I commend you for wanting to read through the Bible; I wish more people would do it. Every part of it is God’s Word, and He can use all of it to change us. Never forget: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

At the same time, the Bible covers thousands of years (and usually over 1,000 pages), and I know it can seem overwhelming if you’re reading it for the first time. This is why I often suggest people start not at the beginning of the Bible but at its center – that is, with Jesus Christ, who is the center of the Bible’s message. All the Old Testament points forward to Him, and all the New Testament focuses on Him.

Don’t give up reading the Bible, but instead start with one of the Gospels (I often suggest John). Read only as much as you can absorb each day, noting carefully what is happening, and what it reveals about Jesus. Before you open the Bible, ask God to make you alert, and to speak to you through its pages.

In addition, ask God to help you understand what each passage should mean to you. The Bible isn’t just a book of information; it is God’s Word, pointing us to Christ and His power to change our lives. The Bible says, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).