How To Read The Bible Every Day: 8 Ways To Make Devotions A Habit
We live in a time in which there is unprecedented access to Bible study toolsmultiple excellent translations, study helps, internet resources, Bible software, phone apps, etc.yet we are also more distracted than ever. Personal devotion to God through Bible reading is a blessing you do not want to skip. And Scripture tells us of the importance of spending time in the Word. Yet, so many Christians struggle to read the Bible daily. It does not have to be that way. If you follow the 8 practical steps below, you will discover how to read the Bible daily as a habit for life.
Read The Bible Because It’s Alive
The Bible is not only a physical book, it is a supernatural Source of Good. It is God’s Living Water moving through our lives as we read it. Read the Bible and God’s energy pours into our lives.
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12
Does It Matter How Many Verses I Read
No! Remember we are not trying to simply read through Gods Word. We are purposing to reflect on His Word. That means we want to comprehend what we have studied. As a result, that will require us to take our time and make sure we understand the verse completely before moving on.
We see this far too many times, where people will move through the verses so quickly and take one verse out of context. When we dont take the time to understand what comes before or after a particular verse, it will leave us confused.
For example, we have heard many people say, please pray I get this bonus, so I can buy some things my family needs. Because Gods Word says He knows what I need, before I ask. Well, they are referring to Matthew 6:32.
However, if you actually read what the scriptures above and below that verse, this is what it says:
Matthew 6:24-33 says: 24 No one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
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The Bible Becomes Something You Crave
The more you read Gods Word, the more you truly recognize you need to read it. Its not just a good book to readbut you really crave itand you really miss it when you dont read.
The funny thing is, you start to notice too how reading the Word impacts your day and your relationships.
For me, I have less patience, or attentiveness towards those I loveall because I miss time in Gods Word. The craving, the peace, and the patience are all benefits to reading the bible.
Apply Daily Bible Reading To Your Life
The reason we read the Bible daily is not just that we want to know more. This isnt research for a future Jeopardy run. You are trying to know more of what Gods Word says so that you can apply it. When we see our daily habit of Bible reading actually changing our lives, our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions, it motivates us to keep on reading.
To apply what we are reading requires effort, however. We must actively be thinking about the meaning of a passage, and prayerfully seeking how it might apply to us. We need to take the time and sweat to meditate on how we can apply this particular passage to our lives. If you are applying the Word to your life, you will soon find that daily Bible reading has ceased being a chore and has subtly transformed itself into a joy. You will find your heart filled with more peace, more joy, and more solemn love for your Lord. Your friends will be blessed because you made daily Bible reading a habit.
For a step-by-step guide to self-discipline checkout my course, POWER Mornings. Its a simple morning routine designed for productive Christians.
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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
We Need Daily Guidance
Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. This means that Gods word guides and illuminates our lives. We need daily guidance because we have an enemy wanting to pull us astray. We arent strong enough on our own to withstand his attacks so we need Gods word to help us. Personally, I notice that I am more stressed, anxious, easily distracted, fearful, and prone to sinful thoughts and actions when I go long periods of time without reading my Bible. This is not just a spiritual concept: when we dont eat food, we often become the same way. Just like we wouldnt eat a huge meal at the beginning of the week and expect it to sustain us, we cant neglect our Bibles for long periods of time without going hungry spiritually.
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Read The Bible: It Is Full Of Gods Promises
And finally, not least of all, the Bible is full of extraordinary promises. It speaks of the all things that belong to the God-fearing!
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Revelation 2:7.
There are an almost infinite number of promises made to those who live according to Gods will. Are you livingly interested in these precious promises? Do you want to see what God does, and will do, for those who live according to His will? Then, by all means, pick up your Bible! It will tell you of all the promises that can be yours, both in this life and in eternity, if you do the will of God.
Why not read your Bible today?
Ask God For Motivation To Read
I hear students chastise themselves for not doing enough in relationship with God. They struggle to make the time and generate interest for reading the Bible and praying. We are not alone in any of our activities and aspirations in life. Our Father in Heaven provides for us everything we need when we ask , including providing his children with desires to read the Bible. Its not my responsibility alone to remind myself and push myself along in doing the things my Father wants me to do. Our lives are Gods accomplishment, not our own . He is not distant, but near, living within our body and constantly influencing the Christian for the life of Jesus. If we struggle with lack of interest in reading the Bible, then we may ask our Father in Heaven:
Give me desire to read the Bible every day.
Remind me to listen to your word as a habit.
Show me where I have room in the day to spend time reading the Bible.
Help me to be interested in the stuff you have caused to be written.
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Read The Bible: It Contains Power To Overcome
After we have made the firm decision to serve God wholeheartedly and refrain from sinning against Him, we will still experience temptation in our lives. James says that we are tempted when we are drawn away and enticed by our own lusts and desires.
Its clear from Scripture that Satan makes use of these natural lusts and desires. He tries to get us to disobey Gods will, by offering things that appeal to us naturally: honour, riches or self-satisfaction. He even tempted Jesus, trying to get Him to give into egotism, pride and self-seeking.
But, for each temptation Jesus faced, He had a counterattack. And every single counterattack involved Gods Word. Jesus said to him, It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. And further, He says, Away with you, Satan! For it is written You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. Matthew 4:1-11.
Do you also have a counterattack for every temptation that you face in life? Do you fill yourself with Gods Holy Word? Paul writes, And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God Ephesians 6:17. The Bible, Gods Word, is a weapon. It is a sword that gives us power and authority to overcome in the midst of temptation. Why not pick up this sword today?
Read The Bible: It Is Our Nourishment
Imagine that you go a day without eating anything. Then a week. And a month. As time goes on, you become weaker and weaker. Our bodies need nourishment to live. And its the same in our spiritual lives.
It is through our spirit we can have contact with God. Our spirit is what will enter eternity and it needs nourishment to be alive and awake to the will of God. Jesus said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4. He also says, It is the Spirit who gives life the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63.
If we want to gain life and nourishment for our spirit, it is essential that we spend time with Gods Word. Gods Word is a source of life! It contains infinite help and wisdom. And, when it is read and obeyed in a spirit of faith, it leads us to unimaginable spiritual growth.
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Scripture Releases Our Chains And Lifts Our Burdens
One of the most practical, yet powerful benefits of reading the Bible is that it releases our chains and lifts our burdens.
If you are caught in the chains of addiction , you can break those chains by leaning into The Father and giving them to Him. Reading his Word can embolden you to be set free from those chains.
Our burdens become lifted when we read of our God delivered others, throughout history, from defeat, hunger, death and more. How much more can God deliver you and lift your burdens knowing His incredible love for you.
My soul melts away for sorrow strengthen me according to your word!
Psalms 119:28
Scripture Protects Us From Destructive Error
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God . . . so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.
How do young Christians stop being leaves blown around by cultural and theological winds and opinions? Answer: the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God knowledge that they experience not as the opinion of man, but as the word of God. Thats found in one place: the Scriptures.
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How You Can Build Regular Bible Reading Into Your Life
Reading the Bible is a spiritual discipline, which means that we need to be disciplined in how we approach it. If you lack the desire to read the Bible, pray and ask that God would give you a desire for his word. Then, build a time into your day to read Scripture and make this time a priority. You should then find people to hold you accountable to a reading plan. Maybe even start a reading plan with someone.
Have A Practical Reward
It sounds strange to reward yourself for reading the Bible since reading the Bible should be a reward on its own. What Im talking about is having a way to track your faithfulness in reading Scripture so you can look back and be encouraged by your progress. I recently downloaded the app, Dont Break the Chain. Its modeled off of a practice of Jerry Seinfelds where he would place a red X over the date on the calendar after he had spent time writing. Eventually, he had a long string of Xs and didnt want to break the chain. Something simple like this or checking off a box after reading builds encouragement and momentum for your daily Bible reading.
Every Christian needs to read the Bible every day. We need to be pulled out of our self-focus and worldly preoccupations so that we can come face to face with Gods revelation of himself. We need the humility and encouragement that comes from reading the Gospel message. The wisdom, correction, and training that comes from Gods word changes who we are at the core of our being. Since the Bible does these things in us, we need to work on practical methods that will help us be more faithful in our daily time in Gods word.
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Theres Great Power In Reading The Bible: Learn Know And Worship God
The bible is our blueprint, our manual for living. It is Gods message for us revealing Himself and His perfect plan. When we spend time in scripture, we grow to know and learn about our Maker and Creator.
We come to know Him as the Most High God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. The bible shows us our desperate need of Jesus.
Spending time in Gods Word, we learn about His perfect nature and greatness of His splendor, His majesty, His great power, as well as His patience, His mercy, and His grace.
Time after time we see His hand and heart weave throughout scripture so that we can better know who he is and how we can grow in Him.
This is something we may not consider on a regular basis but can you fathom that the God of Creation and all living things extends an invitation for us to know Him better through His written word?
This is an amazing benefit of reading the bible! Learn, know, and worship God through reading scripture.
You Dont Have To Read Your Bible Every Day To Be A Christian
So I didnt read my Bible yesterday. Well, I guess I did for a minute or two, but then someone came into my office and I had to put it down.
If it was a couple of years ago, I would have been distraught. How could I let a whole day go by without opening Gods Word or barely cracking the pages? How could I be so selfish and so obtuse as to think I could go a whole 24 hours without reading something from the Bible? Whats wrong with me?
Absolutely nothing.
See, theres a strong emphasis in the church on reading your Bible daily, and thats a good thing. I cant tell you how much Ive benefitted and grown from reading, studying, memorizing and applying Scripture. There are some verses that are the basis for my life and everything I do and think. If youre a regular reader of this blog , youll notice that Im a big fan of Romans 8:28, Romans 8:1 and 2 Chronicles 16:9. And more. I think regularly thinking about Gods Word is something Scripture encourages.
But Ive also noticed that this emphasis can be dangerous, and I speak from personal experience.
A common question asked when I was in college was, What are you reading in your Bible? The implication was that you need to be reading your Bible every day and it needed to be memorable. Heres the thing: thats not a command of Scripture.
We dont have to read the Bible every day to be a Christian.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
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Listening To God And Loving Others Well
This revelation about those who I thought knew the bible, was shocking to me. To make things more challenging, the one who clearly didnt know what they were talking about, was actually the one in charge of the study.
I didnt even know what to say.
What the leader was saying wasnt in line with what I was reading or studying. But I didnt feel confident enough to question what they were saying.
The leader noticed a difference in me after about 3 weeks and she called me out in front of everybody,
Sonya, youre really quiet, what is on your mind?
All I could say was,
Im just taking more time to listen lately.
Later, I was actually able to ask more questions, not to directly question the leader, but in a respectful way to discuss what was in the Bible and what was not. Still revealing another one of the benefits to reading the Bible dailylearning to love those around me well.
In addition, I started to really listen more in all conversations to not what was being said, but listening to the hearts of people as they spoke.