1. Set a time.
Schedule it. I realize that words like plan and schedule might give an aneurism to some. Setting a plan is really saying, “This is a big priority in my life and I want to make sure that I get it done. I don’t want it to fall through the cracks, so I better set aside time to do this.”
Choose a time of day that is best for you. Morning is a great way to start the day. Some say, “Bible before breakfast”. Maybe you are at your best at night. Let me encourage you to focus more on the quality of your time in the Word than the time of day. You’re not a better Christian because you read your Bible at 5 a.m., and you are not a lesser Christian because you read your Bible at 8 p.m. once the kids are asleep.
2. Choose your weapon.
Remove distractions. Turn on that “do not disturb” setting on your phone. You’ll be amazed at how many things will come to mind during this time to distract you. Make a conscious effort.
Choose your weapon. What “Sword” will you use? Your family Bible or an iPad? I’ll admit that I have changed in recent years. Because of the “do not disturb” setting, I read more digitally now than with my physical Bible.
3. Set a goal.
Don’t “wing it”. If you don’t have a goal of what book you want to read or how much you want to read, then you are setting yourself up for failure. A friend of mine use to tell me that he just opened the Bible every day and whatever page it landed on determined what he would read. Can this be good? Sure. Is it best? No.
Choose a starting and stopping point. If your goal is to read and study a book, set a time frame that you’ll dedicate to that study so you can move on to another book at some point. If your goal is to read the N.T. or the whole Bible in a year, then there are plans for this.
For newer Christians, I’d advise reading the Gospels and the New Testament. Another good practice is to read a chapter in Proverbs every day, but I think you’d benefit from reading this in addition to the former readings.
For most Christians, I’d advise reading the Bible through every year. The old way works. I love the practicality of the N.T., but there is still much to glean from the O.T. Personally, I love reading through the Bible by reading a couple chapters in the O.T. and reading a chapter in the N.T. each day, along with Proverbs and Psalms for wisdom and encouragement daily.
Reevaluate often. This is YOUR walk. You can change it up and alter your plans whenever you’d like. Do you want to read more prophecy? Do you want to study the life of Elijah? Do you want to read through the Bible in 90 days? Make it your own.
4. Be accountable.
Choose someone close to you. Your pastor or some speaker that you know is probably not the best person. Be accountable to your spouse, a sibling, a close friend, a Sunday School teacher, or someone that you are close to.
Choose someone that sharpens you. It would not be wise to be accountable to someone you just led to the Lord. Maybe you offer yourself as an accountability partner to them, but you need someone that you know that sharpens your walk with the Lord.
5. Carry the Bible with you.
What the “big idea”? Every time you spend time with the Lord, He is trying to make you to be more like Him. Do you remember what you read today? Have you thought about it? Did God bring someone in your life throughout the day that is connected to some truth that you read? There is a purpose in your walk and it is to be carried with you in your life.
Carry it in your heart. Do you really expect me to bring my Bible to every appointment throughout the day? Proverbs tells us to take the truths of God with us in our hearts. Ask yourself, “What did I read today? What stood out to me? What encouraged me? What is something I need to study more? What can I think about throughout the day?”