Years ago I was driving my old truck and felt a nudge to pull into a Christian store and buy a Bible. I had been a persecutor of Christians all my life, didn’t really like most of them. Wasn’t sure why I was even doing what I was doing. A young lady there at the store said I should get a study Bible, so I did.
I didn’t know where to start reading, so I started at page one. I read through the whole Bible and all the notes in a year. I barely made it part way through Genesis, when all of a sudden the Word came alive to me, and I got saved right there. Just me and God, reading His Word.
I have grown to love His precious Word. “And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love” (Psalm 119:47). I have just kept reading His Word year after year. I love to read it at night until I can read no more, then fall asleep with Scriptures flowing in my mind. “My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous word” (Psalm 119:123).
The Word is all sufficient. It lacks nothing and contains everything we need. Oh the depths of His Word, we will never reach the end of all that is contained in Holy Scripture. The Word is Eternal. “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
His Word is perfect. Holy Scripture is the manifestation of the Word of God here on earth. “Every word of God is pure…” (Proverbs 30:5).
The Word is so infinite yet within our grasp. It is so wildly complex yet with a simplicity that dazzles us. “The entrance of Your words gives light…” (Psalm 119:130).
The Word is your first line of defense against all evil. The first armor of God, which is “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…” (Ephesians 6:14). And the truth is found in the Word. If you don’t have your foundation on truth, then you are standing on a lie.
The Word is your offensive weapon against all evil. The last armor of God, which is “And take the… sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…” (Ephesians 6:17). The Word of God is both your defense and your offense for every spiritual battle.
The Word has authority. Where there is a “Thus saith the Lord” there is always a conclusion. “Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13).
The Word is powerful. “For the word of God is living and powerful…” (Hebrews 4:12). When once the Word comes alive in you, your life will never be the same again. Until the Word is born in you, it is only dead ink on dead paper.
The Word can set you free. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Freedom is found when you abide, which means to stay in the Word. Don’t you want to be free?
The Word is your ever present guide. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
My prayer is that you would learn to love the Word with all your heart!
Blessings,
Paul
This is the third blog post I’ve read this evening about the importance of reading the Bible. God must be telling me to put the blogs away for the evening and crack my Bible. Guess I’d better heed that call.
Our God has a way of getting His messages to us! Well at least my blogs are filled with His Word. Still, it is so much better to take some time every day and just soak in His Word. It is my most precious time of the day. This blog was an expert of several messages I preached on this topic. I love the Word!