Read the Bible

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [of My law, where I reveal My will]…”

Hosea 4:6(AMP)

“What makes you think you can be a Christian and not read your Bible?”

That’s the question I heard God ask me boldly and bluntly as a response to what I was praying. I was thinking about all the people who don’t know the Word of God. I was thinking, “how can I help them or what can I pray that would help them get what they need when they won’t read the Bible?”

Then God answered me with that question above. If you’re wondering how you can get the answers and healing you need without spending time studying the Bible, the answer is- you can’t.

Why would you even want to? God gave us His living Word. His promises. His directions and instructions. We have what we need sitting on the coffee table. What makes us think that we have no obligation to read it?

Not that reading your Bible makes you a Christian, because nothing but the blood of Jesus does that. But if we are truly and genuinely a follower of Jesus, why would we not want to spend time with Him?

In fact, it goes as far to say to meditate on His Word day and night.

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Joshua 1:8(NLT)

Only then will you prosper. That’s what the Bible says. Not Jordan, not your pastor, not your grandma. God himself, says if you can’t spend time reading and studying the Bible, you will only get so far.

He didn’t leave us helpless. He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us, and His Word to teach us. But yet, His people perish for lack of knowledge. And it’s not because the knowledge is being withheld from them. It’s because we’ve become too busy and too self sufficient- thinking we don’t need guidance or instructions.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [of My law, where I reveal My will]…” Hosea 4:6(AMP)

When we accept Jesus as our LORD (meaning Master), we agree that He is in charge of our life. So what makes us think that reading His Word is optional? Or just for people in ministry? Or only if it’s convenient?

Does the Bible take effort to understand? Yes. Is it always easy or fun to read? No. But there’s life in that book. Trust me, you want it. And what I have found is the more I study it, the clearer it becomes.

You have in you everything you need to comprehend the Word of God when you accept Jesus as your Savior. You just have to want to.

“But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].” 1 Corinthians 2:14(AMP)

When you agree to work at a job, you read the material necessary to complete your responsibilities. You go through training or college to learn how to do the job. When we accept Jesus, we need to do the same if we want to be successful in our purpose and calling in life.

Whatever reason or excuse we have for not reading the Bible, it isn’t good enough.

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7(NIV)

There’s nothing more important than this.

Reading the Bible is your responsibility.

Knowing the scriptures is your responsibility.

Obeying the Lord is your responsibility.

No one else can do it for you. And while church is VITALLY important and having a good pastor is essential- it is not a replacement for your own personal relationship with Christ.

There is no substitute for your own encounter with Jesus.

There’s nothing like Jesus. Nothing as sweet as His presence, or as lovely as His revelation. Nothing is as comforting as confirmation from His Word.

Until the day we leave our bodies to meet Him, the Bible is the closest interaction with His will and His words that we have. That’s a pretty amazing thing that we leave on a bookshelf under a blanket of dust.

We’re not too busy to read our Bible. We were created to have a relationship with the Lord. He longs to love on you and spend time with you. It’s our whole reason for existence. So if we think we’re too busy for that, then our priorities are misplaced. Move something. Get rid of something. Sacrifice something.

Whether it be sleep, or a hobby, or TV, or over time at work. Whatever you got to do to make room and time for the Word of God- do it.

I promise it’s worth it. What you will gain from time in the Word will far surpass whatever you give up.

His peace is in that book. Anxiety melts in His presence.

Reminders of His power, might, and faithfulness are in that book. Fear shrinks when we see how big our God is.

Growth is that book. We can’t fulfill the calling on our life without reading it. We will never become the people God intended us to be without learning and growing in His Word.

And I know this whole blog post is blunt and edgy. But it’s the truth and we just don’t say it anymore. Please don’t think I am preaching down at you either, because God had to have this stern heart-to-heart with me too, earlier this year. I have a heart that yearns to do ministry, but was only coming to His Word when I needed a sermon or a blog post. But He asked me to just come spend time with Him. Between me and Him. And now that I have, I’m exasperated at all that time I had not.

But His mercies are so great that He didn’t scold me for all the time I had wasted. He just celebrated that I came to Him, finally, to sit at His feet and learn from His Word. You don’t have to be afraid to come to God because you think He is mad at you. He isn’t. He just wants you. He loves you.

But how can we love who we do not know? Better yet, how can we have faith in a God that we never seek?

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17(NIV)

The Bible says that when we spend time reading the Bible our mind is renewed. Meaning all our thoughts that get all jumbled and angry within us- get settled and straightened after time with God.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2(NIV)

We need His Word. He didn’t leave us helpless. The answers you have been looking for are in that book.

Seek Him and you will find Him.

Be Blessed!