In today’s devotion we will look at five more reasons why daily Bible reading is so critical for the Christian.
Reason 6 – Reading the Bible will do wonders for your self-esteem.
In a world where so many people suffer with inferiority complexes and low self-esteem a proper knowledge of the Bible will elevate your self-esteem sky-high. (Genesis 1:27) tells us that we are created in the image of God. (Deuteronomy 14:2) lets us know that we are God’s treasured possessions. (Psalm 139:17-18) shares that God has a myriad of precious thoughts toward us. And (I Peter 2:9) says we are chosen, royal, holy and special to God. Let’s face it God is crazy about you and if He says that these things are who you are you should never have thoughts of inferiority. And the more you read the Scriptures the more you will see just who you are in Christ!
Reason 7 – Reading the Bible will give you courage to face life’s trials.
Let’s face it life is difficult whether you are a Christian or not. However, as a Christian we have a secret weapon that can help us cope with life’s biggest trials – the Bible! As you spend more time reading and mediating on the Scriptures you will not only gain wonderful coping mechanisms to deal with life’s trials but the courage to persevere no matter what comes your way. (Joshua 1:8-9) gives us great advice on why we need to stay in the word: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Reason 8 – Reading the Bible will help guard you from false teachings.
In our world today false teachings and false teachers abound. There are so many secular belief systems and even aberrant Christian teachings that don’t line up with the Scriptures that it is imperative that we read our Bible diligently so we can discern truth from error. (I John 4:1) says: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” The best way I know how to test the spirits is to see if a teaching lines up with what is taught in the Bible. My friends if we don’t read and know the Bible we will not be in a position to know truth from error; and the results can be devastating.
Reason 9 – Reading the Bible will help us from getting too comfortable.
If we don’t read our Bible daily we run the risk of getting too comfortable with the world and not putting Christ first in our lives. The less we are in the word the greater chance we can drift from Christ. Reading the Bible has a wonderful way of keeping our minds focused on Jesus and not on the things of this world. (Romans 12:11) gives us the proper perspective we should always have: “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” Filling our minds with Scripture each day will keep our hearts and minds on the things of the Lord.
Reason 10 – Reading the Bible will help us grow as believers.
I usually find that Christians who rarely read the Bible don’t grow very much in their walk with the Lord or their love for Jesus. In order to grow physically we must each good food and often. And in order to grow spiritually we must feed on the word of God and often. The Bible is our spiritual food and without a steady diet of Scripture reading you will never mature as a child of God. I love what it says in (Psalm 1:1-4): “Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, And on His Law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind blows away.” Reading the Bible every day will help you grow, mature and prosper in the Lord. The flip side, however, is also true – little Bible reading will produce little growth.
God designed the Bible to not only be our basic instructions before leaving earth but the greatest love story ever told. The Bible is dynamic, exciting and the ultimate book of wisdom. I pray if you are not reading your Bible daily that you will start today and make it a treasured habit – you won’t regret it!
If there was one bit of wisdom, one rule of thumb, one single skill I could impart, one useful tip I could leave that would serve you well for the rest of your life, what would it be? What is the single most important practical skill I’ve ever learned as a Christian?
Here it is: Never read a Bible verse. That’s right, never read a Bible verse. Instead, always read a paragraph at least and compare Scripture with Scripture.