Number three in the freedom guide is to read the Word, aka the Bible, daily. The Bible has much to say about itself. If we hide it in our hearts it will help us not to sin (Ps 119:11). It is the sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon against the enemy in Ephesians 6:17. It is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Ps 119:105).
The Bible is also the best place that I know to learn about how God has worked with and through people since the beginning. There is much that we can learn about who God is and what he is like by reading his Word. This is especially true if you read several different translations and paraphrases.
I’m not saying that you have to sit down and study the Bible for hours a day. That’s not a realistic goal for most of us. You can sign up for KLOVE radio’s verse of the day to go to your email (Click here to sign up). I’m sure there are other places that do similar things via apps or text, but I’ve been receiving KLOVE’s emails for 15 years or so now, so they are who come to mind for me.
If you have a long commute, or something of the kind, and would rather listen to the Bible, Daily Audio Bible is a great resource to be aware of. Brian Hardin has been reading the Bible as a podcast every day since 2006. He reads from a different version every week, and if you listen every day, you will have heard the entire Bible within the year. There’s also a community aspect that’s grown around it that many find helpful.
Many study Bibles have reading plans in them if you have a particular goal in mind. There is even a Bible that’s arranged so that if you read sections every day you will read the whole thing in a year. Some read chronologically, some start at Genesis 1 and go straight through, and some read part of the various sections each day. If you are new to reading the Bible, I would suggest getting started with John or Mark as they are chronicles of Jesus’ time here on earth.
If you’re artistic or like to doodle, there’s a new trend you may have heard of that involves creating art in the Bible itself related to that portion. Rebekah Jones has a challenge related to this and many tutorials and so forth if that interests you. Despite my artistic bent, this is not something that I’ve gotten into, but from what I hear, many are finding that God meets them during this time. And, I’m sure that’s true…He is, after all, the Creator, and He seems to enjoy it when we create things as well.
Other things that I’ve done are to do topical or word studies. I go to an online concordance like Bible Gateway or Blue Letter Bible and look up all the verses that pertain to a given topic or word. You can do the same with the names of God or maybe an emotion that you are struggling with and see what the Bible has to say about it. You can also just open it and start to read and read until God speaks to your situation!
What is your favorite way to read the Bible? Are there other apps or mailing lists that you’ve found helpful to get your daily dose of the Word? If you would like more information on this and the rest of the items on the Freedom Guide, I expanded this content into a book and workbook that you can purchase from me in the office, at my online shop or other retailers here.