Many Christians today read the scriptures and interpret them completely out of context because they are stuck only to one side of the Bible yet the scriptures say that the whole word of God is useful for our understanding of God and His purposes on the earth.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2Ti 3:16)
The purpose of this exercise is to get God’s story just as you would read any other novel or a newspaper to get story and have information.
THE whole Bible contains 1189 chapters. You can divide the number of chapters to read in as many days as you want. For example, if you want to read through the Bible in three months simply divide 1189 through 90 days. You have to read at least 13-14 chapters every day, and then you are through.
If you want to go through the Bible in a very short time, then I have divided the Bible a bit differently because the length of chapters varies greatly.
Please note that chapter and verse numbers were not in the original texts of the Bible. They were added much later. The chapters were added in the 13th century and the verses in 16th century. They therefore have no authority at all in how you read the Bible. They help you as locators. It is important to know while you are reading that a new chapter does not necessarily mean that a new section starts. Often you have to read over the chapters to get the whole context of a text and the best way to understanding the Holy Scripture is to read a whole book through.
Please note that whenever you get to a portion of scripture that is confusing or hard to understand, its interpretation is within the Bible. Continue reading further on and you will get to understand the meaning of what you have just read. Also understand that no other book can interpret the Bible. We thank God for all the commentaries that men have, under inspiration from the Holy Spirit produced in order to help interpret, translate and bring forth the essence of scripture. However the word of God is living and dynamic. It fits differently into every season, context, circumstance and bias you men find themselves in. therefore the same scripture can be interpreted by that same Holy Spirit, in different ways to different people, without escaping or missing the essence of truth that lay in every God-breathed word.
As you teach yourself the discipline of reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelations, you will discover that the Bible interprets itself. What is unclear in the Old Testament is brought into glaring clarity in the New Testament. Other things that are unclear in the New Testament find their foundation and backing in the Old Testament. Every epistle translates and interprets other epistle and so on and so forth.
Read through and do not stop to study or meditate. You may take small note for passages which you want to go over again later.
Basically, take between 1- 3 days of waiting on the Lord before you begin the reading, prepare yourself ask the Holy Spirit to help you stay focussed. During the reading days you can read while taking a fast though its difficult for some people. Avoid distraction as much as possible. It is more interesting reading with someone else where you can read out loud to one another. Verbal scripture is powerful. It is the spoken word and it goes forth to begin working even as you read out loud. Take the last day or 3 days in meditating and going over any areas you want to dig deeper into.
Please remember, practice makes perfect. As you read the bible over and over, it becomes easier and easier to read and absorb more and more. As time goes by, you find that you do not need memorize scriptures because whole passages “stick” just the way a story in the newspaper normally sticks and you can repeat it quite accurately without having memorized the details. Enjoy the marathon…. You will never be the same again. PLEASE USE THE LINKS PROVIDED IN THE SIDE MENU.
As one who is starting the bible reading marathon, I would encourage that you read the Bible through twice during the next 40 days of the fast into the new season. If God has been speaking about renewing our foundations, there is nothing more foundational that a new understanding of the word of God. I would that you open this new season with the Bible reading marathon.
When you begin to read the Bible, you may find that certain scriptures come alive in a particular way. You may be tempted to want to write down notes or study those portions. For the purpose of this exercise, practice self control. Just read through the scripture and avoid taking notes or going into study notes. Many people take the study notes as gospel truth. Remember that those notes are a human being’s perspective on what the scripture meant.
I would suggest that you get a bible that is easy to read and has no study notes of any kind, just a very basic bible. Do not read the King James Version for instance even though you may be very used to it. That is not the English we communicate with. If you are fluent in your reading your mother tongue I would that you actually read through the Bible in that heart language, then you can also read it in English the second time round.
If you will read the Bible twice through this next 40 day period, then you will be reading at least 66 chapters a day. You will take the first day off in prayer and fasting asking God to touch your mind and (prayer points to pray into the marathon….). From the 2nd to 19th day, read through 66 chapters a day using the program given below. Then on the 20th day, take a time of a total fast asking God to bring back the areas which He would have you understand fully and you may write notes. In the second round, again, you take the 21st day off in prayer asking god to take you to another level of understanding, ease of reading and absorbing his word (more prayer points….). From 22nd to 39th day again, you may take time to read through the bible again. On the 40th day pray and take a total fast as you key in. For the next 7 days after that, you may begin to study the areas which God highlights you.
I would suggest strongly that during those days of meditation and regurgitation of the word, you should avoid as much as possible too much of other unnecessary communication e.g. talking, visiting people much, reading other material that is not geared toward understanding the Biblical content you have been reading, or books the Holy Spirit may guide you to read, watching TV or staying too much on the internet. Let those days be times of communion between you and the Lord. It is a life-changing exercise. Your year will be set on a very strong foundation. This is a new season, and God would have you break away from old tradition, and the way you were used to doing things.
If you have ever done this particular exercise before you can look at the other bible reading programs given. You may challenge yourself with the 2 week reading program where you read approximately 132 chapters a day or better still the 8 day reading program. You can go over the Bible 5 times during the 40 days if you dedicate to making the Bible your only source of information and practically fasting all other sources of information coming through your input gates.
This exercise is very intense but extremely rewarding. You can never be the same again after that. I can assure you too that, if there is any other information you need to have, the Holy Spirit will always prompt you to seek that information, whether from newspapers, television, other books or other audio/visual media. Ensure that you have gone through the bible at least once during this season of fasting and seeking God. Remember this is a marathon. With each level you achieve, strive to reach a higher level. As you continually read the bible, it becomes easier and easier to read through it. You read faster and faster, and you absorb more and more into your spirit man. Remember, you are in a new season. God would have you change some of the ways you have been used to reading your Bible.
For some who are working full time during these days do take the 36 day Bible reading program. Instead of newspapers and other things you find time to read you read about 33 chapters a day. This should be doable for you. Take this matter seriously and you will see how seriously God will take you. You will see how much scripture you will be absorbing over these days. The word of God will begin to dwell richly in you rather than the political propaganda that now dwells richly, or the gossip or other unhelpful stuff that you so easily talk about and yet does not build the kingdom of God in your life and environment.
THINGS TO NOTE
If you have a problem with your eye sight, it is about time to get a large print Bible, and get yourself spectacles. If you have enough faith, lay hands on your eyes and believe God for the miracle of renewed eyesight like that of Moses as you look upon His word in the coming days.