by David Brenneman
We ought to pay close attention to the reading of the Scriptures every day. It's with much intentionality that regardless of the days events that I have developed a persistence in this endeavor. It requires persistence. You cannot, of your own volition, trust you to complete such a task. Each one of us would turn our own way and choose anything but time in the Word of God without a certain level of persistence in doing it.
Think of Paul's analogy of the runner preparing for a race. Without persistence in that, there would be no preparation. They would most assuredly fail to come close to a winning time among the others in that particular race.
Without persistence in taking the time for the meaningful reading of the Scriptures, how would one know what the promises of God really were?
Without persistence in taking time to be in the Word of God, how would you know what to look for with regards to what Jesus said of returning for His Church?
Personally I have lost track of how many times that I have read through my Bible. Which is an excellent problem to have.
Right now I am reading the Old Testament in a year in the mornings along with a chapter in Proverbs a day that matches the day of the month. In the evenings there is devotional books and 4 study Bibles with their notes. A few months back I changed it up a little. While two of my study Bibles are the same translation, I listen to that night's chapter when I get to that particular Bible rather than read it twice.
You too must persist in making the time to be in God's Word. I, as well as others in Christ, will tell you that you will never come away from the experience unchanged. You will always, no matter how many times you read through it, will find something new.
As someone once said how often can you read a book where the Author is right there with you?
You also honor Jesus Christ when you obey in this.
Decades ago it hit me hard. How could I have come to Him for salvation and yet had neglected to read His love letter to the world? How could I stand before Jesus and had never spent time in God's Word?
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:12-13.
Without the Word of God we wouldn't know the truths of God to transform our lives, wouldn't know what to look for concerning His return either.
Paul wrote a lot about the return of Jesus Christ, did you know that? He taught those he preached to as well as exhorted those he wrote to, to live as though today were THAT day of His return.
Will you add to your problems when you stand before Jesus to give an account of your life by not having made your time in God's Word an important part of your life?
My Dear Reader God's Word gives us everything pertaining to life and Godliness. "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8.
How would you know of what I just shared if you weren't reading your Bible?
I encourage you all the more as the day of the Rapture of the Church draws near to get into the Word of God. For those of you who can, memorize it. For those who struggle with memorization just persist in reading it anyway. I take great comfort in "Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You." Psalms 119:11. Some translations say "hidden in my heart".
The all important thing is to get it in your heart.
A physical analogy is that while you don't understand fully how, all the food and drink you take in transforms your body with regards to growing...you just know that it does. You must feed your spirit and soul with the Word of God in order to grow in Christ.
You also honor all that Jesus did on the cross for you when you do your best to live out your salvation in this way.
God's Word says that it a right and good thing to be ready for when the Lord Jesus will appear. To not be taken by surprise.
Make it your mission in life to be including time in God's Word as your highest priority.
He IS coming back soon and my hope and prayer is that you and I would be both looking and prepared for that day.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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