http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%20119:16&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%20119:97-105&version=NIV
Each year thousands and thousands of new books come out. In all kinds of categories. Romance novels. Science fiction. Self-help. History. Health. Beauty. Technical. Then there are magazines. And articles on the Internet. The reality is that if you love to read (or even just look at the pictures!) this is the golden age for it. Never has so much reading material been available to so many.
What do we read? Well, it really depends upon the person. Many of us read for our jobs. Books, magazine articles, manuals. Then we read for curiosity. In order to learn more. How many times have we read an article on the Internet just because it looked interesting? Then there is what I call ‘recreational’ reading. The kind of reading that is our passion. This is the reading that we really enjoy. My favorites are history and biographies. Finally, there is the reading that is going to help us. Help us with our thinking. With our choices. With life in general.
As an example of how much material is out there, just a couple weeks ago I purchased 4 new books to read. As well as a devotional for the coming year. This is in addition to the 3 books that I am currently reading. (I like to multi-read!) And 2 more that I have that I really want to read. Plus 2 entire shelves of books that I haven’t read yet. I confess! It’s an addiction. There are so many great books that I want to read, and they keep coming out with more, that I can’t seem to get ahead of the curve. I buy 3 books and read 1. I think I need help. Maybe Reader’s Anonymous?
What do we read? Well, it really depends upon the person. Many of us read for our jobs. Books, magazine articles, manuals. Then we read for curiosity. In order to learn more. How many times have we read an article on the Internet just because it looked interesting? Then there is what I call ‘recreational’ reading. The kind of reading that is our passion. This is the reading that we really enjoy. My favorites are history and biographies. Finally, there is the reading that is going to help us. Help us with our thinking. With our choices. With life in general.
As an example of how much material is out there, just a couple weeks ago I purchased 4 new books to read. As well as a devotional for the coming year. This is in addition to the 3 books that I am currently reading. (I like to multi-read!) And 2 more that I have that I really want to read. Plus 2 entire shelves of books that I haven’t read yet. I confess! It’s an addiction. There are so many great books that I want to read, and they keep coming out with more, that I can’t seem to get ahead of the curve. I buy 3 books and read 1. I think I need help. Maybe Reader’s Anonymous?
My personal dilemma underscores the problem. With so much material to read and so little time to read, the question becomes, ‘What should I read?’ I can’t really answer that question for you. But I can give you a good word of advice. In all of your reading make sure that you read The Book. You know, God’s Word. The Bible. Out of all of the billions of books on the planet, no book will help you as much as this one. First of all, it is a supernatural book. Dictated by God, Himself. Ever wonder what God is like? Or what His thoughts are on a particular subject? Read the Bible. It’s right there for you in black and white. Among other things, the Bible tells us what God is like. The background to the creation of our world. How to enter a relationship with Him. What His plans and goals are for the world. And us. In addition, there are found within the Bible’s pages words of hope, strength, comfort, peace and just about everything else that we could use in this life. So let’s read it! Often. As often as possible.
If you haven’t already done so, you should make a commitment to read the Bible through in 2012. I firmly believe that everyone should read the Bible through at least once in their lifetime. It really gives you a sweeping overview of God’s plan of redemption and how He has worked in human history. But even by making this commitment, there are plenty of options of how to go about this. You can read the Bible in book form or on-line. There are also One Year Bibles that are available for purchase that have each day’s reading conveniently listed for you. This way you always know what you have to read.
There are also different ways that you can read the Bible through. You can read it straight through, Genesis to Revelation, or blended (some Old Testament, some New Testament, with Psalms & Proverbs each day), or chronologically (a unique Bible that puts everything in chronological sequence).
Now understand that it is going to take a firm commitment from you to accomplish this. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible. Divided by 365 days that means that you have to read 3.2 chapters. Every day. Skip a day and you need to read 6.4 chapters that day. Miss a week of reading and all of a sudden you are looking at reading almost 23 chapters. And this is just to catch up! So reading the Bible through is a daunting task. Many people have attempted it but never accomplished it. You will need to make a diligent effort (empowered by the Holy Spirit) to do this. But you can! I have done it. And so have tens of millions of others.
Bottom line, whether you read the whole Bible through this coming year or not, whatever you do, just read The Book! Let it permeate your thoughts and life. Let it shape your decisions and goals. Let it inspire, comfort, strengthen and encourage you. Let it be The Book that you read. Every day.
Lord, I thank you that I have Your Word available in my language. That I can read it. And by so doing understand more about You. Who You are. What You are doing. What you expect from me. In all of the reading that I anticipate doing this coming year, may I faithfully read Your Word. And may it mold and shape my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you haven’t already done so, you should make a commitment to read the Bible through in 2012. I firmly believe that everyone should read the Bible through at least once in their lifetime. It really gives you a sweeping overview of God’s plan of redemption and how He has worked in human history. But even by making this commitment, there are plenty of options of how to go about this. You can read the Bible in book form or on-line. There are also One Year Bibles that are available for purchase that have each day’s reading conveniently listed for you. This way you always know what you have to read.
There are also different ways that you can read the Bible through. You can read it straight through, Genesis to Revelation, or blended (some Old Testament, some New Testament, with Psalms & Proverbs each day), or chronologically (a unique Bible that puts everything in chronological sequence).
Now understand that it is going to take a firm commitment from you to accomplish this. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible. Divided by 365 days that means that you have to read 3.2 chapters. Every day. Skip a day and you need to read 6.4 chapters that day. Miss a week of reading and all of a sudden you are looking at reading almost 23 chapters. And this is just to catch up! So reading the Bible through is a daunting task. Many people have attempted it but never accomplished it. You will need to make a diligent effort (empowered by the Holy Spirit) to do this. But you can! I have done it. And so have tens of millions of others.
Bottom line, whether you read the whole Bible through this coming year or not, whatever you do, just read The Book! Let it permeate your thoughts and life. Let it shape your decisions and goals. Let it inspire, comfort, strengthen and encourage you. Let it be The Book that you read. Every day.
Lord, I thank you that I have Your Word available in my language. That I can read it. And by so doing understand more about You. Who You are. What You are doing. What you expect from me. In all of the reading that I anticipate doing this coming year, may I faithfully read Your Word. And may it mold and shape my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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