Read or listen to an entire book of the Bible each day for 40 days.
We’ve all heard of a 40-Day Fast but a 40-Day Feast? Well, first of all, this is not a celebration of gluttony but a commitment to “feast” on God’s Word by reading or listening to an entire book of the Bible each day for 40 days.
Tips:
(1) Don’t let this overwhelm you. It’s really not that hard. Take a look at this chart. Did you know that there are 40 books of the Bible that can be read in one hour or less—most of them in 20 minutes or less?
(2) Don’t be legalistic with this. The purpose of the 40-Day Feast is for you to enjoy God’s Word. In other words, if you read a book and it really strikes your heart, read it again the next day. There’s nothing wrong with reading the same book several times if God is speaking to you through it. However, don’t just read 3 John over and over because of its shortness. Once I read the Gospel of Mark more than once. I also read Colossians several times during one 40-Day Feast simply because it captured my heart.
(3) Don’t just read—You can listen to Scripture too. Some people are visual and some are auditory learners and many fall in the middle. At an undistracted time, listen to a book of the Bible.
(4) Enjoy God’s truth and ask God to speak to you through His Word.
Did you know?
There are five great ways to study Scripture:
Read an entire book of the Bible in one sitting.
When I first heard this, I sat down and read Job straight through—and I was amazed by what I noticed that I’d never seen before. There’s nothing quite like reading a book in one sitting to get the big picture. In my opinion, it’s one of the best ways to gain an overview of any book of the Bible.
Read Scripture consistently.
Here’s how I picture it: if I’m chopping down a huge tree for 15 minutes a day, the question isn’t whether the tree will fall—it’s when. As long as I keep showing up and swinging the axe, it will eventually come down. A little everyday does a lot as long as I am consistent.
Study Scripture—dig in.
Take a closer look at how words and themes are used, not only within one book but across the whole Bible. Notice how a writer uses key ideas elsewhere, and compare how other writers speak about the same truths. Learn the Bible’s timeline. Understand the background of each book. Over time, you’ll start seeing how all the pieces fit together in the big picture of God’s Word.
Memorize the book.
One of the best ways to truly know Scripture is to hide it in your heart. When you memorize a whole book, you start to notice the author’s patterns—how certain words repeat, how themes build, and how everything connects. But don’t rush it. Take your time. Meditate. Ask God for understanding as you learn.
The first book I memorized was James. It’s 108 verses, and it took me about three months—but it completely changed how I understood that book. And there’s something special about lying in bed at night and “reading” God’s Word in your own mind.
Learn from what others have said—but measure everything by Scripture.
This can include trusted preachers and solid commentaries. God has gifted some people with a special ability to mine truth from Scripture and teach it clearly. Listen and learn—but always measure everything against the whole counsel of God’s Word.
I list this one last on purpose, because I believe it’s the least of the five. Most of our learning should happen at the feet of Christ, not merely at the feet of man.
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