OPEN THE BOOK.
As a church family, we are reading the New Testament. “The New Testament is a rich tapestry of people, culture, history, and theology. In its pages, we meet real people with real joys and sorrows. We meet a Messiah who loves the human race so much that he gives his life for it. We encounter God, not as a distant, uninterested spirit, but as one who is intimately involved in the affairs and lives of human beings. The New Testament is just as fresh and relevant today as it was two thousand years ago when it was written, and the process of familiarizing ourselves with its contents continues to be a fascinating journey of discovery."
Some tips to consider as we read:
- Plan to spend time reading each day, early morning and late evening work well.
- Find a quiet place.
- If you get behind, it’s ok; start again!
Here is one way to meditate on your Bible reading and learn from what you read:
- Pray before you begin and ask God to guide you.
- Read the chosen section of the Bible and find a phrase or verse that you want to remember or that reached out to you as you read. Copy it into a journal. Ask yourself these questions and write down your thoughts:
- What does God ask of me in these words? (Is it a promise to believe? Is it something to obey? Is it both?)
- After reading, for what reason do I have to give thanks?
- What sins do these words of the Bible lead me to confess? (Have I failed to trust God’s promise? Ignored God’s direction for my life? Have I forgotten to be thankful for blessings I’ve received?)
- What am I led to pray about after reading these words of the Bible?
(Method adapted from Martin Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray.”)
The schedule of daily readings is below. If you find yourself short on time or wanting specific passages to center on each day, some suggested passages on which to focus are listed in parentheses.
Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 2019
Monday Titus 3 (3:1-8)
Tuesday Philemon
Wednesday Hebrews 1 (1:1-4)
Thursday Hebrews 2 (2::5-18)
Friday Hebrews 3 (3: 1-13)
Saturday Hebrews 4 (4:9-16)
Oct. 7-12, 2019
Monday Hebrews 5 (5:1-10)
Tuesday Hebrews 6 (6:9-20)
Wednesday Hebrews 7 (7:1-28)
Thursday Hebrews 8 (8:7-13)
Friday Hebrews 9 (9:11-28)
Saturday Hebrews 10:1-18
Oct. 14-19, 2019
Monday Hebrews 10:19-39
Tuesday Hebrews 11 (11:1-31)
Wednesday Hebrews 12 (12:1-13)
Thursday Hebrews 13 (13:1-8)
Friday James 1 (1:13-18)
Saturday James 2 (2:14-26)
Oct. 21-26, 2019
Monday James 3 (3:13-18)
Tuesday James 4 (4:1-12)
Wednesday James 5 (5:7-18)
Thursday 1 Peter 1 (1:1-21)
Friday 1 Peter 2 (2:1-10)
Saturday 1 Peter 3-4 (3:18-22)
Oct. 28-Nov. 2, 2019
Monday 1 Peter 5 (5:1-14)
Tuesday 2 Peter 1-2 (2:1-22)
Wednesday 2 Peter 3 (3:1-13)
Thursday 1 John 1 (1:5-10)
Friday 1 John 2 (2:1-17)
Saturday 1 John 3 (3:13-24)
Nov. 4-9, 2019
Monday 1 John 4 (4:1-6)
Tuesday 1 John 5 (5:1-13)
Wednesday 2 John (2 John 1-6)
Thursday 3 John (3 John 1-8)
Friday Jude (Jude 17-25)
Saturday Revelation 1 (1:1-8)
Nov. 11-16, 2019
Monday Revelation 2 (2:1-7)
Tuesday Revelation 3 (3:14-22)
Wednesday Revelation 4-5 (5:1-14)
Thursday Revelation 6-8:5
Friday Revelation 8:6--9 (9:13-21)
Saturday Revelation 10 (10:5-11)
Nov. 18-23, 2019
Monday Revelation 11 (11:1-14)
Tuesday Revelation 12 (12:7-17)
Wednesday Revelation 13 (13:1-10)
Thursday Revelation 14 (14:1-5)
Friday Revelation 15 (15:1-4)
Saturday Revelation 16 (16:1-16)
Nov. 25-30, 2019
Monday Revelation 17-18:8 (18:1-8)
Tuesday Revelation 18:9-24 (18:20-24)
Wednesday Revelation 19 (19:1-10)
Thursday Revelation 20 (20:11-15)
Friday Revelation 21 (21:1-7)
Saturday Revelation 22 (22:1-17)
