Pictured above, is my newest Bible, the ESV Reader's Bible. Those who know me, know I don't need another Bible...so it may seem. But I actually do need this one because of its layout. It has no title headings, no verse numbering; no cross-reference, footnotes or study notes, and no book introductions. It's straight Scripture with only the name of each book (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc.) and their chapter numbers. That's it. It's purely for reading the Bible and I have a trouble doing that—which is why I absolutely need this Bible.
It's confession time. A confession I'm not very proud of, and quite ashamed of; yet, know I need to share in order to comfort and exhort others. Okay...here goes. Ready?
I've never once read the entire Bible. No, not even once.
Why haven't I? If I love God's Word as much as I say I do, how is it possible that I haven't read all of it? Well, this answer requires another confession. I'm somewhat of a I-need-to-understand-all-of-God's-Word-aholic. What this means is, no matter what reading plan I've ever started, I can't ever get through it because I always get stuck on a word, a name, a place, a time, an event...you get the picture. And I can't get passed it without cross-referencing, getting on my Logos Bible Software to research, reading the study notes in my ESV Study Bible and grabbing my Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology book, along with a host of other books so that I can understand what I'm reading and apply it to my life.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against studying the Word of God. I encourage it. However, reading only to study—stifles reading for comprehension.
I get stuck on verses I don't understand and have questions like: "Why Lord? Why did you do that for this person, but not that other person?", "Why did you feel that way?", "Why did you allow so and so to talk to you that way?", and the one that stumps me the most, "Father, I don't even know what to ask because I don't even know what this verse means."
I want so desperately to know God more in order to love Him better that if I see a little letter or number near a verse, I just have to look up the cross reference or read the footnotes. And if that doesn't satisfy me, then I have to look up the original Hebrew or Greek. And often, I also have to study the historical setting of the time it was written, as well as the cultural understanding of why something is mentioned.
As you can see, having this insatiable desire to know the God who saved my wretched soul, and calls me His beloved child, disables me from being able to read the entire Bible all the way through...with the kinds of Bibles I have and with the methods I've been using. By the time I'm finished doing everything I normally do (as described above) during my praise and quiet time, usually, hours have gone by and I'm still on verse one, or chapter one.
Which is what brings me to why I'm writing this article today and why I purchased my new ESV Reader's Bible.
By God's awesome kindness, He put it in my darling husband's heart to search for yet another "read the Bible all the way through" plan. And he found one that will not only work for someone as peculiar as me, but also for normal people. Hallelujah!
This wonderful Bible reading plan is one Professor Grant Horner (of Master's College) has used for more than 30 years.
Professor Horner has some fantastic suggestions and solutions, as well as a very enjoyable and exciting format for reading the 10 chapters, that when I'm done, I have to check and make sure I actually read 10 chapters because it feels like I've only read a couple. I've tried to follow other 10 chapters per day reading plans and I've never been able to stick with it because I can't stop studying, cross referencing, researching, etc. But Professor Horner's reading methodology is so intriguing, I've often found myself getting carried away and reading beyond what I'm supposed to read each day. Wow...what a problem to have, huh?
I've created a downloadable PDF file so you too can join me in reading God's Word all the way through...for the rest of your life! Included in this PDF are Professor Horner's instructions, and bookmarks I've created to help you with the 10 chapter per day reading plan. I've created six bookmark sets to meet individual color preferences: multi-colored, red, blue, green, purple and gold. Each bookmark displays the number for the order in which you will read. For example, Reading Day 1: read chapter one of Matthew (bookmark #1), chapter 1 of Genesis (bookmark #2), chapter one of Romans (bookmark #3), and so on. Under the Bible book titles are the number of days it'll take to complete the reading for each bookmark.
To download instructions for Professor Horner's "The Ten Lists Bible Reading System" and bookmarks, click here: Instructions and Bookmarks
After printing out the set of bookmarks you prefer, take them to Mardel Christian Bookstore (laminating in my area store only cost .25¢ per foot) or any office store and get them laminated so they will last beyond only a couple weeks of reading.
After getting the bookmarks laminated, use your cutting board (if you have one) to cut them. If you don't own a small cutting board like I do (pictured above), use the one at Mardel, or have the bookmarks cut at whichever store you had them laminated.
I laminated and cut the bookmarks (pictured above) for myself, my husband and our oldest son (who's 22), and for a special teenager he's mentoring at our church (who will also be following Professor Horner's Bible Reading System).
Below is a photo of my new ESV Reader's Bible along with my new multi-colored bookmarks that help me easily find the order in which this reading system suggests (and I encourage you to follow it exactly as it's the reason why I'm enjoying this system so much).
I absolutely love my new ESV Reader's Bible and love Professor Grant Horner's "Ten Lists Bible Reading System". It's easy to follow and very engaging to read it in the order Professor Horner instructs.
When I read a chapter from Matthew, move on to a chapter in Genesis, then read a chapter in Romans and so on, I'm constantly amazed at how I see Christ in every chapter! I'm actually understanding more and discovering new things about my great and awesome God that I never knew (Jer 33:3). I'm delighted by how reading Matthew, Genesis, Romans, 1 Thessalonians, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Joshua, Isaiah and Acts (in that order) flows seamlessly in a narrative format—consuming my heart and mind in God's grace, and soothing my soul that longs to see my Savior face to face.
"Thus says the LORD: 'Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.'
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—"
~Jeremiah 9:23-24, Philippians 3:7-9 (ESV)
