“...never lose a holy curiosity.”
- Albert Einstein

The Bible isn't an "owner's manual" or just a "book of instructions," it's different.

"The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.”

Why Bible Intake?
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1. It's God's self revelation.

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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2. It's how we know truth.

John 8:32and you will know the truth, & the truth will set you free.

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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3. It answers life's ultimate questions.

- Origin: Where did we come from?
- Identity: Who are we?
- Meaning: What is the purpose of existence?
- Morality: What’s right and wrong?
- Evil: Why does evil exists?
- Hope: Is there any hope?
- Destiny: What will become of us when we die?
- Deity: Is there a God? What is he like? What does he require of us?

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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4. It is true and reliable.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God…

The human writers were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture, who chose the words employed according to the personality and background of the human author. We believe that these writings were without error in the originals and are of supreme and final authority in the lives of believers in any age.

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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5. It helps us live for God.

"The central purpose is not doctrinal purity (though that is no doubt involved) but inner transformation."

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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6. To not be swayed by false doctrine.

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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7. It brings conviction.

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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8. It's an atomic habit for missional living.

According to our most recent Congregational survey those who study the Bible daily are more likely to:
- know the character traits of God well enough to distinguish His voice.
- regularly meet with another person for accountability.
- stop to pray and help when they encounter someone who is hurting or in need.
- live out the gospel as a disciple-maker.
- look for moments God gives them to share the hope of Jesus.

I daily study the Bible so I can get to know God better and seek His will for my life.
- 41% said very or usually true of me while 59% said fairly, slightly or not true of me.

"A majority of the congregation reports longevity in their faith in Christ and a desire to grow. Many faithfully attend worship gatherings and indicate love for and support of their church. However, some disconnects exist between these realities and how they are applying and living out their faith. For example, much of the congregation is not yet prioritizing daily time in God’s Word."

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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9. Because people died to make it available.

Why Bible Intake? (cont.)
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10 There's a plethora of other reasons.

Why Bible intake...why would you not?

Think of biblical intake like eating food.
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- Bite: Hear and read Scripture.
- Chew: Study Scripture - break it down.
- Savor: Memorize, meditate and pray Scripture.
- Digest: Applying Scripture - fuel for living.

Hear
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- Romans 10:17
- 1 Timothy 4:13

Good place to start but a terrible place to stay because we forget 95% of what we hear within 72 hours.

Read
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- 11% of all Americans read the Bible every day and
- 18 % of all Christians in America read the Bible every day.
- 23 percent of American Christians say they never read the Bible.

“A man can’t eat enough today to sustain himself for the next six months, nor can he take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God’s boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it." - D. L. Moody

The Bible is not meant to be cake for special occasions, but bread for daily use.

Formula for reading success: Pick a time, pick a plan and pick some people.

Study
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Difference between reading and studying is pen and paper.

How to Study? Think of it like traveling:
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- Observe: What do you see?
- Interpret: What does it mean?
- Apply: What will you do base on what you have observed and rightly understood?

Memorize
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- Psalm 119:11

- The Old Testament instructs the Israelites to write the Laws on gates and doorposts and bind them to their wrists so that “they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deut. 11:18). The purpose of this instruction is to direct the mind repeatedly and regularly toward thoughts about God.

- Ephesians 6:17

- Scriptural truth, brought to your awareness by the Holy Spirit at just the right moment.

- The Holy Spirit will never bring to mind what was never stored in the mind to begin with.

Meditate
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- Psalm 1:1-3

It is possible to encounter a torrential amount of God’s truth, but without absorption you will be little better for the experience - meditation is absorption.

Sometimes you may need to read less so you can meditate more.

- Joshua 1:8

How can I tell if I’m sufficiently meditating on scripture? If you find it saturating your conversations.

Apply
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"You could train a parrot to memorize every verse of Scripture that you do, but if you don’t apply those verses to life, they won’t be of any more value to you than they are to the parrot."

- 2 Timothy 3:16,17

- Joshua 1:8

Many Christians are biblically educated well beyond our willingness to obey.

“If I were Satan first thing I would do is to convince believers that hearing, reading, studying, meditating and memorizing scripture is enough for godliness.”

- James 1:22-25

"No Spiritual Discipline is more important than the intake of God’s Word. There simply is no healthy Christian life apart from a steady diet of the milk and meat of Scripture. Regardless of how busy we become with “Christian things” we must remember that the most transforming practice available to us is the disciplined intake of Scripture."

Get into God’s word so that God’s word will get into you because a Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.