Living Out Of The BoxSample

READING YOUR BIBLE

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” -- Psalm 1:1-3 NLT

Reading the Bible is the most important way for you to get to know God more and build your faith and trust in Him. It’s kind of like a handbook that you can follow to discover more about God and how you are supposed to live your new life!

The Bible is made up of different books written by different people, but the cool thing is that God appointed each author to write it! Every single word came from God Himself. 

When you read the Bible, you’ll start to notice some changes in your life… The Bible talks about something called the “Fruit of the Spirit.” They are: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. When we spend time reading the Bible, these things will show up in our lives – in the way we talk, act, and respond to others. You may also notice that you start to become stronger. When you spend time in God’s Word, it becomes easier to handle life’s challenges because we know how much God is taking care of us! We don’t read the Bible just so that we can be fruitful or strong– that’s not the point. We read the Bible to get closer to God and build our faith, but as a result of reading it, these things will take place in our life automatically! 

The Bible is a big book, and it can be a little intimidating to think about reading the whole thing! But it is doable, day by day!... Here are a few tips for reading the Bible. First of all, start in the New Testament! The book of John is a great place to start. It gives you a big picture about Jesus’ life! We can learn something from every single book in the Bible, but understanding who Jesus is first is super important. As you read, take notes. Write down the things that stand out to you, as well as the things you don’t understand, so that you can research them or ask about them later. 

Most importantly, before you read, pray and ask God to speak to your heart as you read. Ask Him to teach you things and to help you understand and remember what you are reading.

Action Step: 
Start reading the book of John today. Even if you just read one chapter a day, and really let it soak in, it’ll start to transform your life!

My Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for the Bible, for Your words written to me. Help me read Your word every day, and to understand and apply it to my life. Thank You again for loving me and showing that to me through Your words! Amen.