Bible reading tips

Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success."

Amen, thank you LORD.

Praise the LORD family. Today, I thought to share a few Bible reading tips that you may use to complement your own personal reading of the Word. Right now, I'm currently sharing from the book of Leviticus, which is an Old Testament book in the Bible and if you like me, reading the Old Testament was not the easiest. From my experience, whenever I read the Old Testament, it felt like thunder and fire was going to fall from heaven and strike me. It was a very unusual feeling and yet I cannot begin to express half of what I felt because reading the laws of Moses felt very heavy at the time. In fact the only Old Testament books I could read at night before bed were Psalms and Ecclesiates. Thankfully, when I prayed to God about this, I received an instruction which was to read the Old Testament in the morning and then read the New Testament at night. This balancing act of both the Old and New Testament really helped me. Now I can joyfully read the book of Leviticus extremely relaxed instead of closing my Bible or moving onto another book in the Bible. This did not happen over night but it happened as I continually gave myself to the Word of God which ties into my next point.

Have relationship with the Word. I love that Jesus came to earth not to bring religion but to give us a personal relationship with God. I like to compare our relationship with God with human relationships. Sometimes in a Bible study, I like to ask the question, how did you know you were in love with someone and how did your love grow? There's usually one common answer, time. The more time you spend with someone you love is the more you get to know them and the more your love grows. It is the same way with reading the Word of God. Your love for God and for the Word will grow the more time You spend with Him. Thankfully, God's love for us does not have to grow, He has always loved us. God's love is certain. God's love is firm and unwavering. On the other hand, we have to exercise our conscience to know and receive God's love for us.

Today, I can testify that I can read Leviticus and enjoy it, and if necessary, take a nap as well after. However, it took time and in my case, years but I pray the Holy Spirit quickens your spirit and heart as you read the Word especially the Old Testament and may you have the pleasure and joy of reading the Word and see Christ in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Ultimately, love begins with an invitation that grows through time and knowledge.

Another aspect that grows our love for God and His ways, is to have the fear of God. Now, I'm not speaking of the fear of God that comes with wrath and thunder but a reverential fear of God. That is, to walk in His ways and to be in awe of His majesty and His Word. The reverential fear of God will always be the road to receiving and walking in the love of God. This also ties in with refusing familiarity with the ways of God whether it is His Word, or ministers of the gospel, always give honour to the Word of God, the things of God and His Kingdom.

Another Bible reading tip is examining your approach to the Word. Why are you reading the Word of God? This is because your approach will determine your attitude. Are you reading the Word to study or prepare for a Bible study, or for spiritual warfare. All these things are good but the primary attitude for reading the Word is cultivating intimacy with God through His Word, to know His heart and to receive of the fullness of His love and goodness for you found in His Son, Jesus Christ. When I bought my first Bible, I had the least anointed reason which was to fact check sermons. First of all, the Word of God is truth, it is not facts. So the whole thing is funny looking back but God saw my heart. On the outside, it looked like a "fact checking" exercise but on the inside, it was a hunger and longing for Him. I just did not have the words for it though I had this feeling on the inside of me, that this message was too good to be true.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (AMP) speaks of God and says, "He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy except God] - yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end."

The Bible is the only book I have read and said to myself, "This is it. I have found what I have been searching for all my life." May the Word be that for you, may it be the one thing that will satisfy and meet every desire of your heart, heal your soul and transform your life. May the Word be the one thing that You have been searching for all your life in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

As always, remember to have a journal/paper and pen to write down what the Holy Spirit may be ministering as you read and listen to the Word.

Invitation to salvation: The best gift that Jesus gave us is receiving salvation and eternal life which is a personal relationship knowing God as our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

If you would like to receive this free gift of God's salvation, please say this prayer with me:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that God sent His One and only Son who died for my sins and was raised from the dead so that I could have eternal life." Amen

If you just said this prayer, GLORY TO GOD, you are now a new creation in Christ Jesus! In case you have not already, please prayerfully consider becoming a member of a church and get WATER BAPTIZED!