Read the Bible in a Year

The Puritans knew their Bibles well. It is often a matter of meditation for contemporary pastors to
ponder whether or not they would be allowed in a Puritan church as a members in those days, much
less a pastor, with the knowledge they have of the Bible today. In any case, every professing
Christian should have a daily habit of Bible reading, prayer and mediation. (Yes, meditation too!)
Prayer is likened unto breathing, and Bible reading/meditation is likened unto eating. Do you
eat to live? Do you breathe to live? If you do, then you are accomplishing what the human body
requires for life. But what of the soul? Does your soul eat and breathe? Your soul is in dire need of
daily food and breath, without which, it will shrivel up and die. Spiritual declension and backsliding
are the result of neglecting to feed the soul. Little by little prayer and bible reading/meditation are put
off and other “more important” things are taken up to busy the mind, or fill up a given day. As fallen
humans, we are prone to this, even among the best Christians. We need to have a plan, a strategy,
which aids us to endeavor through each day with a structured and defined reading agenda.
Many of the Puritans read 10-15 chapters a day (they had the time–or rather, they made the time.)
The calendar here is not a schedule to read 15 chapters a day, although we should immerse
ourselves in the Word of God as much as possible. This is a schedule for reading 6 chapters a day:
3 from the Old Testament and 3 from the New Testament.
This is one schematic which may help you follow through reading the Bible in a year. After following
through on this Schedule, you will have read the Old Testament one time, and the New Testament 4
times. You will have also (in November and December) taken a more meditating approach to the
Bible to think through certain concepts by reading about that topic within one chapter of the Bible.
For instance, there are 5 days in a row in November which you will read certain key chapters on
Grace. While reading through these concept-chapters you should take time to meditate on the topic.
Some key questions to ask are these:

What did I just read about?

What is God trying to say in this chapter?
What is God trying to tell me, or teach me in this chapter?
How can I apply these truths to my own life?
Asking questions is one of the best ways of studying and meditating. Prayerfully consider the
chapters you read and seek the Spirit of Truth for His power to work in you and motion you to
obedience as you read and meditate on the Word of God.

Consider Thomas Watson’s 24 Directions to Profitable Bible Reading

DIRECTION 1. If you would profit by reading, remove those things which will hinder your profiting.
DIRECTION 2. If you would profit, prepare your hearts for the reading of the word.
DIRECTION 3. Read the scripture with reverence.
DIRECTION 4. Read the books of scripture in order.
DIRECTION 5. Get a right understanding of scripture.
DIRECTION 6. Read the word with seriousness.
DIRECTION 7. Labor to remember what you read.
DIRECTION 8. Meditate upon what you read.
DIRECTION 9. Come to the reading of scripture with humble hearts.
DIRECTION 10. Give credence to the word written.
DIRECTION 11. Highly prize the scriptures.
DIRECTION 12. Get an ardent love to the word.
DIRECTION 13. Come to the reading of the word with honest hearts.
DIRECTION 14. Learn to apply scripture.
DIRECTION 15. Observe the preceptive part of the word, as well as the promises.
DIRECTION 16. Let your thoughts dwell on the most material passages of scripture.
DIRECTION 17. Compare yourselves with the word.
DIRECTION 18. Take special notice of those scriptures which speak to your particular case.
DIRECTION 19. Take special notice of the examples in scripture.
DIRECTION 20. Do not leave off reading the Bible until you find your hearts warmed by it.
DIRECTION 21. Set on the practice of what you read.
DIRECTION 22. Make use of Christ’s prophetic office.
DIRECTION 23. Go often into the threshold of the sanctuary.
DIRECTION 24. Pray that God will make you profit.

https://www.apuritansmind.com/bible-readings-for-the-year/