This is my second year of reading through God's awesome Word using Professor Grant Horner's 10 List Reading System. And I still LOVE it so much, words are not enough to express how much this reading plan has effected my life and continually increases my gratitude and love for my heavenly Father sacrificing His Son to save my soul; for the Son giving us His Holy Spirit to sanctify me, and seal me until the Day of Redemption. Hallelujah!

Every day is different. Some days I'm in awe of how all 10 chapters tell the same story. Others days I'm in awe of how all 10 chapters teach me the same lesson through very different circumstances. And some days, like today, I'm reminded of the awesome gift of knowing God Almighty and being adopted as one of His holy children through repentance and faith in Christ, His Son (Mk 1:15, 2 Cor 7:10).

Reading Ruth 3 and Isaiah 47 on the same day, I'm finding, is a very healthy heart exercise; spiritually and physically. When I read Ruth chapter three, my heart is warmed as I see Jesus, the Son of God, taking human form to make Himself my kinsman-redeemer. To do this, He disrobed Himself of His glory, and put on sackcloth and ashes (skin and bone). I am in awe of my Lord's great condescension.

When I move on to Isaiah chapter 47, I am reminded of what my sins have truly earned me—the wrath of God—eternal punishment in the lake of fire. I am reminded that before my Lord Jesus found me in my lost and depraved and utterly sinful state, I was counted as one of God's enemies. Terrifying! I wandered in my own direction, was a lover of self-pleasure rather than a lover of God and His righteousness. I sat in darkness, and blinded by my own sins, did not know it. Intoxicated by my own pride, I lived a destructive life and hadn't the slightest clue. Yet, in God's great mercy, before the foundation of the world, He chose me for Himself; not because of anything I had done or would do, but only because He set His love upon me.

The Lord of glory, made Himself nothing (Php 2:5-7), to make me what was impossible (except by the power of God), a daughter of the Most High. I can't grasp the enormity of that truth. I...am...a daughter...of the LORD of hosts. The King of kings, the Ancient of Days, God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega—is my Father. My mind is baffled and my heart is elated that I can actually make this claim and not be a blasphemer! It is difficult for my finite mind to fully grasp this infinite truth. Which is why my only response for all God has done for me in Christ Jesus—is to worship the King of glory.

As I was considering why my prayers are sometimes shallow, I realized they stem from one source: lack of consistent reading, meditating and studying God's Word. And I don't mean just going through the motions and reading Scripture just so I can check it off my list, pat myself on the back and go on with my day; still charged with my fleshly desires, thoughts, and habits. What I mean is, the lack of desire to read the Word of God, not to get something from Him, but just to be with Him—to know Him more, in order to love Him better (Ps 46:10).

I know my prayers are shallow when I'm overcome by my weaknesses. I know my prayers are shallow when I'm wallowing in self-pity because I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I know my prayers are shallow when they're filled with my desires, how I think my life and the life of others around me should be. I know my prayers are shallow when they're filled with my limited knowledge of circumstances rather than filled with the wisdom of God (James 3:17). I know my prayers are shallow when they're consumed by my words, my thoughts, and my desires rather than consumed and guided by God's Word, precepts, and holiness.

"Thus says the LORD: 'Let not the the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understand and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.' "

~Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV)

This is the God I want and need to know and understand better. I need to know the LORD who alone is God—the one who practices steadfast love (mercy), justice, and righteousness. I don't need to know the feel-good, cheap-graced god that many of us have created in our own image. You know, the one who "loves you just the way you are", but not enough to discipline you (Heb 12:7-8)? The one who only says the things that make you feel good and self-assured, but not the one who humbles you so your spirit can be sanctified. This is the false god of modern day evangelicalism and I'm not interested in him at all.

When my prayers are shallow, I know it's because I've already spent too much time with this false god that only cheers but never chastises me. And I know myself well enough to admit...I need both encouragement and rebuke. And if you're honest with yourself, you'll admit, you need both too.

"He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

"He [Christ] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high"

~Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)

This is the God I want to worship and love—the one I need and want to guide my prayers.

When I'm not daily reading God's Word in order to know Him more so I can love Him better, then my prayers will be shallow. And so will yours. However, if we incline our hearts to His ways and not to selfish gain (Ps 119:35-37), then our prayers are guaranteed to be deep and wide, and very effective. We need to daily discipline our bodies and minds to read, meditate and study the awesome Word of God, so that our prayers are led by the Spirit of God and not by the defilement of our flesh.

If you're looking for a way to remain steadfast in God's Word daily, here's the reading plan I use and recommend: Professor Grant Horner's 10 Lists Bible Reading System.

Pictured above, is my newest Bible, the ESV Reader's Bible. Those who know me, know I don't need another Bible...so it may seem. But I actually do need this one because of its layout. It has no title headings, no verse numbering; no cross-reference, footnotes or study notes, and no book introductions. It's straight Scripture with only the name of each book (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc.) and their chapter numbers. That's it. It's purely for reading the Bible and I have a trouble doing that—which is why I absolutely need this Bible.

It's confession time. A confession I'm not very proud of, and quite ashamed of; yet, know I need to share in order to comfort and exhort others. Okay...here goes. Ready?

I've never once read the entire Bible. No, not even once.

Why haven't I? If I love God's Word as much as I say I do, how is it possible that I haven't read all of it? Well, this answer requires another confession. I'm somewhat of a I-need-to-understand-all-of-God's-Word-aholic. What this means is, no matter what reading plan I've ever started, I can't ever get through it because I always get stuck on a word, a name, a place, a time, an event...you get the picture. And I can't get passed it without cross-referencing, getting on my Logos Bible Software to research, reading the study notes in my ESV Study Bible and grabbing my Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology book, along with a host of other books so that I can understand what I'm reading and apply it to my life.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against studying the Word of God. I encourage it. However, reading only to study—stifles reading for comprehension.

I get stuck on verses I don't understand and have questions like: "Why Lord? Why did you do that for this person, but not that other person?", "Why did you feel that way?", "Why did you allow so and so to talk to you that way?", and the one that stumps me the most, "Father, I don't even know what to ask because I don't even know what this verse means."

I want so desperately to know God more in order to love Him better that if I see a little letter or number near a verse, I just have to look up the cross reference or read the footnotes. And if that doesn't satisfy me, then I have to look up the original Hebrew or Greek. And often, I also have to study the historical setting of the time it was written, as well as the cultural understanding of why something is mentioned.

As you can see, having this insatiable desire to know the God who saved my wretched soul, and calls me His beloved child, disables me from being able to read the entire Bible all the way through...with the kinds of Bibles I have and with the methods I've been using. By the time I'm finished doing everything I normally do (as described above) during my praise and quiet time, usually, hours have gone by and I'm still on verse one, or chapter one.

Which is what brings me to why I'm writing this article today and why I purchased my new ESV Reader's Bible.

By God's awesome kindness, He put it in my darling husband's heart to search for yet another "read the Bible all the way through" plan. And he found one that will not only work for someone as peculiar as me, but also for normal people. Hallelujah!

This wonderful Bible reading plan is one Professor Grant Horner (of Master's College) has used for more than 30 years.

Professor Horner has some fantastic suggestions and solutions, as well as a very enjoyable and exciting format for reading the 10 chapters, that when I'm done, I have to check and make sure I actually read 10 chapters because it feels like I've only read a couple. I've tried to follow other 10 chapters per day reading plans and I've never been able to stick with it because I can't stop studying, cross referencing, researching, etc. But Professor Horner's reading methodology is so intriguing, I've often found myself getting carried away and reading beyond what I'm supposed to read each day. Wow...what a problem to have, huh?

I've created a downloadable PDF file so you too can join me in reading God's Word all the way through...for the rest of your life! Included in this PDF are Professor Horner's instructions, and bookmarks I've created to help you with the 10 chapter per day reading plan. I've created six bookmark sets to meet individual color preferences: multi-colored, red, blue, green, purple and gold. Each bookmark displays the number for the order in which you will read. For example, Reading Day 1: read chapter one of Matthew (bookmark #1), chapter 1 of Genesis (bookmark #2), chapter one of Romans (bookmark #3), and so on. Under the Bible book titles are the number of days it'll take to complete the reading for each bookmark.

To download instructions for Professor Horner's "The Ten Lists Bible Reading System" and bookmarks, click here: Instructions and Bookmarks

After printing out the set of bookmarks you prefer, take them to Mardel Christian Bookstore (laminating in my area store only cost .25¢ per foot) or any office store and get them laminated so they will last beyond only a couple weeks of reading.



After getting the bookmarks laminated, use your cutting board (if you have one) to cut them. If you don't own a small cutting board like I do (pictured above), use the one at Mardel, or have the bookmarks cut at whichever store you had them laminated.


I laminated and cut the bookmarks (pictured above) for myself, my husband and our oldest son (who's 22), and for a special teenager he's mentoring at our church (who will also be following Professor Horner's Bible Reading System).

Below is a photo of my new ESV Reader's Bible along with my new multi-colored bookmarks that help me easily find the order in which this reading system suggests (and I encourage you to follow it exactly as it's the reason why I'm enjoying this system so much).


I absolutely love my new ESV Reader's Bible and love Professor Grant Horner's "Ten Lists Bible Reading System". It's easy to follow and very engaging to read it in the order Professor Horner instructs.

When I read a chapter from Matthew, move on to a chapter in Genesis, then read a chapter in Romans and so on, I'm constantly amazed at how I see Christ in every chapter! I'm actually understanding more and discovering new things about my great and awesome God that I never knew (Jer 33:3). I'm delighted by how reading Matthew, Genesis, Romans, 1 Thessalonians, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Joshua, Isaiah and Acts (in that order) flows seamlessly in a narrative format—consuming my heart and mind in God's grace, and soothing my soul that longs to see my Savior face to face.

"Thus says the LORD: 'Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.'

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—"

~Jeremiah 9:23-24, Philippians 3:7-9 (ESV)