Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.
George Mueller, after having read the Bible through one hundred times with increasing delight, made this statement: “I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time over the Word of God. Friends often say, ‘I have so much to do, so many people to see, I cannot find time for Scripture study.’ Perhaps there are not many who have more to do than I. For more than half a century I have never known one day when I had not more business than I could get through. For 4 years I have had annually about 30,000 letters, and most of these have passed through my own hands. “Then, as pastor of a church with 1,200 believers, great has been my care. Besides, I have had charge of five immense orphanages; also, at my publishing depot, the printing and circulating of millions of tracts, books, and Bibles; but I have always made it a rule never to begin work until I have had a good season with God and His Word. The blessing I have received has been wonderful.”
Let’s be honest, many of us in this generation have become lazy! We do not make the time to read the word for ourselves, and we barely get by on what the pastor preached on Sunday, if we can remember it by Monday night. The irony is that we live in a generation where the bible is widely available especially with the advent of the smartphone and tablets, but the more available it is, the less of it we read.
One of the Spiritual goals we must set for this new year is to stay in the word. Jesus said that if we abide in him and his word abides in us, then we will bear much fruit. The issue for many is not in the reading, but rather being consistent to read it daily and apply what we read in our everyday life. As it is said, the Bible is bread for daily use and not cake for special occasions.
Just like no one can do sit-ups on your behalf or lift the weights for you, you have to read the bible for yourself if you are to grow and stay fit spiritually. Determine that this year will be the year that you will make the time to read the bible every day. Remember, Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord!
Set the goal to get into the word daily even if it’s just to read several verses, but don’t just stop there. As God told Joshua, read it, speak it, meditate on it day and night and do what it says.
Reflective Thoughts.
If you were to honestly gauge your bible reading consistency with 10 being you read daily and 0 being you never read it at all, where would you rate yourself?
Do you have a set time and place where you focus to study the word of God daily, or do you just go about it haphazardly?
What is your plan to ensure that you stay in the word everyday in 2024?
