Bible Reading Plan / Quiet Time

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A new article called "You Want Me to Add WHAT to My Schedule?" 
(http://www.mymissionfulfilled.com/index.asp?ContentID=858) has recently been posted on www.myMISSIONfulfilled.com.  In it, the author discusses using Bible reading plans during one's quiet time with God.

Consistent Bible reading is a big challenge for me.  A couple of years ago, I was introduced to the Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Bible Reading Calendar (http://www.mountzion.org/text/DailyBibleReading.pdf).  I really like this plan because it covers the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice in one year. 

This is how it works: You read 4 chapters from different books of the Bible daily.  The plan is broken up for "secret" and "family" reading.  I just read them all at once. 

Has anyone tried other Bible reading plans and found them helpful?  

Are there other resources you use during your daily time with God?

Edited by Mary - 02 Jul 2008 at 12:05am

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Mary Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adult Administrator Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Online Status: Offline Posts: 10	Quote Reply Topic: Bible Reading Plan / Quiet Time Posted: 02 Jul 2008 at 12:02am
	A new article called "You Want Me to Add WHAT to My Schedule?" (http://www.mymissionfulfilled.com/index.asp?ContentID=858) has recently been posted on www.myMISSIONfulfilled.com. In it, the author discusses using Bible reading plans during one's quiet time with God. Consistent Bible reading is a big challenge for me. A couple of years ago, I was introduced to the Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Bible Reading Calendar (http://www.mountzion.org/text/DailyBibleReading.pdf). I really like this plan because it covers the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice in one year. This is how it works: You read 4 chapters from different books of the Bible daily. The plan is broken up for "secret" and "family" reading. I just read them all at once. Has anyone tried other Bible reading plans and found them helpful? Are there other resources you use during your daily time with God? Edited by Mary - 02 Jul 2008 at 12:05am

JHE Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Location: Birmingham Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Quote Reply Posted: 02 Jul 2008 at 7:32am
	I really grappled with this when I was overseas attending a church with a language that I was just learning. Finally, another missionary and I got together and did several Bible studies. We both knew we'd hold each other accountable and we needed that. We'd work privately doing the "homework" and then got together to see what God had taught us during the week. It was interesting at times to see how God spoke differently to the two of us from the very same passages. We had a prayer time with our Bible study time and we saw the hand of God really move over the course of time. While I don't always desire Bible study as organized as this--it really did meet a need at the time and I still have the Bible study books to refer back to and trace God's movement in my life during that particular time.

liz.lockwood Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Location: Charleston, SC Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Quote Reply Posted: 02 Jul 2008 at 10:28am
	A daily time with the Lord is an area of my spiritual life where I have always struggled. I think part of the reason is that I can get so overwhelmed by how many options there are for devotional reading that I lose sight of what that time is actually supposed to be - an opportunity to read the Word, take my requests to the Lord and delight in His fellowship. When I keep this in mind, I worry less about whether or not my quiet time looks how it is "supposed" to and simply enjoy a more regular time of fellowship with Him. I have personally found that I am much more consistent when I get up a few minutes early to make this a habit. This is something I struggled with in the beginning, but once I settled in to this routine, my time with the Lord became much more consistent. Finally, I have found that if I am disciplined in my time with the Lord, that has the positive effect of making me more disciplined in applying the truths of His Word . . . and that is worth getting up early for!

faith_driven Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Location: Huntsville Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Quote Reply Posted: 02 Jul 2008 at 11:04pm
	This is something that I really struggle with. I was on fire for God when I rededicated my life, and I remember wanting to literally soak up every bit of information that I could about God and Jesus and how to serve Him and how to be a Christian. Now, I can barely find the time to sleep. This is exactly what the devil likes to do to those of us that burn brightly for Him. He likes to busy us up with things so that we have no time for God. He'll even resort to busying us with "Godly" things so that we have the illusion of growing closer to God, when in reality we are falling further from Him with every passing moment. I've not yet found the best way to keep this from happening, except that I try to make sure that above all else I stay prayed up. I have this devotional book [Censored]led "7 Minutes With Jesus, Daily Devotions For A Deeper Relationship". It's written by students for students by Think books. It's a 10-week study book that breaks down into daily devotionals. Each daily has Bible verses and personal stories from the students with a small piece of encouragement, followed by a prayer. At the end of the week there's a journal section. Each day I read what's in store for that day and if I think that someone at work might need to hear it I'll copy it and pass it out. Makes for a nice pick me up. One more thing that helps! I have a 7 year old who is just now getting into really memorizing Bible verses. I just bought her first Bible that's "all verses and no stories Mommy". It's a kid's study Bible. Now I give her pages to read and each day we pick a verse that both of us doesn't know and we memorize it together. It's fun and it's memorable for Mommy! :-) Have fun with it girls! God Bless!

faith_driven Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Location: Huntsville Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Quote Reply Posted: 02 Jul 2008 at 11:06pm
	Well, I didn't know I could give it stars! I can't find where to do that but I give this forum FIVE stars! We all need help with this!

missionsmom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jul 2008 at 8:21am
	Thanks for posting this topic. It is nice to know that I am not alone in this struggle. Sometimes the best intentions go awry! I do best when I have a Bible study, especially with an accountability group, but even on my own. The article was a good reminder that I need to really make that time a priority! Edited by Mary - 03 Jul 2008 at 9:20am

godssusan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Location: Georgia Online Status: Offline Posts: 76	Quote Reply Posted: 18 Feb 2009 at 5:06pm
	I have found that no matter how busy I am I tend to make time to check my email, because that is how my family and I stay in touch. I also have a myspace, so I can keep up with the grandchildren and children who live in another state as well as some of the girls I have worked with over the years. I have found that if I sit here early in the morning with my coffee and write to them I also can spend time with God then because I always write devotionals and prayers (yes, I write prayers!! As I pray I write what I am praying for)..individually and to each of them and as a group. One of my favorite resources is Bible.com. So now not only do I have my 'private time' with God, which is often split up into small increments during the day, and not always at the same time of day, I spend time with God by 'fellowshiping' with my family online! It gives me that extra boost to get through the day, and is something I never miss now.