As we start a new year, many people like to make a new plan for reading the Bible. Devotionals are one way of getting in some Bible reading and also exploring new topics you are interested in. There are many varieties of devotionals to choose from. Devotionals can be in the form of a book or there are many devotionals you can access online. One of my favorite places to find devotional plans would be on the app, You Version. They have many options for plans. Some plans are for reading through the Bible in one year or as short as a few days on a particular topic. Topics can be a great way to get started. Maybe you have a goal in mind you want to pursue. Topics can range from family, faith, leadership, health, prayer and many more. YouVersion also lets you save plans that you might want to come back to later so you don’t have to once again hunt for it. I like this feature because I might need a topic for encouragement or grace and it is there to easily read. Lots of choices for everyone. You can do a plan privately or share with others. They even offer to send you a daily reminder. After you complete the plans they are in your completed plan area and it can be encouraging to see how many you have read. They are also there if you want to reread them or pass them on to others.

Our church, Calvary Chapel Melbourne has a daily devotional available at https://www.calvaryccm.com/ Click on connect then devotions. It is a good way to get extra insight and study on an area of the Bible we are doing as a church or for that time of season. Each devotional will give you scriptures along with life application. This is a great way to provide extra study in a short time of reading. You can also subscribe to the Calvary Chapel daily devotions so they are sent directly to you by email.

Maybe you are the type of person who loves to actually have a physical book in your hands. The Watermark Christian Bookstore located at our Calvary Chapel Melbourne campus has plenty of devotional books to choose from. Some are topical and others can be a daily reading for each day of the whole year or for shorter periods of time. They all have scripture highlighted and build on that through the book. Devotional books can also have area in them for journaling or note taking. Once again the books can be for a variety of people, women, men, families, teens to name a few. They come in different layouts, a wide assortment of covers and prices. Come by the Watermark Christian Bookstore and the staff there will be glad to help you find the perfect devotional for you or a friend.

Why read devotionals? We want to keep growing and developing our faith. Daily Bible reading should be top priority for a Christ follower. Devotional reading can enhance our journey but should not replace our daily time in God’s word. We can explore new life topics that maybe we need help with. We can learn by reading about someone else’s experience and how they fought their battle alongside God. Devotional reading can make us want to study the Bible even more. God wants us to set aside daily time to just focus on Him. Devotion means having a deep love and loyalty. We are showing our love for God by privately spending time with Him as we apply scripture to our daily lives.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything rotten in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8 NIV

Pray before you read daily. Ask God to show you something you can learn that day. Ask Him how you can be a good witness and an encouragement to others. So many new opportunities are coming in this new year. Take time to find that ideal devotional to get you started. You will be blessed if you do.