Understanding The Root Of Your Child’s Misbehavior
Often, children act out because they are used to getting attention through bad behavior. Dr. Kevin Leman offers advice to help parents transform their childs behavior. He discusses the benefits of allowing your kids to learn from real-life consequences and describes the importance of understanding your childs temperament based on his birth order.
How To Start Reading The Bible: Get Started Today
The best time to start reading the Bible is today. Dont wait until you feel like it. Dont wait until you have three hours of uninterrupted time. Start reading today, even if its just for a few minutes.
And dont freak out if nothing special happens when you read the Bible. You probably wont get goosebumps or feel anything out of the ordinary. Thats not how God usually works.
Rather, as you faithfully read the Bible day after day, God will slowly but surely change you. You will find yourself thinking differently, acting differently, and experiencing different, God-given desires. Reading the Bible consistently truly will change your life.
So dont wait any to get started reading the Bible. Read it today and experience the profound blessings that come with it.
What Is A Good Women’s Devotional
More Devotions for Women by Susie Larson: Prevail: 365 Days of Enduring Strength from Gods Word. Blessings for the Morning and Evening: Life-Giving Words of Encouragement to Begin and End Your Day. Bountiful Blessings: A Creative Devotional Experience. Blessings for the Soul: Words of Grace and Peace for Your Heart.
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How To Read The Bible Daily
Written by Brittany Ann
Want to learn how to read the Bible daily?
Getting in the habit of reading the Scriptures daily is actually easier than you might thinkif you use the tips and daily Bible reading plans Im about to share in this post!
You see, as I was writing my new book, Fall in Love with Gods Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women, I did a TON of research on how to read the Bible daily.
I wanted to know:
- How to start a daily Bible study habit
- How to keep a daily Bible study habit
- Which daily Bible reading plans really work
- How to actually enjoy your time in daily Bible study
- and so much more
Now, I cant wait to share everything I know about how to read the Bible daily with you!
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps cover the many costs of running this site and allows me to help provide for my growing family. Thank you!
Where Should I Start Reading The Bible
A lot of new and seasoned Christians have a story about their attempts to read the Bible cover to cover that goes something like this: It was going great as they read through Genesis and Exodus, but somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers, they started to get bogged down in details they didnt quite understand. And by the time they hit Deuteronomy, they were done.
While its true that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness , we need to recognize that the Bible is not like any other book. It isnt necessarily meant to be read from front to back. In fact, the Bible is actually a library.
The Protestant Bible is comprised of 66 books, and many of those books are written in a variety of different genres or types of literature. These genres all need to be read a little differently. Starting at Genesis and trying to read straight through without a strategy can get frustrating if you dont know how these books and their literary genres work together.
There are a few ways to classify the genres of the Bible, but they typically fall into these categories.
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The Beginners Guide: How To Read The Bible For Beginners
Reading the Bible on your own can be intimidating. Where do you even start?
Reading the Bible on your own can be intimidating. Where does one even begin?
Do you start at the beginning and read straight through to the end? Should you jump around and read whatever strikes your fancy?
Is there a version of the Bible thats better than another version?
Speaking of versions, how many versions are there and what is the difference?
But reading and studying the Bible is an important part of every believers life and is one of the core spiritual disciplines.
Today Ill address the most common questions that beginners have about the Bible and how to read it.
Bible Reading Plan For Beginners
If you are ready to commit and dive into the whole Bible then you need a Bible reading plan. Then you dont have to think of where to start reading the Bible, you read it all!
When reading the Bible all the way through there are two main ways to do it.
One way is just from cover to cover. This is often the easiest place to start.
*Sometimes Bible reading plans include the books in a different order to break up some of the longer story sections and make it easier to read!
You can also follow a chronological order of reading. The way the Bible is currently published is not necessarily the order the books were written in.
When looking at context we realize a few books actually repeat stories of others.
This kind of Bible reading plan is often as a way to go deeper after reading it through at least once cover to cover.
Its good to mix things up and read the Bible both ways!
This year Ive read the entire Bible all the way through for the first time. It taught me so much about the bigger picture of the Bible and how Gods plan was happening throughout.
I even took on a challenge that is only for those who are really ready for a big commitment I read it through in 60 days. Check it out here!
If you are looking for a Bible Reading Plan for the entire Bible here it is! This one will go back and forth on the Old Testament and New Testament everyday!
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Where To Start Reading
The Bible is a big book, and it can be confusing for someone who is brand new to it.
Some people try start in the beginning of the Bible and read it straight through, which is what I tried to do when I first got saved. I dont recommend this to someone who is just starting out.
Instead, I suggest to start reading the New Testament first. .
I suggest this because the Old Testament and the New Testament are different covenants. Thats really what the word testament means, it means covenant.
Now the whole Bible points to Jesus. The Old points to Jesus, and the New points to Jesus. They just do it in different ways.
The Old Testament points to Jesus by prophecy, so it is subtle and hidden.
The New Testament points to Jesus through remembrance and explanation, so it is easier to grasp.
The Old Covenant conceals the New Covenant, but the New Covenant reveals the Old Covenant.
I also recommend that you grab a highlighter, and that you highlight everything that you understand. When you finish the New Testament, do it again.
After you do this process anywhere from 2-4 times, then go back and read the Old Testament. Youll find that your understanding of the Bible will increase dramatically.
The Best Order To Read The Bible For The First Time
Now I am not going to make a blanket statement and say you HAVE to read this book first and then give you an order.
I am going to give you a few different book ideas since its your first time reading the Bible.
If you dont want options and are just ready to be told where to start reading the Bible, Ive made a seven day video course just for you. Join right here!
Thank you!
Go check your email now!
Before that lets dive into a few facts about the Bible so you can understand the book a little better.
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Dwell In Lessons Throughout The Day
This is often the problem I see.
Someone will add read the Bible to their daily to do list and then theyll do it just to check it off.
Dont do that.
1- it becomes something you have to do.2- It limits your time to just those spare 5 minutes.
When you truly dive into Gods Word and He chooses to speak to you, youve got to chose to dwell in the message.
God speaks when He wants you to hear AND do something about it.
Every day is a new chance to become more like Jesus. Its a daily act of choosing the Godly over the worldly.
That requires putting in some work and seeking Gods truth throughout the day not just in the morning.
This is my challenge.
Spend time in Gods Word then try to remember and reflect throughout the day.
Write a phrase on your wrist. Pray every time you are in the car. Talk to a friend about what God is teaching you.
Dont stop spending time with God when you close His Word.
What To Expect From Yourself
And heres another thing. If I had a dollar for every time I saw someone elses Bible, marked-up with notes and bleeding with highlighter, and thought WOW! I want THAT!, I could buy myself a fancy commentary set or ten! To be sure, I love how encouraging it is to see other peoples Bible study photos and videos. But inspiration can turn to envy really quickly when we start comparing ourselves to others.
It can be damaging to hold yourself to the standard of someone elses Bible study. This is especially true when youre just learning how to start Bible study! Remember: this isnt about having a perfect Bible or being a perfect person. God meets us where we are. We dont have to climb the mountain or go to the temple to talk to God. We are blessed to serve a God who came to us. One who put on skin and sandals to walk in our shoes, feel our pain, know our hearts. We serve a God who stoops to meet us.
In the same way, you dont need to mark up every inch of your Bible to spend time with God. You dont need to read Hebrew or speak Greek. You can still gain important messages and lessons from the Word without tearing it apart. Focus on what you can do sustainably. If you can only spend five minutes a day, every day reading the Bible, that would be better than doing a huge two-hour study once a week. See what fits you, your life and your learning style. Do what you can.
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This Book Will Change Your Life
OK, so thats a substantial start. Get the tools, pull together your blueprints, and start building your love for Gods Word. There are several ways to begin reading Scripture these are just what Ive found over the years to be the best, most realistic steps to begin and keep reading it daily.
And dont just think that you have to study every time you open the Bible. Its great if you set aside thirty to forty-five minutes every day to begin studying, but that doesnt mean you cant flip through the pages in other books like the Psalms, Proverbs, Sirach, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, or in St. Pauls letters youll be blessed by all of them.
I also strongly recommend the Book of James in the New Testament. Romans is a gorgeous and extraordinarily well-written book but is sometimes a little too deep for the biblical beginner. While Romans teaches us how to get to heaven, James teaches us how to live on earth . Its great.
All I can tell you from my own experience is that the Word of God has changed my life. It has deepened my experience of the Eucharist, both at Mass and in Adoration. It has deepened my love for our Mother Mary and my gratitude for intercessory prayer and the communion of saints. It has deepened my love for the Church, the papacy, and basic human dignity. It has fueled a fire within me for truth, the need to proclaim it, defend it, and uphold itespecially in this morally relative culture. I pray it will do the same for you.
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Create A Bible Reading Plan
As I was researching for my book, Fall in Love with Gods Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women, I found the #1 reason why Christian women dont read the Bible as often as we would like is because were TOO BUSY!
We want to read Gods Word. We know its important. We know its something we *should* do.
And yet, it seems like there are always a million things competing for our time and attention.
Thats why I devoted a whole chapter in Fall in Love with Gods Word to creating your own personalized Quiet Time Plan. Basically, rather than hoping to get around to it. , one tip that I found SO helpful personally was to create a plan in advance.
If you want to not only learn how to start reading the Bible for beginners, but actually stick with it, decide in advance:
- WHEN you will read your Bible
- WHERE you will read your Bible
- HOW LONG you will read your Bible
- WHAT you will do during this time
- WHAT MATERIALS you will want/need
Deciding all of these details in advance can really help you make your Bible reading a habit.
Want a short printable workbook to help you find the perfect Bible reading plan for you? You can download this Quiet Time Planning Guide for free.
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Friends Partners And Lovers: What It Takes To Make Your Marriage Work
Most marriages survive by gritting teeth and holding on. But marriages can and will not only survive but thrive when husbands and wives learn to cherish one another. Those are the powerful words of bestselling author Gary Thomas in his newest bookCherish. And in a world desperate for marriage redemption, it is needed now more than ever. Thomas shows that although there are a countless number of marriages consisting of two people just going through the motions, there are real ways this pattern can be reversed: when husbands and wives learn to cherish one another in proven, loving, and everyday actions and words.
Newest Release – Episode 2: Heroes Providing Hope
Discover the amazing work our PRCs Directors, Nurses, and Volunteers are making in their communities! Youll see firsthand testimonies of a PRC in action, and that there are other options outside of abortions! Youll also discover how your family can support your local PRC!
Yes, I Promise to Pray for the Pre-born and Their Moms!
Will you pray for the pre-born and moms that are facing unexpected pregnancies? We will send you a 7-day prayer guide that will help guide you along this journey with us!! You can even choose to receive this great resource by text!
Newest Release – Episode 4: Sometimes the Choice is Hard
Yes, I Promise to Pray for the Pre-born and Their Moms!
Newest Release – Episode 3: The Power of a Picture
Yes, I Promise to Pray for the Pre-born and Their Moms!
Giving Up Sugar Tasting God’s Goodness
As a latchkey kid, Wendy Speake turned to sugar for comfort. Every Friday, she would pedal to the candy show and use her allowance to fill her bag with candy. And one day, when she was older and a mom of three young boys, she came to realize that she was still pedaling away from her stress and using sugar as comfort, instead of turning to Jesus. She was joyless, worn out, tired, and in need of a change. In this interview, Wendy will challenge Christians to take 40 days to focus on fasting from something they turn to instead of Jesus for comfort. She invited people to break free from a dependence on sugar and taste the goodness of God.
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Pick A Bible Translation That You Like
A quick Google search of Bible translations will show you how very many versions and translations of the Bible there are. However, not just any translation may be the right one for you.
We recommend starting with the English Standard Version , Christian Standard Bible , New King James Version or the the New Living Translation . These versions, while translated closely to word-for-word versions, also allow for easy english understanding of passages and ancient language texts.
These Are Gods Very Words
You may have heard the Bible referred to as The Word of God. This idea comes from within the Bible itself. The authors of the Old Testament referred to the words they recorded as the Word of God. And in the New Testament, Jesus himself referred to the words recorded in the Old Testament as being the very words of God.
This means that these very words carry Gods authority and speak the truth about Gods character, his actions and his plans for the world.
The Bible reveals that God is a God who speaks with authority. Much of the Bible is a recording of Gods instructions, corrections and blessings that he spoke both audibly and through his Spirit in visions and dreams to his people. It is difficult to pick just one example from the Bible that illustrates this idea because there are so many!
The Bible clearly contains the understanding that Gods spoken word is true and authoritative in creation and the lives of His people. Over and over the words, God said, or The Word of God, or The voice of the Lord, occurs in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, the author of the book of Hebrews explains it like this:
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
Hebrews 1:1-2
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