Suggestion: Find a plan for reading Scripture and follow it.
I heard Dr. T.W. Hunt say one time that after graduating college, for two years, he did not read anything but the Bible. No magazines, books, newspapers, or TV… his only intake was Scripture. He said attributed that to a renewal and strengthening of his relationship with God through Jesus.
It is reported that Dr. Billy Graham uses this plan for his devotional reading in Scripture: Five Psalms a day, One chapter in Proverbs each day, A Gospel each week, and the Bible through each year. Is it any wonder Dr. Graham is the kind of man he is?
Reading Scripture transforms people into Christ’s image. It doesn’t matter what the plan is, as long as there is a plan and it is followed. As it is written, “God Word does not return void (empty)…”
For 2009 I am reading and studying the Gospel of John. I plan to read John’s Gospel as many times as I can this year. My goal is to immerse myself in this one book and learn as much about my Savior as He chooses to reveal to me. Presently I’m on my second reading (I purposely read Scripture slow to understand) and have found some things to be part of my study in the coming year. Consider John’s Gospel as your way to encounter God through Christ at some point this year…
Jesus’ Seven Signs In John’s Gospel (Well known)
Turning The Water To Wine… 2:1-11
Healing Of Official’s Son… 4:46-54
Healing Of The Lame Man… 5:1-9
Feeding The Five Thousand… 6:1-14
Walking On The Water… 6:16-21
Healing Of The Man Blind From Birth… 9:1-7
Raising Of Lazarus From The Dead… 11:38-44
Seven “I AM” Statements:
I AM the Bread of Life… 6:35
I AM the Light of the World… 8:12
Before Abraham was, I AM… 8:58
I AM the Good Shepherd… 10:11
I AM the Resurrection and the Life… 11:25
I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life… 14:6
I AM the True Vine… 15:1
Seven Witnesses:
John the Baptist… 1:34
Nathaniel… 1:49
Peter… 6:69
Christ… 10:36 – the Central and Greatest witness
Martha… 11:27
Thomas… 20:28
John… 20:31
Seven Pictures of Faith:
Receive… 1:12
Look… 3:14-15
Drink… 4:14
Feed… 6:35-57
Come… 7:37-38
Enter… 10:9