Speaking broadly, there are two approaches to daily Bible-reading: reading for intimacy or reading for familiarity. Intimacy with the Bible comes by slow, meditative reading that focuses on small portions—deep study of books, chapters, and verses. Familiarity with the Bible comes through faster reading of larger portions—the entire sweep of the biblical narrative. Both are perfectly good approaches to the Bible and Christians thrive on a healthy mixture of the two. There is great benefit in knowing the Bible as a whole (familiarity) and in knowing the most important parts in detail (intimacy). (On this note, see my article “Intimacy or Familiarity.”)

My favorite daily Bible-reading plan is the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. I have successfully used it for many years and intend to use it again in 2022. I gladly commend it to you.
It has several features I especially appreciate:

It is a familiarity plan that covers the entire text of the Bible over the course of the year. Those who follow it will read every word of the Bible in the year ahead.
It is a pseudo-chronological plan that covers the text of the Bible in the order the events happened (with the exception of Job which comes at the end). Thus, for example, the Psalms come at appropriate moments in the life of David, the books of Kings and Chronicles are read in harmony, and so on. This helps set the events in their historical context. Yet even though it’s chronological, it’s only pseudo-chronological. There are Old Testament and New Testament readings each day and the gospels are interspersed through the year. I find this an ideal compromise over a strictly chronological program in which you read the entire OT before touching the NT.
It is a 5-day plan. A benefit of a 5-day plan (as opposed to a 7-day plan) is that there is less chance of falling far behind. At 5 days per week it is far more doable than at 7 days—there is always a chance to catch up. Also, it allows a day or two of reading something different for those who, for example, like to read and ponder the sermon text on a Sunday morning or for those who don’t do personal devotions on Sunday.
It is a free plan. It’s free for the taking! They’ve got a nice little print-out you can download, print, fold in half, and put inside your Bible. It’s got boxes to tick as you complete each day and each week. Or you can use the ReadingPlan app to organize the plan even while reading through Logos, the ESV app, or a printed Bible. Though it is free, they have launched a Patreon account for those who would like early access, access to more features, or who would just like to offer a bit of support.

The 5 Day Bible Reading Program is a free download and will be available on December 26 (with Patrons able to get it before then). I echo their hope for the program: “God’s blessings rest with those who will read, understand, and live by His Word. May this guide help you to that noble end. ‘Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path’ (Psalms 119:105).”
(Parenthetical Note: If you prefer an “intimacy” plan, I recommend the Reading the Bible with John Stott guides and/or the God’s Word for You series. Both are excellent.)

May the Lord be with you and bless you today.

Today’s Kindle deals include Tom Schreiner’s excellent The Joy of Hearing.
Westminster Books has some Easter resources on sale this week.
(Yesterday on the blog: How To Ruin a Perfectly Good Friendship)
Preaching from a Place of Fullness
“I have preached from a place of emptiness and from a place of fullness, and the experience of the one makes me long for the other.” Take the time to have Andrew explain what he means.
New Missionaries, From Your Older Brother
Dave was asked to speak at a missionary training school and tells about some of the wisdom he passed along.
Rick Warren Has Done the SBC a Great Service
Denny Burk listened to a recent interview with Rick Warren and explains the tactics Warren will use to lobby for women to be allowed in all positions of leadership within the SBC.
How are Old Testament land promises fulfilled? (Video)
Dr. John Currid tells how all those promises of land relate to us today.
How “You Too” Can Heal
Zach Barnhart: “Think about the people in the church with whom you practice community. It could be a small group you are a part of, a group you are pouring into or serving, or a handful of your close friends. What if the one thing that’s holding them back from stepping into real fellowship and vulnerability with your group is your own courageous choice to walk in the light before them?”
To Love Life and See Good Days
“How many of us desire to love life and see good days? My guess is it is all of us. Only the jaded have abandoned this hope. This desire for the good life may seem like something from the self-help section, but it is directly from scripture.” Doug Eaton explains.
Flashback: Why Some People Aren’t Christians
With all of this evangelism and all these opportunities for salvation, why don’t people become Christians? Here are a few reasons I’ve observed in recent interactions.

Beauty is both a gift and a map. It is a gift to be enjoyed and a map to be followed back to the Source of the beauty with praise and thanksgiving. —Steve DeWitt

Grace and peace to you today, my friends.

Today’s Kindle deals include a number of good picks for readers.
Do Hurricanes Just Happen?
Jim Elliff says that “God is at work doing His perfect will, even during hurricane season. These spinning engines of destruction originate from Him as Ruler (first cause), through nature (second cause), all for His purposes.”
Stormfront
Kristin, meanwhile, is also thinking about storms. “As our grandson sleeps in his father’s arms, I see it so clearly. The sweet baby, limp and relaxed, trusts his father wholeheartedly. He is rocked, comforted, and held in unconditional love, wanting for nothing. If we are to be like Jesus, we, too, will sleep peacefully in the middle of life’s storms.”
The Metaverse
Gene Veith, on the other hand, is thinking about the looming Metaverse. “This is another chapter in our rebellion against creation, replacing what God has made with what we have made. To be sure, the Metaverse is a realm of illusion, not tangible entities that actually exist, a Gnostic phantasm that disappears if anyone tries to touch it.”
AGTV Continues to Grow 10 Months After Launching
AGTV is a kind of Netflix for Christian teaching. The network hosts over 800 hours of carefully curated content. Much of it is available for free. There is now a long list of premium content and exclusive films and series for AGTV subscribers. (Sponsors)
The Lord of The Lockdowns
From an Australian lockdown, Jon Coombs says, “As I plug away at doing the things I need to do, whether it’s family life or church life, I keep reminding myself that the Lord is the Lord of the lockdown.”
Does the Bible Limit Gender to Just Male and Female?
“There’s a trendy new idea that denies God created only two genders (male and female). What’s the proof? Frogs. That’s right. Proponents of this view claim frogs are evidence that the gender binary of the Bible is a myth. If you’re puzzled by this, that’s understandable.” I am, indeed.
Learning from the Hours
“Have you ever noticed that in Genesis chapter one, the days are the wrong way around?” T.M. Suffield explains why this is and why it may even be better to think about days and hours like that.
Flashback: Why Marriage Is Better Than Cohabitation
…marriage offers a number of important benefits that are absent from cohabitation—benefits that extend to couples, to their children, to their families, and to society as a whole.

Prayer must carry on our work as much as preaching; he preacheth not heartily to his people that will not pray for them. —Richard Baxter