The Bible is the Living Word of God. This means that it is as relevant today as it was in the time it was written. The Bible is how God communicates to us, and if we don’t spend time reading it, we will miss out on so many important things that God wants us to know. If you have ever asked yourself how and why to read the Bible, the answers are below.
The Bible is the oldest historical book on record and yet it still speaks to our concerns and issues today and provides great insight, wisdom and truth for how to live our lives. It contains hope-filled promises from the one true God about how much He loves us and will take care of us if we call on Him. This is why it is the best-selling book of all time.
A Bible for Everyone
As you begin your new life with Jesus, you will want to hear from Him each day by reading His words written for us. If you don’t have a Bible, you can find one on-line or download the Bible App to your phone or tablet here: Apple or Google Play
The app and website both contain many translations of The Bible and Bible reading plans to help you along!
Set Aside Time Each Day
The way to spend time with God is by reading and studying the Bible. Everything that was written in the Bible is there to teach us. Not only does it educate us, but it also offers us hope and encouragement as we patiently wait for God to fulfill His promises. As believers, the more we spend time with God in His word, the more we will grow in our faith and build our trust in Him. This works in much the same way as spending time with our friends. The more we put into our friend relationships by listening to them and talking with them the more we grow to know and trust them.
In fact, research shows that if you read the Bible four times a week you will see major changes in your life. Here's an example, out of 40,000 people polled when they read the Bible four times a week loneliness dropped by 30%! Watch this short video to hear other major impacts on the lives of those who read the Bible four times a week - The Power of Four
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Romans 15:4
God’s Word Lights the Way
Here's an analogy -
There are two paths you can chose in life. One path is really difficult. It’s surrounded in darkness, and it’s very rocky. If you choose this path, you will stumble along in life, tripping, squinting in the dark, and struggling the whole way.
The other path is difficult too. There are some really big inclines and declines, but the path is lit up for you. As you take one step at a time, there’s always light a few steps ahead. You can always see the path you’re walking on.
Maybe so far in life, you’ve been choosing the first path. You’ve been stumbling your way in the dark, squinting trying to see, and falling many times. You are making decisions on your own, thinking you can do it yourself and you’re struggling the whole time.
At any time, you can choose to move to the lighted path where your steps are guided by God. God lights your path through the truths in the Bible. These truths become a part of your life by reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on scriptures. As you spend time in the Word, ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures.
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalms 119:105
Where to start reading in the Bible
If you have never read the Bible before, a good place to begin is the Book of John. In reading John, you will find out exactly who Jesus is and what He came to earth to do. Additionally, the Book of John is broken down into 21 short easy-to-read chapters. Why is this significant? Experts say it takes 21 days of doing something consistently to create a habit. So, if you read a chapter a day you are forming the habit of getting into God’s Word regularly.
Here is a reading plan that includes devotionals for the book of John. This comes from the Bible website and app mentioned above: Thru the Bible – The Gospel of John, 21-day Study
