This is part of a 12-week series designed around some basic Christian disciplines that will propel you to spiritual growth!
If the above player does not work for you, simply click this link: Bible Reading
Here is the podcast above in a nutshell…
Welcome to this edition of Beginnings! This week we tackle one of my favorite disciplines in all of Christianity: Reading the Bible!
It’s so important that we develop this discipline, and let me encourage you with a few reasons why. First, the Bible is a bestseller year after year. If you’re not reading it, you’re missing out. Second, History is dotted with people whose lives have been changed by God’s word. You should be in it simply because it’s a life changer. Third, it is spiritually powerful. There’s no way I can prove this to you. You can only learn by experience, but God’s word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and will interact with you as you read it.
Don’t be hampered by the common roadblocks that keep some people from learning to read the Bible. Find a translation that works for you. I’ll recommend a few from the easiest to understand to more difficult but accurate: the New Living Translation, The New International Version and/or the English Standard Version. Each one of these has its merits, but the most important thing to remember is if you have a translation that makes you want to read it… that’s the best translation.
Now, you may query, how do I read the Bible? I am so glad you asked!
What if I told you there was a legend to the map, right in the Bible? Something that told you how to read the Bible from the pages of Scripture itself.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
There it is, God’s instructions for how to read the book He gave us. When this passage says that the Bible is, “Profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness” it is giving us four filters to pass our Bible reading through that will help us get the most out of our study.
- I have condensed these concepts into four simple words:
Summarize (for teaching) – after you’ve read a passage, summarize it in a nutshell. Don’t apply it, or hyper-spiritualize it, just restate what it said in the simplest way possible. - Expose (for reproof) – once you know what the meaning of the passage is, explore what it says about you? God’s word always interacts with us, either affirming our current situation or giving instruction as to what to do next.
- Change (for correction) – once something has been exposed, it’s a gift that gives you the opportunity to make a change. What’s the next step for you to line your life up with this passage? What needs to happen as a result of applying what you just learned?
- Prepare (for training in righteousness) – if I make the change(s) this passage suggests, what are the long-term effects in my life? If I change to line up with God’s word how could that be preparing me?
It’s as simple as that! Reading It Right is a tool to help you grow spiritually and understand God’s word more completely. You can find out more by going to www.readingitright.com, or simply listen to the podcast linked above for much more than we covered in this short article.
Many blessings and may you continue to grow as we take part in these Beginnings.
Seeking more of Him and less of me,
Andy Addis
Pastor, CrossPoint Church
John 3:30