Jury’s In

Reading God's word never ceases to amaze me, bring me comfort, stir my curiosity, raise questions, provide answers -- it is my constant companion. I have one I carry to church, several for study and I've had a copy on my PDA's and smartphones for years, a copy always in my purse. I now have one with ten bookmarks that I only pick up to read.

It's not quite a month since I followed Bro. Brad Gilbert's introduction to Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System, a slightly different method of Bible reading. You can find the PDF instructions and bookmarks here.

I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in God's word, yet it didn't take more than thirty uninterrupted minutes to read the ten chapters each day. I know it will take more by the time I reach Psalm 119, but, hey -- it just will!

It does take a moment for re-orientation as I move from one bookmark to another. At times it's as though the concept of God's sovereignty flows from one to the other, though the times and writers are so different.

I've learned, too, not to stop and study. I have a small pad with the Bible and when a specific thought comes to mind I jot down the verse, maybe a word or two, but I've become disciplined enough to move on and not write a blog entry about it. Frankly, I haven't even gone back to the pad for inspiration on blogging. I'm sticking to my regular items from daily thoughts and searches.

I encourage you to give it a try for a month. Print out the four pages of instructions along with the ten bookmarks. Understand what he has in mind, then read the first ten chapters. If you miss a day, no big loss. The bookmarks are still there, there is no time limit, no milestones missed. I've missed several this month, but always enjoyed returning to pick up where I left off.

At the end of your month's trial, I would be very interested in your thoughts about this method of reading through the Bible. If you don't want to comment publicly, please send me an e-mail -- the address is in my Blogger profile.

Remember:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [Romans 10:17 KJV]

Be prepared to have your faith strengthened. He also promised:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)