Why Every Christian Should Read the Entire Bible Every Year
From Genesis to Revelation: Feeding Your Soul Every Single Day
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." — 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
Imagine receiving a letter from someone who loved you more than anyone else in the world.
A letter filled with wisdom.
Encouragement.
Correction.
Promises.
Warnings.
Hope.
Instructions for living.
Now imagine placing that letter on a shelf...
Never opening it...
And then telling everyone,
"I know the person who wrote it."
Would that make sense?
Of course not.
Yet that is exactly what millions of Christians do every day with the Bible.
They love God.
They attend church.
They pray.
They sing worship songs.
They even tell others they are Christians.
Yet many have never read the Bible from beginning to end—not even once.
Others read only their favorite passages.
Still others depend almost entirely upon pastors, podcasts, devotionals, social media posts, or YouTube sermons to tell them what God says.
That raises an important question:
How well can we truly know the Author if we seldom read His Book?
The Excuses Never Change
As a pastor, I have heard nearly every reason imaginable.
"I'm too busy."
"I'm exhausted after work."
"I fall asleep when I read."
"I don't understand the Bible."
"I let my pastor do the studying."
"I learn enough from Sunday sermons."
"I'll start next year."
"I've tried before."
"God knows I love Him."
And perhaps the most common of all:
"I just don't have the time."
Let me lovingly suggest something.
None of us finds time.
We make time.
We find time for eating.
For television.
For social media.
For sports.
For hobbies.
For vacations.
For our phones.
For email.
For news.
For entertainment.
If something truly matters, we schedule it.
The question is not whether we have time.
The question is whether spending time with God is a priority.
God's Word Is Spiritual Food
Jesus declared,
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
Notice what He compared Scripture to.
Food.
No one expects to remain physically healthy while eating one meal each week.
Yet many Christians attempt exactly that spiritually.
One Sunday sermon...
One Bible study...
One devotional...
And then nothing until next week.
We would never feed our bodies that way.
Why feed our souls that way?
You Cannot Love What You Do Not Know
Many believers sincerely love Jesus.
But love grows through relationship.
Relationship grows through communication.
The Bible is God's primary written revelation of Himself.
It tells us:
Who He is.
What He loves.
What He hates.
How He forgives.
How He saves.
How He disciplines.
How He blesses.
How history began.
How history will end.
Every page reveals something about God's character.
The more we read, the more we know Him.
The more we know Him, the more we trust Him.
The more we trust Him, the more we obey Him.
The Bible Interprets the Bible
One reason people become confused is because they read isolated verses instead of the whole story.
The Old Testament prepares us for Christ.
The Gospels reveal Christ.
Acts proclaims Christ.
The Epistles explain Christ.
Revelation celebrates Christ's return.
Genesis and Revelation are connected.
Isaiah and Matthew are connected.
Daniel and Revelation are connected.
Psalms and Hebrews are connected.
The more Scripture you read, the more Scripture begins explaining itself.
"I Don't Understand It"
Neither did I when I first began reading.
Neither did countless believers before us.
Understanding grows through faithful reading.
You don't become fluent in a language by quitting after the first lesson.
The Holy Spirit teaches those who continue reading.
Start where you are.
Read prayerfully.
Ask questions.
Use trustworthy study tools when needed.
But never stop reading simply because everything isn't immediately clear.
Reading Through the Bible Changes You
You may not notice dramatic changes after one day.
Or even one week.
But over months and years something remarkable begins happening.
Your thinking changes.
Your priorities change.
Your conversations change.
Your decisions change.
Your prayers change.
Your responses to suffering change.
Your understanding of God's character deepens.
The Word quietly reshapes your life.
Scripture does not merely inform us.
It transforms us.
Why Read It Every Year?
Some ask,
"Isn't once enough?"
Let me ask another question.
Would you eat only one meal because you had eaten yesterday?
Would you tell your spouse,
"I talked to you last year. Isn't that enough?"
Relationships require consistency.
The Bible is inexhaustible.
Every year you notice truths you overlooked before.
Verses suddenly speak to your current season of life.
Promises become more meaningful.
Warnings become more urgent.
Reading through the Bible annually is not about checking a box.
It is about continually renewing your mind.
A Practical Goal
Many people imagine reading the entire Bible requires hours every day.
It doesn't.
Most Bible reading plans require approximately 15–20 minutes per day.
That is less time than many people spend checking social media before breakfast.
In one year, those daily minutes allow you to read every chapter from Genesis through Revelation.
Think about that.
In twelve months you can become familiar with the entire counsel of God.
What Happens If We Don't Read?
When Christians neglect Scripture:
False teaching spreads easily.
Spiritual discernment weakens.
Faith becomes shallow.
Opinions replace truth.
Culture begins shaping the Church instead of Scripture shaping believers.
That is one reason Paul urged Timothy,
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God..."
Notice whom Timothy was to please.
Not people.
God.
Reading the Bible Is an Act of Worship
Every time you open God's Word, you declare:
"Lord, Your voice matters more than every other voice."
That is worship.
Every chapter reminds us that God is still speaking through His written Word.
The Bible is not outdated.
It is timeless.
Not because it changes with culture—
But because it stands above culture.
Imagine the Difference
Imagine if every Christian read the entire Bible every year.
Churches would become stronger.
Families would become healthier.
Marriages would become more stable.
Children would hear biblical truth daily.
Believers would recognize false doctrine more quickly.
Prayer would become richer.
Evangelism would become bolder.
Hope would become stronger.
The Church would become increasingly like Christ.
A Challenge
Beginning today, make a commitment.
Read God's Word every day.
Not because it earns salvation.
Not because it makes God love you more.
But because you love Him.
Read when you're tired.
Read when you're busy.
Read when life is going well.
Read when life is difficult.
Read when you understand.
Read when you don't.
Keep turning the pages.
Keep listening.
Keep growing.
Because every chapter brings you closer to the heart of God.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving us Your living Word. Forgive us for the times we have neglected it, made excuses, or allowed other priorities to take its place. Create within us a hunger for Scripture that is stronger than our desire for entertainment or distraction.
As we read, give us understanding through Your Holy Spirit. Correct us where we are wrong. Encourage us when we are weary. Strengthen our faith. Shape our character. Make us faithful students of Your Word so that we may rightly divide the truth and faithfully represent Jesus Christ in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities.
May Your Word become the lamp to our feet and the light to our path until the day we see You face to face.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
One Final Thought
A dusty Bible usually belongs to a discouraged Christian.
An open Bible usually belongs to a growing Christian.
The choice is ours.
Will we settle for hearing about God's Word...
Or will we know it for ourselves?
Because when you read the Bible from cover to cover, year after year, you are not merely reading a book.
You are walking daily with the Author.
Read. Grow. Share.
🌍 Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International
Ministry Website: pomitaly.homestead.com
📚 Christian Bookstore: thewilltosucceed.homestead.com
📝 Ministry Blog: joybells49.blogspot.com
Follow & Share
@YouVersion
@BibleGateway
@OurDailyBread
@TheBibleProject
@LigonierMinistries
@DesiringGod
Hashtags
#ReadYourBible #BibleInOneYear #StudyTheWord #BiblicalTruth #ChristianGrowth #DailyBibleReading #FaithInAction #WalkWithGod #PilgrimOutreach #2Timothy215
Comments
Post a Comment