Speeding through the Bible

[Neighbor]

 

Hi all,

The various threads on reading through the Bible in a year has me thinking about contrasts to that goal.

Charles Spurgeon  responded to  a man that had stated as part of his own presentation that he had read through the Bible twenty times. Paraphrasing Spurgeon- Sir, no wonder you do not understand it, for you have been reading too fast.

And by most extreme contrast my home church spent most every Sunday morning during years 2005, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 all in the book of Matthew alone. 

I don't know about setting goals like reading through in a year, as I see nothing especially spiritual nor magical in the setting a timeline goal on reading from the Bible. Seems to me it is more likely destined for a failure than a success, even if accomplished on schedule. The real success ( for me anyway) it seems to me will come when what is read comes back to my mind as I make daily decisions getting good guidance for all matters out of what I have read studied and have had brought to my mind by the HolySpirit. If it takes years or a decade or more to read then at least  the time enjoying the word of God the Bible has been put to beneficial use for me and by me.

A goal to read all is probably  a good one, but to set a time limit, I don't know about that idea. What benefit comes from being able to say I read the entire Bible through in a year? Personally I might be the better for learning a full passage from anywhere in the Bible and have it come to my mind once, just once in a year as it leads me to making a better decision in my life.

 

Just my ponderings on the goal of reading through the Bible on a time line.

 

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, Neighbor said:

Hi all,

The various threads on reading through the Bible in a year has me thinking about contrasts to that goal.

Charles Spurgeon  responded to  a man that had stated as part of his own presentation that he had read through the Bible twenty times. Paraphrasing Spurgeon- Sir, no wonder you do not understand it, for you have been reading too fast.

And by most extreme contrast my home church spent most every Sunday morning during years 2005, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 all in the book of Matthew alone.

I don't know about setting goals like reading through in a year, as I see nothing especially spiritual nor magical in the setting a timeline goal on reading from the Bible. Seems to me it is more likely destined for a failure than a success, even if accomplished on schedule. The real success ( for me anyway) it seems to me will come when what is read comes back to my mind as I make daily decisions getting good guidance for all matters out of what I have read studied and have had brought to my mind by the HolySpirit. If it takes years or a decade or more to read then at least  the time enjoying the word of God the Bible has been put to beneficial use for me and by me.

A goal to read all is probably  a good one, but to set a time limit, I don't know about that idea. What benefit comes from being able to say I read the entire Bible through in a year? Personally I might be the better for learning a full passage from anywhere in the Bible and have it come to my mind once, just once in a year as it leads me to making a better decision in my life.

Just my ponderings on the goal of reading through the Bible on a time line.

Howzitgoin' Neighbour,

I like the saying, "It's good to read the Bible, and even better to let the Bible read you."

I was in the book of Job recently and as you know Job's three comforters, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar have a lot to say about the cause of his suffering being of his own making, and then this younger guy Elihu speaks up and condemns both them and Job for their shortcomings but also declares God's justice and exalts Him. The book is 42 chapters long and full of figurative language so I was surprised at how easily I was getting through chapter after chapter until I realised that because I have been reading the Bible since I first learned to read as a child, it has become effortless, and if I am searching for a particular piece of content I can skim at quite a speed while still receiving its light. Other times I amble along, dwelling on a verse for some time, going back to it again and again until I have some new insight from the Holy Spirit and generally just immersing myself in the anointing of the Living Word of God.

It's so good to have a portion of Scripture fresh in your spirit as you go about your daily existence. 

[Neighbor]

2 hours ago, Michael37 said:

It's so good to have a portion of Scripture fresh in your spirit as you go about your daily existence. 

Yep! Amazing even. God is so good.

 

"And Howzitgoin'?" -  Better than I deserve, attended the most awesome of worship services tonight, such a joy to be so blessed as to have multiple opportunities to hear  God's word presented, receive excellent exposition, feel the word take on life, never being dry bones.  Praise God for the teachers of His word that labor using the gift given them  so well  for my personal gain.

Tonight the local church body went through Genesis 3, Isaiah 7, and into the Book of Matthew. Along with prayer and awesome worship it has been a grand lift to my spirit.  I am so very fortunate.

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, Neighbor said:

Yep! Amazing even. God is so good.

"And Howzitgoin'?" -  Better than I deserve, attended the most awesome of worship services tonight, such a joy to be so blessed as to have multiple opportunities to hear  God's word presented, receive excellent exposition, feel the word take on life, never being dry bones.  Praise God for the teachers of His word that labor using the gift given them  so well  for my personal gain.

Tonight the local church body went through Genesis 3, Isaiah 7, and into the Book of Matthew. Along with prayer and awesome worship it has been a grand lift to my spirit.  I am so very fortunate.

With all that going on you are sure to be full of the Spirit and as Scripture says, having competence from God and qualified as a minister (literally servant) of the New Testament.

Ministers of a New Covenant
…5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. 6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,…Berean Study Bible

[Galleon]

As long as someone's reading and looking for wisdom, I'd say that's good. Different folks, different strokes.

I put limits on myself. I don't wish to read too much at once lest I take in more than I can swallow. I try to read every day, though; the few days I don't pick up my Bible, it just seems like my mind gets disquiet.

[johnthebaptist]

23 hours ago, Neighbor said:

 

Hi all,

The various threads on reading through the Bible in a year has me thinking about contrasts to that goal.

Charles Spurgeon  responded to  a man that had stated as part of his own presentation that he had read through the Bible twenty times. Paraphrasing Spurgeon- Sir, no wonder you do not understand it, for you have been reading too fast.

And by most extreme contrast my home church spent most every Sunday morning during years 2005, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 all in the book of Matthew alone. 

I don't know about setting goals like reading through in a year, as I see nothing especially spiritual nor magical in the setting a timeline goal on reading from the Bible. Seems to me it is more likely destined for a failure than a success, even if accomplished on schedule. The real success ( for me anyway) it seems to me will come when what is read comes back to my mind as I make daily decisions getting good guidance for all matters out of what I have read studied and have had brought to my mind by the HolySpirit. If it takes years or a decade or more to read then at least  the time enjoying the word of God the Bible has been put to beneficial use for me and by me.

A goal to read all is probably  a good one, but to set a time limit, I don't know about that idea. What benefit comes from being able to say I read the entire Bible through in a year? Personally I might be the better for learning a full passage from anywhere in the Bible and have it come to my mind once, just once in a year as it leads me to making a better decision in my life.

 

Just my ponderings on the goal of reading through the Bible on a time line.

 

 

We should all read the Bible cover to cover. It can't be done in a day, but it shouldn't be put off.

[Dennis1209]

Your points are valid and I grapple with them to. A number of places in the Bible, especially Psalms, to make a point, Selah is inserted [to stop, ponder and think about what you just read]. 

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Unless you read all scripture on a continuing basis, it's hard to keep fresh in memory. I find it difficult to read the Bible like I would a newspaper, I need to read it fairly slow to absorb it. The claim is that most people only retain about 5% of what they read for any length of time. Just the other day I started at Genesis 1: 1, with the intent of reading the entire Bible again in chronological order. I made it through the first chapter then started following rabbit trails once again, and even just posted a new topic on the forum on Genesis 1:. There's just so much information there to be gleaned and researched and followed.

So much for that, I need to get back on track. Then there's another avenue I started but didn't finish, systematic theology; yet another, topical theology. One very smart pastor I follow says he reads the entire Bible four times a year. I've never timed myself and don't know how I would compare; but he says it takes him 72 hours of reading time to read the whole Bible? 

I'll just get started again and try to stay on track, then shortly run across a person, place, time or event that catches my eye; and off I go once again to the races! It seems to me how one reads and studies the Bible is a personal preference. It probably should be the best way you can learn and retain the scriptures. I'm still trying to learn the best method for me. Perhaps it could be chasing all those rabbit trails and taking 3-5 years to read the entire Bible; and by then, the chronology and events of the overall Bible might have faded in memory? I don't think one size fits all. 

I'm all ears for suggestions myself.

[Dennis1209]

19 hours ago, Galleon said:

As long as someone's reading and looking for wisdom, I'd say that's good. Different folks, different strokes.

I put limits on myself. I don't wish to read too much at once lest I take in more than I can swallow. I try to read every day, though; the few days I don't pick up my Bible, it just seems like my mind gets disquiet.

Good point. At times I'll go a few days or so without reading my Bible [my bad and no excuse]. I noticed I don't go to sleep as fast nor rest as well when I haven't been in the scripture for awhile. 

[Coliseum]

26 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

Good point. At times I'll go a few days or so without reading my Bible [my bad and no excuse]. I noticed I don't go to sleep as fast nor rest as well when I haven't been in the scripture for awhile. 

My friend told me he had read three chapters that evening. I asked him if he understood what he read. He said, "I never do, but I read it everyday." I suggested he put the Bible away. What good was it doing him to get frustrated? "Well," he told me, "I was hoping you might come along side me and help me." And when I offered to, he was never available. It was not in his heart.

I read a paragraph  or so and meditate on it. I look up a commentary or two. I talk about them with a bunch of guys who meet with each other on Thursday night at Barnes and Noble. It is not enough to read the Scriptures. Memorize them---and soon!  The way things are going, we may not have Bibles the way this world is spiraling out of control. Speed, length, volume---what a waste. If a person cannot absorb what he is reading, or doesn't get some help, then he is just fooling himself---put it away and pray for awhile.

[Dennis1209]

4 minutes ago, Coliseum said:

My friend told me he had read three chapters that evening. I asked him if he understood what he read. He said, "I never do, but I read it everyday." I suggested he put the Bible away. What good was it doing him to get frustrated? "Well," he told me, "I was hoping you might come along side me and help me." And when I offered to, he was never available. It was not in his heart.

I read a paragraph  or so and meditate on it. I look up a commentary or two. I talk about them with a bunch of guys who meet with each other on Thursday night at Barnes and Noble. It is not enough to read the Scriptures. Memorize them---and soon!  The way things are going, we may not have Bibles the way this world is spiraling out of control. Speed, length, volume---what a waste. If a person cannot absorb what he is reading, or doesn't get some help, then he is just fooling himself---put it away and pray for awhile.

Well, to my way of thinking, I wouldn't agree with putting up the Bible, ever. Reading the Bible is never a bad thing, there's an exterior problem.

I agree with a day coming soon where the Bible will be labeled and legislated as "hate speech", not tolerated and banned. If that happens in my lifetime, when they come or threaten me for my Bibles, will be the same as when they come to take my guns away.