WE DO NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD | MATT 4:4
How long do you think it would take you to read the whole Bible if you only heard it read on Fridays and Sundays at church? The answer is 23 years. Seriously. We did the math.
#BEAT23 is a campaign to get Elevate students reading their Bible regularly and loving it. You don’t have to read the whole Bible in the next few months. Just beat 23 years.
 |
 |
 |
 |
SOME HANDY APPS
“
CHOOSE YOUR PATTERN!
“
To get the most out of your time in the Bible, pick a book and read it start to finish. You can read a few chapters a day or just a few verses – the choice is yours! One of the most common things we hear is “but I just don’t know where to start”. Well, here’s your answer! These are just some suggestions (it’s all the Word of God, so you can’t go wrong!):
IF YOU’RE JUST STARTING OUT
Mark or John – 2 of the 4 biographies (‘gospels’) about Jesus’ life on earth.
WHAT NEXT?
Ephesians – How God’s outrageous grace should change our whole lives.
Philippians – A call to unity in Christ and adoration of our glorious God.
1 Peter – How our new life in Christ helps us to put sin to death.
Isaiah – Prophecy about Jesus written hundreds of years before his birth.
Psalms – Songs, prayers and poems to God.
IF YOU’RE UP FOR A CHALLENGE
Romans – The gospel fully explored in all its depth and richness.
Hebrews – Links Old Testament tradition with the NT revelation of Jesus Christ as Lord.
James – Challenging and practical instructions for Christian living.
Acts – An encouraging and dramatic recount of the spread of the early church.
Ecclesiastes – Old Testament wisdom on finding joy and meaning in a broken world.
Ezekiel – Old Testament prophecy highlighting sin’s seriousness and the reality of judgement.
“
PREPARE
Find a quiet and distraction-free place. A regular time of day isn’t a bad idea. Ask God to teach you about himself, perhaps by praying through these verses from the Psalms.
| Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love. (Ps 90:14) |
| Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. (Ps 86:11) |
| Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things out of your law. (Ps 119:18) |
| Show me your ways, Lord. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. (Ps 25:4-5) |
WATCH
‘The Bible Project’ have one or two for every book of the Bible on YouTube, and they’re incredible! Download the version of the Progress Tracker with ‘BP’ video reminders so you don’t miss one.
READ
To structure this time, you might want to try out the COMA framework:
| Context
Is this book set before, during or after Jesus’ life on earth? What’s happened so far in this book? What main points have been made? |
| Observation
What sticks out to you? Are there any connecting words (therefore, because etc.)? What point is the author making? |
| Meaning
How does this passage relate to Jesus? What does this passage tell you about God? What does this passage tell you about people? |
| Application
Does this passage challenge how you think of God? Do you need to change the way you’re living or thinking? |
PRAY
God is listening! Avoid drifting off by trying:
| Writing your prayers like a letter to God |
| Praying ‘TeaSPoon’ prayers (Thank you, Sorry, Please) |
| Praying for different topics each day of the week |
| Using the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:9-13) as a guide |
“
Take a snap of your Bible reading progress, send it to @elevate207x on Instagram, and you might even win a prize! Let’s encourage and spur one another on to #BEAT23!
  |
“
FOR EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE PAST WAS WRITTEN TO TEACH US, SO THAT THROUGH THE ENDURANCE TAUGHT IN THE SCRIPTURES AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT THEY PROVIDE WE MIGHT HAVE HOPE | ROM 15:4