How To Get In The Habit of Daily Bible Reading???

Good Day All!

I am hoping to learn some habits from some of the more seasoned & experienced people on the Bible Forums board.

Establishing a daily practice of reading the Bible has been daunting. Have you experienced this too?

Is there a set "schedule" that you have or recommend for people to get constant exposure to the Bible?

I can't seem to sit down for more than 30 minutes without getting distracted recently. I know it's important to practice daily.

I know there are some services out there that will send you a Bible Verse via Text Message daily like (Bible Hint) - I'm not sure if people have had any luck with them or not? I figure maybe I shouldn't fight technology anymore and use it to help me out a little bit.

Does anyone have any creative ideas or solutions here?

Thank you and God bless!

Hello and welcome to CC!
Reading the Bible regularly and consistently is a great habit and a wise practice. However, it's a bit like flossing your teeth; you know you should, but you find it easy to overlook until the dentist gives you bad news. Some people find it easier to build good practices than others, so don't compare yourself to others. Also, don't beat yourself up or give yourself negative consequences if you don't achieve your goals; that will work against your desire, because you'll subconsciously associate reading Scripture with punishment and it will corrupt your motivations.

Ask God's help with your reading, and seek to honour Him in it. Set an achievable goal. If that is only five minutes, or one chapter, that's good. Once you meet your first goal successfully and consistently, set a higher goal, but keep the purpose in mind: knowing God personally through His word, not merely ticking the "Done" box on your To Do list. Five minutes of enjoyable, focused reading is better than 35 minutes of drudgery.

Your walk with God is a marathon, not a sprint. Relax and enjoy His presence in your life, and make reading His word part of that enjoyment.

I committed to a chapter before bed every night. Started at Genesis. Soon I didn't want to stop at a chapter. Then it wasn't just bedtime but in my spare time. When I finished Revelation I wasn't finished reading. Been reading every day since.

I divide the scriptures like this:

Genesis - Job
Psalms - Songs
Isaiah - Malachi
Matthew - Revelation

I use a book mark in each section.

I start at Genesis. When I reach the book of 2-Samuel, I read 1-Chronicles and follow the parallel events simultaneously until 2-Kings and 2-Chronicles are completed (I also begin the Psalms - Songs portion simultaneously). I then begin the Isaiah - Malachi portion, starting back at Ezra when Malachi is completed (by this time I usually get to the book of Proverbs). I will also read some new testament books here and there so that when I begin the new testament I already have some of those book already completed. When I finish at Job and Songs, it's on to whatever new testament books I haven't already read while reading the old testament.

I usually complete the entire Bible in 4 months (this time around I am trying to complete it in 3 months - on schedule so far - over 70% finished).

You just have to get the Bible and read; read often and steadily.

Hello @ChristianWoman87, are you looking for a great way to read through the entire Bible, or do you have something else in mind instead?

If it is the former, have you considered listening to the Bible instead of reading it (or doing both at the same time)? You can do so online for free here (there are a number of different translations and formats available to you as well). For instance, this version is the dramatized NIV (with music, multiple voices, and sounds like fires crackling, waves crashing, and ox cart wheels rolling, when the Text is speaking of these things), but you can also chose a single voice reading instead.



When I listen through the Bible, I kept pen and paper nearby so that I can write down verses that I want to go back and look up later, just FYI.

There is also a free, online audio One Year Bible available here: https://audio.oneyearbibleonline.com/ It is dramatized as well, and I believe it will give you a daily reading from the OT, the NT, Psalms and Proverbs. It also includes commentary about the text you are about to listen to, which is something that I've never seen before. Also, if you'd prefer to start with the Jan 1st reading (instead of today's), I believe you can do that here: https://oneyearbibleonline.com/nltaudio/?nltdt=0101

If you were not planning to read through the Bible, but you wanted to study it in a different way, please let me know as I have several ideas that may be useful to you.

God bless you!

~Deut
p.s. - this 4 part audio series called Spiritual Boot Camp might be interesting for you to check out, particular the lecture on How to Study the Scriptures. It's a series by Dr. John MacArthur that takes a look at four of our most important Christian spiritual disciplines, How to Study the Bible, How to Pray, How to Function in the Body (Fellowship), and How to Witness. I listened to this series about 34 years ago when I came to saving faith, and I still use some of what I learned in my walk today Just click here and scroll down a bit when you get there (you can stream all 4 sermons online for free) https://www.gty.org/library/topical-series-library/200/spiritual-bootcamp

BTW, you can listen to or read the sermon/lectures, or you can do both at the same time

I suggest find the topic(s) that are important to you and start studying them. If it is something important to you then you will be more likely to follow through with learning about it. If it is something unimportant to you then you'll be more likely to not learn about it.

You can always just flip it open and start reading. Some of the most fun books, in my opinion, are Genesis, Daniel, and Ezekiel in the old testament. John, Acts, and Revelation in the new testament.

Ever been held accountable to a group? There are many online Bible studies at various places. I usually lead a short, small group, Bible study today, Tuesday. If I didn't read anything today I would show up unprepared. You can try joining a Bible study once a week and dedicate yourself to that, maybe it'll turn into a daily habit.

Establishing a routine to read the bible and pondering the meaning of what has been read requires discipline. You have to establish your priorities and give each one a commensurate amount of time and consideration.

I have a set amount of time allotted each day for my bible reading. The amount of time may vary on occasion but I don't just simply neglect it altogether and just do my best with the amount of time that I do have to read the Word, ponder the meaning, and pray for how to apply the Word in my life.

Establishing a daily practice of reading the bible can indeed be daunting, but once you get started to actually begin to read it soon it will become a habit and eventually the most important part of your daily routine.

Glad to have you as part of our community. Welcome to CC.

Jesus said you can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). Therefore grace is needed. Grace only takes place “through faith”. Grace is God doing something in, for, to or through someone through their faith.

The Bible says in 2 Cor. 13:4, that Jesus was crucified through weakness. Which it had to be because Gods Grace is only made perfect in weakness. Therefore, through weakness Jesus was crucified that He may taste death by the Grace of God (Hebrews 2:9). As Children of God we get to taste that same death in Christ daily by taking up our own cross daily (which can only be done by trusting His Grace which is made perfect through our weakness by placing and maintaining our Faith exclusively in Christ and His Finished Work at Calvary Cross where the victory was won) and walking with Christ in the newness of life (His victory). Rom. 6:3-5, Rom. 8:17, Gal. 2:20-21, 2 Cor. 4:11, 2 Cor. 12:9-10, 2 Cor. 13:4, Hebrews 2:9

The fruit that a Child of God bears comes only by Righteousness which is by Grace (Gal. 2:21). Grace only comes through the weakness and death of Christ (2 Cor. 12:9-10). Therefore, Grace is only made perfect through weakness (not our flesh); but only by trusting and placing and maintaining our Faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross. This is the only way Grace flows in a Child of Gods life. This Child of God is considered weak, humble, and broken before God. (THE BEATITUDES MATTHEW 5)

I hope this helps.

My complete readings take about 2 years. Currently on my 5th complete reading. About 9 months to go. Impressive that you read the entire bible in 3 -4 months.

I have one.

Pray he give a person a desire . He knows our needs before we ask . .Where our heart is there our new treasure will be

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

I set a time every morning when I wake up I automatically wash my face and read a devotional book then I read the corresponding verses or chapter, I also read proverbs as it has 31 chapters = 31 days in a month and re-read it again. Sometimes At night I do my regular bible reading gen to rev or an additional book I'm interested in.
I might try to do what @Micaiah-imla did, thanks for sharing it.

I felt the same way in the beginning myself, but over time the greater the connection we have with God the more in depth we meditate in the bible. I think you could start off with YouTube and gotquestions.org, they tell the stories in bible and give meanings, and good insights, Knowledge and understanding of the bible gets better over time, it comes with spiritual growth and understanding from the holy spirit.