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Discussion Forum : News and Current Events : Most churchgoers don't read Bible daily

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 Re: But it is a chiuce.

I realize that our walk with Christ is one motivated out of a heart love for Jesus. But let us not confuse legalism with discipline. Discipline starts with a choice. A choice to read the word, a choice to pray, a choice to put away sinful habits, etc. Our walk with Jesus comes down to choices.

This is best illustrated in the Mary and Martha story. Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen to his word. Martha chose to serve in the kitchen. She got an attitude about it. Then demanded Jesus tell her sister to help her. This is when Jesus gently chastised her and said Mary has chosen what is better. And it would not be taken from her. Thus Mary's desire to hear the word of Christ was a self conscience desire on her part. No doubt motivated by a desire to be in the presence of Christ.

But to make such choices of prayer and the word, the flesh screams. And then the devil plays the legalism card. Saints if I waited to read the word or pray when I felt like it I would never do it. Because the flesh would step in and reign. It is only when I choose to mortify the flesh by the Spirit and pray and read the word, then the blessing comes.

Jerry Bridges in his book The Pursuit of Holiness speaks of victory over sin not as a result of victory from feeling like doing something. But choosing rather to obey God. Even when our flesh screams against ut.

Just my thoughts.

Bearmaster.

 2012/9/7 19:48
twayneb
Member



Joined: 2009/4/5
Posts: 2256
Joplin, Missouri

 Re:

In the parable of the sower, Jesus says that there are those who do not have root in themselves. These are only able to endure for a while, but when persecution comes for the word's sake, they stumble. We are told not simply to read, but to STUDY the word of God so that we might be workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I am saddened to see so much of the body of Christ who do not have the word of God rooted in themselves. Too many of them get a weekly or daily fix of a teaching or a quickly read devotional or a verse out of a promise box, but they do not make the Word of God an object of prayerful, continual, and regular study. Too many of them are shallow or superficial where the word is concerned. The problem is that persecution will ALWAYS come for the word's sake because the enemy wants to see to it that we do not stand on the word of God. If it is not deeply rooted we will stumble over it. We will give up on the word, or we will give in to a wind of doctrine and follow a falsehood, not having enough root to recognize the subtlety that has just captivated us and lead us off the path.


_________________
Travis

 2012/9/7 21:22Profile
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

by twayneb on 2012/9/7 15:22:00

In the parable of the sower, Jesus says that there are those who do not have root in themselves. These are only able to endure for a while, but when persecution comes for the word's sake, they stumble. We are told not simply to read, but to STUDY the word of God so that we might be workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I am saddened to see so much of the body of Christ who do not have the word of God rooted in themselves. Too many of them get a weekly or daily fix of a teaching or a quickly read devotional or a verse out of a promise box, but they do not make the Word of God an object of prayerful, continual, and regular study. Too many of them are shallow or superficial where the word is concerned. The problem is that persecution will ALWAYS come for the word's sake because the enemy wants to see to it that we do not stand on the word of God. If it is not deeply rooted we will stumble over it. We will give up on the word, or we will give in to a wind of doctrine and follow a falsehood, not having enough root to recognize the subtlety that has just captivated us and lead us off the path.

______________________

I understand what you are saying but don't you think that the motivation of the heart has to be one of a true desire to know JESUS personally and to walk with GOD? IF I read the BIBLE every day because I "have to" then I am doing it in self. For me the original post reveals deeper symptoms at play among those who call themselves born again believers in many churches today. Sadly there seems to be no real desire for the JESUS or the things of HIS KINGDOM. For me its not that I "have to " read the WORD but I will say it is a "HUGE" alarm sounding in my spirit if I have no desire or want to read the WORD...

NO matter what, many are lost and deceived but believe themselves saved and are in desperate need of prayer and to have a real encounter with JESUS. One that changes their lives and is about getting to know the PERSON JESUS and letting HIM be LORD of their life.

Just my thoughts. Thank you for sharing and giving me things to pray about and take before the LORD.
God bless
Mj

 2012/9/7 21:35Profile









 Re:

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:


Also this is a powerful video voiced by Alexander Scourby

"The Forbidden Book" This is another fresh remeinder of what so many went through to get the Bible into the hands of the common man


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtO-7xN26ME&feature=relmfu

 2012/9/8 9:35









 Re:

The persecuted cry out for Bibles in restricted nations. And we in the west seek the Toronto blessing. Makes one wonder?

Bearmaster.

 2012/9/8 9:49
beekpr
Member



Joined: 2011/7/12
Posts: 83


 Re:

Years ago when the Iron Curtain existed it was common in our area to hold public meetings featuring speakers who either were from Communist countries or who had visited the underground church. The purpose of the assemblies was to inform western Christians of the plight of their persecuted brothers and sisters. I clearly remember a German-speaking brother who had somehow made it to the West expressing his shock at the lack of desire we diplayed for the Word-"Ihr sind satt das Wort Gottes!"(You have reached the point where you have no more appetite for God's Word). I believe we are like the child who comes to the nutritious meal that Mom has prepared with no appetite because he has stuffed himself with junk food. The taste buds have been trained to crave what is not truly nutritious and the result is fat, but not healthy. I am disturbed at how many Christians are very unfamiliar with what the Scripture actually says because they have been satisfied feeding on religious movies, books and sermons of crowd-pleasing preachers. Such fertile soil for spiritual deception!

 2012/9/8 14:18Profile









 Re:

Reprinting here what I posted on another thread of what I think is a good Bible reading program.



For over 20 years my main approach to reading the word is to read the books through in full context. I will continue to use this approach.

However, I have a new "base" daily reading plan that I got from Tony Miano who got it from a Dr.Horner of the Masters College.

Here it is.

HERE IT IS:

* PROFESSOR GRANT HORNER'S 'TEN LISTS BIBLE READING SYSTEM' *

Each day you will read one chapter from each list, in order. THAT'S RIGHT -- *TEN CHAPTERS PER DAY*!!! Use ten bookmarks or sticky notes with the individual lists on them to keep track of your locations. On day one, you read Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, and so forth. On day 2, read Matthew 2, Genesis 2, etc. On day 29, you will have just finished Matthew, so go to Mark 1 on the Gospel list; you’ll also be almost to the end of 2nd Corinthians and Proverbs, you’ll be reading Psalm 29 and Genesis 29, and so forth. When you reach the last chapter of the last book in a list – start over again. Rotate all the way through all the Scriptures constantly. Since the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again! Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and prophetic books about 1 ½ times. Since the interweaving is constantly changing, you will experience the Bible commenting *on itself* in constantly changing ways -- the Reformer's principle of 'scriptura interpretans scripturam' -- 'scripture interpreting scripture' IN ACTION!

After you’ve read any particular book once or twice, your speed in that book usually *doubles or triples* because you’re familiar with it and can move quickly and confidently -- because you are no longer merely decoding the text but thinking it through in the context of all of the scripture! Acts 20:27. Even an ‘average’ reader, if focusing on moving through the text, rather than trying to figure everything out, can usually do this in about an hour a day – 5-6 minutes per chapter. If it is taking you longer, then you are ‘reading wrong’ – stay relaxed, focus, and just keep it moving. Moderate but consistent speed is the key. This is "gross anatomy" -- looking at the whole body; you're *not* closely studying organs or systems or tissues or cells -- it is *not* microbiology. BUT -- microbiology and the study or organs makes more sense when you know what the *whole* structure of the human body is like, and how all the parts, large and small, relate in perfect interdependence. After just a few days the reading gets *much* easier; in a month it will be a habit, and in six months you’ll wonder how you ever survived before on such a slim diet of the WORD. And then -- you'll tell others to start the system!

I began in 1983 as a new Christian and have now read (most of) the Bible hundreds and hundreds of times. You also need to get ONE Bible, keep it, and do all your reading in it, so you learn where everything is. I’ve had the same Bible since 1983 and I know it intimately. If you keep switching Bibles, you ‘lose’ this intimacy with the text. Find a translation and format you like and stick with it. THIS IS CRUCIAL.

When I was flown out by Masters for a 3-day interview/theological-grilling process, the culmination was of course being ushered in to Dr. John MacArthur's private study, which is where he asked me this one question: "Can I see your Bible?" I thought he would be horrified, because it looked like it had been through a typhoon -- it looked unloved and neglected. Something from a dumpster. It was unbound, with stringy mess and paper debris hanging out. I was so embarrassed. I thought he would chastise me and recommend I get a new study Bible if I was serious about the Word. (No doubt which study Bible he would recommend!!!) He flipped through it and handed it to his wife and said "If your Bible is falling apart, you probably aren't." I was basically hired on the spot.

Your Bible is the only thing on Earth that, as you wear it out, will actually work better and better.

THE TEN LISTS:
List 1 (89 days)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

List 2 (187 days)
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

List 3 (78 days)
Romans, I&II Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, Col, Hebrews

List 4 (65 days)
I&II Thess, I&II Tim, Titus, Philemon, James, I&II Peter, I,II&III John, Jude, Revelation

List 5 (62 days)
Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

List 6 (150 days)
Psalms

List 7 (31 days)
Proverbs

List 8 (249 days)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I&II Samuel, I&II Kings, I&II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

List 9 (250 days)
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

List 10 (28 days)
Acts

If you are wondering why you should read Acts (or Proverbs) all the way through *every single month* then -- you've just shown that you NEED to read them that much!

*Put these instructions in your Bible and review them from time to time*

SECRETS TO SUCCESS WITH THIS SYSTEM:

• Read one chapter from each list each day, in one sitting or two. At the end of a book, go to the next book. At the end of the list – start it again. Do it in the order given above.

• Read quickly (without “speed reading”) in order to get the overall sense. Read as fast as you comfortably can with moderate retention. You’re not studying deeply or memorizing; shoot for 5-6 minutes per chapter. At the end of a chapter, move immediately to the next list.

• GET THROUGH THE TEXT – no dawdling, back-reading, looking up cross-references!

• There are different ‘kinds’ of reading: super-quick skimming, careful moderate-paced, studying the text, deep meditation. You should be between the first and second kind.

• Most people decrease their time spent and increase their retention after just two-three weeks! I now read and retain the entire text of Matthew in 35 minutes, Romans in 20, Genesis in *one hour*!

• Don’t look up anything you ‘don’t get’ – real understanding will come through contextualizing by reading a LOT of scripture over time. Get through the text!

• If you miss a day or two – OK, get over it, then keep going. Don’t cover yourself in sackcloth and ashes and quit! Move the bookmarks along, to find your place(s) quickly next day.
Heb 4:12;5:11-14; Eph 5:26; 6:17; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; Psalm 119; Ezra 8; Prov 3: 1-2, 10:14; Daniel 1

The goal of this system is simple, and twofold: To know scripture, and to love and obey God more!

SOLI DEO GLORIA


 2012/9/8 14:59









 Re:

There are some good sermons in the SI archives on Bible reading. Just listened to Erlo Stergen give a message on Make the Bible Your Best Friend. In the message he speaks on the importance of God's word as revealed in Psalm 119. There are good practical exhortations to read the word.

I found it a little distracting in that it was English to German. And then German back to English. But once you get into the message, well with listening to.

Bearmaster.

 2012/9/8 20:23









 Re:

@MrBillPro

I'm pretty sure that's not what iceman9 meant at all.

 2012/9/8 20:41
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re:

hi, those in the bible never did except the levites. we are improving.jimp

 2012/9/9 3:54Profile





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