Lee Ann Mancini: Need A Good Reason to Read Your Bible? No Excuse – Do It Now!
I have to be honest—it’s not every day that I read my Bible. I pray every day, and most days, I do read my Bible, but sometimes I don’t. I know I’m not the only one, but most people don’t like to admit this.
With this in mind, I decided to research how long it would take to read the whole Bible if I read it daily, giving only a minimum effort. There are 260 chapters in the New Testament and 929 chapters in the Old Testament. That’s a total of 1,189 chapters. If I read just three chapters a day, I would be able to read the whole Bible in one year. If I read just one chapter each day of the New Testament that would be 260 days, which is less than one year.
Research indicates that we can read the whole Bible in a year by reading less than 12 minutes each day. I concluded that there is no excuse not to read the Bible, or to listen to it audibly, from cover to cover.
There is no excuse not to read the Bible, or to listen to it audibly, from cover to cover.
Lee Ann Mancini, executive producer of Sea Kids animation series
The Bible is the most important book ever written. The Word of God contains God’s will for our lives. It is our spiritual food. It guides us and gives us discernment, instructing us in righteousness. It is the living Word, giving us the power to overcome temptation and evil. It is a love letter from God to us with the promise of becoming the bride of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. It is a live-action thriller better than any Hollywood script. It transforms lives while being entertaining.
I am reminded of its action-packed story-line and the ability to transform lives as I read 1 Corinthians 4:10-13 NIV:
We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
~1 Corinthians 4:10-13 NIV
Wow! Can you imagine being hungry, thirsty, wearing rags, brutally beaten and homeless, and still blessing while being cursed, enduring while being persecuted, being kind while being slandered, and feeling like scum or garbage? I cannot even fathom the idea. And yet the disciples suffered those things and remained faithful to Jesus, the Word Made Flesh.
How about William Tyndale? In 1536 he was burned alive in Belgium for translating the Bible into English. Tyndale was “moved to translate the New Testament because he saw that ‘it was impossible to establish the people in any truth unless the Scriptures were plainly laid before their eyes in their mother-tongue.’”[1]
What the apostles suffered along with Tyndale to bring forth the Word of God makes me embarrassed to admit that I don’t take a few minutes every day to read it. #VineWords #TheBible #WordofGod Click To TweetWhat the apostles suffered along with Tyndale to bring forth the Word of God makes me embarrassed to admit that I don’t take a few minutes every day to read it. I have decided I will rearrange my priorities so that reading my Bible becomes central to my daily tasks.
Will you commit to spare twelve minutes a day for a Bible readthrough?
Heavenly Father, thank You for the Bible. Help me to prioritize reading Your Word daily.
In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
Genre: Non-fiction
Copyright 2019: Need a Good Reason to Read Your Bible? No Excuse–Read it Now!: Lee Ann Mancini
Meet Our Contributor
LEE ANN MANCINI
Lee Ann Mancini received a BA in Biblical and Theological Studies from Regent University, a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Trinity International University) in addition to two Master’s degrees from Knox Theological Seminary in Biblical and Theological Studies, as well as Christian and Classical Studies.
She is an Award-winning Christian children’s author. She is the author of the Sea Kids book series and the executive producer of the Sea Kids animation series, which can be found on Right Now Media, Pure Flix, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and SeaKidsTV.com. She also hosts a podcast, Raising Christian Kids.
Lee Ann is a Bible study writer for VineWords: Devotions and More, and a contributing author to Love Knots: Stories of Faith, Family, and Friendships (VineWords Publishing).
She holds a board position with South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary and is an adjunct professor. She also holds a board position with the Alexandrian Forum under the tutelage of Dr. Warren Gage Th.M., J.D., Ph.D. This forum seeks to bring a greater understanding of the Bible by hosting annual Typology Conferences in South Florida, dedicated to the theme of Christ as the center of scripture. Lee Ann speaks to women’s groups regarding the redemptive power of the gospel represented through the types of brides of the Church. She maintains memberships with the Christian Women in Media Association and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.
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Great post Lee Ann. I enjoyed reading it, and was encouraged to make it a habit to read through the Bible. It has been a long time since I’ve done that. God bless you.
That is wonderful Evelyn! It’s the word that gives us life!
I need this encouragement. Thank you! I’m reading through the Bible in a year right now, and some of the OT books can be quite a challenge.Bu,t I’m committed to the program. Reading the Word is such a blessing. xoxo
Yes, Karen, genealogies are not that interesting. But I love the word of God!
Thank you. To neglect the Word is to cast aside God’s perfect will/plans and to choose a far inferior thing. This was a great reminder and encouragement.
Yes, Shanda, and to not read the word of God is like not eating for me. I become depleted and need the nourishment!
Lee Ann, thanks for the challenge to be consistent in Bible reading. This article reminds us that it is not tough to do a read-through of the most important book on our shelves. Thank you! This is well researched, and inspiring.
Thank you! It is not only the greatest book to read but it’s the only living word!
Yes it is. 🙂
Amen! You are so right…we have so much and take it for granted. I love God’s Word and whole-heartedly agree we as Christians have no excuse not to be in the Word considering the price so many have paid so we can.
Thank you, Stephanie! We have to be connected to the source to receive the power!