In 31 Days?! . . . Yup!

Why is it that we can read a novel of over 350 pages in one week, yet, cannot read 11-15 pages of the Bible in one day?

I did some calculating.  I took a Bible that didn’t have any study notes, or references, just the Word and found the number of pages the New Testament had in it.  There were 315 pages of that particular Bible.  I wondered what it would take to read the entire New Testament in the month of July and divided 315 by 31 days in July.  That works out to be approximately 11 – 15 pages a day – to read the whole New Testament.  Why isn’t that do-able?  I know I read that many pages of something every day…why not the Bible.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”.

How would our lives change if we read through the New Testament in one month?

Sometimes I think we dismiss the regular reading of the Bible because it seems so “BIG”.  But, think about it, isn’t that what satan wants you to think?  Don’t you think satan has something to do with discouraging us from reading just God’s Word?  What a challenge!

What if all of Christians decided to read through the New Testament in July?

Would you like to take the challenge?

We have a couple of weeks to get into the frame of mind we need to do it. Pray about it.  Ask the Lord to help you be able to do it. To make time in the morning, or at night.  To take a lunch break and read.  Break it up into three times a day if you need to. 

The goal isn’t just to get through it.  The goal is to get closer to the Lord.  He is the Word.

I can guarantee, when you first start, there will be some opposition from the enemy, but persevere, and eventually, the distractions won’t be as many.  God will honor your effort and your persistence. 

We need to promise ourselves, and the Lord, not to get bogged down in some of the “boring” parts, but just read through them just as we would to get through the first chapters of a novel, to get to the good parts. Why is it such a stumbling block to us?

Take a Bible with no study notes, no references and see how many pages are in the New Testament. Divide the pages by 31 and see how many pages you need to read to get through it.  Remember, it varies with the size of print, etc. But find a Bible that has normal print and no notes.  It is smaller than you think. (We are so used to Bibles that have a lot of information in them and the Bibles are huge.)
 
I am taking up the challenge. I know it seems scary.  But what is the worst that can happen?  We just won’t get through it.  But that is okay.  At least we would have started reading the Bible through and every Word you read will be going into your spirit to renew your mind and lives.

Blessings,  Pat

I know some of you are mom’s of little ones and just don’t have the time or energy to do this, but if you read for pleasure, give that time to the Lord in July. See what He will do!