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Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. New International Version (Psalm 119:89 NIV)

To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless. (Psalm 119:96 NIV)

A brother has just completed a Bible reading plan last year. He joyfully expressed to me that he has finally realized how his life was transformed when he completed reading of God’s word.

Our success stories from human’s point view, whether it’s power or money, fame or knowledge, are all limited, fragile, and short-lived. Yet, what Christian’s have witnessed over the ages far surpass these success stories: The wounded was healed, the addict was cured, the grieving was comforted, the slaved was freed, the suffering became the blessing of the people, the humble changed the history of the world. This is because there’s a greater story beyond the busy and chaotic appearance of our lives. It is higher, broader, and deeper than any of our stories. It is eternal and it is the truth. Everyone of us and anything that happened to and around us, are an integral part of that great story.

This great story is the story of God as written in the Bible. It is a story of all ages and a story of God seeking us. This story begins with God’s creation (Gen 1-2). Then great part of the story (Gen 3 - Rev 22) describes the downfall of human as result of being separated from God. But, human is not hopeless. Because in the story there’s also God’s plan (Gen 3 - Mal 4) and Christ’s salvation as well as His second coming to bring us into glory (Mark 1 - Rev 22).

If we don’t know this great story then we will look at the world through our own limited minds and eyes. We’ll never be able to move away from our selfishness and self-awareness. The life which was created with God’s own image would then be pressed into a self-fulfilling endeavor that can only end with disastrous result. This is because our sense of existence and spirit can never surpass our own limits. Perfection is never achieved and is no more than wishful thinking. Thus, many of us live in a life of anxiety, chaos, and disappointment. Many sought to change their lives by means of courses, methods, and theories. But others can’t solve our problems more than we could because they are also limited. We have totally forgotten the power of God’s word.

God’s word transforms lives. To understand God’s will is a necessary path in changing one’s life. We gain heavenly joy when we live out that life because we become active participants of God’s great story since we would know how He wants us to live. To get into God’s story and become an active participant we must first hear what God has to tell us in His own story. We will find a place for our spirits in the Bible as His word is affixed in heaven. It is infinite in height, breadth, depth, and time. It is eternal.

However, in this day and age of hectic life, it is very difficult for a Christian to know God by reading the entire Bible. First, the sixty-six books are filled with mysterious and hard to understand words and stories. We often are unable to grasp the true meaning of a passage even after reading it thoroughly. We have trouble connecting the passages into a complete picture. Even more problematic is that we always forget what we have just read and get stuck in Bible characters and places.

So, we have developed a Guided Reading Plan. We hope that the plan followers will be able to have wholesome understanding of the Bible within two years and bring it into their lives to experience the transforming power of His word.

Structure of the plan:

• Each day’s reading is divided according to the messages of the Bible passages. (ref. How to Read the Bible Book by Book, A Guided Tour, Fee and Stuart);

• Question, Meditation: God’s Story – With one or two simple questions and answers to help us focus on the main point of each day’s reading and its connection with the rest of the Bible;

• Meditation: My Story - By means of a few questions to help us connect our daily lives to the Bible passages to help us grow in our Identity, Community, Integrity, and Fidelity.

With this design, it is our hope to help participants to build a habit of scripture reading and daily devotion. Have a consistent daily schedule at a predetermined time and a quiet place to be alone with God. Below are some recommended steps in devotion:

• Quiet: Face God quietly, ask Him for guidance and devote ourselves to Him.

• Read: No need to read too much but read slowly with a humble heart and listen to His voice.

• Meditate: Digest the passage and let the Holy Spirit work in us.

• Pray: Speak to God, submit to the Holy Spirit, answer His calling, let go of our emotions and burdens so He can carry them for us, glorify Him with our joy, and let God renew and transform us.

• Testify: Let the one or two sparks lit up by God’s word grow into fire in our hearts. With the help of Holy Spirit, continue to think about His word and put it into practice and witness its power in transforming and renewing us for that entire day.

We believe anyone can clearly hear and understand what God has to say to His beloved children when we can comprehend the sixty-six books and apply to our daily lives. Our lives will be turned around by His word. Our views of the ups and downs, difficulties and sufferings, doubts and questions, will all be overfilled with hope. The past success will become a part of God’s plan to help us obtain the infinite joy. The past difficulties will become testimonies of God’s grace. We will realize the fulfilled Christian life we have been searching for all along was already given to us by our gracious God in the Bible, the truth that grants us the infinite freedom in Him.

Let’s read and study the Bible together in the new year and bring our stories into His story, witness the transformation, and let free of our lives.

References:

1. Gordon D. Fee and Douglas K. Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002).
2. D. A. Carson et al., eds., New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994).