Scripture is one of the most profound, powerful, beautiful gifts that God has given to His people. Whether you carry a hardcopy of the Bible with you or use an app on your phone, you can have constant access to God’s Word, and in turn, God’s will. However, for you to get the full range of benefits provided by Scripture, you need to open it every day and allow God to speak to you. Why should you read the Bible? Keep reading and find out.
It’s been said that the Bible is the only book on earth that when you read it, the Author comes and sits down beside you. 2 Timothy 3:16 teaches us that every word that is recorded in Scripture has been inspired by God, breathed onto the men and women who penned the words on the pages through the power of the Holy Spirit. When you read the words contained in Scripture, the presence of God who told the writers what to put down joins you in your pursuit of a greater understanding of God.
However, many people wonder whether or not they need to read the Bible every day. The answer is a resounding yes! Reading the Bible isn’t simply about being able to check off the box one your daily reading plan. It’s not like trying to finish a novel that you’ve never read before to find out what happens in the end. Instead, reading Scripture every day puts you in a position to hear from God.
The Bible is also unlike other books because when you’ve read it once, you don’t put it on the shelf to collect dust. Contained within the lids (or the app) of your Bible is 66 books that were written over the span of thousands of years. Dozens of writers penned the words that you read. There are different genres of literature, ranging from action to poetry to romance. Everything that we face in our lives today is written about somewhere in the Bible in some capacity. While those 66 books come together to create a singular volume, each of them contains powerful truths about our Savior.
If you have already read the entire Bible, congratulations! Read it again. Perhaps you’ve read parts of the Bible. If so, that’s wonderful! Consider reading some of the books that you’ve never read before. Doing so uncovers new aspects of God, giving you a better understanding of Him and a more intimate relationship. Maybe you’re like the 89% of American Christians who acknowledge that they don’t read the Bible regularly. If so, today can be the day that you make a change.
Many people, especially those who aren’t fond of reading often ask if they really need to read the Bible every day. Instead of just saying, “yes,” we’re going to look at some of the benefits of opening the Scriptures every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Remember, you don’t have to read the whole thing. A single chapter a day can make a lasting change in your life.
It Increases Your Faith
Romans 10:16-17 (ESV)
But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Do you wish you had more faith? When you read or hear verses about Jesus talking about having the kind of faith that moves mountains, do you wish that He was talking about your faith? When you read stories about people like David, Abraham, Jacob, and Ruth, do you wish you had the kind of faith that they had? When you hear sermons about Moses standing in front of the Red Sea and having the faith necessary to part it, do you long to have that level of faith? If so, spending time every day in the Word of God is a great place to start.
As a Christian, you already understand that every part of the Bible is true. That means that when Joshua marched around the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6), his faith caused the walls to fall. When we read about what God did for and through His people in Scripture, it allows us to understand that we can see the miraculous in our lives.
Faith building doesn’t happen overnight, but when you start reading the Bible every day, you start building on the faith that you already have. It’s a process, which is why Bible study isn’t a one-time occurrence. When you allow God to speak to you through Scripture, your faith will increase and you can have the kind of faith that the people you read about had.
Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth
Psalm 119:105 (TPT)
Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your Word makes my pathway clear.
If you were tasked with building a house, would you just start hammering nails, drilling screws, and cutting boards? Of course not! No one would tackle a project that large without having blueprints in front of them. Without a plan in place, building a home would be impossible. You wouldn’t know how much material you needed, what room was supposed to go where, or anything else that is going to make the house a stable structure. With that said, why would we try to tackle something as large as life without an instruction manual.
Scoffers point to the age of the Bible when trying to discredit it. They hang their hats on the fact that since the Bible was written thousands of years ago, there’s no way the information within it can be relevant to us today. Is that true? Absolutely not.
For instance, the Bible is full of stories about love between humans. It includes tells or romantic love, love between friends, and love within a family. Aren’t all those ideas pertinent today? Of course, they are!
The Bible serves as an instruction manual in the same way that a blueprint tells you how to build a house. Don’t try to tackle something as big as life without quality instructions.
Putting Verbs in Your Sentences
James 1:22 (TPT)
Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like a poetry written and fulfilled by our life.
Daytime talk show host, Dr. Phil often tells his guests that he is going to “put some verbs in his sentences” when he’s tackling their life problems. These people come to Dr. Phil with problems, and he then tells them what steps to take to remedy them. Hence putting verbs (action words) in his sentences.
While the phrase is certainly entertaining on a TV show, it’s not a new concept. In fact, this is the same idea that James was talking about thousands of years earlier when he wrote his epistle. As a child of God, one of the most exciting things you can discover is God’s will for your life. While we often view the will of God as a mystery, it’s really not. If anything doesn’t line up with God’s Word, it’s not His will. In the same vein, we can use God’s Word to help us determine His will for our lives.
However, reading the Word of God is only part of the equation. This process is completed when we put those words into practice, thus practicing the will of God. Unfortunately, a lot of Christians don’t take the time to read Scripture, so they don’t really know what they’re supposed to be doing.
When you read God’s Word, you can use those lessons to fulfill your God-given purpose.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank You for giving us a written copy of Your Word, which allows me to better know Your will for my life. Help me to make time every day to spend time in Your Word. Even more importantly, give me the wisdom to understand the words that I’m reading. I want to grow my faith, and that is done with Scripture. In Christ’s name, Amen.