Today I bring you Tip #6 in the “How to Read Your Bible” series. Scroll to the end for a full explanation of each previous tip.
Today’s Focus—
Tip #6: Treat weekends as worship and preparation
As stated in Tip #2, I like to read from four locations from the Bible and I encourage you to consider the same. But I also recommend that you consider this method for the 5 days of the work week, then treat the weekends differently. My simple tip in this plan is that Saturday and Sunday are more focused days of worship.
- Saturday: I will most often take Saturday to read a psalm for a day of thanksgiving and personal worship. There is not necessarily an order to this. I encourage you to open some of the great worship psalms and use them to make Saturday a day of thanksgiving.
- Sunday: Spend early Sunday morning reading LifeWay’s teaching passage for that day. At LifeWay we are a little unique in that we always announce ahead of time the key passage of scripture that will be used during the sermon, no matter who is teaching. (This is the same key passage of scripture that we ask our small groups to explore when they meet that week. The Sunday sermon and the focus passage are the springboard for the discipleship process in our church.) When we come to listen to the sermon, we are ahead already, having at minimum read and reflected on the passage. This will totally change the way you listen to a Sunday sermon. It will also help you realize that you are part of the same path of growing in Christ as everyone else at LifeWay.
- Monday: When you return to the work week, you can again come back to your 5-day-a-week plan.
MY PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
A peek into Billy’s devotional thoughts this week
Each week I am giving you a little insight into my devotional life and reading, only to show you by example what you can and should do with your personal reading of God’s Word.
My current daily reading locations:
- Old Testament — 2 Samuel
- Gospels — Mark
- New Testament — 1 Corinthians
- Proverbs
A devotional from my reading this week:
The Grandest Investment: Wisdom—Proverbs 8
Proverbs 8:10-11 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
I watch plenty of TV—too much, really. I, like many of you, do much of my watching by streaming. In doing this, I miss most of the worst parts of television: the commercials! But no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to avoid them. I have noticed how many commercials actually work off of our fears—fear of health, fear of lack of money, fear of my inadequacies. In the arena of money, there is a commercial that sticks out to me that says the greatest thing that we can do in uncertain times is to buy silver and gold! It’s the best investment! It’s the only sure thing that will last in uncertain times! It make me want to go out and get some gold bullion, because they (the advertisers) tell me it’s a great hedge against the world.
Then I read Proverbs 8: “Instruction rather than silver…knowledge rather than gold…wisdom is more precious than rubies…”
My prayer:
Dear God, may I always pursue the wisdom that comes from you as the highest commodity of my life. May my eyes not get distracted from the most valuable asset that I can possess: wisdom that comes from the God of the universe. I want to invest my life in your instruction and knowledge and in the wisdom that comes from all this.
Keep reading and poring over your Bible!
TIP #1: READ SYSTEMATICALLY AND SLOWLY
How to Read Your Bible (Part 1)
Don’t worry about reading for speed. Learn to set a reading habit for the rest of your life.
TIP #2: CHOOSE THE LOCATION OF WHERE TO READ
How to Read Your Bible (Part 2)
Read the Bible in four locations:
- Old Testament
- Gospels
- New Testament
- Psalm
TIP #3: USE A STUDY BIBLE AS YOUR PRIMARY BIBLE TO READ FROM EACH DAY
How to Read Your Bible (Part 3)
Choose one of the many study Bibles, and make that study Bible your primary PAPER Bible to read each day until you have read the Bible through—then choose another one and start the process over.
Tip #4: Choose your Bible Translation
How to Read Your Bible (Part 4)
Choose from the reliable list of translations—but pick one and start reading! Over the years, read from other English translations.
Tip #5: Mark up your Bible! Take notes!
How to Read Your Bible (Part 5)
This is one of my personal favorites. I love to mark up and write in my Bible.