OnFire Bible Reading Supplement

An OnFire reader recently wrote,

I begin with good intentions, but often get bogged down for some reason. Either because I get confused about what I am reading or because I don't know where to go next. . . . maybe if you gave people some sort of outline? Something for each day of the week, to read, in between the Onfire emails. It could be an outline for reading through the Bible in a year, or some "homework" to help people get more out of Onfire. That is just a suggestion, but it is coming from someone who gets totally lost sometimes while trying to read the Bible without a guideline of sorts.

She and I wrote back and forth a few times as we worked out some suggestions. Here are the results, which I hope will help.

The Spiritual Warfare of Bible Reading
Our enemy knows that the Bible is God’s word. It is one of God’s “communication networks,” so like any general in battle, Satan tries to disrupt communication lines to confuse his opponents (us). We don’t need to be afraid of Satan - after all, Jesus gives us his authority (Matt 28:18). But we do need to be aware of his schemes, and this is one of them. So, be aware that Satan will send distractions of all sorts when we try to get serious about this. Pray about this before, during and after. Keep a notepad for things you remember to do during this time.

Starting Point
Where to start can be a problem for both new and experienced believers. For the new believer the Bible seems so big, so, where to begin? It seems simple enough, but since we are followers of Jesus, why not start with Matthew. Don’t worry about understanding everything. A regular dictionary can help with some words. A notebook also helps to record what you discover. I use the margins in one of my Bibles. When you are finished with Matthew, you can read it again, or move on to Mark, then Luke, John, Acts. . . . You get the idea.

For the seasoned believer it can be a question of “been there, done that.” We have to be careful not to assume we won’t find anything new. Since God’s word is living and active (Heb 4:12), we also know he will continue to reveal himself and his will to us as we read and pray. We need to approach this with the right attitude. As Paul said, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, . . .” (Eph 1:18-19). God continues to reveal himself to us.

The seasoned believer can start with an area which is not as well-known. Try the Old Testament prophets, for example. Isaiah, Jeremiah. The others. Listen to God’s heart as the prophets pour out God’s concern for justice and holiness. See how these are connected to the downfall of a nation. For something a little less challenging, try the letters in the New Testament, or the historical books of 1-2 Kings and Chronicles.

Starting in new territory can be a little daunting because there is so much history and so many unfamiliar names and places. Even still, listen for God’s voice in them and let your heart be moved as you watch the news at night. Some good tools like Bible maps, a concordance, and Bible dictionary are good here. More on these below.

How Much to Read
This is not an easy question to answer. There will be some who can handle reading through the Bible in a year or less. Others will get bogged down in some of the tougher or less captivating books. Sometimes a section will grab your attention and you’ll spend a lot of time there. Other times you’ll read through and nothing jumps out. Sometimes we are motived, sometimes not.

I recommend a chapter or two, but more if you feel like it. If you get drawn in, then it might, of course, be less. If you are convicted by the Spirit about a matter, you will need to stop and deal with this.

The object in this is not a program, as such, but a relationship with God. We want to spend enough time that our heart focus changes from what we were doing or need to do, to God. Its like spending time with my wife. She wants to know she has my full attention when we talk, so sometimes I need to close the laptop, stop what I’m doing, sit down with her, turn off the tv, send the children downstairs, or take her out. I need to look at her. I listen. I say things which show that I’m listening, without stealing her chance to say something, because it has to be about her, not me.

It sounds odd, but this is not usually the way we think about it in church. I was taught to read the Bible because it was good for me, like taking my vitamin c pill as a child (mmmmmm, love that tangy orange!!!) Of course, it was good for me, and at the time I needed it to be this way. But, as I got older, I needed to make the transition from simply reading to relationship. It took someone probing me (uncomfortably, I might add) about my lack of reading for me to realize it was really about the relationship. At that point it changed from a chore or a new years resolution to something I am much more interested in.

How Often
It depends on how much we want to grow and understand. In the context of financial giving, Paul tells us, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Cor 9:6) I think the same principle applies. Spiritual growth is a function of the time and effort.

Obviously, every day is best. Sometimes this becomes difficult. And sometimes, it is a matter of faith to take the time because there seems so much to do. When you get out of routine, don’t fret it, but don’t put it off, either.

Note this - we could easily fall into a legalistic thing where the goal becomes the act of reading. This is the wrong way around. We read for relationship. God doesn’t love us according to how much Bible reading we do. He just loves us.

Some people react to the idea of reading everyday because it sounds too much like legalism. Its interesting that the two systems look alike, but they differ in the intent. Do I read because I’m afraid someone will think I’m not a very good Christian if I don’t? If I answer “yes,” then I’ve slipped into legalism. Does the idea of reading the Bible everyday sound tedious and boring? Then legalism is probably to blame. Good relationships are exciting. Comforting. Affirming. Challenging.

One other thing before we move on. Remember that our enemy, the hypocrite that he is, loves to get us feeling down and guilty if we break our commitment. He hates us to read, and he accuses us when we don’t. Don’t listen to him.

Bible Reading Program
I have not suggested a Bible reading program, and would hesitate to do so, because it is hard to suggest something which would fit the spectrum of OnFire readers. There are new believers and veterans. Some are mature in their faith, some are less mature. Some have an incredible depth of Bible knowledge and some don’t. We may be on the same journey as we follow Jesus, but we are not at the same point on the road. I find Deuteronomy and Leviticus interesting because I like the intellectual challenge, but they bog a lot of people down. The prophets challenge my commitment to working out my faith in very practical terms, but the Hebrew poetry and history can be daunting for others. You get the idea.

You can design your own program, as I suggested above. Having said this, there are a host of Bible reading programs out there. Radio Bible Class (“The Daily Bread”) has suggested readings to take someone through the Bible in a year. So does the Bible Society. Other programs will take you through in 2 or 3 years.

Also - you may be involved in a small group or Sunday school class. In this case you might want to follow their reading program or choose Bible books which go along with the group.

Basic Tools
There are some basic tools which can greatly enhance your Bible reading. You can get really fancy in this or take advantage of a host of material on the internet. However, be careful on the internet. Some sites are more interested in preserving their particular doctrinal views than on biblical accuracy.

Bible - Sounds basic, doesn’t it? It can help to read a passage from a few different translations. It is often hard to translate the nuances, so checking against a different translation can help. Plus, reading from a different translation from what we are used to can bring out things we didn’t see before.

Notebook - for insights, questions, notes, etc.

Dictionary - depending on the translation you use, there still may be words you don’t understand. Dictionaries are helpful.

Concordance - If I couldn’t have any other tool, I would have a concordance for my translation, and I would have it on computer. A concordance provides a listing of passages by word. Obviously, a computer speeds up the search process. I can look up passages when I can’t remember the reference and I can do research on places and people easily with this. The internet has many of these to use. I have one on my laptop and my pda.

Bible Dictionary - This is a dictionary of selected Bible topics, people, and places - great for providing a basic overview. I have several book editions, but now primarily use computerized ones (Nelson’s Electronic Bible Reference Library).

Study Bible - A good study Bible includes basic notes on various texts and topics. The NIV Study Bible is almost 25 years old now, but still a very good resource.

Bible Maps - Some Bibles include basic maps, some do not. These can be very helpful to get a picture of the biblical situation. Place names take on new meaning when you know where they are and what happened there. Check the reference section of your local Christian book store for books or software.

There is So Much I Don’t Understand
Me, too. Don’t give up, because you don’t need to understand all of it for God to speak through it. I find that I gain new insights all the time, even in passages I know well. The goal is to know God better through his word. Again, its like my relationship with Jan. I know her better now than I did when we first married. If I had thought, “I don’t want to get married until I can understand her,” we still wouldn’t be married. But I know her better.

I hope this helps,

Be onfire,

Troy - Jan 17, 2007