What better way to know how God feels about reading His Word than to see it in black and white?
Joshua 1:8 NIV “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 written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
This is written to Joshua but it is great advice for us. If we read and meditate on God’s Word, do what it says, we too can be prosperous in submitting to God’s will and drawing closer to Him.
How is that possible? The Bible is a book, but a special book.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV “ For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
We sometimes forget the power God’s Word has on our lives. Have you ever seen someone with a really bad lifestyle accept Jesus Christ as Savior? I have. It is a miracle. This is what God can do for us in His Word. It truly is alive and works after all these years.
Psalm 119:105 NIV “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
God’s Word shows us the way to go. It lights our way so we don’t stumble. That’s why it’s so important to read it.
Below are some things to remember when reading the Bible:
- Open with Prayer Before Reading the Bible
- Recognize the Past as Our Instruction
- Not Just Bread Alone
- Make It a Part of Your Life
- Helps You Stay Away from Sin
- Be Careful How You Speak
- Don’t Be a Hearer Only
- Conclusion
Open with Prayer Before Reading the Bible.
Psalm 119:18 NIV “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”
The psalmist is asking God to see His wisdom in the scripture. He is eager to understand what God is saying to him.
Before you begin reading the Bible, take time to go to the Lord and ask Him to show you what He is saying. Quoting this scripture can help keep you focused on the Lord and enable you to understand easier.
Recognize the Past as Our Instruction
Romans 15:4 NIV “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Have you ever heard someone criticize the Bible because it was written a long time ago? It’s still here because salvation through Jesus Christ lasts. We need to recognize the value of the content of the Bible as instruction to live by.
A good way to become familiar with the Bible is to invest in a good Study Bible. The NIV Life Application Study Bible is a good one but there are others. If you are not ready to invest in one, Blue Letter Bible has some you can access for free. This can help bridge Biblical times and ours.
Not Just Bread Alone
Matthew 4:4 NIV “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Reading God’s Word is as important spiritually to us as bread is to our bodies. We don’t always look at it that way.
Let’s look at an example why it’s important to read the Bible every day.
Acts 17:11 NIV “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Not only were the Berean Jews faithful in reading Scripture every day, they were eager. They used the Scripture in a manner to make sure what they were hearing was according to what God had said. This is a great reason for us to read it every day. To stay on top of God’s Truth.
Make It a Part of Your Life
Colossians 3:16 NIV “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Here we see that the Bible needs more than just reading. It needs to be a part of our life.
Do you carry God’s Word with you throughout the day? What about including it in your prayers?
Is God’s music a part of your life? There are many songs that include God’s Word.
Attending church should saturate you in God’s Word through the message and worship. If not, try somewhere else.
Helps You Stay Away from Sin
Psalm 119:19 NIV “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
God’s Word is our guidance along with help from the Holy Spirit. We are strong when we are depending on Him to keep us from sin.
There are many verses in the Bible to teach us what to stay away from. If you have a particular weakness, (I have them too) look it up in the concordance of your Bible and see what you can learn. If you don’t have a concordance, Bible Study Tools has some free ones.
Be Careful How You Speak
2 Timothy 2:15 NIV “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Paul is talking to Timothy, warning him to be an approver worker of Jesus Christ. He wants Timothy to be so adept at God’s Word that he knows what he talking about.
Why is that important? Have you been around a person who just quotes Scripture randomly? That is how Scripture becomes confused. Just make sure what you are quoting is in tune with God’s Word.
Don’t Be a Hearer Only
James 1:22-25 NIV “ Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
Here our reaction to heeding God’s Word is compared to looking at our image in a mirror. The more we look, the more familiar we become with our image. The same with how much we look at God’s Word.
Meditating on Scripture helps us see new things God wants us to know.
Conclusion
There are other tips that could be added to this list but these can help you draw closer to God as you read His Word.
The more we focus on what God is saying to us, the more we will be in tune with His Word. Try setting aside 15 minutes a day to read the Bible. The length is not important but you need to have time to meditate on what you are reading.
You will be surprised how interested you will become as you continue the practice. Listening to Scripture can be a great aid.
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