As we gradually settle into the new year, some of us are already behind in terms of some of the goals set. Others are still diligent and still making progess.
One thing that I believe one can do in the new year especially when you have faith in Christ Jesus, is to strive to know more about him through the reading of the bible.
There is a children’s song which says

read your bible, pray everyday if you want to grow

Growing in Christ and knowing Him personally is something that is achieved by studying the bible and applying it.

To make the process more meaningful, it is helpful to have a system in place which helps one to track the progress that is being made and appreciate what one is getting out of the process.

It starts with a plan,

• how much of the bible do you want to read in the given period?
• when do you want to read the bible?,
• How do you want to track what you are reading?

How much of the Bible do you want to read?
You need to decide if you want to read every single book in 1 month or 3 months or one year. Also, do you want to read the psalms, proverbs a book in the old testament and a book in the new testament everyday? What if you want to read a book in the old testament and new testament everyday? A plan is important to determine what you want to achieve at the end of the period of interest.

When do you want to read the bible?
This is as important a factor as establishing a plan. Do you have time during break at work to do this or do you prefer to be refreshed in the morning before you do anything else? What if you like to have the word of God as the last thing on your mind before you go to bed? There are some many possibilities but you need to do some thing that works for you.
Now what if you like to read early in the morning and you find yourself re-reading the same line over and over again, one thing you can do is to read out the passage aloud to yourself, that helps to keep the focus and you can hear yourself reading and appreciating the passage as you are involving more parts of your body in the effort.

How do you want to track what you are reading?
This is an opprtunity to record what you are learning, a dedicated journal may be used to record your thoughts with the bible verse of interest recorded beside or above your comments.
If you are using an electronic bible on your tablet, phone or computer, you can also use the note facility included to do the same, it serves as a reminder of the things you have learnt and how you are growing and applying yourself to the word.

I use Logos Bible software which is a good software application and has a lot of functionalities, there are also applications for the iOS and Android devices if you prefect the mobile front.

As a final support for the new year resolution, there is a post by John Piper it is a good read.
Have a wonderful and blessed 2013

Cheers!!!