Yesterday, I was reminded of how fast I forget stuff. Mark preached his message “Christ Our Access” from Hebrews 10:19-22. Though I heard this message just a few months ago on the five15 Retreat, I felt like I was hearing it all for the first time. In fact, I found it even more encouraging and provocative, perhaps because that was my second time through it! (May this be a lesson for all of us: never assume that hearing it equals mastering it!)

So Mark explained that you can’t be in Fairfax and at the beach at the same time, but you can be in two places at once: we can go to heaven today! Mark explained it like this: Every Christian can draw near to God now through Christ. Since we have Christ, let us go to heaven!

These verses explain that we have confidence to enter (holy places = heaven), and we have a great high priest (that would be Jesus!), so we can draw near to God in private, in the church, and in all of life. Given that today is the first of the year, it’s a good time for us to think about what it means to draw near in private. Mark explained that this happens primarily through our personal devotions: Bible reading and prayer.

If you haven’t created a plan for your Bible reading and prayer for the new year, it’s not too late to do so, but don’t wait any longer! Any plan will do, so long as you are reading Scripture and praying every day! We talk to God when we pray, He talks to us when we read His Word. This is how we abide in Him:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Personally, I am a huge fan of the M’Cheyne reading plan that can be found with commentary in D. A. Carson’s For the Love of God. Three chapters of the Bible a day (15 minutes if you take your time), and you’ll get through the entire Bible in a year. Add a fourth chapter each day, and you’ll get an extra lap through Psalms and the New Testament. You can start today by reading Genesis 1, Ezra 1, and Matthew 1.

The ESV website lists a number of different formats for reading through the Bible in a year, most of which are available via RSS. I also think this “visualization” of the various formats is interesting. Getting your chapters via email or RSS is kind of cool, but I like sitting in front of an actual Bible with–call me old-fashioned–paper.

Enjoy! And let’s get reading, since…

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

What is your Bible reading plan like this year?

Categories: Monday Matters, five15 blog