In about five to ten minutes per day, you can read through the entire New Testament in one year. If you didn’t start on January 1st, start today. Stay consistent and make focused Bible reading a daily habit.
Read the selected chapter each day.
Spend some time in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to you through the reading.
Read the study guide for the day you are on to dig a little deeper into a few selected verses.
Respond to the questions and prayer guides as you apply the biblical teachings to your life.
By the end of this week we will have read through Matthew, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, 1 Thessalonians, James, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.
Sunday, June 5th – Acts 1 – Sabbath : Sanctuary : Simple
Simple means pure and uncluttered. It means having time to do things that are important. Reread verse 8. What is one of the priorities God desires for you? Think about what a witness does in a courtroom. He or she tells the story they have experienced. Pray about who you can share God’s story / your story with today.
Monday, June 6th – Acts 2
A simple life is one where priorities can be lived out. Clutter reduces time and energy for priorities. Reread verses 42 to 47. Look at the priorities of the people in the early church: Hanging out together, sharing life, worshipping God, praying, learning together, and serving people. What are some things you can say “no” to in life so that you can say “yes” to your priorities. Pray for God’s priorities to be your priorities.
Tuesday, June 7th – Acts 3
Rest is essential in life. It is enjoyable and makes times of stress more manageable. Reread verse 19. Peter is urging repentance. Repentance means to turn from sin to love. To turn from self to God. Layers of sin and selfishness will weigh us down and force us to carry burdens than God doesn’t want us to carry. Think about the sin and selfishness in your life that is making your life cluttered and complicated. Pray for God to remove this sin from your life so that you may experience rest and purity.
Wednesday, June 8th – Acts 4
Material possessions make our life complicated. People need some possessions to survive and enjoy life, but we live in a culture of excess. Acquiring God’s creation is not the purpose of life. A relationship with God is the purpose of life. Reread verses 32 to 37. Note how possessions (verse 33) didn’t provide for a person’s deepest need: grace. God provides that. Pray for two things: 1) the desire to share your possessions and 2) the desire to receive God’s grace.
Thursday, June 9th – Acts 5
Sanctuary is a holy and safe space. Solomon’s Porch was a special place for the apostles. It was an environment where they experienced the love of God and the love of each other. Where are the spaces and places in your life where you can experience the love of God and the love of others? Make an effort to get to these spaces on a regular schedule.
Friday, June 10th – Acts 6
Verses 1 to 7 are a wonderful example of how to say “no”. The Greeks complained to the apostles that the widows were being neglected. Instead of going to feed the widows, the apostles send others to care for them while they remained in the ministry of the Word. Who and what do you need to say “no” to so that you can say “yes” to who and what are most important?
Saturday, June 11th – Acts 7
Acts 7 is the story of Stephen. He gave his life for the Gospel. No compromises or fears. Simple can also mean pure and not complex. Note Stephen’s purity and passion for the Lord. Pray for the passion and purity of Stephen.
Sunday, June 12th – Acts 8 – Suffering : Sufficiency
Reread verses 28 and 29. Note what happened. Peter was reading the Bible when the Holy Spirit spoke to him. The Holy Spirit can speak to us whenever, but we are most likely going to hear God’s voice when we are reading the Bible. Stick with the Bible reading plan and be open to hearing God’s voice.
Monday, June 13th – Acts 9
Suffering is never pleasant at the time. But God can do things in our life when we are suffering that simply can’t happen during times of prosperity and health. Paul lost his vision. He suffered. But because of his suffering, he was able to do things he would not have been able to do if he hadn’t suffered. Think about times you have suffered. How have these times helped you grow and be of more usefulness to God and others? Pray that your painful life experiences can be used in the future to help yourself and others.
Tuesday, June 14th – Acts 10
Sufficiency is receiving what we need. Note Peter’s confession in verses 39 to 43. He clearly states one of the central themes of the Bible: the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is one of the things we need. Pray for forgiveness of self, forgiveness from others, and for God’s forgiveness.
Wednesday, June 15th – Acts 11
When we are suffering it is easy to believe we are alone. That God doesn’t care and that nobody understands. Reread verse 21. The persecuted and suffering people were scattered, but God remained with them. Know that when they need God the most, God remains with us. God is not going to leave us in our time of suffering. Pray to more fully experience more of God’s presence in your life.
Thursday, June 16th – Acts 12
Peter was in prison. He was in chains and suffering. Reread verse 7. God freed Peter from his chains. Peter then got up and left. Part of Peter’s freedom depended on God and part depended on Peter. Think about the healing that needs to happen in your life. What part of the healing is your responsibility?
Friday, June 17th – Acts 13
Paul and Barnabas didn’t have an easy life. They worked hard, sometimes didn’t see many positive results, and sometimes were belittled and persecuted. They suffered. Reread verse 52 and note God gives them sufficiency: joy and the Holy Spirit. They didn’t seek power, control, and the approval. They did receive something much better: joy and the Holy Spirit. Pray for joy and the Holy Spirit in your present situation, whatever that situation is.
Saturday, June 18th – Acts 14
Suffering is a part of life. Paul was busy doing God’s work. Then the Jews from Antioch threw rocks at Paul and almost killed him. Paul didn’t sit around complaining or being sad, he got up and did more of God’s work. (verses 19 and 20) Pray for the ability to persevere through tough times.
Sunday, June 19th – Acts 15 – Surrender : Servant
Paul and Barnabas were both servants who lived surrendered lives. Reread verse 36. Note their compassion and commitment to people. Pray for God to give you compassion for people, a willingness to serve others, and to live a life surrendered to God.
Monday, June 20th – Acts 16
Paul and Silas didn’t just serve God in their spare time or just when times were good. They served God at all times. Reread verses 25 to 31. They even served God in prison. Many of us have busy lives. Pray for the ability to serve God where we are and to serve others we interact with.
Tuesday, June 21st – Acts 17
Athens contained many idols. (verse 16) Paul was preaching the one true God. Modern day America contains many idols as well. Idols that are rivals to God. Pray for idols such as materialism, power, selfishness, and technology to diminish in your life and for the one true God to increase in your life.
Wednesday, June 22nd – Acts 18
The promise God gave Paul in verses 9 and 10 is a promise God has given and will always give His people: “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” As we seek to serve God with greater frequency and intensity, in what ways does it help to know that God is with us?
Thursday, June 23rd – Acts 19
Paul had some good experiences in Ephesus and some not-so-good experiences in Ephesus. But he was always a servant. List five traits Paul displayed in chapter 19. Pray for these traits to be developed in your life.
Friday, June 24th – Acts 20
A surrendered servant gives radically. Reread verse 35. What does this verse say about giving? Think of how you can give generously and radically to others with your resources, time, and energy. Then give. Keep track of how God is blessing you through giving to others.
Saturday, June 25th – Acts 21
Paul was winning to give his life to serve the Gospel. Verses 12 to 14 show the lengths Paul was ready to go to for the Gospel. The Gospel demands not part of our lives but all of our lives. How much are you willing to give to the Gospel?
Sunday, June 26th – Acts 22 – Sin : Salvation
Paul’s early life was corrupted by sin. Reread verses 4 and 5. Paul did not let his past sin define his future. Think about sin in your past. Does this define you? Pray for the ability to accept God’s forgiveness and to live out a future that isn’t defined by your past, but by God’s promises.
Monday, June 27th – Acts 23
Healing is another word for salvation. Paul’s present human condition was grim: He was on trail for his life. Spiritually he received healing and salvation. Reread verse 6. His hope was not in escaping human punishment. His hope was in the resurrection of the dead. It is so easy to get caught up in thinking only about this world. How does Paul’s eternal view challenge you?
Tuesday, June 28th – Acts 24
Paul notes in verse 15 about the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. Salvation under Christ is not earned, but given. It’s not just for the good people, but to all who believe in the resurrection. Pray to accept God’s gift of salvation that saves us from our sins.
Wednesday, June 29th – Acts 25
Paul was being tried not for something he did, but for who he was and what he believed. This happens to us in life. Note Paul’s response. He didn’t think less of himself or change his beliefs. He embraced who he was and trusted in God. What lessons can we learn from Paul?
Thursday, June 30th – Acts 26
Paul recalled an earlier conversation with Jesus. In this conversation, Jesus spoke of Paul’s sin in verse 15. He spoke of salvation in verses 17 and 18. Sin is what separates us from God and salvation is what restores us to God. Pray for restoration and healing in your relationship with God.
Friday, July 1st – Acts 27
Keep up your courage. Paul said that in verses 22 and 25. He was speaking to men on a ship who were in a storm. We all go through storms of life. We generally get to choose whether we overcome the storm or if the storm overcomes us. When in the storms of life, keep up your courage, and overcome the storms.
Saturday, July 2nd – Acts 28
Acts is concluded with Paul teaching about salvation. He notes the power of repentance. We turn and God heals. (verse 27) It is available to all. (verse 29) Take some time praying. Turn from sin and turn to God. Expect God to heal you and offer you grace!
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