The Bible is the living word of God. Three things happen when you read this book.
#1. You gain a general understanding of the life and times of the day when it was written. Interestingly enough many of these issues are still in play today. Apply them to your life. True…we don’t hear of people being thrown to the lions or swallowed by giant fish but we can understand standing for what you believe in and willful disobedience.
#2. You get to learn about Jesus. Walk with him along the dirt roads and sit with him as he preaches. Watch him heal the blind, get mad at the money changers of the temple, ride into Jerusalem as a king and be betrayed and murdered.
#3. This book will take hold of you and you will forever be changed. If you’ve ever read a good book that you can’t put down, I promise this book has that beat hands down. If you pray before you read and ask God to open your heart to His word your life will be changed dramatically. You will be renewed in areas of your life that were dry, you will have a change of heart in areas of your life that were unhealthy for you, you will see the world with new glasses that are clearer and refined. You will be able to discern when the enemy is speaking in your ear and what God says to combat his lies.
There is power in this book to mend what’s broken, to heal what’s hurting, to fill what’s empty and to strengthen what’s weak. It will breathe life into your dead dry bones and set your feet on a path of renewed commitment to service that brings glory to God.
Wow! That sounds amazing but also sounds like it’s going to change you. Absolutely! Yes! You will be transformed.
So where do you start?
“Do not ask God to guide your footsteps if you’re not willing to move your feet.”
Sean Patrick Flanery
Set a time daily. Personally, I like getting up early in the morning when it’s quiet in the house before the “world” has come in on me. This is my time with God. My time is whenever I wake up in the morning. It’s usually between 3:30 and 4:30 am. I love the Persian Poet, Jalalud’din Rumi whose poem The Breeze at Dawn says, “The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep.” I love the imagery of God whispering secrets to me and I don’t want to miss a single one, so I get up. I resist going back to sleep. I trust this time to God and open myself up to Him, His word, my prayers, my fears, my needs, myself; and eventually the “my” melts away and I’m left with “Him”. How long you spend doesn’t matter at first but eventually you’ll find that minutes turn into hours very quickly. If morning isn’t good for you, pick whatever time works best for you but try to be consistent, like scheduling an appointment that you simply refuse to miss.
Find a place. I have a chair in my library. It sounds like I’m rich every time I say I’m in my “library” so the reality is it’s our old dining room that we converted because the kids all grew up and left us and we don’t have big family meals together much anymore and someone told my husband that people who have a library in their home have larger annual incomes (haven’t seen the reality of this yet. **wink**) I know in the movie WAR room it was a closet, I have a friend who has her spot on the corner of her couch. Doesn’t really matter where it is…once you find it, stick with it. It won’t be long and you’ll feel like this spot is your comfort zone and when you’re having a tough day take a few minutes and just sit down in your spot where you and God have hung out for so many prayerful hours together. See if you don’t instantly feel comfort and peace.
Find a Bible. I like the NIV study bible because I have a lot to learn and I have trouble with the King James Version but whatever version you want to use is fine. Make it as understandable as you feel comfortable. You don’t have to start with a real expensive bible, used bookstores and thrift shops are a great place to look for bibles.
Get Started. Start somewhere like Proverbs, Psalms and the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). I wouldn’t recommend reading the entire bible in your first sitting. It’s not the quantity of words you read, it’s the quality of time you invest. Some days I may only read a few lines and my whole time spent with God is reflecting on those few lines.
I do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4
The key to my fruit-bearing life is hearing God’s truth and understanding it. Matthew 13:23
The Holy Spirit helps me understand God’s truth when I read the Bible. John 16:12
Living to hear six means that you’re willing to invest in time spent with God in His word.
