It is that time of year again. You know when we think abut what we accomplished in a year, and hope to accomplish new things in the new year. So I thought as long as everyone is thinking about such things, I would give a challenge for the new year. I call it the Cover to Cover challenge.
This challenge is simple: You read your Bible from cover to cover as fast as you can.
Here are some tips on how to do it.
First, take the challenge seriously, decide to commit to finishing it.
Set aside 20 to 30 minutes each day to sit and read your Bible uninterrupted.
Start by getting familiar with your Bible, read the introductory pages of your Bible. Try and use the same Bible each day when reading.
Don’t study your Bible, just read it like a book. Maybe commit to reading 6 chapters at a time.
Read small books in one sitting.
Before you read each day, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal new truths to you, ask the Holy Spirit to help you believe and understand that all scripture is God breathed and useful for your life.
Be excited to see what new thing you will learn each reading.
Tell someone else about your challenge, and ask them to do it too.
That’s it. That is the whole challenge. The first time I took this challenge was six years ago. I read my Bible from cover to cover in less than three months. I can’t tell you how that one reading changed my life. I grew up loving the Word of God. My parents and my big sister were always good examples of daily spending time with God in His Word. But I can’t say that I had ever read my Bible from cover to cover before. When my friend challenged me, I thought it seemed a little overwhelming, and even a bit un-necessary. I mean there are parts of the Bible that are boring, and not as important. I could not have been more wrong.
Since that first reading of my Bible from cover to cover six years ago, I have read it from cover to cover many, many times now. Sometimes fast and sometimes slow. Every time I reread it, I learn something new.
I hope you will take the challenge. May YHVH God bless you and teach you in all His Ways. Amen
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