Simple Steps to Commit to Reading the Bible This Year

Read the Bible More Days Than You Don’t

Scripture References

Primary text

• Genesis 1
• 2 Timothy 3

Other references

• Genesis 2
• Matthew 11

Overview

Lasting change rarely happens by will-power alone. Pastor James argues that the most transformative habit you can form in the new year is simple: read the Bible more days than you don’t. Research, Scripture, and personal stories all point to this practice as the single strongest predictor of spiritual and personal growth. To keep the habit alive, make the process enjoyable—know the goal of Bible reading, find trustworthy guides, and refuse to give up.

Main Points

1. Want change that lasts? Make the process enjoyable

• New Year’s resolutions collapse because “knowing better is not the same as doing better.”
• Statistics name the second Friday of January “Quitter’s Day.” Our desire meter often hits zero by then.

• Illustration: Winning a rematch with his Special-Forces-trainee younger brother motivates James to stay in shape—it turns discipline into fun.
• Healthy habits became sustainable for him only when he learned nutritious food can taste good.

• Principle: If you enjoy the process, you’re far more likely to sustain the change.

2. The unrivaled habit:

“Read the Bible more days than you don’t.”

• Center for Bible Engagement studied 100,000+ people and identified the “Rule of Four.” Reading Scripture 4+ days a week results in measurable life change.
  • 228 % more likely to share faith
  • 400 %+ more likely to memorize Scripture
  • 59 % less likely to watch porn
  • 30 % less likely to feel lonely
• Additional temptations—overeating, anger, gossip, overspending—decrease for regular Bible readers.
• 2 Timothy 3 affirms why: “All Scripture is God-breathed…so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

3. How to make Bible reading enjoyable (and therefore sustainable)

1. Know the goal

   • The Bible’s purpose is not to answer every scientific detail; it is to introduce us to God and shape us into Christ’s likeness.
   • Winning is fun; if you don’t know the win—meeting Jesus and becoming like Him—you leave your reading time unsure and discouraged.

2. Find a guide

   • Progress feels better than being stuck.
   • Weekend preaching, trusted pastors, and Bible plans inside the Bible App provide daily guidance.
   • Doing plans with friends or a LifeGroup multiplies joy and splits the struggle.

3. Refuse to give up

   • If you miss one day, don’t miss two.
   • Story: As a teen martial-arts student, James wanted Xbox instead of practice. His dad repeated, “Son, bring your body, and your mind will follow.” The same discipline applies to Scripture.

4. Seeing Scripture’s richness: a quick tour of Genesis 1

• Reading wisely means remembering Jesus is King and context is everything.
• Original audience: recently freed Hebrew slaves wondering who this rescuing God is.
• Patterns in Genesis 1 (God said/it was so; God saw/it was good; evening-morning) highlight the special nature of the seventh day—rest.
• Sabbath taught ex-slaves their worth comes from the Creator, not their productivity.
• Apparent day-one/day-four “light” tension dissolves when we see that God Himself (later revealed in Jesus—“the light of the world”) precedes sun and stars.
• Enjoyment grows as you spot these layers; the Bible was crafted with intentional beauty waiting to be discovered.

Key Truths

• Knowing better is not the same as doing better.
• Sustainable change requires making disciplines enjoyable.
• Regular Bible engagement (4+ days a week) is the strongest predictor of spiritual growth.
• The Bible’s chief goal is to reveal Jesus and form us into His image.
• Context unlocks depth; every page ultimately points to Christ.

Response

• Schedule daily reading times and aim for four or more days each week.
• Choose a Bible plan today and invite at least one friend to read it with you.
• When you miss a day, re-start immediately—don’t wait for Monday or next month.
• Approach each reading asking, “What does this teach me about Jesus, and how can I live it?”
• Practice weekly Sabbath rest as a reminder that your value is rooted in God, not output.

Closing

Pastor James ended with a straight invitation: commit, before God, to seek Him in His Word throughout the coming year. The habit will conform us to Christ, equip us for good works, and anchor our identity in His love.

“If you miss one day, don’t miss two—read the Bible more days than you don’t.”

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I pray that we would all come to You, that we would find rest in You. Give us the discipline and the wisdom to do what we know we need to do even when we don’t feel like it, so we can experience You in a new way and be shaped into new people. May the coming year be better than the one before. In Your name, amen.”

Resources

• Bible App (YouVersion) and its Bible Plans feature
• “Fully Devoted” Bible plan by Caitlin & Pastor James
• Center for Bible Engagement research