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~NEW~PARASHIOT FROM THE TORAH AND HAFTARAH 2006/2007
with Readings from the B’rit Chadashah and Holiday Selections (.pdf)
The Don Finto Bible
Reading PlanRead Genesis to Esther; then start over in that section. It may take you six months, a year or even three years for this section. It is a long section but at least you will eventually have read it all the way through.
Read Job to Song of Solomon; then start over. Actually, I usually stay in the Psalms and read Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon alongside them. This will not take a year if you read a chapter daily. Remember you do not have to read a chapter a day out of any section!
Read Isaiah to Malachi; then start over. This section will not take a year either.
Read Matthew to Acts; then start over. This will take less than five months. You may want to read this part several times a year. No one is telling you you can’t! It is up to you and God
Read Romans to Revelation; then start over. This, also, is a short section that can easily be read twice a year.
If at any time you want to change Bibles simply transfer your latest “marks” to the new Bible and pick up there. Since I have been following this plan I have read in the Living Bible, The New King James, the New American Standard and the New International Version.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Bible Reading Plan
I have tried all kinds of Bible reading plans.
Three chapters a day every day and five on Sunday will take you through the Bible in a year. (I don't like spending most of the year in the Old Testament. It's too easy to fall behind, and it is discouraging to get behind. )
I have tried the kind you carry like a bookmark in your Bible and check it off as you read. (I always lost them before the year was up, then I would get behind and get discouraged.)
Five Psalms a day and one chapter of Proverbs will take you through each of those books in a month. (However, as good as they are, I need more than Psalms and Proverbs! When do I get to the gospels, the letters, to the history section? If I read that many Psalms and Proverbs every day – I don't have time for the rest. Besides, I get behind!)
So, I finally came up with my own Bible reading plan. I never get behind!
I read as slowly or as swiftly as I like.
I don't have to carry any extra paper. I do need one particular Bible that I have decided to read from and carry it with me all the time. I also carry a pen or pencil (but you should do that anyway – the Lord speaks at the most unexpected times and we are forgetful!).
Let me tell you why I came up with the plan the way I did. I need the Psalms every day. They are my “starters.” I pray them. I especially use the “praise” ones. I use the “crying out” Psalms, too. Actually, I stay in the poetic literature – Job through Song of Solomon quite a bit. (Honestly, I read most of Job remembering God later chided his friends. It is good to read and know when well-meaning folks give us advice; God will ultimately deal with us Himself and reveal the truth. )
I know I need to keep reading the history of God’s dealings with His people. After all, He said, “these things were written for our learning upon whom the end of the age has come” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11). Therefore, I stay in the history section – Genesis to Esther.
Then, there are the letters – Romans through Jude - which were written for believers and because I am a believer, I know I need them. I add Revelation to this section since I want to get more acquainted with what is supposed to happen.
About twenty years ago, I realized I knew practically nothing about the prophecies of the old scriptures – Isaiah through Malachi. Since I had assumed they had all been fulfilled, I just relegated them to the past. I have now come to believe there are still many parts unfulfilled. I want to keep reading this section so I can watch with care as events unfold.
I have saved the best until last.
You know I am going to stay in the gospels - Matthew through John – and Acts. The gospels tell Jesus’ story and since I am going to be like Him when I grow up, I must keep looking at Him to know what I am going to be like! I must keep watching Him. I do that by reading the gospels. I have the same Holy Spirit living in me who came on the day of Pentecost I want to be well acquainted with His work in the early days so I can grow up into all He has for me.
How do I do all this? I read in five different places all the time!
If I were just starting today, and if I could read five chapters today, I would start with Psalms 1 (I would read Job later!). Then I would read Genesis 1, Isaiah 1, Romans 1 and Matthew 1. At the end of each of those chapters I would put a small “9” since I am reading in 1999. In 1998, I marked my place with a small “8”, in 1997 a “7,” and so forth. You get the point. That way I can always find the place I left off. (In fact, if I do not complete the chapter, I put my “mark” anyway. Sometimes I get caught up in a story and do not finish the chapter, especially when I am in the gospels.)
If I only have time for one chapter (I choose which section I want to read (history, poetic, gospels, letters or prophets) and leave the rest for either later in the day or another day.
If I have long periods of time when I just want to read for a while, I choose a section and keep going, always leaving my “mark” at the end of that chapter so I can look back anytime and see where I stopped in that particular section.
Get it?
The Bible I have now is a New International Version which I started using in 1997. At the close of Malachi 4, there are four of my “marks”: “7”, “8”, “9” and “0”. See? I finished Malachi in 1997, 1998,1999 and 2000.
In that way, I can be sure I have not neglected sections of scripture and never read them just because I have no special interest in them. (Granted, I do speed read the genealogies and some of the particulars about the tabernacle furnishings. But at least I do know where they are located.)
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