Scripture Study
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
A Lesson in Attitude
Last year I read the Bible in a year, and I will be honest: it was a struggle. I don’t want to say that I didn’t get anything out of it, because anytime you read God’s Word, it is time with Him. He is speaking to you, and it is never time wasted.
The problem was my attitude. I was doing it just to get through it and to be able to say I did it—I read the Bible in a year. Funny how pride can ruin everything.
I was struggling with the idea of doing it again, but I felt God tugging on my heart to do it. I have been praying and asking Him how I should do it. I don’t want it to be like last year, even though I accomplished my goal (I even finished early in November).
The Call to Relationship
This time of the year, a lot of people feel that tug to read through the Bible in a year. There is a reason for that tug: God is calling you. He wants to spend time with you.
He is not asking you to be a Bible scholar; He is simply drawing you into a relationship with Him. He knows you. He wants you to know Him. He wants to reveal Himself to you, give you wisdom, and offer guidance to make it through your day. You can’t experience that if you don’t spend time with Him.
A Different Approach: Read It Like a Story
I want to challenge you to do something different this year. Read the Bible not like it is a task that you must do, but like you are sitting down with a friend.
Simply read the Bible—don’t study it. That may sound weird, but I know many of you are part of Bible studies at other times, so don’t try to do too much. I think you will be surprised at how much you grow when you simply read it like a story. Hang out with God, and He will show up!
Think of it like this: you get to spend time with God. The God of the universe is waiting for you. He wants to lead and guide you, help you, and use you to accomplish His purpose. All you have to do is show up. Give Him a small part of your day, and He will turn it into something amazing. The best part is He does all the heavy lifting.
Practical Tips to Get Started
The best way to read the Bible as a story is to read it chronologically. Below is a full chronological list of the Bible. It is not set up as a rigid checklist for what you must read each day—it is simply a sequence.
Instead of checking off a box each day, pick a dedicated time and say to yourself, “I will read for 15 minutes” or “I will read for 30 minutes.” Be intentional with setting the time before you start.
Did you know? Reading the Bible at a normal reading pace requires only about 12 minutes a day to get through the entire Bible in a year.
Grab your Bible and a journal, and let’s spend some time with God growing in our relationship with Him. If you decide to do this, I guarantee you will feel better at the end of the year about the person you see in the mirror every day.
The Dinner Challenge & Community
As a little incentive, I will take everyone who reads the entire Bible out to dinner—even if it takes you longer than a year! I hope we have a large group at the end of the year so we can all go together to celebrate. For those of you in other states, we will figure something out.
I will send out reminders and encouragement throughout the week, as well as a weekly devotional and Marriage Monday. I’m letting the Holy Spirit lead in this.
I would also love to hear from you. If at any time God speaks to you as you are reading, please share it with me! It helps me keep going, too.
Let’s do this together and make 2026 a year to remember.
Happy New Year!
Have a great year in Christ,
Matt
Chronological Bible Reading Plan
- Genesis 1–11
- Job 1–42
- Genesis 12–50
- Exodus 1–40
- Leviticus 1–27
- Numbers 1–15; Psalm 90
- Numbers 16–36
- Deuteronomy 1–34; Psalm 91
- Joshua 1–24
- Judges 1–21
- Ruth 1–4
- 1 Samuel 1–20; Psalms 11, 59
- 1 Samuel 21–24; Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52, 56, 120, 140–142
- 1 Samuel 25–27; Psalms 17, 35, 54, 63
- 1 Samuel 28–31; Psalm 18
- Psalms 121, 123–125, 128–130
- 2 Samuel 1–4; Psalms 6, 8–10, 14, 16, 19, 21
- 1 Chronicles 1–2; Psalms 43–45, 49, 84–85, 87
- 1 Chronicles 3–5; Psalms 73, 77–78
- 1 Chronicles 6; Psalms 81, 88, 92–93
- 1 Chronicles 7–10; Psalms 102–104
- 2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 11–12; Psalms 133, 106–107
- 1 Chronicles 13–16; Psalms 1–2, 15, 22–24, 47, 68
- Psalms 89, 96, 100–101, 105, 132
- 2 Samuel 6–7; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalms 25, 29, 33, 36, 39
- 2 Samuel 8–9; 1 Chronicles 18; Psalms 50, 53, 60, 75
- 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19; Psalms 20, 65–67, 69–70
- 2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Chronicles 20; Psalms 32, 51, 86, 122
- 2 Samuel 13–15; Psalms 3–4, 12–13, 28, 55
- 2 Samuel 16–18; Psalms 26, 40, 58, 61–62, 64
- 2 Samuel 19–21; Psalms 5, 38, 41–42
- 2 Samuel 22–23; Psalms 57, 95, 97–99
- 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21–22; Psalms 30, 108–110
- 1 Chronicles 23–25; Psalms 131, 138–139, 143–145
- 1 Chronicles 26–29; Psalms 127, 111–118
- 1 Kings 1–2; Psalms 37, 71, 94, 119
- 1 Kings 3–4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72
- Song of Solomon 1–8
- Proverbs 1–24
- 1 Kings 5–6; 2 Chronicles 2–3
- 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4
- 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5
- 2 Chronicles 6–7; Psalm 136
- Psalms 134, 146–150
- 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8
- Proverbs 25–29
- Ecclesiastes 1–12
- 1 Kings 10–11; 2 Chronicles 9
- Proverbs 30–31
- 1 Kings 12–14; 2 Chronicles 10–12
- 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13–16
- 1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 17
- 1 Kings 17–22; 2 Chronicles 18
- 2 Chronicles 19–23; Obadiah; Psalms 82–83
- 2 Kings 1–4
- 2 Kings 5–13; 2 Chronicles 24
- 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25
- Jonah 1–4
- 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26
- Isaiah 1–8
- Amos 1–9
- 2 Chronicles 27; Isaiah 9–12
- Micah 1–7
- 2 Kings 16–17; 2 Chronicles 28
- Isaiah 13–27
- 2 Kings 18; 2 Chronicles 29–31; Psalm 48
- Hosea 1–14
- Isaiah 28–39; Psalm 76
- Isaiah 40–48
- 2 Kings 19; Psalms 46, 80, 135
- Isaiah 49–66
- 2 Kings 20–21; 2 Chronicles 32–33
- Nahum 1–3
- 2 Kings 22–23; 2 Chronicles 34–35
- Zephaniah 1–3
- Jeremiah 1–40; Psalms 74, 79
- 2 Kings 24–25; 2 Chronicles 36
- Habakkuk 1–3
- Jeremiah 41–52
- Lamentations 1–5
- Ezekiel 1–48
- Joel 1–3
- Daniel 1–12
- Ezra 1–6; Psalm 137
- Haggai 1–2
- Zechariah 1–14
- Esther 1–10
- Ezra 6–10
- Nehemiah 1–13; Psalm 126
- Malachi 1–4
- Luke 1; John 1
- Matthew 1; Luke 2
- Matthew 2–3; Mark 1; Luke 3
- Matthew 4; Luke 4–5
- John 2–4
- Matthew 8; Mark 2
- John 5
- Matthew 12; Mark 3; Luke 6
- Matthew 5–7
- Matthew 9; Luke 7
- Matthew 11
- Matthew 13; Luke 8
- Mark 4–5
- Matthew 10
- Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9
- John 6
- Matthew 15; Mark 7
- Matthew 16; Mark 8
- Matthew 17; Mark 9
- Matthew 18
- John 7–10
- Luke 10–17
- John 11
- Luke 18
- Matthew 19; Mark 10
- Matthew 20–21
- Luke 19
- Mark 11; John 12
- Matthew 22; Mark 12
- Matthew 23; Luke 20–21
- Mark 13
- Matthew 24–26; Mark 14
- Luke 22; John 13
- John 14–17
- Matthew 27; Mark 15
- Luke 23; John 18–19
- Matthew 28; Mark 16
- Luke 24; John 20–21
- Acts 1–14
- James
- Acts 15–16
- Galatians
- Acts 17
- 1 & 2 Thessalonians
- Acts 18–19
- 1 & 2 Corinthians
- Romans
- Acts 20–28
- Colossians
- Philemon
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- 1 Timothy
- Titus
- 1 Peter
- Hebrews
- 2 Timothy
- 2 Peter
- Jude
- 1, 2, & 3 John
- Revelation 1–22
