{"id":17624,"date":"2009-01-02T15:36:00","date_gmt":"2009-01-02T21:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=17624"},"modified":"2020-01-02T15:41:47","modified_gmt":"2020-01-02T21:41:47","slug":"making-bible-reading-a-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/making-bible-reading-a-priority\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Bible Reading a Priority"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\tby Abraham Smith\n

\"\"In earlier articles, we studied scriptures which show us that we are obligated to read the Bible regularly. This includes the idea of reading the whole<\/strong>\u00a0Bible. After all, Jesus said, \u201cman shall not live by bread alone, but by\u00a0every<\/strong>\u00a0word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God..<\/em>.\u201d (Matt. 4:4). Those who truly love God and desire truth will read the Bible daily with a view toward reading it in its entirety on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

Still, many among us who agree about the obligation find it difficult to set aside some of our time for daily Bible reading. Here are some suggestions which will help to achieve our goal:<\/p>\n

Make Bible reading a priority<\/h2>\n

When something is important enough to us, we will make sure it is done first. If we give Bible reading first place, we will schedule the necessary time needed.<\/p>\n

Eliminate whatever might get in the way<\/h2>\n

\u00a0\u201cAsk yourself what one thing is most likely to get in the way of your Bible reading. It might be television or video games or whatever. For me, it was light fiction. When I first got serious about reading the Bible every day, I decided to quit all light reading for a month. When the month was over, I found that I wasn’t that interested in reading fiction. I wanted the truth. I think this will be most people’s experience. If people will make time for the Bible and read it regularly they will love it. I would strongly encourage anyone who is beginning a daily Bible reading program to eliminate whatever they feel might get in the way.\u201d (Sid Latham, evangelist)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Build-in accountability<\/h2>\n

In support of this point, Sid said the following. \u201cBack in December (2005) I did a couple of lessons that strongly encouraged people to read their Bibles every day. One of the guys here came to me and said that he was going to find some other people to do it with him. He set up a web blog. There are eight of us who report every week. If someone doesn’t read we try to encourage them. Obviously you wouldn’t have to do this on the Internet. We have a lot of people here who work with computers and it works for us. The important thing is that Christians encourage one another on a regular basis. Most of us will try harder if we know someone is going to ask\u201d us about our effort.<\/p>\n

Pray to God for help<\/h2>\n

Ask Him to help YOU, and ask Him to also help others to attain this goal of daily Bible reading. He has promised to help those who ask for it!<\/p>\n

Reading the Bible at least twice a year is a small investment of time for something so important. May I encourage you to print out the “180 Day Bible Reading Schedule<\/a>.” Begin today a never-ending journey of reading the Bible in its entirety at least twice a year. All readings should be completed in one sitting. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from your efforts, read out loud, and read every day!<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bible is compared to food\u2013the spiritual man will starve without it. The Bible is compared with nourishment \u2013 we will wither without it (Acts 20:32; I Peter 2:2). The Bible, the word of God, is the seed of spiritual life. No Bible, no life (Luke 8:11; James 1:18; I Corinthians 4:15). We can’t answer for our hope without it –I Peter 3:15; Acts 17:11. We can’t be approved of God without it — II Timothy 2:15. Its doctrine will save those who hear it –I Timothy 4:16″ (Larry Hafley).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finally, my friends– we listen to those we love. If we are not interested in listening to God (reading the Bible), then we simply do not love God!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Abraham Smith In earlier articles, we studied scriptures which show us that we are obligated to read the Bible regularly. This includes the idea of reading the whole\u00a0Bible. After all, Jesus said, \u201cman shall not live by bread alone, but by\u00a0every\u00a0word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God…\u201d (Matt. 4:4). Those who truly…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[913],"class_list":["post-17624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-bible-study"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":34610,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/daily-bible-reading\/","url_meta":{"origin":17624,"position":0},"title":"Daily Bible Reading","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 27, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Keith Harris John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of our country, once stated, \"So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will become useful citizens of their country and respectable members\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Reading-the-Bible-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":17615,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/reading-the-bible-from-cover-to-cover\/","url_meta":{"origin":17624,"position":1},"title":"Reading the Bible from Cover to Cover","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 2, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Abraham Smith We should read the Bible from cover to cover. We should want to know what the Lord said. Many of us, while acknowledging that the Bible is the word of God, have not read it in its entirety. We have been hindered from reading the Bible completely\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/Bible-Reading-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38308,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-want-to-read-the-bible-daily-but-i-have-a-hard-time-digesting-what-i-have-read\/","url_meta":{"origin":17624,"position":2},"title":"I want to read the Bible daily, but I have a hard time digesting what I have read","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I want to read the Bible every day and abide by it, but I have a hard time knowing where to go when I start reading. I usually just open it and read it, but I don't necessarily digest what I'm reading if that makes sense. Because of that,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17620,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-benefits-of-reading-the-bible-from-cover-to-cover\/","url_meta":{"origin":17624,"position":3},"title":"The Benefits of Reading the Bible from Cover to Cover","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 2, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Abraham Smith In an earlier article, \"Reading the Bible from Cover to Cover,\" we considered several\u00a0factors that hinder us from reading the Bible in its entirety. Let us now examine the benefits we get from routinely reading all of the Bible. The road to understanding the Bible The Bible\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/Bible-Reading-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24368,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/daily-bible-reading-schedules\/","url_meta":{"origin":17624,"position":4},"title":"Daily Bible Reading Schedules","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 3, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine\" (I Timothy 4:13). The best way to become familiar with the contents of the Bible is to read it on a regular basis. Below are various reading schedules to help you organize your reading plan Daily Bible Reading Schedule:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Reading-the-Bible-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":18099,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/understanding-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":17624,"position":5},"title":"Understanding the Bible","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ezra 7:6-10 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God has given us the truths we need \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It will make us perfect - II Timothy 3:16-17 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It tells us how to live life and to be godly - II Peter 1:2-4 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What is written will help us believe - John 20:30-31\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17624\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}