Plan to Read the Bible in 2020

The reality of outward trials and inward temptations calls for something more than an initial experience with God. His wisdom is needed every day. Colossians 1:9 records Paul’s prayer for the church of Colossae, a prayer that makes an important distinction. He prays that the Colossians will be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” As we study God’s Word, we receive wisdom. But Paul reminds us that there is more to our faith than wisdom; there is also spiritual understanding to be gained when we consistently study the instruction of the Scriptures.

How do we maximize our response to the Bible’s teaching? Spending time in God’s Word each day is the key to spiritual growth. We draw from its power by preparing our hearts, examining each verse, applying its wisdom, observing inner changes, memorizing verses, and demonstrating its impact.

Step One: Avoid Barriers

Corrie ten Boom often remarked, “If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.” Isn’t that the truth? The idea that you’re too busy to spend time in God’s Word comes directly from the enemy of your soul. Knowing that Satan wants to deter you, your first action step is to find time and a location where you can consistently meet with the Lord without interruption. Then before reading, pray: Invite the Lord to plant His Word in your heart and ask Him to remove anything that could stand in the way of your interaction with Him (James 1:19-21). Then open the portion of Scripture you have chosen to study.

Step Two: Analyze Meaning

Considering that the Bible is more of a library than a book, there is a temptation to feel overwhelmed and to rush through its pages. Don’t. Examine each verse of your chosen passage. As you read, think of the Bible as a love letter from God. This will increase your sensitivity to every aspect of its message. Do not be overly concerned with the length of the passage you are studying. Remember that your goal is not to briefly scan large amounts of information, but to gain instruction from God’s Word.

Keep a pen, pencil, or highlighter available to mark significant words, phrases, or passages in your study. Consider utilizing a Bible commentary, a concordance, or a Bible dictionary to increase your understanding.

Step Three: Transform Inside

James tells us, “He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (1:25). After reading a passage of Scripture, identify one key concept to apply to your life today.

Application begins with your heart and mind. Ask God to lead and guide you in your present circumstances, and pray that He will help you submit to His will.

Step Four: Explore Attitudes

As you seek to apply God’s truth in your life, note the changes that need to occur in your attitude, outlook, and conduct. Explore the Word, reading and rereading what God has said about the things that you need to change. God will change you! Record these meditations in a journal or in the margins of your Bible. Reflect on one thing you learned about yourself through today’s study. Ask yourself, How is God speaking to me in regard to this issue?

Step Five: Increase Power

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible; its 176 verses celebrate “the law of the Lord”—God’s special revelation and gracious direction for life. Verse 11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” How do you hide God’s Word in your heart? By memorizing it. When you commit Scripture to memory, the Holy Spirit will use its truth to guide your thoughts and actions.

One memorization method is to transcribe a meaningful verse from your Scripture reading onto a notecard that you can carry throughout the day. Place it where it can be seen—in your car, on the bathroom mirror, on the treadmill, or on the computer screen. If you want power in your Christian life, Scripture memorization will provide it.

Step Six: Demonstrate Renewal

When you habitually spend time in God’s Word, you can’t help but experience renewal inside and out. Consider these words from Psalm 119: “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!… I will delight myself in Your statutes, I will not forget Your word…. I will run the course of Your commandments…. I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies…. I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes” (vv. 2, 16, 32, 59, 112, emphasis added). Do you see the connection between the psalmist’s inward thoughts and his outward actions? The thoughts that inhabit your mind will work their way out in the choices you make. Demonstration is an external process that reveals internal renewal.

As you study God’s Word, its instruction and power will change your behavior. Make it your goal to share the encouragement of His Word with others whenever possible.

Reading Plan

Now that you have the steps, it’s time to get started. The downloadable reading plan below will guide you through the entire Bible in one year.

Download Your Reading Plan

Daily in His Presence

In the new year, take a few moments each day to pause—to shift your focus from everything that’s going on in the world and connect your heart with the heart of Jesus. As you read through the Bible, let Dr. Jeremiah share Scripture and a few words of wisdom with you every day of the new year through the 2020 Turning Point devotional.

Learn More

	January	February	March
Day 1:	Genesis 1 – 4	Leviticus 14 – 15	Deuteronomy 26 – 27
Day 2:	Genesis 5 – 8	Leviticus 16 – 18	Deuteronomy 28 – 29
Day 3:	Genesis 9 – 12	Leviticus 19 – 21	Deuteronomy 30 – 32
Day 4:	Genesis 13 – 17	Leviticus 22 – 23	Deuteronomy 33 – 34
Day 5:	Genesis 18 – 20	Leviticus 24 – 25	Joshua 1 – 4
Day 6:	Genesis 21 – 23	Leviticus 26 – 27	Joshua 5 – 7
Day 7:	Genesis 24 – 25	Numbers 1 – 2	Joshua 8 – 10
Day 8:	Genesis 26 – 28	Numbers 3 – 4	Joshua 11 – 13
Day 9:	Genesis 29 – 31	Numbers 5 – 6	Joshua 14 – 17
Day 10:	Genesis 32 – 35	Numbers 7	Joshua 18 – 20
Day 11:	Genesis 36 – 38	Numbers 8 – 10	Joshua 21 – 22
Day 12:	Genesis 39 – 41	Numbers 11 – 13	Joshua 23 – 24
Day 13:	Genesis 42 – 43	Numbers 14 – 15	Judges 1 – 3
Day 14:	Genesis 44 – 46	Numbers 16 – 18	Judges 4 – 5
Day 15:	Genesis 47 – 50	Numbers 19 – 21	Judges 6 – 8
Day 16:	Exodus 1 – 4	Numbers 22 – 24	Judges 9 – 10
Day 17:	Exodus 5 – 7	Numbers 25 – 26	Judges 11 – 13
Day 18:	Exodus 8 – 10	Numbers 27 – 29	Judges 14 – 16
Day 19:	Exodus 11 – 13	Numbers 30 – 32	Judges 17 – 19
Day 20:	Exodus 14 – 16	Numbers 33 – 36	Judges 20 – 21
Day 21:	Exodus 17 – 20	Deuteronomy 1 – 2	Ruth 1 – 4
Day 22:	Exodus 21 – 23	Deuteronomy 3 – 4	1 Samuel 1 – 3
Day 23:	Exodus 24 – 27	Deuteronomy 5 – 8	1 Samuel 4 – 7
Day 24:	Exodus 28 – 30	Deuteronomy 9 – 11	1 Samuel 8 – 12
Day 25:	Exodus 31 – 34	Deuteronomy 12 – 15	1 Samuel 13 – 14
Day 26:	Exodus 35 – 37	Deuteronomy 16 – 18	1 Samuel 15 – 16
Day 27:	Exodus 38 – 40	Deuteronomy 19 – 20	1 Samuel 17 – 18
Day 28:	Leviticus 1 – 4	Deuteronomy 21 – 23	1 Samuel 19 – 21
Day 29:	Leviticus 5 – 7	Deuteronomy 24 – 25	1 Samuel 22 – 24
Day 30:	Leviticus 8 – 10		1 Samuel 25 – 27
Day 31:	Leviticus 11 – 13		1 Samuel 28 – 31

	April	May	June
Day 1:	2 Samuel 1 – 3	1 Chronicles 7 – 9	Job 21 – 24
Day 2:	2 Samuel 4 – 7	1 Chronicles 10 – 12	Job 25 – 30
Day 3:	2 Samuel 8 – 11	1 Chronicles 13 – 16	Job 31 – 34
Day 4:	2 Samuel 12 – 13	1 Chronicles 17 – 19	Job 35 – 38
Day 5:	2 Samuel 14 – 16	1 Chronicles 20 – 23	Job 39 – 42
Day 6:	2 Samuel 17 – 19	1 Chronicles 24 – 26	Psalms 1 – 8
Day 7:	2 Samuel 20 – 22	1 Chronicles 27 – 29	Psalms 9 – 17
Day 8:	2 Samuel 23 – 24	2 Chronicles 1 – 4	Psalms 18 – 21
Day 9:	1 Kings 1 – 2	2 Chronicles 5 – 7	Psalms 22 – 27
Day 10:	1 Kings 3 – 5	2 Chronicles 8 – 11	Psalms 28 – 33
Day 11:	1 Kings 6 – 7	2 Chronicles 12 – 16	Psalms 34 – 37
Day 12:	1 Kings 8 – 9	2 Chronicles 17 – 20	Psalms 38 – 42
Day 13:	1 Kings 10 – 12	2 Chronicles 21 – 24	Psalms 43 – 49
Day 14:	1 Kings 13 – 15	2 Chronicles 25 – 28	Psalms 50 – 55
Day 15:	1 Kings 16 – 18	2 Chronicles 29 – 31	Psalms 56 – 61
Day 16:	1 Kings 19 – 20	2 Chronicles 32 – 34	Psalms 62 – 68
Day 17:	1 Kings 21 – 22	2 Chronicles 35 – 36	Psalms 69 – 72
Day 18:	2 Kings 1 – 3	Ezra 1 – 4	Psalms 73 – 77
Day 19:	2 Kings 4 – 5	Ezra 5 – 7	Psalms 78 – 80
Day 20:	2 Kings 6 – 8	Ezra 8 – 10	Psalms 81 – 88
Day 21:	2 Kings 9 – 10	Nehemiah 1 – 3	Psalms 89 – 94
Day 22:	2 Kings 11 – 13	Nehemiah 4 – 7	Psalms 95 – 103
Day 23:	2 Kings 14 – 16	Nehemiah 8 – 10	Psalms 104 – 106
Day 24:	2 Kings 17 – 18	Nehemiah 11 – 13	Psalms 107 – 111
Day 25:	2 Kings 19 – 21	Esther 1 – 5	Psalms 112 – 118
Day 26:	2 Kings 22 – 23	Esther 6 – 10	Psalm 119
Day 27:	2 Kings 24 – 25	Job 1 – 4	Psalms 120 – 133
Day 28:	1 Chronicles 1 – 2	Job 5 – 8	Psalms 134 – 140
Day 29:	1 Chronicles 3 – 4	Job 9 – 12	Psalms 141 – 150
Day 30:	1 Chronicles 5 – 6	Job 13 – 16	Proverbs 1 – 3
Day 31:		Job 17 – 20

	July	August	September
Day 1:	Proverbs 4 – 7	Isaiah 60 – 63	Ezekiel 25 – 27
Day 2:	Proverbs 8 – 11	Isaiah 64 – 66	Ezekiel 28 – 30
Day 3:	Proverbs 12 – 14	Jeremiah 1 – 3	Ezekiel 31 – 32
Day 4:	Proverbs 15 – 17	Jeremiah 4 – 5	Ezekiel 33 – 35
Day 5:	Proverbs 18 – 20	Jeremiah 6 – 8	Ezekiel 36 – 38
Day 6:	Proverbs 21 – 23	Jeremiah 9 – 11	Ezekiel 39 – 40
Day 7:	Proverbs 24 – 26	Jeremiah 12 – 14	Ezekiel 41 – 43
Day 8:	Proverbs 27 – 29	Jeremiah 15 – 17	Ezekiel 44 – 46
Day 9:	Proverbs 30 – 31	Jeremiah 18 – 21	Ezekiel 47 – 48
Day 10:	Ecclesiastes 1 – 4	Jeremiah 22 – 24	Daniel 1 – 3
Day 11:	Ecclesiastes 5 – 8	Jeremiah 25 – 27	Daniel 4 – 5
Day 12:	Ecclesiastes 9 – 12	Jeremiah 28 – 30	Daniel 6 – 8
Day 13:	Song of Solomon 1 – 4	Jeremiah 31 – 32	Daniel 9 – 12
Day 14:	Song of Solomon 5 – 8	Jeremiah 33 – 36	Hosea 1 – 4
Day 15:	Isaiah 1 – 3	Jeremiah 37 – 39	Hosea 5 – 9
Day 16:	Isaiah 4 – 8	Jeremiah 40 – 43	Hosea 10 – 14
Day 17:	Isaiah 9 – 11	Jeremiah 44 – 46	Joel 1 – 3
Day 18:	Isaiah 12 – 14	Jeremiah 47 – 48	Amos 1 – 4
Day 19:	Isaiah 15 – 19	Jeremiah 49	Amos 5 – 9
Day 20:	Isaiah 20 – 24	Jeremiah 50	Obadiah 1
Day 21:	Isaiah 25 – 28	Jeremiah 51 – 52	Jonah 1 – 4
Day 22:	Isaiah 29 – 31	Lamentations 1 – 2	Micah 1 – 4
Day 23:	Isaiah 32 – 34	Lamentations 3 – 5	Micah 5 – 7
Day 24:	Isaiah 35 – 37	Ezekiel 1 – 4	Nahum 1 – 3
Day 25:	Isaiah 38 – 40	Ezekiel 5 – 8	Habakkuk 1 – 3
Day 26:	Isaiah 41 – 43	Ezekiel 9 – 12	Zephaniah 1 – 3
Day 27:	Isaiah 44 – 46	Ezekiel 13 – 15	Haggai 1 – 2
Day 28:	Isaiah 47 – 49	Ezekiel 16 – 17	Zechariah 1 – 5
Day 29:	Isaiah 50 – 52	Ezekiel 18 – 20	Zechariah 6 – 10
Day 30:	Isaiah 53 – 56	Ezekiel 21 – 22	Zechariah 11 – 14
Day 31:	Isaiah 57 – 59	Ezekiel 23 – 24

	October	November	December
Day 1:	Malachi 1 – 4	John 1 – 2	1 Corinthians 10 – 13
Day 2:	Matthew 1 – 4	John 3 – 4	1 Corinthians 14 – 16
Day 3:	Matthew 5 – 6	John 5 – 6	2 Corinthians 1 – 4
Day 4:	Matthew 7 – 9	John 7 – 8	2 Corinthians 5 – 9
Day 5:	Matthew 10 – 11	John 9 – 10	2 Corinthians 10 – 13
Day 6:	Matthew 12 – 13	John 11 – 12	Galatians 1 – 3
Day 7:	Matthew 14 – 17	John 13 – 15	Galatians 4 – 6
Day 8:	Matthew 18 – 20	John 16 – 17	Ephesians 1 – 3
Day 9:	Matthew 21 – 22	John 18 – 19	Ephesians 4 – 6
Day 10:	Matthew 23 – 24	John 20 – 21	Philippians 1 – 4
Day 11:	Matthew 25 – 26	Acts 1 – 3	Colossians 1 – 4
Day 12:	Matthew 27 – 28	Acts 4 – 5	1 Thessalonians 1 – 5
Day 13:	Mark 1 – 3	Acts 6 – 7	2 Thessalonians 1 – 3
Day 14:	Mark 4 – 5	Acts 8 – 9	1 Timothy 1 – 6
Day 15:	Mark 6 – 7	Acts 10 – 11	2 Timothy 1 – 4
Day 16:	Mark 8 – 9	Acts 12 – 13	Titus 1 – 3; Philemon 1
Day 17:	Mark 10 – 11	Acts 14 – 15	Hebrews 1 – 4
Day 18:	Mark 12 – 13	Acts 16 – 17	Hebrews 5 – 8
Day 19:	Mark 14	Acts 18 – 19	Hebrews 9 – 10
Day 20:	Mark 15 – 16	Acts 20 – 21	Hebrews 11 – 13
Day 21:	Luke 1 – 2	Acts 22 – 23	James 1 – 5
Day 22:	Luke 3 – 4	Acts 24 – 26	1 Peter 1 – 5; 2 Peter 1 – 3
Day 23:	Luke 5 – 6	Acts 27 – 28	1 John 1 – 5
Day 24:	Luke 7 – 8	Romans 1 – 3	2 John 1; 3 John 1
Day 25:	Luke 9 – 10	Romans 4 – 7	Luke 2:1-20; Jude 1
Day 26:	Luke 11 – 12	Romans 8 – 10	Revelation 1 – 4
Day 27:	Luke 13 – 15	Romans 11 – 14	Revelation 5 – 9
Day 28:	Luke 16 – 18	Romans 15 – 16	Revelation 10 – 13
Day 29:	Luke 19 – 20	1 Corinthians 1 – 4	Revelation 14 – 17
Day 30:	Luke 21 – 22	1 Corinthians 5 – 9	Revelation 18 – 19
Day 31:	Luke 23 – 24		Revelation 20 – 22