40 Day Bible: The Schedule

I have embarked on what is, for me, a huge undertaking. I am attempting to read the Bible cover to cover in 40 days. My inspiration came on Fat Tuesday when the question arose from a friend, "What shall I do for Lent?" Most people give up a bad habit, whereas if I do participate in Lent, I like to take on a good habit. And so I set forth to read the Bible through Lent...everyday for 40 days from Genesis to Revelation.

My motives? At times in my life, I have been so madly in love with the Word that I could not get enough of it. And then there were other times...which has been more often than the former. God's Word is such a gift. And realizing this, I want to approach it as a gift...a GREAT gift. I've never read the Bible cover to cover. I'm also not very disciplined. This is a lot for an undisciplined person to take on.

Yet because it is such a great task, I have to rely on the Lord for strength, focus, endurance and...dare I say it...discipline. Dividing the whole Bible into 40 readings means that I have about 45 to 50 pages set before me daily. If I did it in a year, I'd have maybe 5. It's much easier to say, "Oh, I don't feel like doing my reading today. I'll just add it to tomorrow's reading," when I only have 5 pages to read daily. And then of course, if I say this enough times, eventually I just stop doing it all together. But 45 to 50 pages!?!? Boy! If I miss a day, it would be too overwhelming to add it to the next day's reading! And so, in this way, I have a form of accountability.

On top of all of this, should I not be delighted to spend time in God's Word? After all, it is lifeblood to a believer. It blesses my spirit, transforms my mind, and it serves others when God wells it up out of me to share as an encouragement or challenge. I want to approach this journey not with a complaining or negative heart, but with a heart full of gratitude that I have His Word to enjoy and to be refreshed by.

I will do my best to keep an update of how the scriptures are effecting my life. If you would like to (at some point, if not now) join me on this journey, here is the schedule to follow:

Day 1: Genesis 1-27
Day 2: Genesis 28-50
Day 3: Exodus 1-30
Day 4: Exodus 31 - Leviticus 23
Day 5: Leviticus 24 - Numbers 24
Day 6: Numbers 25 - Deuteronomy 20
Day 7: Deuteronomy 21 - Joshua 13
Day 8: Joshua 14 - Judges 20
Day 9: Joshua 21 - 1 Samuel 20
Day 10: 1 Samuel 21 - 2 Samuel 18
Day 11: 2 Samuel 19 - 1 Kings 16
Day 12: 1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 18
Day 13: 2 Kings 19 - 1 Chronicles 26
Day 14: 1 Chronicles 27 - 2 Chronicles 33
Day 15: 2 Chronicles 34 - Esther 2
Day 15: Esther 3 - Job 37
Day 16: Job 38 - Psalm 44
Day 17: Psalm 45-95
Day 18: Psalm 96-150
Day 20: Proverbs 1-31
Day 21: Ecclesiastes 1 - Isaiah 14
Day 22: Isaiah 15-46
Day 23: Isaiah 47 - Jeremiah 10
Day 24: Jeremiah 11-44
Day 25: Jeremiah 45 - Ezekiel 16
Day 26: Ezekiel 17-48
Day 27: Daniel 1 - Hosea 14
Day 28: Joel 1 - Nahum 3
Day 29: Habakkuk 1 - Malachi 4
Day 30: Matthew 1-28
Day 31: Mark 1-16
Day 32: Luke 1-24
Day 33: John 1-21
Day 34: Acts 1-28
Day 35: Romans 1 - 1 Corinthians 8
Day 36: 1 Corinthians 9 - Galatians 6
Day 37: Ephesians 1 - 1 Thessalonians 5
Day 38: 2 Thessalonians 1 - Hebrews 6
Day 39: Hebrews 7 - 1 John 2
Day 40: 1 John 3 - Revelation 22

Well, there you have it. The 40 day plan. I wish you well and pray you will be tremendously blessed through the journey. (Don't forget to pray loads at least beforehand that God would make His word come alive to you and reveal Himself to you through the scriptures.) ENJOY!!!! :)