How and when do you spend time in the Word? The system and timing for that system may vary from person to person. If you don’t have a system, however, it is a good idea to develop one.

If you have started a Bible reading program and aren’t on track, don’t give up! Keep reading from wherever you are and make progress when you can. If you read even one page per day in your Bible, you would finish reading it in 3 years. If you did that consistently, you will have read it three times in the next 10 years!

There is something very special about reading the Word of God. We can’t help but be touched by the truth. Jesus Christ prayed to God the Father in John 17:17, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." It is God’s inspired Word that sets us apart as holy when we read it and learn to discern the truth from error. We learn how to understand and apply God’s truths to our lives as we are exposed to His Word.  

Your plan or system must be deliberate and intentional to be effective. It can be as simple as reading sequentially through the Bible, using a bookmark to keep track of where you are. (A sticky post-it tab works well.) A chronological Bible is a great tool because it helps put the narrative in a timeline that makes it easier to follow. The historical notes are often interesting and help illuminate the context in which the words were written.  

If you want to follow God and submit your life to Him, and realize the amazing potential that you have been created to fulfill, it will be necessary to read God’s word and live by every word of it. Both Moses and Christ indicated that to be nourished spiritually is necessary for life: "Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 8:3, see also Matthew 4:4). It is pretty clear that we need to read the book, and not let excuses, distractions or boredom cause us to subordinate this to other activities. What else could ultimately be more important?