Read The Bible: It Contains Gods Will For Our Lives
What is Gods will for my life? There is no Bible verse that explicitly tells us what profession to pursue, where to live or whom to marry. But, nonetheless, the Bibles exhortations, guidelines, commandments and encouragement give us very concrete and infallible insight into Gods will for us in every aspect of life.
Paul writes that All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Timothy 3:16. In some translations it even says that Scripture is God-breathed.
Have you ever thought about this? The Bible is inspired by God Himself! It is His Word, containing His wisdom, His goodness, His intentions, His judgements, His heart. Have you been so interested in understanding Gods will that you spend time with His very own Word?
Read The Bible For Blessing
Reading the Bible promotes wellness in our lives as we allow it to shape our beliefs, thoughts and actions. We may not feel the results of its nourishment at first, but our daily reading will eventually become evident.
“God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says …” Revelation 1:3
Benefits Of Reading The Bible: Seek Forgiveness
When we seek forgiveness of our sins and open up Gods Word, we are flooded with His sweet redemption.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Repent, then, and turn from God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19
How gracious He is to us! We learn of His attributes through His Word.
Our understanding of grace, mercy, and steadfast love grow when we read the bible.
We are reminded that His desire is to purify our hearts and cleanse us! The invitation is to come to Him so He can do so!
Seek and receive forgiveness from God by reading the bible.
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Were Educated With The Word
Our faith is based not on our imaginations or concepts but on the Word of God, so its critical that we as Christians all know what Gods Word says. By reading the Word regularly, well eventually read through the entire Bible and gain a basic knowledge of God and the things of God. Gaining this basic knowledge is like learning our ABCs. If we dont learn the letters of the alphabet, its impossible for us to read or write. To understand even the simplest book or write a letter, we first have to learn our ABCs.
Knowing whats in the Bible is like knowing our spiritual ABCs. Becoming familiar with the words, facts, stories, and expressions in the Bible forms in us the building blocks the Lord can use to show us more of the truth in His Word. This helps us to know Him in a deeper way and allows Him to speak to us more and more through the Word.
God has given us a powerful and wonderful gift in His Word. By reading it, were not only spiritually educated but also washed and nourished within. If youd like some help with reading the Bible regularly, take a look at our post on building up a habit of daily Bible reading.
All verses are quoted from the Holy Bible Recovery Version. You can order a free copy of the New Testament Recovery Version here.
Reading The Bible Brings A New Perspective
When things just don’t seem right or things are getting a bit stale, the Bible can bring a new perspective into the mix. Sometimes we think things should be one way or another, but the Bible may remind us that there are other ways to think on the happenings in our lives. It provides us, at times, with a fresh, new perspective.
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Why Do We Read Scripture
By Andrew Wilson | Wednesday 29 January 2020
We do not read it to earn. It is so easy to be tricked into thinking like this, but the purpose of reading the Bible is never to present God with a good work that entitles you to a reward. You are no more justified after reading a Bible for an hour than you are after playing Playstation or having breakfast or going for a walk.
Instead, we read it to learn: about God, about his world, about ourselves, and about how they fit together in his purposes. Despite the popularity of phrases like we need transformation, not information, careful reading is always going to involve learning things we didnt know, so that we might be changed by them: give me understanding to learn your commands! . A disciple is a learner. Reading Scripture is more than learning, but it is not less.
We read it to discern. Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil . Maturity is not just knowing what to think, but how to think it is not just knowledge, but wisdom. And regular Bible reading shapes the way we think about everything, whether the subject is directly addressed in its pages or not. Diligence produces discernment.
Nourishment So You Can Mature
But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matt. 4:4
Life is much more than food and pleasures in the world. The Scriptures become your life-line to a relationship with God. Just as your body needs food to survive, Gods Word nourishes you so you can become spiritually mature as you respond to lifes challenges and temptations .
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Your Faith Will Be Strengthened
As you read His Word, you will be strengthened and fortified through God the Father. This is one of the most impactful and important benefits of reading the Bible. Being strengthened by the Father to face whatever life has before you. Your faith will hold you and sustain you.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
Trust Your Spiritual Instincts
Just like you can trust the signals of your body for hunger, thirst, sleep, and exercise, you can trust your spiritual instincts too. This doesn’t mean that we should follow our feelings without critical reflection, but sometimes when we dont want to read, theres some pause or practice other than Scripture reading that could be valuable to engage in.
For me, it was encouragement from a mentor to turn my daily commute into time spent freely with God. It was a post-seminary season where I was positively stuffed with the Bible in three different languages, and reading it felt impossible, exhausting, and discouraging. It was so freeing to consecrate those rides, and I often found that phrases and passages of Scripture would come to mind as I prayed and pedaled. In hindsight, I needed to trust my spiritual instincts, which were saying, Enough reading! You need some time to process this!
You might be surprised at what comes up when you give yourself permission to trust your gut while still pursuing the wisdom of God. And when youre ready for more classic reading again, youll appreciate it that much more.
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Why Reading The Bible In Context Is Important
1. The nature of Scripture requires context. More so than any other book, what we see in the scriptures are texts that are multifaceted, with numerous contextual veins running throughout. Each like a thread that weaves the bigger picture together. Without which, the great tapestry just unravels into a tangled mess.
First, we have the Bible as Gods Word, and as Gods story. This can be considered the top umbrella of all context, under which all other contexts dwell that the scriptures help us know all we need to know about God.
In this context, the Scriptures glorify Him, from beginning to end. Something the reader should never lose sight of. Woven into Gods story, sits the glorious thread of redemption. And it is here we zoom in on Jesus Christ, who says,
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me .
Reading the Bible in this context increases the foundation of our faith as were able to understand who Jesus is, as seen in both the Old and New Testaments. And this is where we grasp why He had to come, from the very gospel that appears, over and over again, throughout the tapestry of Scripture.
Simultaneously, we can recognize the weaving thread of human experience. Because what we have in the Bible is God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, revealing Himself to people.
Others Are Impacted By Your Life And Service
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Col. 3:16
When you study the Bible, Gods wisdom gets stored up in your heart and mind. It will infuse your life with Gods truth and encouragement. It will spill-over into the people around you as you live for God. The more you get Gods Word in you, the more His love and power will flow through you to people living in brokenness and pain around you.
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The Bible Is A Worthy Investment Of Our Time
As Sean McDowell reminds us, The Bible has shaped western civilization more than any book ever written. No other book even comes close. So, clearly, a lot of people have found the Bible worth reading over the centuries.
But finding the time to read it in our speedy, modern world isnt always easy. We have so much clamoring for our attention, including television and social media. How many of us, for example, have opened Facebook, just to check for messages, and found ourselves, an hour or two later, still scrolling through our feed? Ack!
So how might we carve out time to read the Bible? One way might be a consistent reading time every day. You might try reading a Psalm or Proverb while you eat breakfast, for example. Or if your family eats dinner together, try adding it to your meal. What a great time to discuss the reading while youre all still seated at the table! To help guide your Bible readings and discussion, consider signing up for our daily devotional emails. If reading together is initially difficult, try adding a Bible-based activity to family time. Whos up for a game of Bible bingo or trivia?
It Helps Us Overcome Sin And Temptations
We all face temptations to sin every day – often several times a day. It’s part of the world we live in. When we read our bible, we get advice on how to approach situations and overcome the temptations we face. We understand what we’re supposed to do rather than just guessing and hoping we get it right.
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Benefits Of Reading The Bible: Know What Is True
I vividly remember reading the book, Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge and near the beginning of the book he started quoting a passage of scripture and I was convinced it wasnt in the bible.
I pulled out my bible to look it up and sure enough, word for word it was there.It happened again. Same book, a few pages later.
Beautiful Outlaw became one of my absolute favorite books but Ill never forget verifying if what he was saying was true only because I did not know the truth.
The more time we spend in our bibles and lean on the Holy Spirit to teach us, we grow to know what is true.
Get confidence in what is true by spending time reading the bible.
Get A Bible You Enjoy Reading
Bible reading isnt very fun when you dont understand what youre reading. Its incredibly helpful to have a Bible that can help you understand whats happening .
If youre looking for a helpful resource, the NIV Student Bible will provide a lot of insight. Built specifically for students of the Bible, it gives you just the right amount of help without overwhelming your time in the Word. And it has its own three-track reading program!
Another great resource is The Books of the Bible. Broken into four-volumes and by many of the genres mentioned earlier, this Bible is free from chapter and verse numbers that provides a seamless reading experience. When done with a partner or group, this approach to reading the Bible can be very enlightening and meaningful.
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The Bible Shows Us Gods Love Power And Holiness
Many people have a vague idea of who God is. Or they think of him as a spiritual force, not a personage. He is very different from that.
The Bible tells us of Gods love, power, and holiness. As we read it, we are encouraged in our faith and motivated to draw closer to him. Read what David wrote about delighting in Gods word:
I delight in your decrees I will not neglect your word.
Make it personal
4. Have you ever felt delighted as you read Gods word? If so, when? Why were you delighted by what you read?
You Become A Better Listener
I remember when I first started really digging more into scripture I was in a bible study with about 7 other woman. Because I had been reading more of Gods Word daily, I started listening more intently to what other people were saying about different passages in scripture.
This new interest in listening resulted in me experiencing another one of the benefits to reading the Bible for myself. I knew what was true. And it became very clear that some people who I thought were strong in their faithdidnt really know the Bible at all.
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What Is The Bible
Thousands of years ago, God began revealing His plan to people on Earth. When people responded in faith , God led them and taught them His ways. The Bible tells us Who God is, as God revealed to His holy apostles and prophets . These plans were written in laws and holy letters. God also inspired His followers to record the great things He did in their lives, and to write about what Hes like. That means the Bible is not one message it is a collection of Gods messages through much of human history.
Engaging Scripture With Both Discipline And Desire
Paul J. Pastor Psalm 119:40-41
In other blog posts, we considered how to better read the Bible with our whole selves. But many of us wrestle with a more basic problem: what if we dont want to read the Bible in the first place?
This can be tough to even admit for some of us. For many Christians, Bible readingespecially as part of a daily devotional scheduleis one of the big shoulds of faith. In fact, thats likely part of the issue. Many of us have been told that we should read the Bible, but weve hardly ever been told how to stick with it or why we should want to in the first place.
But theres nothing wrong with simple honesty. Given enough years of growing faith, we simply will encounter times when the Bible feels blah. Such times are a chance to learn, shake things up, and move toward the reason were passionate about living Bible-rich lives in the first placefinding our place in the story that points to Jesus. With that in mind, Id like to offer four things that any of us can do when we dont want to read the Bible.
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What Kind Of Language Is Being Used
In addition to identifying an authors purpose and knowing something about the literary form and conventions they are using, part of interpretation is understanding how an author uses language. Some of our human communication is fairly straightforward, but much of it relies on the hearers drawing inferences that are not made explicit by the sum total of the definitions of the words.
Also, much of our language use is figurative in some way, or is not meant to be taken literally. Think back to high school English class and all those vocabulary words you had to learn: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, euphemism, synecdoche, litote, idiomatic expression. The Bible has examples of all of these kinds of figures of speech.
To further complicate things, words themselves can have figurative senses. In Greek the primary sense of poimen is shepherd, someone who cares for sheep. The secondary, figurative sense is the leader of a church. When Jesus says I am the Good Shepherd in John 10:14, he is using the primary sense of shepherd in a metaphor that speaks figuratively about his love for his people. In Ephesians 4:11, Paul lists some roles in the church that include shepherd , but using that word does not mean we should interpret the passage figuratively it is a very straightforward list.
The Importance Of Reading The Bible Daily
Why is it so important to read the bible daily? If we are to grow and know God, we have to spend time in His Word. The way to develop a relationship is by spending time together. Daily bible reading does just that.
The importance of reading the bible daily is how we move from knowing about God to knowing God. Benefits of reading the bible and the importance of reading the bible go hand-in-hand in showing us who our Savior is, why we desperately need Him, and our eternal salvation.
If youre not in the habit of daily bible reading, I pray this spurs you on! The benefits of reading the bible daily are yours! If you do not have a good bible version to read from, it makes all the difference! This is my favorite study bible!
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