Perhaps the single most important activity for a Christian is the consistent daily reading of your Bible. Your spiritual growth and development will be stunted if you don’t. Your joy and strength, as a Christian, will wither to extreme weakness. Spiritual progress cannot be made if your Bible is not the critical hub of your daily routines.
God will not be speaking to you audibly. He speaks to you through His written Word. You hear His voice in your heart and upon your conscience as you prayerfully read the Scriptures. “Lord, speak to my heart just now as I read Your Word.” As much as it is important to seek the spiritual advice of mature Christians in your life, it is more important to have your convictions and choices anchored in God’s Word and the principles He has impressed upon your heart as you read.
Just as critical as your meals are to your physical health, the regular diet of spiritual food from your Bible is critical to your spiritual health. The nutrients you need are found in the Bible. Your nourishment in Christ as you regularly meditate and mull over God’s Word will cause you to grow spiritually. 1Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12-13
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God [the Christian] may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2Timothy 3:16-17 NASB
Invest in a Bible. We tend to buy things we really want. Don’t be afraid to spend some hard-earned money to invest in a Bible that will last you a number of years. There’s something very special about a Bible that you have owned through the various stages of your life – verses that have comforted you in rough times; verses that have thrilled you and caused you to worship. Yes, the pages of your well-used Bible will bring back sacred memories of times when you got to know God better.
If you aren’t sure what kind of a Bible to buy or which translation to use, ask a mature Christian you respect. Often Christians will use just one translation for their public meetings, but you may also benefit from another translation to help you in your private study and enjoyment of the Word of God. Do your homework – as some translations are much more accurate than others.
It goes without saying – be sure also to have the Bible on your devices. But don’t be ashamed to let your friends see that you have a hard copy of the Bible too. Why? They can’t see what you have on your device; that could almost be a secret. But there’s nothing secret about ‘carrying’ a hard-copy Bible.
Read the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) very regularly for a constant heart-warming refresher of the beautiful life of Christ here on earth. But also read your entire Bible from cover to cover over a period of time. There are reading plans and schedules available to help you read your Bible consistently and consecutively. Read consecutively rather than randomly. Try to read something in the Old Testament and the New Testament each day. More important than how much you read is the quality of your reading. A few consecutive verses upon which to meditate is better soul-nourishment than speed-reading several chapters with a distracted or hurried mind.
Before you read your Bible, pray very briefly. “Lord, I am about to read Your Word. I want to hear Your voice speaking to me as I read my Bible. I want to please You and surrender to Your Word today. I want to deepen my relationship with You as I read Your Word. I want to grow in Christ.”
- Reading your Bible will reveal God’s will for your life and help guard you against sin. Psalm 119:9-11
- Reading your Bible will develop a Biblical ‘world-view’ regarding right and wrong, values and ethics – in contrast to the thinking of the world around you.
- Reading your Bible (the living Word of God – Hebrews 4:12), combined with the work of the Spirit of God inside you, will progressively change your thinking and behaviour – reflecting more and more of Christ. 2Corinthians 3:18
- Reading your Bible will help you to be a better witness to your unsaved friends.
- Reading your Bible will be the deepest source of lasting joy in your life and an anchor for you in the storms of life.
Obviously, when we say ‘reading’, we don’t mean just mindless reading. Instead, read with an appetite to learn. Read to be instructed by the Lord. Read to become a better worshipper. Read to find Christ in the Scriptures. Read to deepen your relationship with Christ and to know God better.
Become a lover of God’s Word.
Assignment for today:
- Read Psalm 119:9-16
- Underline in your Bible Hebrews 4:12, 2Timothy 3:15,16,17
