Mid-Year Checkups, part 1 of 10

Just as we might get a health checkup, dental checkup, or vehicle checkup throughout the year, I like the idea of a yearly spiritual checkup (as Chuck Lawless posted over on Thomrainer.com). This and the next several blog posts will be based on his blog.

In regards to daily Bible reading, he writes:

Are you reading the Bible daily? If you adopted an annual reading plan at the beginning of 2014, is your reading up to date? If not, take time this week to caught up. You might choose, if necessary, to adjust your plan – but still read daily. If you did not adopt a plan in January, pick a strategy for rest of the year.

The Plan

There are several good Bible reading plans out there. Blue Letter Bible has a few good ones here.

By December: If you want to still get through the Bible in 1 year, pick a yearly plan and do 2 readings a day (as it is the halfway point of the year).

In 1 Year: Otherwise, why not start that yearly Bible reading now, and read July through June each year.

An Easy Approach: Even if you only read 1 chapter a day out of the New Testament, let's get to reading the Bible.

The Benefits

There are several benefits to reading through the Bible, alittle bit each day:

Daily Variety: Some readings will encourage you and lift your spirits. Other reading may point out things that you need to stop doing. All in all, the daily readings will help you in your spiritual walk with the Lord.

Beyond Sunday School: Though many of us know several Sunday School stories about David, Noah, Adam&Eve, Jesus, and others, there is a lot more to read and explore in the Bible. The Bible is not a G-rated book (or R-rated; it would probably be X or NC-17); therefore, there are many things that we cannot teach and preach in a general setting. Many of the in-between stories in the Old Testament are fascinating. Many of them wrestle with the same issues we wrestle with today. Read it to see what you are missing.


So, let me encourage you, dig into God's Word each day. Even if you only do it 1 time in your life, you will be glad that you did.