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Toward the end of the calendar year many American Christians begin to plan how they will engage with the scriptures in the coming year.

Because so many of us believe (know!) that we have not read the Bible as consistently as we have, say, engaged with social media in the past year, we start the new one with grand ambitions and plans for a better, that is to say, more Bible-based, scripture centered year.

How’s that working for ya?

In case the reading plan you began in January has been abandoned at a beach in July, you can still make progress in your Bible reading journey starting today!

However, you may have to adjust your objective.

One adjustment that may work for you is to complete two readings per day in your current plan. You may wish to think of this change as a morning and evening devotion, which could be exactly what your soul needs this summer.

The U.S.’s Christian majority has been shrinking for decades. As of 2020, about 64% of Americans identify as Christian. Fifty years ago, that number was 90%.

Pew Research Center Study

BUT, if you feel like you’re hopelessly behind, say, you left off in Deuteronomy but your plan’s current readings are in Isaiah, YouVersion may be helpful.

The YouVersion Bible app is the winning combination of delightful and useful offering many Bible reading plans of various lengths with different aims.

For example, there’s a meaty 91 day plan titled, From Beginning to End. It’s from 2023 so, don’t let the year confuse you.

From Beginning to End is also a topical plan which means that you will focus on the major Bible narratives (and topics), but, you won’t read every word of the Bible, in 91 days.

Why 91 days instead of 90? IDK but go with it. I believe it’ll be good.

The From Beginning to End plan introduction says that it will show that “although the bible contains many stories, it is one story¹ from beginning to end of God’s interactions with humanity.”

I have personally also tried one of YouVersion’s year long chronological plans which is a super interesting way to read through the Bible.

It’s keeping me engaged although there ARE days when I’m intimidated by the number of chapters I need to read in a single day to stay on track. Usually on those days the chapters were not ultra long.

The chronological plan is also helping me to see how the Bible narrative fits together in terms of sequence of events which, of course, the chronological plan is designed to do.

One of the wonderful features of YouVersion is that there are many plans for you to try, some around 30 or fewer days; while others are authored by celebrated bible teachers and leaders if you prefer to read the works of those you know well.

I believe that if you start or re-start your bible reading, you will want to continue – the seemingly arcane rules of Leviticus and the many chapters of the major prophets, notwithstanding.

My bible reading has definitely grown my relationship with God and improved my experience of my spiritual life.

However, if you want to start or re-start a year long reading venture, consider the Navigator’s Plan. This year is my first time following the Navigator’s Plan. It’s amazing!

One advantage is that you can start the plan at the beginning of any month. So, you’ll have a fresh start whenever you begin.

Also, every month’s reading is only 25 days long. This is great because I tend to fall behind in the readings. How about you?

The “free” days at the end of any given month can, then, be used to catch up or to go deeper with the passage(s) of your choosing.

Therefore, if you’re willing, you could start the Navigator’s Bible Reading Plan on August 1st. Maybe it’s a back to school challenge for you and your spouse.

You will need to choose how you use the plan. Then, depending on what you choose, you will need to enter your name and email. Once entered, Navigator’s will email you the bible reading plan. Super easy and accessible.

Oh, yes, before I forget. You’re likely to have more success if you read through the Bible in a community. You and your small or large group could encourage each other to read through the Bible in a year ending in July 2025 on July 25th. Merry Christmas in July!!

A downside, however, is that there is no digital version of daily record keeping of the daily Bible readings.

While there is, what the Navigator’s call, a screen reader version, where the Bible readings for the year are literally on screen, both this and the paper download feel clunky and unsophisticated to use.

Although this is a minor issue in my mind, it may be a deal breaker for others.

The scripture above is from the July 25 (or month 7, day 25) set of bible readings from the Navigator’s Plan which offers 4 daily bible readings; 2 from the New Testament and 2 from the Old Testament.

The young church at Thessalonica had received a false word that the second coming of Christ was imminent.

This, as you might imagine, engendered a great disturbance among the new Christians and caused some of the believers to abandon their jobs to wait for Christ’s return among other issues.

In response to this untruth, the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers noting some signs in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-16 of what would precede the coming of the Lord including a falling away from the faith.

In our own day the U.S.’s Christian majority has been shrinking for decades. A Pew Research Center study shows that as of 2020, about 64% of Americans identify as Christian, while, fifty years ago, that number was 90%.

Meanwhile, in Thessalonica, the Apostle encourages the believers in various ways to work and to “keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness” 2 Thessalonians 3:6, or, who lives a lifestyle characterized by not working.

Paul requires the believers to work for a few reasons. The first is that he, their teacher, modeled productive work, and that they ought to follow his example 2 Thessalonians 3:6-8 .

Do you know any Christian busybodies?!

The next reason Paul cites is that these idle persons, these brothers in the faith, should be busy working instead of being busybodies, gossipers and the like, meddling in the lives of others 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 who are working.

While there are other reasons why the Apostle wants the Thessalonians to work, the last one that I will list is that regularly working equips one help to another needy believer Ephesians 4:28.

Paul makes a distinction between those who, due to disability or advanced age cannot work and those Thessalonians who, apparently, refused to work out of what the Reformation Bible calls “an overripe expectation” of Jesus’s return.

The Apostle then, finally, offers a benediction of peace in 2 Thessalonians 3:16. In context it is a well earned cup of cool water on a hot day of work:

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.  The Lord be with you all.

Paul gives this benediction in the context of a serious controversy in which the believers’ work habits in a local church from hundreds of years ago figured prominently in the daily habits and world view of those believers.

Nevertheless, in my own life, to not work was never a possibility. Coupled with the fact that I love what I do.

However, today, American society is so very unsettled.

In the last 3 weeks there was an assassination attempt against former President Trump, President Biden has suddenly decided to discontinue his campaign for the presidency, and Vice-President Harris is now the presumptive nominee of her party.

Then there are the implications of Project 2025, local politics, inflation, and the list goes on. This says nothing about the “slings and arrows” of my personal life!

While traipsing down this transition-strewn street called American politics and my life, the very God of peace spoke peace to me in 2 Thessalonians 3:16. Peace beckoned warmly and directly to me from the Bible’s pages.

I live in the city and bright lights on a dark street are a most welcomed sight, leading and comforting even as one continues walking along at night.

When I read 2 Thessalonians 3:16 on July 25th that scripture felt like Jesus installed a new street light just for me.

I am also reminded of part of the lyrics to Firm Foundation (He Won’t), by Cody Carnes:

I’ve still got joy in chaos
I’ve got peace that makes no sense
So I won’t be going under
I’m not held by my own strength

That, too, was 2 Thessalonians 3:16 to me on July 25th: peace that makes no sense.

Listen, the goal of a bible reading plan is to assist us to . . . read the bible. The plan that supports this ultimate end goal is the one for you.

God has used various bible reading plans of various lengths to grow my relationship with Him which has changed my spiritual life in a positive way. I commend regular bible reading to you.

I’m continuing the Navigator’s Reading plan. Come and go with me. Let’s link up and do it together.

Growing in Bible Reading!!

xoxoKimberly

1. I both acknowledge and accept that there are Christians who have genuinely put their saving faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross who interpret the word “story” as it pertains to biblical narratives as passages that can be taken literally but are likely best understood as figurative stories. I disagree with that viewpoint and as the word is used above I am referring to a passage in the Bible written in a narrative fashion which is the inerrant, infallible, literal word of God. This is not to say that the Bible does not actually contain figurative language. ↩︎

ENJOY!! Cody Carnes Firm Foundation (He Won’t) (Official Lyric Video)