How is Your Bible Reading? Did You Read the Bible Today?

What if this is the way we greet one another when we come together, when we randomly meet on the street, or when we call one another?

Instead of, Hi, How are You? (to which I never know what to answer, because: how am I right now? Do you REALLY wanna know what’s going on in my life, or you’re just “politely” asking?) why not ask one another,

How is your Bible Reading? What did you enjoy in the Word of God today?

Why do We Need to Read the Bible?

Brother Tom at holdingtotruth.com recently wrote a very good article concerning the importance of building up a habit of reading the Bible daily. Why do we need to read the Bible? As Christians, we have the Spirit of the Lord within (1 Cor. 6:17) and we have God’s Word without, and we need to read the Bible every day so that we may know God, His desire, His intention, and His economy.

Watchman Nee said once something like, You cannot love the Lord more than you love His word; the degree to which you love the Lord is the degree to which you love His Word. For us to know God, to grow in life, and to be washed, we need to read the Bible every day.

How Should We Read the Bible?

The Bible is the book of books, and it is divinely inspired by God – even breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16). We should not read the Bible just like we read any other book; rather, we need to listen to the Lord’s word in John 5:39-40 by coming to Him when we come to His Word.

We need to find Christ in the Bible, and we need to exercise our spirit when we read the Word so that we may receive not merely letters, doctrines, teachings, or words, but spirit – it is the Spirit who gives life (John 6:63).

How should we read the Bible? Read the Bible by first praying to the Lord, contacting Him, and opening to Him. Read the Bible by contacting its Author, and you will get life.

Simple Ways of Reading the Bible

There are many ways of reading the Bible. What is really important is to have a habit of reading the Bible every day, and to pray to the Lord about it. He said, If you abide in Me and MY WORDS abide in you, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you (John 15:7) [see a further word on this via agodman.com, the Church must Match Christ in His move].

We need to abide in the Lord by exercising our spirit, and we need to let His word dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16). How? There are many ways, and here are a few of these ways that help me:

1. Read according to a Schedule. Read the Bible once a year. Or read the New Testament once every 3-4 months. Read 1 chapter of the New Testament and one of the Old Testament every day. Just make a schedule! I tried all kinds of schedules, and now what I do is reading one or two chapters every day. I love the book of Ezra (see my sharing here), and now in Nehemiah I love the spirit of this dear one, who loves the Lord and His house!
2. Pray Over God’s Word. Out of the chapter that you read, take a verse that touches you and pray over it. Don’t just read the black-on-white words on the page – make the logos (written constant word) into rhema (living instant word) that you may be nourished! Every day we need to pray over some of the verses either in the Morning Revival or in our Bible Reading, so that we may drink the guileless milk of the Word (1 Pet. 2:2).
3. Read the Bible with a Small Group. Once a week we gather together with some students, or in the homes with some believers, and we read one chapter. I love the Gospel of John: we are now in chapter 6 with the students reading, and in chapter 7 in our small group meeting. Get some companions either on the campus or in the homes and read the Bible together, at least once a week!
4. Read the Bible with Footnotes. I strongly recommend the Recovery Version with the footnotes (see it online here, or get one for free in USA via Bibles for America, in Canada via Bibles for Canada, in Australia via Bibles for Australia, in New Zealand via Bibles for New Zealand, and in UK via Rhema). The footnotes explain the text, bringing out both its proper meaning and the points of life for you to enjoy. Check out, for instance, the note on John 3:16 concerning “whoever believes INTO Me” – to believe into means to enter into an organic union with the Lord. Wow!
5. Read the Bible Out Loud. Not sure about you, but sometimes you need to read the Bible out loud, to speak it, and to exercise your spirit of faith when you read. When you do this you will experience God’s salvation from a multitude of problems, thoughts, troubles, worries, and all kinds of “bugs from Satan”. In your own time in your own room, or when you walk through the park, read the Bible out loud – experience God’s salvation!
6. Read the Bible with Companions. I personally recommend lettheword.com, a website where you can create a group or join a group, and you can then check with the others + be reminded by the other members of the group concerning the Bible reading. The hardest thing is not to read the Bible, but to read it consistently and diligently daily. One chapter a day – that’s not too much! – but when it comes down to practicing this, we NEED HELP! We need companions to remind us!
7. Sing the Word of God. Here’s a video of Psa. 73:23-26 being sung by Stephen. There are so many Scripture songs. Make your own Scripture song – take a verse and put a melody, if you’re musically inclined, and then sing it! Sing the Word of God, and make a joyful noise before Him when you read His Word!

Just Make Sure You Read the Bible Daily!

The above 7 ways are only some of the many ways we can read the Bible. Brother Nee has a few messages on the ways to read the Word of God, and all believers experience daily many ways of reading God’s word to receive life, light, nourishment, and more of the Spirit.

Just make sure you read the Word of God daily! As believers we need to read the Bible to grow in life and to know our God. We need to read the Scriptures that we may know His heart, His intentions, His ways, His desires, and His very Person.

Set a time and a place in your schedule daily where you dedicate yourself to read the Bible! Get a companion to remind you. Pray to the Lord to strengthen you to keep your Bible-reading schedule. Just do it! Even be legal about it – be strict with yourself, don’t allow a day to go by without reading the Bible! And when you meet your fellow believers, greet them with a warm,

How is Your Bible Reading? What did you enjoy in Your Reading of the Scriptures today?

Here’s more from other Christians who love reading the Bible:

• Christ in Galatians (via aChristianOnCampus);
• The Word of Righteousness (via ThingsReceived);
• The Heavens Do Rule (via EachOneHas);
• The Divine Romance in the Bible (via LifeAndBuilding);
• Gold, Pearls, and Precious Stones (via NewJerusalem);
• The Bible is a Book of Life (HoldingToTruth tumblr).

Pictures credit: reading the Bible, and Inspiration Unlimited.

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