I had thought of calling this post “Making time to read your Bible”. The more I thought about this the more I realized that most of us do not need to make time to read the Word, but rather we need to take the time to read. How much time does it take? I would like to challenge all of our students to begin reading their Bible. If this is something you have never done, then start off reading smaller sections of scripture and take time to prayerfully consider what it is saying. If you are an old pro at this point and have been reading your Bible fairly consistently then it’s time to go deeper into the Word. So what keeps us from reading our Bible? What are the barriers that keep us from going deeper? As I have thought about these 2 questions I suspect the answer lies somewhere in that we don’t understand the value of the Bible and we don’t know where or how to begin.

What is so important about reading my Bible?

I am going to assume that the question is being posed by a Christian or at least someone who is part of the church culture. There are a bunch of reasons that you should be in the Word, but I am going to look at three basic reasons.

1) Because you believe in Jesus

John 14:12-17 (ESV)

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

If you believe in Jesus you will pattern your life after Him. The goal of a Christian is to be like Jesus, and if we love him we will keep His commandments. The only way to know how Jesus lived and know His commandments is by knowing and applying the Word to our lives.

2) To be an approved workman

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In order to present ourselves before God as “approved” we must rightly divide the Word of God. This allows us to accurately know what the Bible teaches and apply it to our lives.

3) Defending the faith

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

How do I get started?

If you have not faithfully read your Bible I would encourage you to begin today! As a student ministry, we are going to begin a Bible reading plan together. The plan we are going to use is the 5X5X5 Reading plan.

5 minutes a day | If you’re not currently reading the Bible, start with 5 minutes a day. This reading plan will take you through all 260 chapters of the New Testament, one chapter per day. The gospels are read throughout the year to keep the story of Jesus fresh all year.

5 days a week | Determine a time and location to spend 5 minutes a day for 5 days a week. It is best to have a consistent time and a quiet place where you can regularly meet with the Lord.

5 ways to dig deeper | We must pause in our reading to dig into the Bible. Below are 5 different ways to dig deeper each day. These exercises will encourage meditation. We recommend trying a single idea for a week to find what works best for you. Remember to keep a pen and paper ready to capture God’s insights.

Underline or highlight key words or phrases in the Bible passage. Use a pen or highlighter to mark new discoveries from the text. Periodically review your markings to see what God is teaching you.

Put it into your own words. Read the passage or verse slowly, then rewrite each phrase or sentence using your own words.

Ask and answer some questions. Questions unlock new discoveries and meanings. Ask questions about the passage using these words: who, what, why, when, where, or how. Jot down some thoughts on how you would answer these questions.

Capture the big idea. God’s Word communicates big ideas. Periodically ask, What’s the big idea in this sentence, paragraph, or chapter?

Personalize the meaning. When God speaks to us through the Scriptures, we must respond. A helpful habit is personalizing the Bible through application. Ask: How could my life be different today as I respond to what I’m reading?

Reading the Bible is important and something you should not wait long for, start today, start now! Daily we will post the days reading and questions to consider. Join us each day and feel free to ask questions under the comments section for each days reading and feel free to respond to others questions as well. My hope is that we will begin reading God’s Word together and engage one another with our questions and thoughts on the days passages, creating a community of believers growing together.