Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 23
How Is Your Daily Bible Reading?
At the start of this year, we re-launched the Read the Bible in One Year with “The One Year Bible”, the entire King James Version arranged in 365 daily readings. I trust that you have begun this unforgettable journey, taken the first step to read The One Year Bible from cover to cover and seeing how God’s Word is coming alive in your life right now. We are midway through the year of grace 2019. My purpose is to give encouragement so that you will persevere in your daily Bible Reading Devotion.
God’s Word is life to the soul. The reading of the Bible allows the Holy Spirit to feed our souls as we open God’s Word daily with prayer.
The psalmist articulates well the stable life built upon the wisdom of God’s Word when he said in Psalm 37:30-31 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Jesus also observed well in Matthew 12:35a A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things… The Lord help us by His Word to build in us a treasure house of wisdom in our hearts to live a fulfilled life.
Moses gave these parting words to Joshua that is pertinent to his life ahead in the conquest of Canaan:
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Are you taking time and making time to meditate upon God’s Word, letting it be the principle that guides the very words of your lips and the actions of your hands and feet? The prosperous way and the good success in life hinges upon the believer taking heed to the injunction to read his Bible regularly. Joshua was commanded to meditate upon God’s Law day and night. It speaks of Bible-centred, Bible-centric habit and lifestyle. The centrality of God’s Law in the believer’s life guides him in his thought life.
The devil works hard to plant falsehood in our minds. If left unchecked becomes a part of our belief system and before long, it becomes a stronghold. Evil becomes entrenched in our heart. Jesus warned in Matthew 12:35b… an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
The world bombards the believer with such filth and falsehoods through the social media, the internet, ungodly company, etc. The meditation upon God’s Word serves as a filter against such evil influences – Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. The Word of God imbibed and applied delivers the believer from evil, it cleanses the soul. Jesus says inJohn 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
When the believer takes time to meditate upon God’s Word, he is strengthened in the heart to combat every temptation that comes his way. The psalmist testifies in Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Solomon describes well the mental actions of meditating upon God’s Word by the verbs highlighted in Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. The fear of God enables the believer to depart from evil. It gives him the strength to ward off every temptation. The Bible provides many examples of God’s judgment upon the evil and wicked causing the believer to realize and be warned lest he, likewise, fall into God’s wrath by doing evil. Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it (Luke 11:28).
The believer who takes time to read and meditate upon God’s Word shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper (Psalm 1:3).
Let the believer be convinced of the benefits of daily Bible reading, meditation and prayer. To seriously set aside time to be quiet before God to receive His wisdom, strength and grace for each new day.
Here are some testimonies of godly men who testified of the importance of daily Bible Reading and prayer – Luther, when most pressed with his gigantic toils, said, “I have so much to do, that I cannot get on without three hours a day of praying.” General Havelock rose at four, if the hour for marching was six, rather than lose the precious privilege of communion with God before setting out. Sir Matthew Hale says, “If I omit praying and reading God’s word in the morning, nothing goes well all day.”1
For the students in our midst, Martin Luther warned, “I am much afraid that the universities will prove to be the great gates to Hell unless they diligently labour to explain the Holy Scriptures and to engrave them upon the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution where men are not unceasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt.”2
If you have begun reading the Bible and find yourself lacking behind periodically in your reading, I encourage you not to give up but persevere. Building this discipline of godliness in Bible reading will bring untold benefits in your life. For those who are lacking far behind, I urge you to make even more concerted effort to catch up. We are midway through the year, there is still time to catch up. You may even utilize your leave or off days to your benefit by allocating time for your Bible Reading. May you find good success. Amen.
1 & 2Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee