How Can I Grow in My Faith? How Should I Read the Bible?

Maybe, like me, from time to time you need a reminder to just pick up your Bible and really read it! Here is that reminder.  No matter how long you have been a Christian, only reading the Bible will help you continue to grow in God.

The best way to get closer to God, whether you have been a Christian for many years or you still have lots of questions, is to read the Bible. The Bible is the very words of God, and it contains everything you need to know about Him and how He wants you to live.

The Bible does not read like a modern novel. It is an ancient book, written during periods when those who could read would do so for hours, and even many who could not read memorized large portions they had heard recited. Television and the Internet were not around to impair their ability to concentrate.

First published in Hope Reborn by Tope Koleoso and Adrian Warnock 

The Bible will need to be read consistently and diligently if it is going to make a difference in your life. Someone who has not exercised for decades will not get fit by going to the gym only once, no matter how hard they work out. It is better to do a little exercise every day, and so it is with the Bible; read a portion every day.

Today, more than ever before, there are many Bible translations, books, software, apps, and Internet sites to help us understand God’s Word. People often ask which translation of the Bible to use. The best version is the one that you will actually read. Choose a translation you can easily understand.

Bible versions range from those that aim to be more literal, to those that aim to be easier to understand. In English, the first group includes the King James Version (KJV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The second group includes the Good News Bible (GNB) and the New Living Translation (NLT). A useful version that sits somewhere in the middle is the English Standard Version (ESV), which is the version we quote in this book.

If possible you should buy a paper Bible in which you can underline, make notes, and interact with the text. This helps you approach the Word of God in a reverent way, with the intent to focus on it, interact with it, and have an encounter with God speaking to you. An opened Bible demonstrates that you are taking God’s Word seriously, not casually.

That said, many people also enjoy reading the Bible on a smartphone or tablet. However, make sure you enable “do not disturb” or “airplane mode” to avoid interruptions which would get in the way. It is vital to disconnect. We sometimes need to say, “Stop the world, I want to get off!”

WEBSITES TO HELP YOU STUDY THE BIBLE

http://www.esv.org

http://www.bible.com

http://www.biblegateway.com

http://biblia.com

Some people find that using an iPad or another tablet allows a greater focus on reading. This is because it feels more like reading a book than using a phone, which is so strongly associated with phone calls and text messaging, and so leads to distractions.

Several free Bible apps are available. Perhaps the most versatile has two names: “Bible” or “YouVersion.” This contains translations in many languages and will read the Bible out loud to you. It can be used to follow a reading plan, such as the “ESV Study Plan,” which covers the whole Bible in one year, including passages from several different parts of the Bible each day. Alternative apps include the “Bible Gateway” and the “ESV Bible,” which has a clean look, and is also available as the “ESV Study Bible,” including helpful explanatory notes.

Whether you are using a physical Bible or a mobile device, it is very helpful to write notes. Bible apps allow you to do this, but you may find a dedicated notebook will become something you treasure for years to come. Start collecting a list of favorite verses, categorized by subject, so you can easily find them in the future.

Get into a steady rhythm of life that includes a time for God’s Word. Choose a quiet place in your home, and a quiet time of the day. Early mornings are often the best time to avoid distractions, and to prepare for the rest of the day. You need serenity and calm.

You may need to think creatively about how you can fit this time into your daily routine. For example, some hard- core commuters, who are very familiar with their journey into work, may be able to focus on reading the Bible on the train, or listen as they drive. Don’t waste your commute.

WHAT SHOULD I READ?

The Bible is all about Jesus. Therefore, the best place to begin reading is often with one of the four Gospels, which record Jesus’ life story: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are written from four different perspectives.

For centuries the Gospel that has stood out as most helpful for those who are not yet Christians is the Gospel of John. The writer says that he wrote it in order that we might believe. Jesus leaps off the pages and you are drawn to Him almost irresistibly. An old-time preacher used to dare his hearers to read this Gospel with an open mind, claiming they were almost certain to become a Christian as a result.

We recommend you get a good translation of the Gospel of John and read it this week. There are only twenty-one chapters so you could read three a day. Before you begin, ask God to speak to you. If you find yourself engrossed, keep going; you may find you read more than you had planned. Even if you have been a Christian for decades, we pray that as you read, a fresh love for Jesus will fill your heart.

When you have grasped the picture of Jesus that John paints, we would suggest you also read at least one of the other Gospels.

Matthew quotes passages from earlier books in the Bible that predict Jesus’ coming and details of His life. He wrote with the Jews in mind. Because he includes a lot of Jesus’ actual teachings, his book is often used to train new Christians.

Mark is the shortest and has an engaging style. If you want to read about the highlights of Jesus’ life in a couple of hours, read the Gospel of Mark.

Luke was a medical doctor who carefully researched the facts in order to write an historical account. He does not as- sume you understand the rest of the Bible, and wrote for non- Jews.

Once you have understood the life of Jesus you could keep going and read about the Early Church in Acts which was also written by Luke. Most of the rest of the New Testament is letters, many of which were written by the Apostle Paul, and aim to explain the gospel. Or you could go back to the beginning of the Old Testament and learn how God prepared the way for Jesus’ coming.

HOW SHOULD I READ?

Begin by reading large chunks to get an overview and understand the big picture. But the Bible is a very rich book, and individual phrases are likely to jump out at you. When this happens, write the verse down, and make sure you study the context so you do not misunderstand it. John Piper, a well- known pastor, once said, “Sentences change lives.”

You may find it helpful to read portions of the Bible out loud since God promises blessings to those who do (Revelation 1:3). As you continue in your Bible reading we recommend you use the following widely used model. Routine is not enough. The technique is designed to help you get the most from your Bible reading, and connect with Jesus as you read. It has been described in various ways. You may find one of these mnemonics helps you remember the structure; they each refer to the same basic approach:

Practice the following steps as you read the Bible. Keep your notebook handy or Bible app open. Writing will help to make your thoughts clearer, and you will enjoy going back to your notes in the future.

Don’t be overwhelmed with all the questions below; they are designed to get you thinking about what you read. You should not attempt to answer every single question, instead focus only on the ones that seem most relevant. If you don’t know how to answer some of them, just leave them out for now. Later on you can always ask a wise friend, or read a Christian book that addresses the issue. To begin with, you can easily read a short passage and follow these steps in a few minutes. As you practice this, you will find that the longer you are able to devote to studying the Bible, the more you will benefit from it.

1. Pray about what you are about to read. Begin by worshipping Jesus, praising Him for who He is, and thanking Him for saving you. Ask Jesus to speak to you through what you read, and to help you to understand. You can use this prayer:

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (Psalm 119:18)

2. Read the Scripture. Read at least a chapter, or perhaps a whole book if it is reasonably short. Then focus on a specific verse that seems important to you and read it several times.

3. Observe the text, looking for the facts. Don’t rush into thinking about what this means for you today. Instead ask some of these questions: When and where did the events in this passage occur? Who was involved? What did they do? How did it hap- pen? Why did things occur the way they did, and what were the outcomes? Who said what to whom? What would these verses have meant to their first readers? What do they mean in the context of the chapter they are found in, the rest of the book, and the rest of the Bible?

Our goal at this stage is to dig deeper into the text and understand it on its own terms. If you want to read other books to help you, make sure you have first spent some time thinking about the passage for yourself.

4. Apply the text to your life and plan your response to it. Often this requires us to discern the timeless principles of God’s Word, and then apply them to the twenty-first century.

Ask yourself the question, “So what?” Is the message to you an instruction? Is it a fresh revelation of something you haven’t previously understood? Is it an exhortation or encouragement? Is it a truth to declare? Is God cor- recting you and pointing out where your actions have not lined up with the Bible?

What is God saying to you through this verse? Listen for God’s voice as you read.

Next, cultivate an action plan. Decide what you will do as a result of your reading. What will you change? Be careful not to take a phrase out of context and apply it in a way that would never have made sense to the first readers of the Bible. If you are uncertain of the implica- tions for you today, discuss your thoughts with a more experienced Christian.

Be specific in your response to God’s Word. What will be your first step? Why will you change? The answer should be because the Bible told you to change. Allow the Word to tenderize your heart. When will you change? Do it straight away, don’t delay.

5. Pray about what you have read. Confess to God where you recognize that you need to change. Ask for Jesus’ help to live in light of what you have learned. Thank Him for speaking to you through His Word, and for His unconditional acceptance.

WHAT SHOULD MY ATTITUDE BE TOWARD THE BIBLE?

Do not be casual in your approach to the Bible. It is not an ordinary book. It contains remarkable power that needs to be released to help you live the way Jesus wants you to. The Bible is awe-inspiring, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word is so powerful that it is the origin of everything:

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3)

The Bible’s power is not released through merely reading. It’s not enough to have the Word of God in your hand, or even to have memorized it, as helpful as those things are. The power lies in our believing it and approaching it reverently.

People who say they are Christians fall into various categories based largely on how they view God’s Word. One group of people effectively treats the Bible with disrespect. They disagree with many of its teachings, and see it as mostly of historical interest. They set themselves above it, picking and choosing which bits to follow and which to discard when it does not match modern thinking.

They say things like, “I know that the Apostle Paul said that, but he was a man of his times, and things are different now; this is real life.” Stay away from such people, and do not listen to them. Do not trample over the Bible, or tamper with it. Jesus told us:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15)

A second group of people fails to pay attention to the way truth was gradually revealed over centuries as the Bible was written. Such people will often be very legalistic and promote harsh burdens that Jesus never intended us to carry. There are some things that the Old Testament says that the New Testament then supersedes. We must always interpret the Old in light of the New and not the other way around. For example, there were many laws about what the Jews should not eat. But God told the Apostle Peter that from now on He has declared all food clean (Acts 11:9).

There will always be things in the Bible that we will struggle to understand, and there are riches that we can spend the rest of our lives discovering. We should not get overly anxious about the parts we do not grasp, but allow God to speak to us every day.

As we read the Bible it seems clear that God intends us to interpret much of it literally. However, there are parts which use non-literal, poetic language, and can sometimes sound strange to our modern ears.

Certain parts of the Bible are difficult to interpret and apply. For example, four times the New Testament commands, “greet one another with a holy kiss” (e.g. Romans 16:16). Many Christians live in countries where friends would not routinely kiss each other. Most conclude that they can obey these verses by a friendly greeting, shaking hands, or hugging. Determining the principles that lie underneath instructions intended for an ancient culture, while ensuring we do not negate God’s permanent commands, is not always straightforward.

Another group of people has almost the right approach to the Bible. They treat it with respect, and study it diligently, as the Bible directs:

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

But we must not view the Bible simply as a textbook. It is possible to know a lot about the Bible but still fail to grasp its power.

Unfortunately some people set themselves up as experts in interpreting the Bible, and take great pleasure in stirring up arguments and division. Studying God’s Word is helpful, but fighting about our differences with other believers never is.

Academic work, as helpful as it is, will never replace revelation. We must not read the Bible in order to simply become well educated. Mere head knowledge puffs us up, but if our knowledge of the Bible leads to real love for God, this builds us up (1 Corinthians 8:1).

We need the help of the Spirit to truly grasp God’s Word, as “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). We do not want to be like those who are “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).

We must approach the Bible reverently. How we handle it reveals our attitude towards God Himself. He is not just your Savior; He is also your Lord. It is a privilege to listen to Him and bow in obedience. This is God’s final message to the whole world.

We should long to meet Jesus, and worship Him as we find Him in the Bible. There is no substitute for true devotion and adoration. We need to cultivate a relationship with the Living Word, Jesus Himself (John 1:1-18). Time in the Bible is time spent with Him, and God rubs off on us:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Sometimes our reading will seem mundane or even tedious, but we must keep going like a miner digging deep, looking for diamonds. Even in the middle of what can seem like obscure passages, we may suddenly see a glistening treasure which God has hidden for us. His Word suddenly comes alive to those who seek Him diligently. You might read the same words a thousand times, and then suddenly God speaks to you through them. Grasp hold of the eternal Word.

This view of the Bible leads us to focus on our daily time with faith, hunger, and expectation. When God opens your eyes to revelation, a single phrase can actually change the course of your life. Approaching God in this way is a holy moment.

The Bible is food for our souls. If we are hungry, it is not enough to go into a store and smell warm bread. Only a fool sniffs and leaves saying, “I’ve eaten.” Just like food, you need to take in the Bible, chew it, digest it, absorb it, and allow it to nourish you, strengthen you, sustain you, and to rule over your life (see Jeremiah 15:16).

Just as we need to eat regularly to stay alive, we need to take in God’s Word often. Jesus tells us, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Reading Christian books or listening to sermons, although helpful, are not the same as reading the Bible. Playing “Bible lottery” and simply choosing verses at random is not feasting on the Bible. Having an impressive theological conversation is not reading the Bible. We must hear God’s voice for ourselves as we read. We need a relationship with the God of the Bible.

If you want God to listen to you, then your approach to the Bible will determine how He responds to you. God promises,

“This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)

God is not looking for perfection in your life before He will care for you. He is not waiting for a deep academic under- standing before He will reward you. He is expecting you to humble yourself before Him, and to respect His Word. There is much in the Bible to tremble about. It shows us how much we have failed to do what God wants from us. None of us have arrived. We need to acknowledge this before God, and ask Him to help us to live in the way He wants us to.

God wants us to “receive with meekness the implanted word” (James 1:21). If we ask Him to, He will take the words from the page and press them into us so that we truly change. Jesus promises, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

When we see the Word of God as precious, we will want to memorize some verses, thinking about them over and over again. If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate. Instead of anxiously turning over a situation in your mind again and again, fill your mind with a verse from the Bible so that it releases its benefits into your life.

Speak the Word out loud, and pray it back to God. Learn to speak it out. “I believed, and so I spoke” (2 Corinthians 4:13). The Bible is Spirit-birthed and its actual words are lifegiving:

“The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63)

This does not mean we should act and pretend everything is fine if it plainly is not. Nor is it about money grabbing, as though claiming promises from God will make you rich. Don’t despise the gospel, which offers much greater rewards than mere comfort in this life. When Jesus has spoken to you, align your thinking with what He has said. Pray and proclaim because you believe God’s Word.

EXAMPLES OF BIBLE-BASED DECLARATIONS:

• I am a child of God because I have accepted Him, and have believed in His name. (John 1:12)
• I am forgiven, and my sin is covered. (Psalm 32:1)
• I will not experience eternal death, but will have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• God does not want to harm me, but has a hope and future for me. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• God is at work for my good in every situation because I love Him and He has called me according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
• He will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory. (Philippians 4:19)
• I can do everything through His strength. (Philippians 4:13)
• I will not be anxious about anything, but instead I present my requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
• God saved me by grace, through faith, and even that was a gift from Him. (Ephesians 2:8)
• I will grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, because God’s Spirit is at work in me. (Galatians 5:22-23)
• Jesus has promised me life to the full. (John 10:10)
• When I do sin, if I confess it to God, he will forgive me because He is faithful and just, and He will purify me. (1 John 1:9)
• God has shown me how much He loves me: while I was still a sinner, Jesus died for me. (Romans 5:8)
• When I am tired and weary, I will wait on God and He will renew my strength. (Isaiah 40:31)
• Even in difficult times, Jesus is with me always. (Matthew 28:20)

Start your own list of verses that are important to you, and add to it over the years.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF READING THE BIBLE?

Paul describes the Bible and what it accomplishes for us as follows:

“The sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteous- ness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

If you want to be a true Christian, read the Bible. If you want to be taught by God, read the Bible. If you want to grow in your knowledge of God, read the Bible. If you want God to correct you, train you, and prepare you so that you can work for Him more effectively, read the Bible.

Basically, read the Bible.

Jesus Himself warns us that we must build our lives on His Word:

“Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:46-49)

Ultimately, our eternal destiny is at stake in how we choose to read and respond to the Bible. Saving faith is granted to us as we humbly read: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Faith is a result of the work the Holy Spirit does in us, but He most often works through the specific word of God as we read the Bible, or its verses are quoted to us by others. This is why it is important for Christians to use the actual words of the Bible when sharing the gospel.

Reading God’s Word and responding to it will give us power to resist sin. The way to stop sinning is to take His Word into our hearts:

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:9-11)

God also promises peace to those who love His Word (Psalm 119:165), and who fix their mind on Him: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

If you believe God’s Word, peace gradually begins to characterize your life. When you face challenges and anxiety begins to rise within you, calm down and go back to the Bible. Over time you will become a calm-spirited person. Even those Christians who struggle with depression or other psychological disorders, and may require medical help, often find that over time, Jesus fills them with a peace that others just can’t understand.

The Bible grants us freedom and deliverance. Jesus prom- ised, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

God’s Word will release great power in prayer. In an in- credible promise, that sounds dangerous to our ears, Jesus says: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). Abiding in God’s Word shapes our desires to line up with His. The Christian who is full of God’s Word will not pray selfishly.

Studying the Bible gives wisdom for life. The psalmist writes, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130). Wisdom is found throughout the Bible, and one entire book, Proverbs, is devoted to teaching us practical principles to live by. Through the Bible, God shines His light on us and directs us so that we know which way to go: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

The Bible is a mirror that reflects what we are really like, so we can stop fooling ourselves. We should use it wisely, and let it search us out, helping us understand where we need to change:

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiv- ing yourselves … But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:22-25)

God’s Word does us good in a more general sense. As we line up our lives with the Bible, God will bless us. He will pros- per us, not necessarily in the sense of having more money to spend, but with the riches of true contentment, knowing life is lubricated by the peace and grace of God. God’s promise to Joshua applies to us:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

God does want you to be successful and fruitful as a Christian. Reading the Word of God and meditating on it will help you achieve everything He has prepared for you to do. God has a plan for your life. He may not want you to be a high profile person, but He wants you to do well at what He calls you to be. Each of us has a different role that God has planned for us. None of us was an accident, and we are all equally important to God (see 1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

God’s provision for you is released as you respond to His Word. If you choose to put Jesus first in your life, you will find that over time, many challenging situations will get resolved. Jesus is the expert in solving seemingly impossible problems. Some will seem to resolve themselves. Other situations will suddenly be unlocked by wisdom God unexpectedly gives you. However, you will often need to humbly ask for advice from others. Jesus will also sometimes change you, giving you a different perspective on an issue and the peace to live with what once seemed unbearable.

God’s Word itself becomes precious to the believer, so that as we mature in God, we find that increasing happiness and contentment are to be found in reading its pages:

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.”(Jeremiah 15:16)

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

God wants to make you a man or woman of His Word. There are many who think they are people of the Bible, but in reality they haven’t even scratched the surface. The key is to continually submit ourselves to the Bible and allow it to change our hearts, as evidenced by a grace-filled and godly demeanor. As you read the Bible, God intends for you not only to be inspired, but also to be challenged and awakened.

Have you decided to follow Jesus? Then determine today that you will allow the Bible to dictate your whole life. Resolve to live in the Word even when you are not feeling any immediate benefits from reading it. Patiently persist, and wait for God to make it come alive to you.

Let the Word of God be so inside you that your thinking is affected and your speech is full of its values and phrases. Our use of the Bible in everyday conversation doesn’t always have to be deep or even sound particularly spiritual.

For example, sometimes I (Adrian) find myself in conversation with work colleagues on the subject of how many people someone can realistically manage directly. I often point out, “Well, even Jesus only took on twelve, and actually one of them betrayed Him!” Every time I have used that biblical humor my colleagues have appeared intrigued. Usually the conversation has gone no further, but moments like that help others understand how important the Bible is to us, and how relevant it is.

Let every decision be guided by what you read in the Bible. Don’t toy with it, but rather cherish it. Determine that every single day you will read this precious gift our Savior left for us.

CONCLUSION

The purpose of reading the Bible is this, to know God and to have encounters with Him on a daily basis, no matter how small.

As we close this article, we pray that the following words become a motto for your life and for every church:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing [or lovingly correcting] one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

First published in Hope Reborn- by Tope Koleoso and Adrian Warnock