Read the Bible in a year, without going crazy

[Luciano Vinci]

I am sure many of you are using a reading plan and have hit the wall today (Leviticus). Genesis was easy and quite exciting and Exodus started off strong and eventually wound down into the long detailed instructions on building the tabernacle.

Yes! We survived this far. Now comes the hard part: Leviticus, Numbers and Dueteronomy. Very few storylines and almost all instructional (and the dreaded geneologies).

if you are like me, you feel a little guilty about skimming or quickly reading thru certain portions.

here are a few things i do to keep me sane while trying to read the Bible in one year:

1. Use a paraphrase version (i like The Message).

2. Don't read in bed, you will not remember what you read, if you even stay awake.

3. Don't make it a religious duty, then it becomes a burden.

4. Pray that the Lord show you at least one thing that you can use in your day.

5. Read in the morning, while your mind is sharp.

6. Lastly, (and my favorite), try to find Jesus in every Book and chapter you read.

I have lists of verses from most OT books where we see a picture of Jesus. I would be glad to share them if you find yourself in a boring chapter/book and would like to see Jesus.

Blessings.

[jayne]

I love Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Leviticus 14 is a wonderful foreshadowing of the crucifixion. Balaam and his donkey, the vow of the Nazarite, the applications of Reuben and Gad and so much more have such valuable applications for Christians.

[Indueseason]

When I was a new Christian I found these books boring, but now I find them a treasure trove!! If we pray and ask the Lord to show us a nugget of gold, we'll always be excited about reading not only these books, but the bible as a whole!

I love finding Jesus in every book!! It's not a hard thing to do, but it sure is fun!!

blessings to you

[Luciano Vinci]

I love Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Leviticus 14 is a wonderful foreshadowing of the crucifixion. Balaam and his donkey, the vow of the Nazarite, the applications of Reuben and Gad and so much more have such valuable applications for Christians.

Jayne, you have found some of the treasures. However, it is very difficult for some to see these stories in light of the present truth (i.e. what is God saying to us today through these sometimes hard to understand or weird events?). Like Indueseason and yourself, you have had time to get to know these stories and the more you read them the more you get out of them. However, for the new believer, or the believer who has never ventured out of the New Testament (other than the Psalms and Proverbs), understanding the principles of present truth in the Old Testament can be a daunting task.

One thing that has really helped me (and why I encourage believers to read the Bible through the year) is just the fact that we should get comfortable with all that the Bible says. This doesn't mean we will understand all that the Bible says. But I learned this as a teenager and have never forgotten it: "In order to understand what the Bible means, we must first know what it says." I have been reading the Bible for 30 years and am just scratching the surface of what it means, but I do know what it says. And that is the most important start to our understanding it.

[Camellia]

Thanks for starting this thread, Luciano, and thanks to everyone else who has written in it.

I am struggling with the scope of the Bible, and you have given me hope that one day I will find it not only easier to read, but also that it will be meaningful (much of it is just words at the moment).

For instance, I have tried reading Numbers, and I was when trying to read it. It is good to read that it has a reason more than lists.