For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4 ESV
I’ve recently been doing some cleaning. At least twice a year, I try to reorganize and get rid of things I don’t use. When I do this, I think back to whether or not I have worn or used something in the past year. If the answer is no, I’m probably going to get rid of it. The other day, I was cleaning out my book shelf. I found a number of books that I wanted to give away. I also found a few bibles that we don’t use. If you went through our house, you would find a number of Bibles. I have never actually taken an inventory to see how many we have. There are two I use regularly. There are others that I don’t use to often, but sometimes refer to them because they are study Bibles. I don’t toss Bibles in my cleaning sessions, but I do give them away when I find someone in need of a Bible.
Many of you may not have used an actual bible in years because you can access the Bible on your smartphone or tablet. It’s a good app to have, but it can’t replace an actual Bible. You see, an actual Bible can be marked in and you can make notes in the margin. It’s okay to make notes in your Bible. It is even encouraged. Grab that highlighter and highlight favorite passages, it’s okay.
I use my Bible on my phone daily in addition to my good old hand held Bibles. But, when using my Bible on my phone I am susceptible to distractions. I may receive text, email, social media alerts or even calls. If I shut the sound off on my phone and use my actual Bible, I can go undistracted by the phone.
Your Bible is the most important thing in your home. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. All of these things are very important in the life of a Christian. We must constantly be learning from God’s word. We can’t prove that anything is wrong, if we are not studying what is right. And, why would we point out what is wrong if we have no intention to correct it? God’s word not only shows us what is wrong, like false doctrines, but it shows us the right way. And of course we should all be constantly training in righteousness. The best way to do this is through God’s Holy Word.
If you only pick up the Bible when things are not going so well or maybe just when you feel that you need a word from God, I encourage you to rethink that. Your Bible should be well worn. You should read God’s Holy Word daily. You should not just be reading what I write or what someone else writes, but you should be reading the Scriptures. They are our instruction book for our lives.
If you think about it, our life on earth is kind of like school or training. We endure it for a while and it trains us for going on to higher learning or a career. If we are not well trained, we will have problems with our higher education and perhaps in our career. As Christians we are merely here for training. We should grow to the point where we can recruit and train others. Then one glorious day we can expect to graduate to eternity spent in heaven with God the Father.
People often say there is no instruction book for being a spouse, or a parent or whatever else we are trying to do. But, that is incorrect. If they studied their Bibles, they would know that the Bible gives instructions for each and every thing we do. It gives examples of how we should handle any situation that comes along. It tells us how to live our daily lives. It gives us encouragement and hope. I am so thankful for God’s Holy Word. I love spending time with Him through Bible study and prayer each and every day. It’s what gets me through each and every day.
My prayer for you is that you pick up your Bible and even carry one with you( I have a separate Bible that stays in my car). Make notes in it, write in the margin, use it daily. I remember seeing my mom and my grandmother’s Bibles. They were so worn out from years and years of constant use.
What about your Bible? Is it being used on a daily basis or is it gathering dust on a shelf? If you haven’t been using it, dust if off, open it up, and study God’s Word. You will be so glad you did.
Have a great day!