When I was twenty-six years old I was the music director of a Christian band travelling in Europe. Because of a political crisis in Poland, our travel plans changed and we ended up staying at YWAM (Youth With A Mission) hostel outside of Vienna, Austria for about three weeks with no concerts.
Around that time, one of the guys in the band gave me a ‘Read-Thru-The-Bible-In-A-Year’ chart and encouraged me to start reading the Bible on a daily basis. Because of our empty schedule, I started reading the Bible for hours every day. As I read it, God began to speak to my heart. I began to change. I remember gently weeping as God’s Spirit spoke to my heart through the power of the words of the Bible.
I had begun to discover the power of the Bible. The power that God’s word has to change the human heart. It began a shift in my life and mind that continues to this day. Those hours reading the Bible began a transformation in my heart that lead me to be a Pastor for the next 30+ years. At that time, I also committed myself to make the reading of the Bible a daily part of my life. That has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made.
In Paul Tripp’s blog, he gives three powerful reasons to encourage us to read the Bible. I share these edited points because I have found them to be true in my life.
1. The Bible Shows Us How To Understand Life
From the beginning of time, there has been an immeasurable distance between the mind of God and the comprehension of humans. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
Even in a sinless world, Adam and Eve were completely dependent on God for revelation. They didn’t come into existence knowing what life was about. They didn’t know who God was or why they were created. As soon as Adam took a breath, God started telling him all the important things he needed to know.
We are no different from Adam and Eve, except that they received revelation while walking and talking with the Creator. Today, we receive our revelation through the Bible. It is where we need to go to discover who God is and why we were created.
You need to read the Bible because you’re a human being. You simply don’t have the capacity to understand life without divine help. Without God’s Word, your existence will not make any sense.
2. The Bible Shows Us How To Live Life The Right Way
If Adam and Eve needed God’s Word in a perfect world, how much more do we need His word now? You see, it is difficult to have pure motivations in your life; sin tends to taint our outlook and perspective.
We need the Word of God to help us know what is good and true because it doesn’t come naturally: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8).
You need to read the Bible because we are sinners. You simply don’t have the ability to move through life with a clean heart. Without God’s Word, you don’t have what it takes to live righteously.
3. The Bible Shows Us How To Change
The ultimate purpose of the Word of God is worship. We were designed to worship the Creator, but sin captures our heart and we worship the creation (Romans 1:25). Only the Word of God can take us from one side to the other.
The Bible has the unparalleled ability to grip us at our roots – our sinful, creation-worshiping heart – and transform us into an entirely different person.
You need to read the Bible to experience change. You simply cannot experience spiritual growth on your own.
One Final Word
The purpose of this blog is not to persuade you to rise early everyday and read the entire Bible in 365 days. It’s very possible to read the Bible diligently and with a hard heart.
Instead, this blog is written in the hope that you might admit to three things: your dependence on God, your sinful heart, and your need for change. If you read the Bible with that type of humility, get ready for God to change and reshape your heart, soul and mind.
If you would like to start reading the Bible on a regular basis, here are links to two great online reading plans.
1. Read the Whole Bible Chronologically in a Year:
Bible Reading Plan — the Bible Chronologically #2
2. Read the New Testament, Proverbs & Psalms in One Year:
Bible Reading Plan — 2 Chapters A Day
Just add your email at the bottom of one of these links to receive daily readings that will take just 10-15 minutes per day. 1. Whole Bible NLT Chronologically or 2. New Testament/Psalms/Proverbs
