Simple Steps to Commit to Reading the Bible This Year

Devotional

Day 1: Make change sustainable by enjoying the process

New goals are exciting until resolve runs dry, often by mid-January. Knowing better isn’t the same as doing better, so make the process enjoyable if you want change to last. Bible reading doesn’t have to feel like bland duty; there are wise ways to make it rich, approachable, and life-giving. Start small, aim for consistency, and let delight—not mere pressure—shape your habits. You can savor God’s Word like a good meal that nourishes and satisfies. Wherever you’re starting, take one step today toward a more enjoyable rhythm with Scripture. [04:41]

Genesis 2:2–3 — God finished His creative work, ceased from it, blessed the seventh day, and set it apart, signaling that holy rest matters and that our worth isn’t measured by endless output.

Reflection: What is one small change to your Bible-reading environment (time, place, plan, drink, or device settings) that would make it more enjoyable this week, and when will you try it?

Day 2: Read the Bible more days than you don’t

There’s a noticeable shift when Scripture shows up in your week more often than it doesn’t. This simple threshold—four or more days—has been linked to growth in courage, purity, hope, and witness. Not perfection, but direction: steady, repeated exposure to God’s Word forms you over time. Aim for four days this week, and let that rhythm become normal. Keep it short, simple, and repeatable so you can actually keep going. You’ll get more of what you want and less of what you don’t. [06:04]

2 Timothy 3:16–17 — All Scripture comes from God’s own breath and is useful to teach us, point out what is off, straighten our steps, and train us toward what is right, so that God’s people are fully prepared for every good work.

Reflection: Which four specific days this week will you set aside 10–15 minutes for Scripture, and what cue or reminder will help you show up?

Day 3: Know the goal: meet Jesus, become like Him

The Bible’s main goal isn’t to answer every question about everything; it is to reveal who God is and how to walk with Him. Jesus is King, and every page points toward Him and shapes us to live like Him. Read with that aim in mind and the words will come alive with purpose. Ask as you read, “What does this show me about Jesus?” and “How is He inviting me to live today?” When the goal is clear, you’ll know when you’re “winning” and why it matters. Keep Jesus at the center, and you’ll find meaning in every line. [15:23]

John 1:1–5 — From the very beginning, the Word already existed; He was with God and truly God. Everything was made through Him. In Him is real life, and that life is the light for all people. The light keeps shining, and the darkness cannot put it out.

Reflection: Before you read tomorrow, what short prayer will you use to set your aim, such as, “Jesus, show me who You are and make me like You”?

Day 4: Find a guide; walk with friends

Progress feels better than being stuck, and guides help us move forward. Use a reading plan, learn from trusted teachers, and read with friends or family so you don’t carry the weight alone. Community multiplies joy and divides misery, especially when motivation dips. Choose a plan and invite at least one person to walk with you this week. Share what you’re noticing about Jesus, not just what you’re completing. Together, you’ll see more than you would on your own. [27:45]

Hebrews 10:24–25 — Let’s think creatively about how to stir each other toward love and good deeds. Don’t neglect gathering together, but encourage one another—especially as the great Day draws near.

Reflection: Who is one specific person you will invite to read a short plan with you this week, and how will you ask them (text, call, or in person)?

Day 5: Refuse to give up; rest in Jesus

You’ll miss a day; just don’t miss two. Bring your body and let your mind follow—show up, even when you don’t feel like it. Over time, the joy on the other side of showing up will outweigh the resistance before it. Your value isn’t in perfect streaks but in belonging to the God who invites you to rest. Keep returning to Him—He is gentle, strong, and glad to carry what you can’t. Let grace, not guilt, be the engine of your consistency. [28:30]

Matthew 11:28–30 — “Come to Me, all of you worn out and weighed down, and I will give you rest. Take My way of life upon you and learn from Me; I’m gentle and humble at heart. You’ll find rest deep in your soul, because what I give fits well and the load I share is light.”

Reflection: When you feel the urge to quit, what is your next small step within 24 hours (time, place, and plan) to return—and how will you receive Jesus’ rest instead of criticizing yourself?

Sermon Summary

Every January, good intentions collide with tired wills. Desire dips, discipline thins, and most people quit by the second Friday of the month. Real change, therefore, isn’t just about knowing what to do; it’s about making the process enjoyable enough to keep showing up. Among all the habits a person could choose, one rises above the rest for spiritual vitality: read the Bible more days than you don’t. Research across 100,000 lives shows that engaging Scripture four or more days a week reshapes patterns of thought and behavior—fueling witness, curbing temptation, lowering loneliness, and strengthening holiness. Scripture itself claims this power: God-breathed words that teach, correct, and train so people are thoroughly equipped for every good work.

How does Bible reading become more enjoyable and therefore sustainable? Three moves: know the goal, find a guide, and refuse to give up. The goal is not to answer every question about everything. The goal is to meet Jesus and become like him. Read every page with two anchors: Jesus is King (all Scripture points to him), and context is everything (understanding who it was written to, and why, gives meaning). Genesis 1, read in context, is not a science manual; it is a revelation of the God who speaks, blesses, calls creation good, dignifies humanity with his image, and institutes rest as a weekly, identity-shaping gift. The seventh day’s unusual emphasis teaches a countercultural truth: value does not come from productivity; value comes from the God who made us. Even the “light before the sun” question pushes readers toward the deeper revelation that “God is light,” climaxing in Jesus, the Light of the world.

Finding a guide multiplies progress. Trusted teachers, wise reading plans, and the daily helps of the Bible app orient readers toward Jesus and give the context that unlocks clarity. Community adds momentum—joy multiplies, misery divides. And when motivation dips, bring your body and let your mind follow. If you miss one day, don’t miss two. Jesus’ invitation still stands: come to him for rest. Start small, stay consistent, and expect the God-breathed Word to do what it promises—reshape hearts, reorder habits, and renew hope.

Key Takeaways

1. Make change enjoyable to sustain it We quit when desire runs dry, so design habits that are life-giving, not just “good for you.” Enjoyment doesn’t remove effort; it supplies energy for the long haul. Small delights in the process make consistency possible beyond January. Build rhythms you look forward to, not just duties you endure. [03:15]
2. Read Scripture more days than not Four-plus days a week marks a tipping point where measurable transformation emerges. The Word confronts lies, clarifies truth, and cultivates resilience against temptation and isolation. This is not superstition; it is the predictable fruit of regular exposure to God-breathed reality. Aim for consistency over perfection. [06:52]
3. Know the goal: meet and mirror Jesus Scripture’s purpose is to reveal God’s Son and shape his people into his likeness. Read every passage with two anchors: Jesus is King, and context is everything. This lens transforms confusion into clarity and duty into devotion—truth that warms the heart while training the life. [15:51]
4. Find a guide and read with others Reliable guides and wise plans keep you moving when you feel stuck. Community adds accountability and encouragement, transforming solitary effort into shared joy. Guided reading bridges the gap between “I tried” and “I’m growing,” helping you see Jesus and apply truth in concrete ways. [26:11]
5. Refuse to give up; receive Christ’s rest Consistency is forged in moments you don’t feel like it—bring your body, and your mind will follow. If you miss one day, don’t miss two; restart right where you are. Jesus offers soul-rest, not guilt—his easy yoke empowers steady, unhurried faithfulness. [28:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - A surprising New Year goal
[02:39] - When our discipline runs out
[03:49] - Make the process enjoyable
[05:30] - Read the Bible more days than not
[06:52] - Bible engagement transforms habits
[07:31] - Scripture equips for every good work
[08:17] - Three practices: goal, guide, grit
[10:41] - Bring your body, mind will follow
[14:43] - Genesis 1 through a wise lens
[15:51] - Jesus is King; context is everything
[19:05] - The meaning of the seventh day
[20:56] - Your worth beyond productivity
[22:38] - God is light; Jesus the Light
[27:45] - Refuse to give up; find rest

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Genesis 1:1–2:3

Observation questions

In Genesis 1, what patterns keep repeating each day (“God said…,” “it was good,” “there was evening and morning”), and what is different about the seventh day?
In Genesis 2:1–3, what three things does God do with the seventh day, and what does He do regarding His work on that day?
What are the two anchors for reading any passage that were given: “Jesus is King” and “context is everything”? [15:51]
What kinds of measurable changes were described when people engage Scripture four or more days a week? Name as many as you can remember. [06:04]

Interpretation questions

A people who had only known slavery are told their God rests and blesses a day of rest. What does that reveal about His character, and what does it say about their worth and identity? [20:56]
How would reading with the two anchors (“Jesus is King” and “context is everything”) reshape the way someone handles confusing parts of Genesis 1, like “light” appearing before the sun? [15:51]
“Bring your body and your mind will follow” was offered as a way to keep going when desire is low. What does this suggest about how God forms people through steady, embodied practices? [10:41]
Why might regular exposure to Scripture have a measurable effect on things like loneliness and temptation? What is Scripture doing in a person that could explain this? [06:52]

Application questions

Make it enjoyable: What small delight could you build into your daily Scripture rhythm (place, playlist, coffee, a favorite chair) so you actually look forward to it? [03:49]
Read more days than not: Which four specific days this week will you read? What time and where will you do it? Put it on your calendar before you leave group. [05:30]
Know the goal: This week, pick one passage and ask two questions as you read: “How does this point to Jesus as King?” and “What’s the context (who, when, why)?” Who will you share what you saw with? [25:16]
Find a guide: Which Bible reading plan will you start, and who is one trusted person you’ll ask to read it with you (Plans with Friends)? Decide tonight. [26:11]
Refuse to give up: If you miss a day, what will be your “don’t miss two” reset plan (simple next step, time, place)? Write it down now. [27:45]
Practice rest: What would a weekly rhythm of Sabbath rest look like for you that reminds you your value isn’t from productivity? What needs to be turned off or laid down to make space for this? [20:56]
Bring your body: On the day you don’t feel like it, what cue will help you simply show up (alarm, laid-out Bible, text a friend)? How will you lower the barrier to the first five minutes? [10:41]

Sermon Clips

28s

#ValueIsFromGod

“It is an invitation to rest in the hand of an almighty God. It is an invitation to believe deep in your bones that your value does not come from what you do. Your value comes from the God who made you. And that truth that showed all the way up in Genesis 1 is still true for you today. That your value doesn't come from what you do. Your value is found in the God who made you.”

24s

#BibleIsToKnowGod

“And I think it seems like that because for the vast majority of people, they don't actually know the goal of reading the Bible. If nobody's ever told you this, the goal of the Bible is not to answer every question about everything. That's not what the goal is. The goal is to introduce us to God, to help us understand who he is and how we are meant to relate to him.”

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