God's Word

“All Scripture is God-breathed…”(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Bible is God’s Word. It is an incredibly valuable asset in your life. It is the primary way we hear from God and learn the things we should know about Him. It is living and active, it has the ability to speak into our lives and guide us spiritually (Hebrews 4:12). It has the power to teach us, correct us, turn us away from bad things and help us grow in maturity as believers (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The more you learn about the Bible the more amazed you will be. The unity of its message, considering the fact that it was written over a 1,600 year period in several different countries, in three different languages, by 40 different men, is beyond remarkable. These authors included generals, kings, slaves, prisoners, farmers, fisherman, priests, and prophets. The message from the beginning to end is one of God’s plan to redeem. people back into fellowship with Himself (1 Thessalonians 2:13). It is a book that can stand up to close scrutiny. It is reliable.

We are often drawn to God by a jarring event that happens in our lives. In times of great crisis people automatically reach out to God. This often begins with a search for that Bible we have stashed away somewhere. After finding the old book in the bottom drawer under the clothes we never wear, we pull it out and start to read. This is invariably a King James Version Bible we inherited from grandma, or were given in Sunday School decades earlier. After struggling through the “yeas and “nays” and the “thees” and “thous,” we come to the conclusion we “understandeth not”. In other words, we conclude that we aren’t smart enough to figure out what the Bible says.

All of this to say there are several modern translations that make comprehension of the Bible much easier. While granny’s old King James is a precious keepsake, it is probably going to be more difficult to understand. I would recommend the New International Version (NIV) or the New Living Translation (NLT) as good versions for new believers to read. There are others and if you want to learn more about translations, ask a pastor or someone at a good Christian bookstore.

It is important to develop a devotional pattern that puts us in God’s Word every day. It is best to pick a time of the day that works for you and fits your schedule. Spend some time reading the Bible at that time everyday. many people start their morning with a devotional time. Others choose the evening or lunchtime. You will find more success establishing a consistent pattern if you try to read the Bible at the same time every day. Don’t feel pressure to read for a long period of time to cover pages and pages of Scripture. Rather, read thoughtfully and consider the things you see in the text. ask God to help you understand and to speak to you through the words your read. When you feel like you have received something, feel free to stop and consider it in prayer.

It;s best if you have a method to your reading program. Pick a book of the Bible and start at the beginning. Pick up reading each day where you left off the day before until you finish that book. The pick another one and do the same thing again.

It would be good for you to read through the New Testament before you try to tackle the Old Testament. It is often recommended that new believers start off reading the book of John. I think that is a great place to start.