If you take a look around our society today, you see a level of superficiality that is almost unbelievable. Somehow, over the last few generations, we have turned into a culture that is focused on instant gratification, looks only to ourselves, and refuses to nurture the inner life.
The curse of superficiality is at epidemic proportions in the twenty-first century. The problem lies in the fact that we have lost the ability to be deep people. We are smart. We are connected. We are talented. But we aren’t deep.
If we want to see some incredible change in our lives, we need to be able to look at the inner life and take it deeper than we ever have before. And one of the easiest ways to do this is to spend time in the Bible.
Tomorrow, we will look at several ways to start this discipline, or deepen in in our lives. But to day, I want to look at some reasons why this is so important.
Here are ten reasons to spend consistent, daily time in your Bible.
The Bible Has Transformed History
The Bible has been a primary influence throughout history. From the beginning of the Reformation, to the first book printed on a printing press, to the abolition of slavery in England and America, and continuing efforts around the world, this book has been a prominent part of changing the world. There are hundreds of examples of the Bible’s influence throughout history, from ancient times right up to today.
The Bible Remains Accurate
The Bible is an amazing example of continuous unity. Written by over forty authors, over a span of 1500 years, the Bible’s continuity is amazingly consistent. Even after centuries, it remains almost perfectly accurate. Some have criticized the Bible, stating that it has been changed over time and no longer reflects Christianity rightly. But as more and more ancient documents are discovered containing portions of Scripture, they continue to prove to the world that the Bible hasn’t changed. For example, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, they contained some of the earliest known manuscripts of several different parts of the Bible. Today’s Bible is almost unchanged, even after centuries.
The Bible Is Life Changing
The message of the Bible is God’s plan for humanity, from the beginnings of creation to the return of Christ at the end of the ages. The message contained in these pages is God’s word to us, and contains clear teaching and instruction about how to connect with God and grow in that relationship. The Bible contains Truth, a truth that is not relative, but is absolute. And that truth contains the power to transform a person into more of what God wants him to be.
The Bible Is Valuable
The Bible has been printed in hundreds of languages, and continues to be translated into more and more dialects. Some of the places the Bible has been introduced are antagonistic against it, and believers face serious consequences if found with a copy. And yet they continue to hold it close and study these words, even with the risk of prison or death hanging over them. In fact, it would not be far out of line to state not that the Bible is valuable, but that it is priceless.
The Bible Connects Us To Christ
God spoke through Moses and the Prophets. Most of those writings are found in the Old Testament. But God knew that his written word might not be enough for us. And so he became the Living Word, and took the form of a human, Jesus Christ. He came to earth, lived among us, and taught us that the way to God was through him. The Old Testament points toward him. The New Testament reveals him, and gives us his teachings. The Bible connects us with him so that we can be restored to God.
The Bible Is Alive
It’s hard to understand just how living the Word of God actually is. But when you exposes yourself to the Bible on a consistent, daily basis, the Bible will become more and more ingrained in every part of your life. God gives wisdom through his Word that doesn’t make sense from a worldly perspective. But as we grow in our relationship with him and knowledge of him, we begin to gain a deeper understanding of godly wisdom.
The Bible Gives Us Much
Peace. Wisdom. Direction. Light. Guidance. Faith. Perspective. Truth. The Bible has much to offer us. And when we read it regularly, we gain more and more of each of these, and more.
The Bible Helps Us Overcome Sin and Temptation
Each day, we face temptations and opportunities to sin. The more we read our Bible, the more we gain the strength and understanding needed to approach these situations, and resist the urge to go against God’s commands.
The Bible Grows Us In Spiritual Maturity
The Bible teaches us principles and disciplines that help us grow in our faith and maturity. From the Bible, we learn such things as giving, prayer, worship, sharing our faith, missions, involvement in the church, and more. Daily regular Bible reading is necessary for spiritual maturity as a disciple.
The Bible Expresses Its Own Authority
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. – Romans 15:4
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 success. – Joshua 1:8
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. – Psalm 119:9-11
You see, there are many benefits that come from reading the Bible consistently. Tomorrow, we will take a look at several different ways to implement this into our lives.
Can you think of any other benefits that come from reading the Bible consistently? You can share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Hey Jeff! I was wondering, where do you get your photos for posts and what plugin are you using below your posts for email subscriptions? Thanks!
Thanks for reading Jason! The email subscription box is a plugin called WP Greet Box. With a little configuration and tweaking, it has a lot of potential.
As for the images I use, these come from a broad range of sources. Some are shots I take on my own. Others, like the one in this post, come from a stock image site, such as iStock, Getty, or Shutterfly. There is a link in the side bar to a discount on images at iStock if you’re interested. Other images, like the banner and image for the Spiritual Disciplines series, are created in Photoshop.
Hope this helps!