Reading the Bible

 This youtube video is pretty much what I am about to say in a funny way.

Recently in church, specifically in Sunday school... We have been learning about reading the bible and getting to know God through it..(Not just reading it.. but digesting it and understanding what it really means rather than just a bunch of verses you memorize or read and then forget about 10min or a few days from now.)

 I know many Christians... including myself... who thought that reading the bible was something you "have to do" if you want to be a "good" christian. So we would go through the motions... read our 3 verses or chapter a day and then get on with our lives.... We might have thought about it at some point during the day.. but the real reason we read it was to get our "Jesus time" in... and to make ourselves feel better because we did our "duty" as a Christian and read our bible... This must make us a "good" christian...
ummm.... not to make you feel bad... but you are WRONG!

The point of us reading the bible is for us to: 1. Learn and understand who God is... 2. To see our sin. 3. To help us not to sin.

If all we do is read it for our 5min a day and then never think of it again... do you really think any of the above is going to happen??? (Hint: NO!)

If you have time... read psalm 119 or just a part of it (its the longest chapter in the bible) then come back..... http://www.esvbible.org/search/psalm+119/

In psalm 119, you learn about the psalmists passion for the word of God. For example:

    With my whole heart I seek you;
        let me not wander from your commandments!
(Psalm 119:10 ESV)

    Blessed are you, O LORD;
        teach me your statutes!
(Psalm 119:12 ESV)

    I will meditate on your precepts
        and fix my eyes on your ways.
    I will delight in your statutes;
        I will not forget your word.(Psalm 119:15-16 ESV)

    Open my eyes, that I may behold
        wondrous things out of your law.
(Psalm 119:18 ESV)

    My soul is consumed with longing
        for your rules at all times.
(Psalm 119:20 ESV)

    Your testimonies are my delight;
        they are my counselors.(Psalm 119:24 ESV)

    Oh how I love your law!
        It is my meditation all the day.
(Psalm 119:97 ESV)

As you can see, the psalmist loved God's word and longed to learn more and to understand it... He meditated on it all the time. He didn't just do it because he had to... he longed for it... he memorized and meditated on it because he had a passion for it.

Meditate = Think about it!

Does the above sound how you are about Gods word??? If not, pray about it... God will give you that desire through the Holy Spirit. You don't have to do it on your own... He gave us his helper.

My challenge:
1. Take the next week to read Psalm 119.... Read it, study it, memorize a verse or two, meditate on it and pray about it.Write down what you learn!
2. Let me know how it goes and what you learned!
3. Don't do this because you have to... Do it because you desire to learn more about your savior the one who died for you!

Remember: The entire bible is about one thing: JESUS!