Bible Reading Plan 2008 Large

A Bible Reading Plan

For Defenders of Freedom By LtCol Joseph A. Craft, USMC

JAC 2006

Ecclesiastes 12:12, 13 (New International Version) Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 13

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Joshua 1:8 (New International Version) 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Through the years, I have read countless Christian books and have participated in many Bible study programs. I think it was in 1995, however, when I first realized that I had never read the entire Bible in a systematic fashion. After discussing this concern with others, I was surprised to find how many other committed Christians had never read the entire Bible – the vast majority I had queried. How ironic, especially when you consider the incredible access we have to the Bible today. Statistics reveal that, while year after year the Bible tops book sales, most Christians remain biblically illiterate. Powerful Bible study tools that at one time would have cost an individual hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars are now available online for free. Yet, most of these resources remain unused by most.1 Matthew 22:29 (New International Version) 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures. . . .” For over ten years now I have endeavored to read the entire Bible every year through a daily reading schedule that I have set as a priority over any other study method. This commitment has made all the difference in my life. There are many great yearly Bible reading programs out there. However, prior to my first deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I felt compelled to organize a reading plan specifically suited to the needs of servicemen and their families. The intent for this reading plan is to not only encourage and equip individuals to consistently read their Bibles, but also to facilitate deeper fellowship and accountability among believers. As individuals read through the plan, they encourage others to join in, committing to the same schedule. As they read through the plan, they share what God has revealed to them. While deployments and assignments will separate military spouses, family members, and friends, they can continue to read through the program and share thoughts via correspondence. This Bible reading program has proven to be a very useful for small group fellowships, allowing group 1

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JAC 2006 members to spend what little time they have in the Bible instead of other secondary sources. All that group members need is a Bible which are usually readily available from the chaplain (camouflaged, of course). My wife and I continue to use this program as the foundation of our fellowship time. We usually read individually (together as often as possible), journal separately, and then meet (or correspond) nightly to discuss what we wrote in our journals. We surround all of this with individual and collective prayer. The goals I hoped to achieve in this Bible study plan are as follows: -Read daily in both the Old and New Testaments. -Read a chapter from Proverbs everyday (There are 31 Proverbs chapters to correspond to 31 days in most months). -Read a book of the Gospels each quarter year. -Read the Psalms each weekend. The plan can be started any week of the year; just fill in the dates for your readings. Each daily read can be done in 15 minutes. However, I have progressively taken longer as I have gotten deeper and deeper in the study (I have been practicing a tithe of my time which affords me plenty of study time first thing in the morning). If you can’t read it all at once, carry a pocket Bible with you wherever you go, also known as a “switchblade of the Spirit” (reference Ephesians below); pull it out while you are standing in line for chow or waiting for that haircut. I have put this program on laminated cards that I keep in my pocket calendar. If you find it just too difficult to complete all of the readings for each day, skip some of the Proverbs readings (you have 12 months to read them), or commit to reading just the New Testament readings – anything done consistently will be a huge accomplishment. If you miss a couple of days, don’t beat yourself up. You can catch up on the weekends, or you can just skip those days and keep reading on the program. The blocks you don’t check will reveal what you could catch up on later. Most importantly, find at least one partner to do this with so you can encourage one another, share with one another, and hold each other accountable. Ephesians 6:16-18 (New International Version) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 16

Some very unique things happen when you read the Bible in a Year: You quickly see how the Old and New Testaments tie together. You begin to see more of the big picture, and you recognize trends. Also, you become very aware of the work of the Holy Spirit as pre-planned Scripture verses speak directly to your current circumstances. If you are like me, you will also, at times, feel frustrated that you don’t have enough time to dig deeper into specific passages or books. I usually dedicate extra time on Sundays to more in-depth study of specific areas of interest.

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JAC 2006 Try this experiment: Eliminate all secondary sources from your Bible study. Read, write, and meditate on the Scriptures with the Holy Spirit as your only teacher. Yes, there will be verses that you do not fully understand. In one of my morning readings, I read in Luke 18 where Jesus spoke to the disciples, but the meaning of Jesus’ words were “hidden from them (the disciples)”. They were given truths that they would not understand until later in their walk with Jesus. There must have been a very good reason for why Jesus did not fully explain the meaning of what he said to the disciples. Perhaps, there was a more powerful way to reveal the truth to them. I have found my Bible study to be much more fruitful as I have been forced to consider the deeper meanings of what I have read without the “textbook, instant answer” being provided to me through a study aid. My wife and I have been doing this together, and it has greatly improved our fellowship time. God reveals things to her that I did not see. We are not only growing closer to God in this process, we are growing closer to each other (sounds like the Great Commandment2). If you are in a fellowship group, try this as a group. I have committed to read secondary sources only after I have completed my Bible readings for the day. While you read through this program, I strongly encourage you to keep a spiritual journal. Here are just a few thoughts on the subject: 1. Never meet with the Commanding Officer without writing material. God has some critical things to share with you. You will need to take notes. 2. A pen in hand keys the brain to get ready to receive something important. 3. The physical act of writing greatly increases retention. 4. Journaling is a great way to trace the hand of God in your life. 5. May be difficult at first; you may feel self-conscious. 6. May serve as an effective tool to help you become aware of a great part of your inner person that you have not been fully honest about. 7. Brings precision to your thoughts. 8. Serves as a great tool to kick the mind in gear during those early morning quiet times. 9. Helps solidify and recall prayers, especially if you find that your prayers lack cohesion. 10. How to journal: a. Use some form of bound notebook that is transportable. b. Use the first few pages for an index and number the remainder of the pages so you can reference locations later. c. Try to write in it every day, but don’t worry if you miss some days. d. Write about what you are going through, good and bad. e. Write about the people you have met, things you learned, etc. f. Write prayers. g. Take time to listen to God and write what comes to heart. h. Keep pen in hand as you read the Scriptures with great expectation, anticipating God to reveal his truths and to convict you. i. Write what has been revealed to you from your scripture readings. j. Take it to church and take notes during the sermons. k. Create topical pages (“The Ways of God”, “Leadership Lessons”, etc.)

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Luke 10:27: He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

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JAC 2006 l. Write from back to front in your journal to separate intercessory prayer lists, memory verses or anything else you want to regularly reference. m. Stick to it. n. Pick special days to re-view what you have written in the past. 11. Don’t let a fear of privacy stop you from journaling. 12. Pass on to your children so they can see how God worked in your life. Jesus said that if you have lusted in your heart, you have committed adultery; and if you have hated in your heart, you have committed murder. Thoughts turn into desires, which produce actions. Continued action produces habits, and habits build your character which in turn influences what you think. The cycle starts with your thoughts and what is in your heart. The Bible says to be transformed through the “renewing of your mind” and to “above all else, guard your heart.” What do you allow to influence your thoughts? What are you allowing into your mind? Fill your mind with the Scriptures. Eliminate all influences that foster impure thoughts. How many popular songs can you sing from memory? Now, how many Scripture verses of equal length can you quote from memory? Just some things to think about. Hope you get some value out of this program…

"The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it." Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor of the French "That Book accounts for the supremacy of England." Queen Victoria (1819-1901), British monarch for 64 years, the longest reign in British history. "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." George Washington (1732-1799), the first U.S. President "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from The Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book." Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th U.S. President "The Bible is the sheet-anchor of our liberties." Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), 18th U.S. President “In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” Robert E. Lee, 1807-1870 American Confederate Army Commander “When you have read the Bible, you will know it is the word of God, because you have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty.” Woodrow T. Wilson, 1856-1924 Twenty-eighth President of the USA

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