Bible Reading Plans for 2016

Here's some Bible Reading Plans for 2016 from Ligonier Ministries. Surely one of these will work for you! Let's do it in 2016.

Many Christians take the beginning of a new year to evaluate their Bible reading habits, and then change or begin a Bible reading plan.

For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of Bible reading plans for you to choose from. Maybe in 2016 you will read more of the Bible each day. Perhaps you’ll slow down your reading and instead spend more time considering what you read. Whatever it is you’re looking for in a reading plan, you should find it below:

52 Week Bible Reading Plan
Read through the Bible in a year, with each day of the week dedicated to a different genre: Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, and Gospels.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan
Read through the New Testament in a year, reading Monday to Friday. Weekends are set aside for reflection and other reading. Especially beneficial if you’re new to a daily discipline of Bible reading.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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A Bible Reading Chart
Read through the Bible at your own pace. Use this minimalistic, yet beautifully designed, chart to track your reading over 2016.
Duration: Flexible | Download: PDF

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Chronological Bible Reading Plan
Read through the Bible in the order the events occurred chronologically.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan
Four daily readings beginning in Genesis, Psalms, Matthew and Acts.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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ESV Daily Bible Reading Plan
Four daily readings taken from four lists: Psalms and Wisdom Literature, Pentateuch and History of Israel, Chronicles and Prophets, and Gospels and Epistles.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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Every Word in the Bible
Read through the Bible one chapter at a time. Readings alternate between the Old and New Testaments.
Duration: Three years | Download: PDF

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Historical Bible Reading Plan
The Old Testament readings are similar to Israel’s Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament readings are an attempt to follow the order in which the books were authored.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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An In Depth Study of Matthew
A year long study in the Gospel of Matthew from Tabletalk magazine and R.C. Sproul.
Duration: One year | App: Accessible on YouVersion. Download the app.

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Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System
Reading ten chapters a day, in the course of a year you’ll read the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters four to five times, the Old Testament wisdom literature six times, the Psalms at least twice, Proverbs and Acts a dozen times, and the OT History and Prophetic books about one and a half times.
Duration: Ongoing | Download: PDF

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Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Read the New Testament and Psalms twice and the Old Testament once.
Duration: One or two years | Download: Website

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Straight Through the Bible Reading Plan
Read straight through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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Tabletalk Bible Reading Plan
Two readings each day; one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF
App: Accessible in the Ligonier App (iPhone / iPad, Android, Kindle Fire &Windows Phone) and YouVersion.

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The Legacy Reading Plan
This plan does not have set readings for each day. Instead, it has set books for each month, and set number of Proverbs and Psalms to read each week. It aims to give you more flexibility, while grounding you in specific books of the Bible each month.
Duration: One year | Download: PDF

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Two-Year Bible Reading Plan
Read the Old and New Testaments once, and Psalms & Proverbs four times.
Duration: Two years | Download: PDF

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

More On Trends in Church and Culture...

I'm finding the new year analysis of trends as a basis for predictions fascinating. Dr. Michael Brown calls 20115 "The Year of Pushback." Here's why:

As we enter this new year, I offer some prayerful reflections on trends that we could see developing in the months ahead, not as a prophet but as an observer seeking to follow in the footsteps of the ancient sons of Issachar, who "understood the meaning of the times to know what Israel ought to do" (1 Chron. 12:32; my translation of the Hebrew).

While it is possible that I am simply projecting what I am seeing in my own work and ministry, I am hopeful that these represent larger trends in the nation in general and the believing church in particular.

Time, of course, will tell.

1) The gay revolution will continue to overplay its hand. As those who were once bullied now bully others, this will produce an increasing backlash, as seen with the "Houston Five" last year. And as gay activists win more and more battles in the courts and the society, that will actually work against them, and their goals will continue to become more and more extreme. (I address this at length in a book scheduled for publication later this year.)

2) Young people in the church will awaken more and more. I'm aware that many young people are dropping out of "religion" and that the children of evangelicals are often more liberal in their social beliefs than their parents (although not so much when it comes to abortion, thankfully). Yet the emptiness of today's society and the dysfunctional, broken nature of so many of the homes in which these kids are being raised has created a great void, and I expect more and more young people to turn to God earnestly. As for those who are already serious, they will get more serious.

3) The LGBT harvest will continue to increase. For many years, I have believed that, just as God saved a multitude of hippies, radicals and rebels in the late 60s and early 70s—I was one of them—so too he will save a multitude of those who identify as LGBT. Over the years, I have been blessed to hear from a number of other leaders who have this same conviction.

Recently, after speaking on "Can You Be Gay and Christian?" a former lesbian came up to greet me, thanking me for addressing the issue with sensitivity and love. (I often ask churches if we will be ready and welcoming as LGBT people come to our services, as they hold hands during worship, with some dressing differently than their biology would seem to call for.) She told me that she has recently met 6 other former lesbians, all committed to local churches now, and she too sees this increasing.

Of course, it is negative that many are claiming to be committed followers of Jesus while practicing homosexuality at the same time. But it is positive that many gays and lesbians want to follow Jesus and want to attend church after feeling rejected by God and the church all of their lives. Let us prepare our hearts with love and compassion for this coming harvest.

4) God's people will start to get desperate and pray. Although there have been powerful prayer movements birthed in the last 25 years, for the most part, American Christians have been very complacent, tending to get more exercised in prayer during the presidential elections or during times of economic crisis. Otherwise, we have been asleep in the light, to use the proverbial phrase.

But last year, I began to notice a growing call to prayer and fasting and awakening in the American church, and I expect that to increase in 2015. May it be so!

Choose Wisely

From @BradBridges

Enjoy Grace in 2014

I loved this post from Justin Buzzard - "The #1 Thing To Do in the New Year":

You may or may not have a list of resolutions for the New Year. Whatever goals you’re chasing and whatever you’re facing this next year, I want to make a suggestion: simplify things this year.

Instead of trying to do a lot, what if you focused your full attention on just one exciting objective?

Here it is: Enjoy grace.

Grace is the undeserved love of God. This undeserved love is extended most climactically in the substitutionary life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, a historical reality that changes everything about your reality. And, this undeserved love comes at you every single day of your life. Everything you will enjoy in 2014 is grace, pure gift from God: the oxygen you breathe, the relationships you enjoy, the food you eat, the shelter over your head, the laughter of your children, those amazing sunsets, etc.

“What do you have that you did not receive?” -1 Corinthians 4:7. Everything you have you have received. All is gift. All is grace. The screen you’re reading this on is a gift, as are the fingers you’re using to scroll through this post. Enjoy this grace, this great gift of having fingers, exploring screens, and learning.

Enjoy grace! Focus your full attention and energies here, and everything else will follow: love for God, gratitude, joy, love for others, and good stewardship of the life, talents, resources, time, and opportunities God has given you. Nothing sucks the life out of things like entitlement, thinking you deserve a certain kind of life. And nothing gives life like grace, recognizing that your life and everything about your life is pure gift.

Though it feels like you’re sitting still right now, you’re sitting on a planet that’s hurling through space at roughly 2.7 million miles per hour. This wild orbit and the wild adventure of your life is sustained and empowered by the grace of God, undeserved love that holds the galaxies in place, feeds you breakfast, and puts a fresh fire in your heart.

Happy New Year!

Enjoy grace!

Moving On in 2014

From Tony Evans Facebook Page

A Final Post and Prayer for 2013

Love this! A Prayer for New Year's Eve by Scotty Smith:

Dear Heavenly Father, it’s the last day of 2013, and I’m feeling a degree of redemptive conflicted-ness, as both laughter and lament dance around my heart. It’s a good tension—one created by, not in spite of, the presence of your grace.

Looking back over the past twelve months, I can easily say with the psalmist, “Be praised, adored and worshiped, O God, for your steadfast love and great faithfulness!” Abba, Father, you loved us all year long, with a relentless, non-wavering, fully engaged affection—irrespective of anything we did or didn’t do.

You loved me as much as you love your Son, Jesus, for you’ve hidden my life in his. Thank you for the fresh mercies that arrived with each new day—when I was aware of them and when I wasn’t. You remained faithful to everything you’ve promised us in Jesus. You did everything that pleases you, and what pleases you is always for my good and your glory. That makes me very glad.

But Father, it’s because of your love for us in Jesus that I can also own my sadness. I lament the times, this past year, when the gospel wasn’t functionally enough for me; when your love didn’t seem “better than life”; when grace didn’t seem sufficient. That’s when I took my thirst and hunger, disappointments and longings to my voiceless, sightless, senseless, powerless idols. I grieve my foolishness.

But here’s where the gladness trumps the sadness: I won’t always be a man “in two minds” with a divided heart beating in my breast. Father, you will complete the good gospel work you’ve begun in us. One Day I’ll no longer even be tempted to worship, love or serve, anything or anyone but you. Hasten that glad and glorious Day.

On the eve of 2014, prepare each of us, your children, for twelve new months of groaning and growing in grace. In the New Year, may Jesus be more beautiful and precious to us than ever; your love more compelling and your grace more transforming; your presence more real and your kingdom more treasured; your name more exalted and your glory more sought. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.

I think this is a great way to end this blog for 2013. I wish all my readers a blessed 2014 filled with the grace of God and the joy of the Lord.

Bible Reading Plans for 2014

This week I have completed reading the entire Bible in one year, for the 3rd year in a row. I have read the Bible many times before this, but never three times in three years until now. I say this not to brag, but to rejoice...and to encourage you to do the same. It is not that hard; about 15 to 20 minutes a day will do it.

Where to start?  Here are a few ideas.

A Few Bible Reading Plans for 2014

Customized Bible Reading Plans

The One Year Bible Blog

Reading the Gospels Deeply

Chronolgical Bible reading Plan

The L3 Plan (Learn, Live, Lead) - This is what I use.

I start my 2014 Journey through the Bible on Wednesday, January 1st. Will you join me?

Happy Reading!

New Baby

From the Sacred Sandwich

New Mercies Every Day

(This is my traditional annual January 1 re-post)

I used to find people who spouted what I considered to be trite phrases like "Today is the first day of the rest of your life" to be very irritating - on the same level with those who plastered smiley faces on everything they owned. However, I have since had to repent of that opinion and attitude, because: (a) I realized I was sinfully proud, and (b) I realized that they were right.

For Christians, every day is New Years Day.

How else can you explain the Scripture in Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness." If God's mercies to us are new each morning, then every day is the first day of the rest of my life; every day is new years day. Christ is the God of new creations, new births and new beginnings.

Here's how songwriter Carolyn Arends once put it.

New Year's Day
by Carolyn Arends

I buy a lot of diaries
Fill them full of good intentions
Each and every New Year's Eve
I make myself a list
All the things I'm gonna change
Until January 2nd
So this time I'm making one promise

Chorus:
This will be my resolution
Every day is New Year's Day
This will be my resolution
Every day is New Year's Day
I believe it's possible
I believe in new beginnings'
Cause I believe in Christmas Day
And Easter morning too
And I'm convinced it's doable'
Cause I believe in second chances
Just the way that I believe in you

Last week I wrote that for Christians it is always Christmas. Now I am writing that it is always New Years Day. I'm sorry if this seems trite - but sometimes trite sayings really are true. Happy New Year to you all- and may each day in it be filled with new beginnings, new possibilities, new joys and new mercies.

We Made It!

Despite Harold Camping we made it to the end of 2011. Despite the Mayan calendar, we'll probably make it through 2012 also.  But whatever happens in the new year, I know that Jesus Christ will be large and in charge!

May all my readers have a blessed and prosperous new year.

4 Christian Principles For Making Resolutions

Ligonier's blog has an article by Nathan Bingham called 4 Christian Principles For Making New Year's Resolutions

His 4 principles are:

1. Resolve Sensibly.
2. Resolve Dependently.
3. Resolve Humbly.
4. Resolve for Christ's Sake.

Sound sensible and biblical to me. Full explanations at the link.

Resolution Dangers

Making any 2012 resolutions?  As you do, it's good to remember The Tyranny of Advice Christianity: 

I saw a commercial once (at 2 a.m.) that said I have to do whatever it takes to “actualize my best me.” Jargon aside, it makes sense, really. Doing results in being. Cause and effect. Want six-pack abs? Just buy the right product and give your new, healthy lifestyle 110% for 10 weeks and maybe you’ll see results. (Phew, I guess it’s time to get to work on those resolutions …)  It makes sense to assume that doing something will produce some change. But a personal makeover obsession won’t do one bit of good when it comes to fixing the human condition.

When you feel defeated by sin, burnt out by expectations, and discouraged by your inability to get it together, the last thing you need is “good advice.” So I don’t have any new advice for you. But I do have a bit of helpful hyperbole: Advice is tyranny. Okay, that’s a little over the top. But there’s a reason for the overstatement.

Much more at the link.

2010: Finishing Strong

In just two weeks it will be Thanksgiving (in the USA) then full speed into the Christmas season.  The end of 2010 draweth nigh! 

What shall we do with the remaining seven weeks in 2010?  Justin Childers at "Cross-eyed" suggests we Finish Strong in 2010: 

"Why not take some time to refocus for this final month and a half of 2010. Finish well. Redeem the time. Here are just a few tips:

1. Revisit your goals or resolutions. Not to condemn yourself for your failure, but to keep going by the grace of God. Did you set goals that are now unattainable? Re-evaluate them so as to make the most of them through the rest of the year.

2. Recommit to your Bible reading plan. Make sure you know where you will be each day through the rest of the year. The holidays are the most difficult time to stay consistent in personal devotions. Visitors, traveling, vacation, and family make it difficult to carve out time to meet with God.

3. Plan now to avoid the sin of materialism. The stores have been plotting for a year as to how to get you buying things you don't need. The ads will be relentless for the next month. And you don't stand a chance unless you are equipped and prepared to resist the temptations.

4. Make attendance at your local church a priority. Its easy during the holiday season to neglect the church. As much as possible, plan your schedule around the corporate gathering of God's people.

5. Pray for Joy. The holiday season can be one of the most depressing times of the year. This world cannot deliver on its promises, which often leaves us feeling empty and meaningless. Jesus is enough to sustain your joy through the highs and lows of these next few months. Take refuge in the Savior.

Every Day is New Years Day

(This is a re-post from January 1 last year. I may make this an annual tradition)

I used to find people who spouted what I considered to be trite phrases like "Today is the first day of the rest of your life" to be very irritating - on the same level with those who plastered smiley faces on everything they owned. However, I have since had to repent of that opinion and attitude, because: (a) I realized I was sinfully proud, and (b) I realized that they were right.

For Christians, every day is New Years Day.

How else can you explain the Scripture in Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness." If God's mercies to us are new each morning, then every day is the first day of the rest of my life; every day is new years day. Christ is the God of new creations, new births and new beginnings.

Here's how songwriter Carolyn Arends once put it.

New Year's Day
by Carolyn Arends

I buy a lot of diaries
Fill them full of good intentions
Each and every New Year's Eve
I make myself a list
All the things I'm gonna change
Until January 2nd
So this time I'm making one promise

Chorus:
This will be my resolution
Every day is New Year's Day
This will be my resolution
Every day is New Year's Day

I believe it's possible
I believe in new beginnings'
Cause I believe in Christmas Day
And Easter morning too
And I'm convinced it's doable'
Cause I believe in second chances
Just the way that I believe in you

Last week I wrote that for Christians it is always Christmas. Now I am writing that it is always New Years Day. I'm sorry if this seems trite - but sometimes trite sayings really are true.Happy New Year to you all- and may each day in it be filled with new beginnings, new possibilities, new joys and new mercies.

10 Questions to Aid in Making Resolutions

From Peter at "Already Not Yet," quoting Don Whitney, here's 10 Questions to Ask in the New Year

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

Crossing Jordan in 2009

J. Lee Grady from Charisma Magazine recently posted A Word of Encouragement: Cross Your Jordan in 2009

If you want to see big victories in your personal life, your family and your church in the coming year, consider the path that Joshua and Israel took:

1. Swallow your fears....
2. Put on your full armor....
3. Set ambitious goals....
4. Step in the water....
5. Consecrate yourself anew....
6. Expect new provision....
7. Expect a visitation....

Something to think about.

The Best New Year’s Resolution

Hat Tip: New Year’s Resolution The Sacred Sandwich

A Theology of New Year's Parties

From Christians in Context some thoughts Toward a Theology of New Year's Parties

Of course some will aim for bigger targets than weight loss (no pun intended). But do any of us really think that much is going to change? Do we really think that last year’s bad habits and lack of discipline are suddenly gone because time ticked a little farther forward? Most people will do the same bad things last year that they did this year.

That’s what total depravity would seem to indicate anyway. Spiritually dead children of wrath do not need a fresh start from a new year. They need reconciliation with God through the blood of Christ. They need the Holy Spirit to dwell in them to maintain obedience to our Lord.

No amount of new years can substitute for that. And indeed history indicates that there are plenty of sin-induced human tragedies in every new year. New Year’s is a prime reminder of the need for the gospel.

Of course it is different for Christians. We have the Holy Spirit, which means that we always have the power to increase our devotion to Christ. We don’t need a new year for that. If New Year’s is to be of any help to us, it will be in our tangible experience that, unlike the rest of sinful humanity (and unlike the sinful humans we once were), there is change we can believe in.