Get In It

Years ago when I volunteered in ministry leadership, I had the opportunity to talk to men about my faith, my struggles and how my relationship with God had grown. One night while speaking to a group of men at a local church, a friend approached me with a confession. He shared his desire to grow in his faith, but he confessed his struggle with reading the Bible. What he didn’t realize was that he could not have one without the other. Our faith is grown out of the pages of God’s Word.

I became heartbroken as I listened to his excuses for not having time to study the Bible. Of course, he explained work consumed much of his time. Afterward, he detailed obligations to his family. However, I suggested that getting into God’s Word was only the beginning—getting God’s Word into our lives was the ultimate goal. Reading the Bible is not simply an obligation, it is one of the best ways for God to transform our lives.

Paul explains that the Bible is more than just a book. It is a living tool of God for guiding and molding us.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).

This verse speaks great wisdom for our lives to not only read God’s Word, but to allow it to change us from the inside out.

I wish I had this wisdom when I was in college. I remember a time when my best friend who was Hindu called me a hypocrite after overhearing me talk about my faith with a new Jamaican student. My friend told me, “You’re no Christian. Your Bible is just a big black book that sits under your bed collecting dust.” To this day I haven’t figured out how he knew my Bible was there because, like he said, I never took it out to read it.

His honest rebuke didn’t sting because it was harsh; it stung because deep down inside I knew it was true. I had walked away from the faith I once loved.

If I would’ve read my Bible and applied its truths to my life, I wouldn’t have made the foolish choices I made during my college years. Click To Tweet

Usually, people have no problem trying to accomplish the things they enjoy. Whether it’s hitting the gym, participating in a sport or watching our favorite TV shows, we are more than able to make time—even with our busy work schedules and family lives. So why do we make such a big deal of reading God’s Word when we know its wisdom will ultimately shape our daily lives at work and at home?

Perhaps, we trust temporal pleasures to bring us joy more than God’s goodness. Or maybe we don’t fully understand the full power of God that the Scriptures contain. The Bible is filled with God’s promises and truth that we can only apply if we know and claim them. Reading God’s Word—even for a few minutes a day—will have amazing, far-reaching effects on our thoughts, actions and lives. God promises that when we read His Word daily, our lives will prosper and we will succeed in all the plans He has for us.

“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).

I’ve learned the best time for me is in the morning after I’ve eaten breakfast and before I began work. I tried reading my Bible before breakfast and only ended up falling asleep. I also tried reading it at night and likewise would fall asleep. Mornings work best for me; it gives me extra encouragement before I tackle my daily tasks. But, all Christians can find the best reading schedule that suits the season of life in which they find themselves. No matter what time of day or how long we read, our lives will profit by getting the Word in every day.

Scripture

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV).

Abide

God, I’m tired of giving excuses of why I’m not reading Your Word. I know that Bible is filled with Your goodness, wisdom and truth, and I want to read Scripture not simply to check off some obligatory box, I want to read it knowing that the verses will infuse and change my life. Give me an excitement and awe of Your Word, so I will make it a priority to spend every day reading its pages.

Overflow

What is the best time for you to read your Bible every day? Can you be creative in reading God’s Word? Maybe you can listen to the Bible while driving to work. Or before you check social media, you can click on a Bible app and read a few verses. Try leaving Bibles at work and on your breakfast table, so when you get a moment, you can take a time to read God’s Truth.

Writer

Martin in is a forty-three-year-old award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book after three years of researching, editing and remembering. While majoring in English, he walked away from the Christian faith to experience the grandeur and luster of  college life. While dating, he delved into different spiritual beliefs. Martin’s journey took him on a path for answers.

In March of 1997, Martin received his answer–albeit, not the answer he wanted. Nearly dying in a severe car accident, he survived with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. After enduring eleven months of humiliating rehabilitation and therapy, Martin found himself at the foot of the cross with a choice to make. It was then he realized to truly live, he had to die. Not physically but in every other area of his life. There could be no compromise.

Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers Ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries, Martin shares his testimony. Martin explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. He is a contributing writer at Faith & Fitness Magazine and the new columnist for the A3 Writing with a Disability Column.

Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at his website and on Twitter.