Mission Possible: Bible Reading

I'm a pastor, so that means I'm paid to read the Bible, right?  Well, sort of, but more importantly, I'm a follower of Jesus, so I need to read the Bible in order to know Him more.  I know and believe this, but to be honest, there are seasons where my Bible reading isn't as consistent as I'd like.  I know.  Pray for me.

Followers of Jesus have the privilege of knowing God (John 17:3).  God gives us His Spirit to illuminate His Word.  We know this, but why don't we ever act on this knowledge?  Laziness? Apathy?  Fatigue?

Whatever the reason, it is important that we realize our need for God and for His Word and we cultivate a daily rhythm that allows us time to hear from Him through prayer and through His Word.

One of the ways I was encouraged to get into the Word was to read through the New Testament in a month.  This plan is a great way to get the big picture of the New Testament in the span of one month.  Several months ago I began the suggested bible reading plan in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney.  It's quite simple really.  I read 2 chapters from the Pentateuch, History, Poetry, Prophets, and NT.  It's been a great way to get the full picture of the story of Scripture.

What Bible reading plans have you found to be helpful?

Bible Study Prep

I've had the privilege of walking through Galatians for the church-wide Bible Study at Christ Church here in Brenham. There is a special place in my heart for Paul's letter to the Galatians as this was the book I was teaching through (feebly at that!) in the fall of 1999 when God called me into full time vocational ministry. This small letter confronts major issues dealing with legalism, the Law, and liberty that are still prevalent in the modern church of today.

As I am preparing to teach through Galatians 2:1-14 tomorrow evening, I am encouraged by Paul's fidelity to the Gospel, and his passion for the freedom of Christ to be realized in the lives of believers, both Jew and Gentile. Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians has been a very helpful resource in preparing for this study. He provides great insight into the confrontation of legalism and the healthy expression of liberty as it pertains to the Church.

This is the first time in quite a while that I have had the privilege of leading a more in-depth Bible Study, and I had forgotten how much I love to teach the Bible! Don't get me wrong, when I preach, I teach the Bible, but this is different. With true Bible study prep, I have the opportunity to slow down and ask some harder questions. Less time is spent on developing illustrations, and more time is spent wrestling with the text for understanding, insight, and by God's grace, revelation and illumination.

So, for all of the brethren out there leading Bible Studies, be encouraged! God is faithful to continually reveal to us more of Himself. This is not for our own selfish consumption, but for the sake of His Kingdom and His people. What a privilege we have in rightly dividing the Word of God!

New Testament in a Month

Now that I am done with seminary, I have the freedom to read WHATEVER I want to. I cannot begin to express how excited I am about this! However, one of the first things I want to do is get back into the Word more intentionally and more deeply. Not that I was not encouraged to study the Scriptures in seminary, but now I can read them with the sole purpose of enjoying God and preparing my heart and mind for ministry. Should be the same, but in my mind and heart it is different. If I'm off on this, please pray for me.

Early in my seminary experience I had the privilege of taking several classes with Dr. Rodney Woo (Pastor of Wilcrest Baptist Church). This man is the epitome of a perfect combination of scholarship and a pastoral heart. There is much I have learned from him, both in content and by his example that I am eternally grateful for.

I still remember the day in class when he was sitting on the edge of the table with his intense stare and he said, "Gentlemen, if you are going to preach the Bible, you had better know it!" This statement hit me like a ton of bricks. I mean, on one hand this statement seems to be obvious, but as this pastor-scholar sat there with the fire of God in his eyes, I realized that he was not talking about 'knowing' it, but to KNOW it.

One thing I loved about being in his classes was that when he brought correction or exhortation, he always provided a way forward. On this occasion he told us how he stays sharp in the Word. He shared with us that He read through the New Testament each month for 9 months out of the year and then took 3 months to read through the Old Testament. At first, I thought this was impossible, that it would take too much time. However, Dr. Woo shared that it only took about 30 minutes-a-day and that he would just read. No note taking, no word studies, he would just read it and enjoy it as it was. He then challenged us to try it.

By God's grace, I was able to do this several times. This experience helped me to see the grand picture of God's redemptive story through the entirety of the Scriptures. Unfortunately, it has been quite a while since I have enjoyed this discipline and am now resolved to re-institute this life-giving exercise.

If any of you out there would like to give it a try, here's the schedule:

1. Mt. 1-10
2. Mt. 11-20
3. Mt. 21-28
4. Mk. 1-8
5. Mk. 9-16
6. Lk. 1-8
7. Lk. 9-16
8. Lk. 17-24
9. Jn. 1-7
10. Jn. 8-14
11. Jn. 15-21
12. Acts 1-10
13. Acts 11-20
14. Acts 21-28
15. Romans 1-8
16. Romans 9-16
17. 1 Cor. 1-8
18. 1 Cor. 9-16
19. 2 Cor.
20. Galatians – Ephesians
21. Philippians – Colossians
22. 1 & 2 Thess.
23. 1 & 2 Tim.
24. Titus – Philemon – Heb. 1-3
25. Heb. 4-13
26. James
27. 1 & 2 Peter
28. 1-2-3 John / Jude
29. Rev. 1-11
30. Rev. 12-22

Let me know if you're going to give it a shot. I'd love to hear about your experience!

Worth Checking Out: YouVersion.com

Friends, I know I commend a lot of things on this blog to you, but I would strongly encourage you to check out YouVersion.com It is a great way to study the Scriptures both individually and in community (not to take the place of real life community). I hope to start posting on there soon.

My user name on YouVersion.com is: caseycease

Hope to see you on there!

Proverbs 11:14

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

(Proverbs 11:14 ESV)

Why is it that most Christians ignore this encouragement or resent it when you offer insight?