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3 Ways to Make the Bible a Daily Focus this Year

Happy New Year! God is constantly in the process of making “new creations” (2 Cor. 5:17). But in certain seasons—like the coming of a New Year—we tend to be more aware of His renewals than at other times.

As you consider goals and resolutions for 2014, here are three simple ways you can make the Bible a daily part of your life:

  1. Find your #Verse2014. Choose one verse that you can focus on throughout 2014. Invite it into your life, display it, and share it with people you know.
  2. Commit to a Bible Plan. This has helped so many in our community make God’s Word a daily part of their life. Sign up for a short, 20- or 30-day devotional. Build your confidence by completing your first plan. Then come back for another. We’ve included a list below of some of our favorite starters.
  3. Share the Word. Invite family and friends to read with you. Help them get the Bible App, show them how to sign up for the plan you’re using, then discuss what you’ve read. Inspire others by sharing what you’re reading in emails, texts, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. God’s Word comes alive in community (Heb. 4:12).

Plans to Get You Started:

My Utmost For His Highest This special edition of Oswald Chambers’ timeless, widely read devotionals now includes Chambers’ personal prayers. From Discovery House Publishers. 30 days

Our Daily Bread In just a few minutes each day, inspiring stories point you toward God through biblical wisdom. 30 days

Day By Day With Billy Graham Daily Scripture, insight, encouragement, and practical application from Billy Graham’s sermons and writings. 366 days

Dave Ramsey’s Financial Wisdom from Proverbs Learn practical, biblical principles for understanding and managing money. 10 days

Made to Crave: 21 Day Challenge Scripture and devotionals equip you with spiritual principles for your physical health. 21 days

How To Maximise Your Life Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston shares biblical truths for building meaningful relationships and healthy life balance. 31 days

Toward A Fearless New Year Pastor John Piper teaches from the Scriptures how knowing God’s greatness chases away fear. 7 days

How To Be Rich Pastor Andy Stanley shows what God’s Word actually says about how to be truly rich according to God’s economy. 10 days

The One Year® Bible Reading from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for about 15 minutes a day, read through the entire Bible in 365 days. 1 year

Chronological Read the entire Bible in 365 days, with its historical events appearing in the order they occurred. 1 year

Here’s where you can find hundreds more Plans to start that daily habit of seeking God through His Word in 2014: bible.com/reading-plans.

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#Verse2014 & Bible Plans for the New Year

A new year brings fresh focus and intentionality. As we dream, plan, and set goals, many of us create lists. But what if you stopped at just one item? We can find incredible clarity and power in simplicity, so as a community we’re trying something new: choosing one Bible verse as our personal focus for 2014.

#Verse2014

Find Your #Verse2014. A promise to reflect on. A different way of thinking. A new discipline. Through prayer and reflection, choose one verse that captures what you’re seeking in 2014.

Make Your Verse Visible. Display your #Verse2014 where you’ll see it every day: a bathroom mirror, in your car, your laptop’s desktop background—even on your phone’s home screen.

Share Your #Verse2014. Tell your family and friends about your verse and why you chose it. Share it from the Bible App, or via email or text. Post it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And use the hashtag #Verse2014, so others can see it, too.

Spend Time in Many Verses. Your #Verse2014 is a focal point for the year, but the vastness of God’s love can’t be boiled down to a single verse. Instead, use it as a springboard to dig deeper into the Bible and your faith as you continue to pursue God’s Word throughout the year.

Need some inspiration for your verse? See the YouVersion Community’s 2013 verse of the year along with other popular passages in this infographic.

Plans to Start Your Year Off Right

The following Bible Plans have helped hundreds of thousands remain connected to God’s Word. Try signing up for just one to start. Then, roll into another one as soon as you’re finished to keep your daily habit going.

Made to Crave: 21 Day Challenge Scripture and devotionals equip you with spiritual principles for your physical health. 21 days

Soul Detox Learn from God’s Word how to neutralize the influences that can negatively impact your faith journey. 35 days

From This Day Forward Explore five biblical principles for a healthy marriage through Scripture, prayer, discussion, and activities. 33 days

Experiencing God’s Renewal Daily devotional and Scriptures share what it truly means to become “a new creation in Christ.” 5 days

Dave Ramsey’s Financial Wisdom from Proverbs Learn practical, biblical principles for understanding and managing money. 10 days

The One Year® Bible Reading from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for about 15 minutes a day, read through the entire Bible in 365 days. 1 year

Chronological Read the entire Bible in 365 days, with its historical events appearing in the order they occurred. 1 year

Life Application Study Bible® Devotion Daily devotions and a Bible verse help you apply the Bible to your life. 1 year

In addition to these, YouVersion has recently added many new Bible Plans—so many, in fact, that we now offer more than 600! From topical studies to whole-Bible Plans, you’ll find plenty of options that will help you connect daily with God’s Word in the new year. Get started at bible.com/reading-plans.

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New Bible Plans for the New Year

Each new year brings new promise: an opportunity to start fresh. As you consider habits to begin or disciplines to develop, Bible Plans are a great place to start. Spending time in the Bible each day might be your goal, or helpful support for making changes in your life. Whatever you’re looking for, we’re thrilled to bring you hundreds of devotionals, including these new additions:

My Utmost For His Highest This special edition of Oswald Chambers’ timeless, widely read devotionals now includes Chambers’ personal prayers. From Discovery House Publishers. 30 days

How To Maximise Your Life Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston shares biblical truths that will help you build meaningful relationships and a healthy life balance. From Hillsong Church. 31 days

Toward A Fearless New Year Renowned Bible teacher John Piper takes you through Scriptures that demonstrate how knowing God’s greatness chases away fear. From Desiring God. 7 days

How To Be Rich Pastor Andy Stanley shows what God’s Word says about how to be truly “rich” according to God’s economy. From North Point Community Church. 10 days

Seeing The Kingdom Colson Center theologian T.M. Moore shares what the Bible says about God’s Kingdom—in this world, in the Church, and in your life. From The Colson Center. 7 days

For The Love Of God This daily devotional helps you deepen your understanding of God’s Word by walking you through the entire Bible in a year. From The Gospel Coalition. 1 year

Sun Stand Still Devotional Pastor Steven Furtick leads you through Scriptures that challenge you to ask God for the impossible and the miraculous, even as you pursue His very purpose for creating you. From Steven Furtick. 5 days

In addition to these devotionals, YouVersion has recently added many new Bible Plans—so many, in fact, that we now offer more than 600! From topical studies to whole-Bible Plans, you’ll find plenty of options that will help you connect daily with God’s Word in the new year. Get started at bible.com/reading-plans.

If you’re new to YouVersion, or if you’ve just added a new smartphone or tablet during this holiday season, don’t forget to install the Bible App on all your devices. Visit bible.com/app for a free, easy way to download the app on your mobile platform.

And don’t forget the brand-new Bible App for Kids! Available now at bible.com/kids, it’s also always completely free. Featuring fun animation and engaging storytelling, your children can explore the big stories of the Bible and fall in love with God’s Word.

 

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Celebrating the Story of Christmas

For unto you is born...Christ the Lord.

All of us here at YouVersion want to wish you the best during this holiday season. We hope you’re able to reflect and celebrate that He is come: Immanuel, “God with us.”

Both the Bible App and the Bible App for Kids offer lots of great ways you can explore the meaning of Christmas together with your family:

  • Read the story of Christ’s birth in Luke 2:1-20.

  • Use your favorite audio Bible to listen to passages about the birth of Christ.

  • In the Videos section of the Bible App: Watch “The Nativity Story” or the “Birth of Jesus.”

  • In the Bible App for Kids: Explore The First Christmas Gift (pictured).

Being together with family and friends frequently presents opportunities for you to share your faith. And the Bible App and the Bible App for Kids make it so easy!

  • Use your device to show these apps to the people you’re with.

  • Show how they can get the apps on their own devices.

  • Even offer to install the apps for them!