If you’re like most Christians, you have thought about reading through the Bible. Maybe you have tried in the past but quit somewhere along the line. Or maybe you have done it successfully … perhaps numerous times.
Why is it so important? Can’t we get everything we need by going to church, reading a verse or two each day, and listening to podcasts here and there? Isn’t it just too time-consuming? One more thing on a long to-do list? And if we make that commitment, how do we press through when it’s tempting to give up?
Please keep reading. I’d like to answer those questions and offer you one more way to help make this your year to read the Bible from start to finish.
Why a fresh start through the Bible? And why “through” the Bible? Why not just read here and there, perhaps finding a subject that interests you? Or how about a short devotional? As long as you read something every day, isn’t that good enough? Today’s reading from the book of Psalms gives us a very good illustration of why it’s so important to read God’s Word in context.
The psalmist in Psalm 1 talks about a man who is like a tree planted on a riverbank where it gets plenty of water and is always fruitful. The psalmist goes on to say that God prospers whatever this man does.
I don’t know about you, but I want my life to be like that. But despite some who teach that God wants to make every believer prosperous, there are requirements for this prosperity. There are things we must do and other things we are to avoid. We also need to understand what the psalmist meant when he wrote about prosperity. If we don’t, we may find ourselves disillusioned, even angry, with God.
But this is just one example of the importance of understanding God’s Word in context, in its entirety. One of the biggest problems I find among believers is a failure to know God, to know His character, and to know how He works through our tests and trials. As a result, far too many lead faithless defeated lives.
What is the most important goal or resolution we can make for the coming year? Many believe we should resolve to do things that make us happy. Others say we should set goals that will help us be more successful. Perhaps you have a goal to lose weight, get healthier, spend more time with family, achieve better results in your career, or something else. But is there a goal that should be the goal for every believer every year?
If you’re a follower of Christ you might think that goal involves things like going to church, reading your Bible, doing good deeds, giving more, or praying more faithfully. But is there a bigger goal, one that may include those things, but begins in the heart? What should the goal be for a believer?
And in our reading from Revelation, we meet the two witnesses. With fire to devour their enemies, the power to shut heaven, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with plagues, they will warn, preach, and prophesy during the first half of the Tribulation. But what happens after their death is even more shocking.
Why a fresh start through the Bible? Why “through” the Bible? Why not just read here and there, perhaps finding a subject that interests you? Or how about a short devotional? As long as you read something every day, isn’t that good enough? Today’s reading from the book of Psalms gives us a very good illustration of why it’s so important to read God’s Word in context.
The psalmist in Psalm 1 talks about a man who is like a tree planted on a riverbank where it gets plenty of water and is always fruitful. The psalmist goes on to say that God prospers whatever this man does.
I don’t know about you, but I want my life to be like that. But despite some who teach that God wants to make every believer prosperous, there are requirements for this prosperity. There are things we must do and other things we are to avoid. We also need to understand what the psalmist meant when he wrote about prosperity. If we don’t, we may find ourselves disillusioned, even angry, with God.
But this is just one example of the importance of understanding God’s Word in context, in its entirety. One of the biggest problems I find among believers is a failure to know God, to know His character, to know how He works through our tests and trials. As a result, far too many lead faithless, defeated lives.
But when we read through all of Scripture, we begin to see the big picture. As we go through the book of Genesis, we’ll look at the creation account and what it tells us about our incredible God. It will launch us on a journey through the history of God’s people and some of the most fascinating stories even recorded. As we go through the Prophets, we’ll see the many examples where their prophecies have already come to pass and our faith will grow. We will, also, come to better understand what was really happening in the book of Job, how much the psalmists were like us, and see the wisdom we can gain from Proverbs. In the New Testament, we’ll walk with Jesus and the Apostles, read Paul’s letters with fresh understanding, and marvel at the glories of eternity future.
So, why read “through” the Bible and not just here and there? So we understand the whole counsel of God and so we know the God of the Bible and not God as we think He should be.
Perhaps the question should be, “Why not read through the Bible in 2022?”
This year is fast drawing to a close and many of us are thinking about our resolutions for the new year. We’ll set goals for eating better and using that gym membership. We may set family goals and financial or career goals. But let’s not neglect the most important area of life … our spiritual life. One valuable goal is to read through the Bible.
But … why read through the Bible? Can’t we get everything we need by going to church, reading a verse or two each day, and listening to podcasts here and there? Isn’t it just too time-consuming? One more thing on a long to-do list?
Or what if you’ve tried in the past, only to fall behind and give up? How can you do it successfully in the coming year? Are there some strategies that can help?
