The Bible, God’s Gift
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:8).
The Lord is good, and we experience His goodness by trusting in Him. When we trust God for some need in our lives, it is like tasting delicious food, then eating more because of the wonderful flavor and texture it offers.
Reading the Word of God is like taking a bite of heavenly food. Our appetite grows with every mouthful. Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).
How do we eat Scripture? Eating Scripture is to read a small portion of the Bible, then think about what we have read. Does it offer encouragement, correction, instruction, or give us a command? God wants us to be complete and equipped to do good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Yes, That’s the Book for Me!
https://youtu.be/Wg582srC7cg
For examples of what to read in the Bible, here are some ideas:
- The Psalms help stabilize our emotions
- The Proverbs are full of wisdom for everyday life
- The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) teach us who Jesus is and how He lived on earth
- For fast moving history showing God’s interactions with humans, read First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, and First and Second Chronicles
- If something terrible has happened to you, try Job
More Examples of God’s Word, Our Gift
- For an overview of the early church, Acts is the place to go
- To get God’s perspective on sin, try Isaiah
- Sprinkled throughout Jeremiah is hope
- For a history of the world, Genesis is the book of beginnings
- To see how early churches functioned, read the epistles (letters) to the Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians
- If you are looking for an early church understanding of Jesus, read Hebrews
- On how to love others and overcome the devil, read the three letters John wrote
- For visions of the future, Daniel and Revelation offer a glimpse
The words in the Bible, the Scriptures, are God’s gift to us. We grow spiritually when we respond to God by obeying or following up on something we have read in His Word.
As we read, we can keep a notebook handy. If a question comes up, we can jot it down. Our notebook could also serve as a place to record decisions we make. When we go back and review our notes, we can watch ourselves grow in Christ.
Happy Growing!
Shirley Logsdon