How do we know what God is like? Or what He wants from us? How does God speak to us at all? The answers to all those questions, and many others, is found in the Bible. Whether you’re aware of it or not you’ve already encountered God’s Word (the Bible) as folks talked with you about Jesus. And in previous lessons we quoted portions or verses from the Bible to provide foundation.
The Bible is a collection of ancient books, poetry, and letters written by people of faith in God with the inspiration of God. There are two major portions, the former or Old Testament which contains the Jewish writings from creation to a few hundred years before Jesus. The New Testament portion begins with Jesus and include the experiences of the early followers.
Over its own history the Bible has been viewed in many ways. Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, view it as the inspired Word of God. Through its pages and stories God speaks to us, if, as Jesus often said, “we have ears to hear.”
In the Bible we encounter God in three distinct persons, often called the Trinity. Perfectly united as one, yet also distinct. We can identify them as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who opens our ears and our heart to receive God’s Word – to hear God speak – as we read the Bible.
Whenever we pick up a book or read a newspaper article we are never neutral. We have the presumptions of our experiences and the hues of expectations. If we pick up a mystery and discover it is a romance novel we will be disappointed even though it could be a stellar romance novel. So, the presumptions and expectations we have when we read the Bible will also impact what we get out of it.
Allow me to suggest a few things that may help your journey with the Bible. Begin with the understanding that God is love. The Apostle John wrote, “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16, NASB95) Expect that God, the Holy Spirit, will speak to your heart as you read the Bible. This illumination of God’s Word by the Holy Spirit reveals truth and invites us to draw near to God. Start your reading with the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They each present a picture of the life, ministry, and purpose of Jesus. There is no particular order but I suggest starting with John. Seeing God’s plan and love in the words and actions of Jesus helps us to understand the rest of the Bible.
A few practical suggestions. Find a translation of the Bible in a language and reading level which is easy to understand. For English speakers there are several excellent translations available. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is a mostly word for word translation. The New International Version(NIV) and the English Standard Version (ESV) are more thought for thought translations. The New Living Translation (NLT) is also thought for thought but it is also designed for easier reading. The venerable King James Version (KJV) is also good if you are able to parse the older Elizabethan English.
Much of the Bible was written to be spoken aloud. Some find that listening to God’s Word is helpful. All of the English versions mentioned above have several audio versions available.
Another suggestion is to read for quality and not quantity. The important bit is to read some of God’s Word on a daily basis. Let it speak to you. Pray before you read and ask God to reveal Himself through the words you’re about to read. Reading God’s Word is not a race to meet a quota. It is much more like a gardener tending their crops – sometimes only pulling one weed, at other times deeply cultivating between rows. The final suggestion is to apply the Word, we just don’t read God’s Word – we do God’s Word in our life.
Jesus taught, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7:24–27, NLT)
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good day my name is pinnie in Botswana i like to read but my problem is i dont have a bible all my books are getting fire so im not havinnng hothing for reading can you provide me with bibleplease if you can