Helping Students understand the importance of Reading the Bible

By Josh Robinson

Restored from the YouthMin archive.

What I find in this fast-paced culture is more and more people are biblically illiterate. God’s Word is powerful, true, relevant and applicable. Everyone has an opinion on the Bible and if it is trustworthy. Some pick and choose which verses they think are inspired by God. I believe that God’s Word is His infallible and inherent Word. It is completely trustworthy.

Why should we read it?

God reveals Himself in the Bible . It is about understanding the story of God redeeming mankind. God has chosen to reveal His nature and will in the Bible. God wants us to know who He is and how to become like Him.

Ask God before you read to reveal Himself. If we only read the Bible for what we can “get out of it” we can be distracted from the heart of God’s revelation, which is Himself. We need to come thirsty . Ask God to pour out His truth into our hearts. Praying that the Holy Spirit will help us understand the Bible and bring it to light ( Luke 24:45). I realize I need to listen, pray and meditate before moving into anything else.

Meditate on it by thinking, praying and reminding yourself about scripture during the day.

I think of reading the Bible as syrup is to a pancake. I love breakfast food any time of the day! I pour syrup onto the pancake to saturate it completely. I want it to be full and overflowing. The same is true in how we read the Bible.

The most important reason to read the Bible is to understand story of the gospel. The Bible is living and active and is not meant for the bookshelf.

Obey what you read. Once you spend time meditating on each word of the verse(s), take time to ask God to help you put it into action.

“ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17.