The systematic, balanced reading of the Bible is essential for spiritual growth and enjoying fellowship with the Lord. Following an annual Bible Reading Plan has been an invaluable approach for many Christians.

Were you satisfied with how much time you spent with your Bible over the past twelve months? When have you last read your entire Bible from cover to cover — from beginning to end?

Things don’t just happen. Progress happens when we make the choice. The chances that more time will be spent reading the Word of God next year over this year are slim – unless concrete plans are intentionally made to increase our systematic intake of the Scriptures.

Years ago, I had the honour of speaking at Ulric McKenna’s funeral. Ulric was a modest and quiet elder in a local gathering of Christians. Early in his Christian life, he made critical choices before the Lord to put God first in his life, in his home and with his young family.

After the funeral, a former co-worker of Ulric’s said he remembered the day Ulric came to work and said he was leaving his good union job as an electrician. Ulric was more concerned with his children’s spiritual well-being and his duty to maximize their exposure to the Gospel than making good shift-work money as a tradesperson. Nothing could be more important than doing all he could as a father to spiritually lead his family and honour the Lord with his life.

Ulric left his union trade job and became a school janitor. It was a choice he made. How does a person make such a choice and such commitments to the Lord? The secret? I held up his well-worn Bible at the funeral. It was taped together with the same black tape amateur hockey players often use to hold their sticks together. Ulric used the tape for his Bible. Of all his possessions – Ulric cherished his Bible most. He knew his God and God’s Word anchored him in the storms of life and guided the critical decisions he made — choices of eternal significance.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2Timothy 3:16-17

Will you join the campaign to promote reading the Bible from Cover to Cover over the next twelve months? Who else do you know who might be challenged by the prospect of a cover-to-cover reading of the Bible over the next year?

Prepare your heart spiritually and your mind psychologically to commit to the regular, consistent and consecutive daily reading of your Bible throughout the new year. Carve out at least 30 minutes daily to read or listen to the Word of God systematically.

In addition to any focused study we may be doing in the Scriptures, we will always benefit from a daily balanced intake of spiritual food if we are going to thrive spiritually for the Lord. 

In the comment section below, I would encourage you to leave a particular Bible verse you have underlined in the past that speaks to the value of God’s Word in our lives. The verse you share may be very helpful to other readers – perhaps even life-changing regarding their appreciation of the Word of God in their lives.

The disciplined and intentional daily enjoyment of your Bible is a must. I can look good and act good for a period of time without enjoying the Word of God, but my window-dressing will not last. Not a single Christian is doing well if we can regularly go two or three days at a time without reading the Bible.

There are other plans online, but heaven4sure offers you three printable plans to choose from, along with eight helpful tips for reading your Bible. Pay particular attention to Tip #5. Click the image below and take the cover-to-cover challenge.

One final note – if you happen to be late reading this Bible Bite and it’s halfway through the year, don’t wait until January 01^st to start a plan. Select your plan and then begin reading exactly where the plan asks you to read that day and continue to December 31^st. Starting January 1^st, you can get your full year in. Again — remember Tip #5.

[7-min VIDEO BELOW]

Peter Ramsay speaking by video to the annual 2024 New Year’s gathering of young people at Revolution in ON, Canada.

What guardrails do you have in place as you travel along the Christian road of life?