Articles
Why I Read my Bible
As a preacher nothing excites me more than to pick up God’s word, to read it and to learn from it. I remember an instance not too long ago where someone mentioned to me that they would like to see how an occasional day of preparing sermons and bible material as a preacher unfolds. I have had this curiosity several times in the past myself and the response I received then from those folks is the same one I will tell you now: I simply read my bible and I study it a lot. There is no rocket science when it comes to preparing a sermon or bible material for a bible class or even for purposes such as writing this article. I have heard of instances where many Christians wonder in amazement and awe at the knowledge and wisdom of a man speaking God’s word from the pulpit. I too have been in such positions where I was able to sit at the feet of men who presented God’s word with much wisdom. While I know of some who have indeed studied and attained degrees in the field of Bible, I know of many others who have simply read their bibles and put large amounts of effort into studying and dissecting its message. The outcome is the same because their foundation is the same. They all read the scriptures and studied into it zealously.
I read my bible because I want to be able to grow closer to God. Have you ever sat down after a long and grueling day and opened your bible to read it for maybe 10-15 minutes? Do you feel replenished after doing that? If this is not your practice already I would encourage you to try it. Don’t wait till next year. Try it today. Conversely, have you ever woken up in the morning and after a prayer you put in some time just reading and studying your scriptures? You would be amazed at the good it will do for your soul especially if you have to go out into the battlefield (the world) for a long time.
I read my bible, so I can get a better grip of what God wants me to accomplish. I have a hard time reading and taking notes in my mind at the same time. As a result, I will often take notes either while I read or after I read while it’s still fresh in my mind. This helps me so much especially when I am preparing a sermon or material of any kind. Pull out a notebook or your tablet or your computer and don’t be afraid to jot down some notes. You can write paragraphs or do bullet points. This is how children learn the material in schools and this is how we will learn God’s will too.
Finally, I read my bible because I love doing it. I love God’s word and the beauty of its message. I will find myself at various times sitting and contemplating the majesty and wonders of the bible. It’s a joy to read and study. It’s not boring and we shouldn’t think that it’s boring. God’s words are life and when we read it we ought to focus on every aspect and apply everything we can to become better disciples.
