship, and a neglected Scripture is like an unread letter from a close friend. Take delight in it, and know that God enjoys the time you spend with Him, even more than you do.
Speaking of reference tools, both beginners and scholars will find it helpful to keep some around. These would include Bible dictionaries, handbooks, a concordance, an atlas, a book of customs, a timeline, cross-references, etc. You don't need to own all that material, and you shouldn't let reading that overshadow reading the Bible itself. But it's nice to know of some things on-hand or at a nearby library.
(I personally recommend Halley's Bible Handbook, the ZonderCharts books, and the Moody Bible Atlas as basic quick-reference tools suitable for all adult or youth readers).
The Bible is meant to be lived, not just read (Jam. 1:20). Pray and talk to other Christians about what you've read. Ask yourself what effect the text could have on decisions you might face or on your various beliefs and attitudes. Answer those questions, in writing if you like.
Here's the hard part: Let the Bible be authoritative as a declaration of God's will. Let the book sit in judgment of you, rather than vice versa. It's difficult to change a belief, opinion, or habit you enjoy, so pray for the strength to let God have His way and to love and obey Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
On to the Schedules...
These are the 300-day schedules I've put together. Most of them average about 100 verses a day. Those of you wanting a more intensive read may simply take two or more readings a day, as your schedule allows; or you may split the readings in half for a two-year approach if you'd like to examine the readings in greater depth. Note: In order to avoid breaking in the middle of stories, I've let the verse-per-day figure be very approximate.
This schedule takes you through the entire Bible in canonical order (from Genesis to Revelation) in 300 days. This is a basic "through-the-year" technique
Use this one if you'd like to read the Old Testament in the morning and the New Testament at night.
A similar schedule allows you to get through the New Testament twice on your way through the OT.
