Ready to Dive into the Word?

Your Bible is really an amazing document. It's made up of sixty-six books written by over forty authors over a 1,600-year time period. It's the highest selling, most widely distributed book in history.

The way I see it, there are three attitudes people have about the Bible: it's just another book, it's an important book, or it's the Book. The people in that last category don't just read the Bible—they feed on it. It shapes everything in their lives.

To be fair, I think there's a fourth attitude people have: they want the Bible to be an important book to them, but they don't make the time for it, they find it hard to understand, or they're discouraged by the world around them.

Whatever your attitude is toward the Bible, I'm issuing you this challenge: give me thirty days, and I'll give you a 30,000-foot overview of the New Testament. Briefly flying over each book—with several days to catch up, go deeper, and learn more about the Bible—you'll gain a greater grasp on the Word of God as you read each lesson, answer questions, pray, and more.

Why take such a hard-hitting approach to the biblical text? Because only Scripture is "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV) and can transform your life.

Think It Through

What excuses have you made in the past for not studying the Bible? How will you deal with those excuses in the next thirty days?

The term inerrancy is often used to describe the Bible, meaning it contains no error or fault. Why must we hold to the truth that the Bible is inerrant?

How did the Old Testament writers view Scripture (see Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:105, 160)?

How did Jesus view Scripture (see Matthew 4:4; 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17)?

A Word of Encouragement

In the end, it's not about how many times you've been through the Bible—it's about how many times the Bible has been through you. It's not about how much you know about the Book—it's about whether you know the Author of the Book, God Himself.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your Word isn't just another collection of dusty sayings that have no relevance to real life, but God-breathed revelation preserved in written form for all of mankind to be shown the Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray that as I turn my heart toward Your Word, You would show me its truths. Please help me make the Bible a priority in my life during the next thirty days and beyond.

Land and Explore

If you want to gain more insight into how to have a personal Bible study, download Pastor Skip's teaching series How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It. 

Make the most of your journey through the Bible. Download a chapter from The Bible from 30,000 Feet.