Read the Bible in a Year
Start a new routine of daily time with God, wherever you are. You can read through the Bible in one year!
“Do you understand what you’re reading?” That was Philip’s question to a man from Ethiopia who was reading the Bible one day (Acts 9:30).
Even to the most educated reader, the Bible can remain mysterious and daunting. Figuring out exactly what it is saying can be intimidating. Yet God’s word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and even though it was written many years ago, it still speaks to us today. Studying scripture is a life-long project, even longer really, because we draw on insights from Christians of the past and entrust our wisdom to future generations. But committing to a year of structured reading and study can bind the words on your hearts (Deuteronomy 6:6) and change your life.
Rev. Harry Buis will act as your guide and teacher on this journey of transformation, drawing on history, archeology, original languages, theology, and stories to invite you to enter into the beautiful Word of God.
Read the Bible in a Year is available in your email [sign up below], in a printed book, and in an app on Google Play and the App Store.
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“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Sample Readings
Creation and Fall
READ: Genesis 1-3
Scripture begins with God. “In the beginning God.” This should be our starting point—in all the endeavors of life. Life today is in trouble because it is human-centered, but we can determine, by God’s grace, to live God-centered lives in such a world.
God created the whole world out of nothing. With one word of power he brought it into being. And he created us. Therefore we belong to him. He made us for his good purposes, and it is for us to discover those purposes and to fulfill them. The rest of the Bible reveals those purposes to us. When God finished the creation it was very good. All of the evil in the world is not his doing, but rather the devil’s and ours.
How tragic that the human race at the very beginning fell away from wonderful fellowship with God. Adam and Eve chose their own way rather than God’s way, and as a result, the good creation was spoiled. We have inherited that rebellious nature and therefore continue to seek our own way instead of God’s way.
But there is hope. Immediately after the fall, God confronts Adam and Eve and the serpent, which represents the devil, and speaks of One who will be of the seed of Eve and will conquer the devil. This is the first hint of a gracious plan that climaxes in the coming of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Father, we praise you for your creation and for your re-creation through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Tragic Result of Sin
READ: Genesis 4-7
These chapters describe the consequences of the rebellion of our first parents. The very first person born into the human race became a murderer—of his own brother! He was motivated by jealousy concerning a religious question. Yet God was gracious even to Cain, marking him in some way so people would not kill him.
There follows a listing of the descendants of a third son of Adam and Eve named Seth. People in those days lived very long lives, perhaps because the physical consequences of sin had not yet done as much damage as they do at present.
Sin has its further tragic consequences. The whole human race, with the exception of one family, was living in sinful ways so repugnant to God that he decided to give the race a chance for renewal by wiping out sinners through a flood so extensive that none would survive.
But again, grace is mingled with judgment. God instructed Noah to provide a refuge from the flood. Noah spends a long time building the ark. One can imagine the ridicule of Noah’s unbelieving neighbors as he proceeds to obey God. Following the instructions of God, Noah gathers his family and the animals into the ark, and the flood comes.
PRAYER
Father, we grieve as we see the tragic consequences of sin. May many turn to you for refuge. In Jesus’ name. Amen.