Author: Dave Dishman (Page 14 of 410)

I love sitting down in the morning with a cup of coffee and reading my Bible. My wife, at the same time, puts in her earphones and listens to Scripture. Whether you read or listen (or both) it’s good to know your options, especially if you hope to create a habit that sticks.

The following are 6 of the best practices I’ve experienced as I’ve traveled through the Bible again and again:

Pick a Bible version you find engaging. I’ve read the Bible cover to cover thirty-one times, and I’ve read it all the way through in at least a dozen different versions. The King James contains beautiful, classic passages, along with loads of “thees” and “thous.” Modern versions read smoother and digest easier. Personally, I prefer the New International Version (NIV) for reading. I also regularly consult the English Standard Version (ESV); the New Living Translation (NLT); and The Message (an American language version). While I prefer reading a physical Bible, I also use both the YouVersion Bible app and the ESV Bible app on my phone.

Listen to the Bible. Like I mentioned earlier, my wife loves to listen to the Bible. She’s currently enjoying the Daily Audio Bible. For more dramatic styles, try The Bible Experience audio Bible or my favorite, Streetlights.

Choose your best time of day. I find that picking the same time every day to take in the Scriptures helps it happen. As an early riser I prefer the morning. Others opt for the quiet of late evening. For those who listen, a walk at mid-day or their work commute opens time to hear the Scriptures. Pick a time that works for you.

Select a reading plan. Some years I’ve read the Bible straight from Genesis to Revelation, and other years chronologically (skipping around through the text). The last few years I’ve followed the Five Day Bible Reading Program. I like it because the Old Testament is presented chronologically, and each day contains a New Testament passage. Best of all, you read only five days per week, leaving two extra days for catch-up. I print the plan and keep a copy in my journal.

Speaking of journals, keep one handy. I retain more from my reading when I jot impressions as I go. Plus, I’m encouraged when I look back and see what God has shown me over time. Writing helps me think and allows the Holy Spirit to work. I write in an blank, unlined journal. Nothing to distract me from my thoughts—except my other thoughts.

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your reading. Most every morning I pray this prayer from Psalm 119: Lord, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. The Holy Spirit indwells those who follow Jesus and guides us into all truth. Entreat him to do so for you. In a mysterious yet profound combination, the Holy Spirit works with the Holy Scriptures to develop holiness in our lives.

I encourage you to make Bible reading a habit. While it may feel daunting, a little bit every day expands your trust in God. Before you know it you’ll be rooting for Moses against Pharaoh, wrestling with the teachings of Jesus, and marveling at the works of the Lord.

I pray you find a method that clicks, and enjoy your own journey through God’s Word!

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out

Last week I finished reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. On January 1, I plan to start again. Beauty and wisdom, peace and insight overflow its pages. Every minute I spend in the Scriptures yields dividends. Below are nine reasons I read every word of the Bible every year.

I gain an expansive view of God. Left to myself, I shrink God into my own image. I prefer a God who reminds me of me, who approves of my lifestyle and choices, and who hugs me despite my subtle disregard of his ways. No such God exists in the pages of Scripture, but how will I know if I don’t go take a look?

The discipline of daily reading develops my faith. Regular reading creates a habit and builds spiritual muscle. I did not choose to live the Christian life on a lark. As a serious and devoted follower of Jesus, I hope to continually grow deeper and broader in my faith. Bible reading forms the foundation of that growth.

I discover something I’ve never noticed on a daily basis. This may be my favorite part of reading the Bible. I discover faithful heroes and intriguing villains, fresh thoughts and challenging ideas every day.

God surprises me. Not always in a comfortable way.

God wrestles with me. Or better, I wrestle with the God of the Bible. The Lord uses the Scriptures to point out my pride or vanity or loose talk. I don’t like it. At times I despise it. But I appreciate the fact that words in the Bible roll me around in the dirt on occasion.

I wrestle with the Scripture’s approach the world. I don’t understand parts of the Bible. Why did the child born from David’s sin with Bathsheba have to die? Seems so unfair, but that’s what God wanted. I grapple with my understanding and beliefs about God. I believe questions fuel our faith, just as questions fueled the faith of many in the Bible.

The Holy Spirit blows fresh in my life. The Holy Spirit changes, comforts, challenges and builds us, particularly paired with the wisdom of the Bible. The combination of Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture transforms my heart. Nothing else works in such a supernatural way. I fight temptation, I gain compassion, and I get beyond myself when the Holy Spirit uses the words of God in my life.

I brag to my friends. Let’s face it—not many people read through the Bible. Let the practice slip at a dinner party and notice the reactions.

My soul swells. The psalmist tells us, Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers (Psalm 1). I want such a life and it only comes by meditating on the scriptures daily. Comfort, hope and peace bloom in such an environment.

I encourage you to join me and read the Bible cover to cover in 2025. You can do it! If you spend 30 minutes a day on social media, you can read the Bible through in a year.

Start the journey—your soul will thank you.

Photo by Aaron Burden

At Thanksgiving I enjoyed the cacophony of little kids running around playing together. With toddlers in the mix, cries of MINE! rang out, as each claimed a toy in the hands of another.

No one was surprised by this behavior among children. But I perceive the attitude in myself. I’m happy if you have what’s yours, as long as I get what’s mine.

The Lord, however, throws a wrench into my grabby nature. He told Job, Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.

I may consider a possession as my own, but it’s actually the Lord’s. I might hoard dollars in a bank account, but the dollars and the account and the bank building and the bankers themselves all belong to God. What I hold comes from the hand of the Lord, and I simply serve at a steward of his gifts.

As I look back on an old year and turn to the new, it helps me to think on this principle. Hold my money and possessions loosely, and stay generous with the goods under my stewardship. I’m far better when I release the totality of all I have, and instead grab at the ways of the Lord.

Job 41 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Andres Perez

I just finished reading through the Bible this year, cover to cover for the thirty-first time. Selecting the same material seems like it might get old, but that’s not been my experience. The Bible is a huge and complex book filled with challenging concepts and arcane practices. It helps me see my place in the world, and best of all, opens a door to the understanding of God.

The Scriptures point to ways to live and treat others. My mind goes deeper, and I think on topics beyond myself as I spend time in its pages. The habit of daily reading centers my soul. Best of all, an amazing God emerges.

The Holy Spirit uses the words of the Scriptures to comfort, convict, encourage, and embolden me. Bible words create bone-dry tinder for the sparks of the Spirit. Far beyond an academic exercise, reading the Bible generates an interaction with the divine, an ongoing channel to the touch of God.

Even if subtle and rare, God speaks through his Word. God often communicates through a whisper, which takes quiet reflection to discern. If I focus on social media and entertainment and fail to crack the cover of the Good Book, then I miss out on unmatched treasures.

Here’s an open invitation: The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Within the Holy Scriptures we find the the water of life. Jesus invites us to partake. A little time and attention changes everything. I plan to read through the Bible again this coming year. Then I’ll read it the following years, over and over until my eyes go bad. After that I’ll listen. Take it in. Enjoy nourishment for heart and soul, to the benefit of you and me and all those around us.

Revelation 22 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Aaron Burden