Why Read The Bible Daily ? - Part 4 - Pursuing Intimacy With God

Why Read The Bible Daily ?

In Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 we looked at many important reasons why you should read the Bible and spend time with God daily.

Hearing God’s voice is the most important part of your prayer & fellowship time with God. It is absolutely vital to have intimacy with God. You cannot have intimate fellowship with God, and become one with God without hearing God’s voice. And you cannot have a partnership with God in His great Kingdom work if you do not reverently listen to Him. You need to read God’s word the Bible daily and seek God with all your heart to know God. And to know God’s calling on your life.

In John 10 Jesus tells us that His “sheep” or true followers know His voice and they follow Him. You cannot truly know and follow Jesus unless you can hear His voice. And unless He reveals Himself and His ways and His will to you.

John 10:4 “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.”

John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Why Read The Bible Daily ?

Read God’s Word As If You Are Digging For Treasures

Psalm 119:13-14 “With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.”

When God is your First Love, your Passion, and your Treasure, God’s word the Bible will become a priceless treasure in your life.

Matthew 11:25-27 “At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Matthew 13:10-12 “The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Make God Your First Love, Your Treasure, and Your Passion

When God is your First Love, your Passion, and your Treasure, and if you are humble before Him, God will reveal to you truth and who He is. Then you will know God in real and personal ways.

Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”

Isaiah 43:22 ” Yet you have not called on me, Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel.”

Isaiah 64:6-7 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins.”

Don’t miss the great truth that the treasure you are digging for in God’s Word is God Himself. When you can truly say that Jesus is your treasure and the most valuable person or thing by far in your life, then you are truly living in a passionate love relationship with Jesus and you are truly living.

Why Read The Bible Daily ? – It Is A Love Letter From GodSpiritual Discipline

God’s Word the Bible is not a religious book full of religious rules and laws. Although to some people it may appear to be so, it is not.

In Howard Hendricks’ book “Living By The Book” he suggests the correct way to view the Bible is as a love letter from God. He writes about the importance of observing as much as you possible can, before trying to interpret what it means. And what God is trying to say to you.

You cannot correctly apply God’s Word in your life unless you correctly Interpret it. And you cannot correctly interpret God’s Word unless you examine & observe all that you possibly can. Here are some great tips to help you to read God’s word the Bible and to observe all that you can:

Ask Questions When You Read The Bible – Who, What, Where, When, Why, What now ?

For example: Who is speaking ? Who is he/she speaking to ? Who is in the verses ?

Also, when you read the Bible look for things that are:

Emphasized (Jesus saying “truly truly”,…)
Repeated over and over again
Related (“if … then”, “therefore”,…)
Alike
Unalike
True to life (real life & real people)

God sent His Son Jesus to suffer & die for you, out of a great love for you. God sent His Word the Bible to you out of great love for you also. Always read God’s Word as a love letter from God, not some religious book. And always read it as though God is personally speaking to you (put your name in the verses).

Other Practical Tips To Help You To Read God’s Word

Remember you are spending time with the Person of God. And you are reading a personal letter of love from your Heavenly Father. You are not reading a religious book of laws or rules.

Personalize God’s Word so that it fits your specific circumstances. Find verses that fit with what you are going through. Find verses and promises in the Bible that fit your circumstances.

Read God’s Word aloud, as though God Himself is speaking to you. Because God IS personally speaking to you. Hearing God’s words aloud helps you to focus better on what God is saying to you.

Personalize God’s Word by putting your name in the verse or promise. For example in Deuteronomy 31:6 God is saying – “[Your Name], I will never leave you or foresake you.”

There are so many benefits and reasons why you should read the Bible daily. It is a love letter written from your Heavenly Father who loves you very much. And who wants very much to have close fellowship with you. And who also cares very much and wants to help you to have the fullest possible life.

Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.

There are hundreds of Bible verses and great truths & promises in the Pursuing Intimacy With God studies ebook

Print Edition of Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible Studies Book

Pursuing Intimacy With God ebook Kindle version

Salvation: The Requirements for True Salvation