Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 97

“Readers and Writers” Episode 4 with Nancy Guthrie

To shine a spotlight on them and esteem their loss is a great source of comfort to someone [who is grieving]. (Nancy Guthrie)

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Unlocking the Bible continues to release weekly episodes of Readers and Writers with Colin Smith, a podcast recorded live at The Gospel Coalition’s 2017 National Conference.

Our next guest is Nancy Guthrie, who shares about her writing and newest book from Crossway, What Grieving People Wish You Knew about What Really Helps (and What Really Hurts). 

Here’s a summary of the book’s content:

We want to say or do something that helps our grieving friend. But what?

When someone we know is grieving, we want to help. But sometimes we stay away or stay silent, afraid that we will do or say the wrong thing, that we will hurt instead of help.

In this straightforward and practical book, Nancy Guthrie provides us with the insight we need to confidently interact with grieving people. Drawing upon the input of hundreds of grieving people, as well as her own experience of grief, Nancy offers specifics on what to say and what not to say, and what to do and what to avoid. Tackling touchy topics like talking about heaven, navigating interactions on social media, and more, this book will equip readers to support those who are grieving with wisdom and love.

Listen to Pastor Colin’s interview with Nancy! (You can also subscribe to the iTunes podcast.)

The post “Readers and Writers” Episode 4 with Nancy Guthrie appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

Don’t Follow Your Heart

Video Notes:

Our culture is constantly encouraging us to “live in the moment.” If that means to be fully present and engaged in whatever you are doing, rather than being distracted, this is a good thing.

But I have noticed this phrase being often used by people who are clearly moving away from Christian faith: “I am trying to live in the moment.” And if I understand what is really being said, it is: “I am going with what I feel. Sometimes I feel that I want to know God and sometimes I don’t.”

In a world that calls us to live in the moment, I want you to hear the Word of God that says, “Surely there is a future!” Your life that God is giving to you right now comes in two very unequal parts: You have a very short life in this world and a very long life in eternity.

The Bible uses pictures to explain this. In the first, the Bible says that our days in this world are like grass: “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it” (Isaiah 40:6-7).

Grass grows for about a week, it is cut, and then it is gone. If you live 100 years, in the light of eternity, it is like grass growing for a week and then it is cut. So wisdom begins here: You don’t have much time. You are here today and tomorrow you will be in the presence of God.

In case you didn’t get that picture, God uses another picture to make the same point: “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). The mist that settles in the morning is blown away by noon.

We are all here today and gone tomorrow. And then we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Don’t plan your life on what makes you feel good now. Plan your life on what you will make you feel good then.

“Son, if you walk the path of wisdom, your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18). What you want to hear on the last day is, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your master’s joy.” You do not want to hear, “Away from me. I never knew you.”

People want to be on the right side of history. What matters more is that you are on the right side of eternity. I don’t know where history is headed, but we know who holds history and who holds eternity.

Taken from Pastor Colin’s sermon “The Heart Gone Wrong.”

RELATED POSTS:

How to Avoid a Hardened Heart
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Four Guidelines for Jewish Ministry

My parents have been involved in Jewish Ministry for over 40 years, and I‘ve been asked many times how someone can approach a Jewish friend about their faith. Sharing the gospel with people is always difficult, but the issue seems compounded when we engage in ministry to Jewish people.

One of the most wonderful things about Jewish ministry is that it forces you to educate yourself about the Hebrew Scriptures and world history during the time the Scriptures were being written. The context of the Bible comes alive, and things you’ve known about Jesus for years suddenly make a lot more sense. Since the Bible is written by Jews and about Jews, it stands to reason that having a Jewish understanding of it is not only interesting, but actually foundational to understanding.

Four Guidelines for Jewish Ministry

So here are some guidelines that will hopefully quell some of the anxiety surrounding this particular area of ministry. As with any ministry, be mindful that this is the work of God in someone’s life, and no one’s salvation depends on you. Also, please note that a Jewish person is a human being, not an “ism.” People are more complex than articles, which can be reductionist.

1. Recognize semantic difficulties.

Part of the problem with this dialogue is that Christians and Jews use similar terms, but mean different things. Messiah, salvation, atonement, eternal life, Son of God—Jews know these terms, but they don’t use them the same way.

This is one of the reasons it’s important to ask questions. Much misunderstanding can result when we aren’t aware of these semantic differences.

2. Start with Moses.

This is one of the primary difficulties for most Christians when talking to Jewish people about their faith, but perhaps the single most important thing to understand. You can’t just dive in to an exposition of “here’s why Jews need Jesus.” They do not recognize the authority of the New Testament, of course, but more importantly they don’t interpret Scripture that way.

Everything must be understood through the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy, the books of Moses). The Hebrew word for their Scriptures is “Tanakh.” Tanakh is an acronym of the Hebrew words for Torah, Prophets, and Writings — what we would call the Old Testament.

This isn’t a mere table of contents. It is also a description of the order of authority in Scripture. The Torah comes first. The Prophets are always interpreted through the Torah, and the Writings are always interpreted through the Torah and the Prophets. This order can never be changed. The Prophets and the Writings expand on and illuminate Torah, but they can never overturn it.

When we study God’s Word in the way it was given, the portrait of the Messiah takes on new shape.
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For an observant Jew, it will be the same for anything from the New Testament. They will never accept any interpretation of Scripture that contradicts Torah. Jesus himself upheld this, not only in his statement in Matthew 5:17-18, but also when he teaches “from the Law and the Prophets” (see Luke 24:44)—

Therefore you must argue from Torah, not the Gospels. You can’t even start with Isaiah 53 or Zechariah 12:10, because those passages also must be interpreted through Torah.

This might sound terrifying. Ask questions and listen. Let your Jewish friends tell you what they believe, rather than approaching them with preconceived notions. Seek to understand rather than to be understood.

3. Be aware of the history between the Church and the Jews.

The history isn’t good. It’s one of the most difficult things to write about when dealing with Jewish ministry, but it’s necessary to mention.

Many people are aware of the Inquisitions, and they know that Martin Luther made some unfortunate comments about the Jews at some point. But it is absolutely vital to understand that Christian anti-Semitism is not limited to a handful of individuals or events from hundreds of years ago. It has been total and systemic since at least the time of Constantine (early 4th century). It was codified in Church edicts and councils, and it exists today in some of our liturgy and theology, though we may not realize it.

This is not an article about anti-Semitism, so I will not make a list here of everything Christians have done to Jews throughout history. But the information is out there, as they know perfectly well, and it’s better if you aren’t caught off-guard when they bring it up.

The encouraging news is that Jewish-Christian relations are most definitely improving. But that has only been since the Holocaust and Vatican II. 70 years of improved relations are hardly enough to remove the sting of 1700 years of persecution. We are just starting to learn how to talk to each other. So be aware, and be sensitive.

4. Don’t try to “convert” them.

We do not use the term “convert” in Jewish ministry. The word implies a turning away from Judaism toward Christianity, and that isn’t necessary here (turning from sin is something they already understand, and is part of Judaism as well).

We most adamantly do not teach Jewish people to stop being Jewish. Neither did Jesus or the apostles (see Matthew 5:19 and Acts 21:15-26). If anything, the opposite is true. New meaning is brought to ideas and passages of Scripture they have known their entire lives.

An interesting quirk in Jewish ministry is that most new Jewish believers become more involved in their Jewish heritage than they were before. We encourage this. It is our belief that a distinctly Jewish expression of faith in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) brings honor and glory to God. The idea that the Jewish Messiah came to tell them to stop being Jewish is at odds with Scripture (see Deuteronomy 17:18-20) and plain nonsense to boot.

A Deeper Grasp of the Messiah

Ministry to Jews will involve a learning curve for you as well as for them. You will come to grasp Scripture better and have a deeper understanding of what Jesus accomplished in the gospel. Tanakh is a portrait of Messiah—and when we study the Word of God in the way it was given, that portrait begins to take on shape and color and dimension.

I hope that Jesus Christ will come alive in Scripture for you, even as you attempt to help your Jewish friends see him for who he is.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

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15 Questions to Apply Scripture to Your Life

A good question in Bible study helps uncover riches in the text that we may not see. This is true for observation, interpretation, and application stages of Bible study.

The following questions¹ will help you apply a passage of Scripture to your life and rely on God for transformation. It may help you to print off the list and tape it inside your Bible (download it below!).

15 Questions to Apply Scripture to Your Life
1. What does this say about God?
2. What does this say about the human condition?
3. What does this say about God’s provision in Christ for the human condition?
4. What response does God want from me?
5. What response does God want from the church?
6. What does it look like for me to believe and obey this Scripture in a genuine, non-superficial way?
7. How can I obey this passage externally but not internally?
8. Is there anything I need to confess?
9. Is there any sin from which I need to repent?
10. How do I need help in believing or heeding this Scripture?
11. What can I be thankful for because of this passage?
12. How can I praise God because of this passage?
13. How can I encourage myself with this passage today?
14. How might I encourage others with this passage today?
15. How does this passage deepen my longing for the return of Christ and the joys of heaven?
A Transformed Life

As you engage these questions, bring your responses to God in prayer, asking for deeper faith and an obedient heart. Faithfully seeking transformation from God’s Word will plant you firmly in truth and lead to great joy and satisfaction in Christ (Psalm 1:3; Psalm 119).

Happy reading!

[1] Questions adapted from Martin Luther’s A Simple Way to Pray, Joe Thorn’s Note to Self, LRI’s Dig & Discover Hermeneutical Principles Booklet, and “Keeping Christ Central in Preaching” from Telling the Truth, ed. D.A. Carson. A version of this article first appeared at Anchored in Christ .]

 

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Four Truths About God’s Love for the Poor

From time to time, we open our corporate prayer meetings by asking people to praise God for a specific attribute. There are some regulars: God’s power, love, kindness, help, strength, and grace regularly make the list. But as far as I can remember, there’s one attribute that has never come up: God’s mercy and concern for the poor. Yet, God is praised precisely for this in the Psalms:

I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor

and upholds the cause of the needy.

Surely the righteous will praise your name,

and the upright will live in your presence. (Psalm 140:12-13)

There it is. King David sees God’s loving concern for the poor as a reason to praise him. Doesn’t that move you to praise God too? Imagine if we had a God who didn’t care about the poor and afflicted. Wouldn’t it diminish his glory if he didn’t give a rip about those languishing in poverty?

Four Truths About God’s Love for the Poor

God’s concern for the poor is indeed something to praise him for. It teaches us more about his amazing and unparalleled character. Here are four insights we gain into the character and heart of God through the lens of his love for the poor:

1. God values everyone.

Society values those who contribute, those who excel, those who achieve. But God values all people equally. He isn’t more impressed with a successful entrepreneur than a penniless beggar. They are both precious in his sight. No matter where you are on the pecking order, God values you. That is a reason to praise him.

2. God never forgets any of us.

But God will never forget the needy;

the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)

We can all list the names of A-list stars. They’re unforgettable. The poor around us, however, are invisible and forgotten. But not by God. He remembers every one of us. Not one of us wastes away in anonymity. God sees all of us and is watching over us. That is a reason to praise him.

3. God is moved by our suffering.

Remember the story of Jesus and the widow who lost her only son? Her funeral procession was passing by Jesus. Do you remember how he responded when he saw this devastated and vulnerable woman?

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her… (Luke 7:13)

Jesus was moved by her pain and vulnerability—and he did something. He raised her son back to life. No suffering in this world escapes God. Your suffering does not escape God. The suffering of the poor does not escape God. That is a reason to praise him.

4. God cares about justice.

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;

you consider their grief and take it in hand.

The victims commit themselves to you;

you are the helper of the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14)

Boy, that word “justice” is polarizing, isn’t it? The bottom line is that God wants people to be treated fairly. That’s why we find him coming alongside the poor. They’re vulnerable. The odds are stacked against them. It’s not that God wants to elevate the poor over others; he simply has their back so they aren’t mistreated. And he has your back too. That’s a reason to praise him.

Delighted to Care for the Poor

I, for one, am delighted God cares about the poor. And it provokes praise in my heart like it did within King David. But my hope is that understanding God’s care for the poor will cause my hands to not only lift in praise, but also to reach out in mercy.

If God values the poor, shouldn’t I?
If God remembers the poor, shouldn’t I?
If God is moved by the suffering of the poor, shouldn’t I be moved too?
If God has the poor’s back, shouldn’t I as well?

We have been recreated in Christ to reflect his image and the image of the Father in this world. May we do that with greater clarity as we reflect our merciful God’s concern for the poor.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

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Key Connections (July 6, 2017)

Confessing Our Sins Together (Ryan Griffith, Desiring God)

For Christians, confession of sin, ultimately, is application of the gospel. Authentic confession of sin is a mingling of humble contrition before God, faith-filled appropriation of the grace of reconciliation, and heartfelt gratitude for the satisfaction that has been accomplished in the cross of Christ.

We Hold Precious Words Close (Erik Raymond, The Gospel Coalition)

To those whose heart is far from God, it is my prayer that the illustration and consideration of the preciousness of God’s Word would encourage you.

The Cumulative Effect of Our Little Choices  (Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries)

Sinful actions don’t come out of nowhere—they’re the cumulative product of little moral compromises made over time, which ultimately result in ungodly behavior. On the other hand, it’s equally true that godly actions are the cumulative product of small, habitual, and Christ-honoring choices for righteousness.

Keep Praying, Keep Believing  (Brad Wetherell, Unlocking the Bible)

The fears, doubts, and struggles of life abound, so we get discouraged in prayer and lose heart. For a lot of us, prayer can also become a point of shame in our Christian lives. We know that we should pray more, that our prayer lives aren’t as vibrant as they could be.

Gospel Motivations For Gospel Ministry (Nicholas Batzig, Feeding on Christ)

When our work is driven by envy of our neighbor, greed, arrogance, discouragement and bitterness will inevitably take the driver’s seat of our hearts. So what should motivate the minister of the Gospel…in the midst of a world in which envy drives most things around him? The Scriptures are full of instruction on this matter.

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“Readers and Writers” Episode 3 with Cameron Cole

One of the primary failures of youth ministry is that the gospel is reduced to justification. (Cameron Cole)

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Unlocking the Bible continues to release weekly episodes of Readers and Writers with Colin Smith, a podcast recorded live at The Gospel Coalition’s 2017 National Conference.

Our third guest is Cameron Cole, who shares about his writing, youth ministry philosophy, and newest book from Crossway, Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide. Here’s a summary of the book’s content:

Youth ministry is an essential part of most evangelical churches. And yet, there is a surprising lack of resources written specifically for youth workers focused on viewing all aspects of youth ministry through a gospel-focused lens.

Featuring contributions from a host of experienced youth workers from a wide variety of churches, this how-to manual offers guidance related to every facet of youth ministry, from planning short-term mission trips to working with parents. Theologically rooted yet eminently practical, this handbook will equip youth leaders to effectively shepherd the young people under their care—training them to live faithfully in their homes, churches, and schools.

Listen to Pastor Colin’s interview with Cameron! (You can also subscribe to the iTunes podcast.)

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God Gives More Grace to Proud People

It was a day full of “feedback.” A lady approached me after the worship service and commented on my children’s behavior during the sermon. This was after a fellow teacher had disagreed with my plan to teach a weighty subject in Sunday School.

I wanted to find a hole and hide. Instead, I had to find the energy to explain God’s glory to a room of energetic elementary school kids.

I know the truth: My identity in Christ is not dependent on my works – and these people meant well. So why was my heart so thrown off by comments that were meant to be helpful?

My Passion for Man’s Praise

The answer is pride. My heart is inclined to grasp for man’s approval. I strive to get people to like me, and I’m constantly measuring myself up to others. I can receive 10 compliments and one criticism, and the criticism will haunt me for the rest of the day. My dread of losing someone’s admiration controls my heart.

This is a precarious way to live because my desire for admiration will never be satisfied by people. We are a fickle lot, we humans, and prone to judge one another. My passion for praise is a no-win situation. In fact, the desires of my sinful heart are at war within me and ultimately lead to death – death of relationships and ministry and joy in the Lord.

But our gracious God has a remedy.

James 4:1-6 says:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

The War within My Heart

While I was not physically brawling on the floor with my critics that morning, my heart was certainly at war. I may not have plotted their murder, but I was enjoying the thought of how it might feel to egg their house. I was praying, but it was a prayer that I would be justified to these people, that the feelings of admiration they stole from me would be returned.

I was asking, and did not receive, because I asked with the wrong motives. While I was committed to serving and loving God, I was courting a friendship with the world and its value systems. This passage in James spoke directly to me, and I saw what I desperately needed. I needed God to give me more grace—

But I also saw the condition attached to this gift.

God’s Response to My Betrayal

God doesn’t tell me my sin isn’t a problem, simply because he gives more grace. He yearns jealously for his Spirit to dwell in me, and my grasping and clinging to other people’s praise is adultery against my Creator who saved me for himself.

The humble are those who daily receive more grace from God and recognize their need.
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However, God’s response to my betrayal isn’t condemnation (my greatest fear), but more humbling grace. To be honest, I don’t love grace like I should, nor do I love the God of grace like I should. My flesh resists the idea that I have no merit of my own before God. But there is great freedom in letting go of the passions of my flesh and embracing in humility the Spirit I’ve been given by grace alone.

The Daily Grace of God

Since that morning, the Lord has been opening my eyes afresh to see my constant dependence on his daily grace. We don’t have the strength to stand when our hearts want to flee, or hold back when our hearts want to lash out. We need grace daily:

Grace to walk in the spirit, not in the flesh (Romans 8:4)
Grace to submit to God (James 4:7)
Grace to embrace weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Grace to serve (Philippians 2:5-6)
Grace to follow God’s wisdom (James 3:17)
Grace to bear with one another (Ephesians 4:2-3)
Grace to count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2)
Grace to take hold of the eternal life to which you were called (1 Timothy 6:12)

Those who daily receive more grace from God are those who are humble before him, recognizing their need and seeking him in meekness.

The Means of Grace

Regarding growth in grace, J.C. Ryle says, “When I speak of ‘means [of grace]’, I have in view Bible reading, private prayer, regular attendance on public worship, regular hearing of God’s Word and regular reception of the Lord’s Supper” (Holiness, pg. 20).

All of these good things – Bible reading, private prayer, worship attendance, etc. – are channels God uses to pour out more and more grace to us when we use them to seek him in humility.

And this was my experience.

As I read God’s Word, I was convicted and strengthened by grace.
As I confessed my pride to the Lord, he gave me grace to rest in the splendor of his gaze alone.
As I prayed for grace to extend to the critics in my church family who meant well, he was faithful to give it.
As I returned to worship the following week, I experienced his freedom and joy.

Freedom in God’s Grace

The words “God opposes the proud” have pierced me as I’ve meditated on them. My fixation with my own merit, and the accomplishments I’m so proud of, have not gained me one ounce of favor in God’s eyes. In fact, he opposes them. But he does not oppose me. The grace God gave me when I trusted in his saving work through Jesus is immovable and forever fixed on me.

But God wants to give more grace. He wants to give me grace that humbles me as I grow in meekness, grace that ultimately frees me from the sinful cravings that hijack my heart and lead to death.

Through this grace, I can stop striving to exalt myself and patiently wait for the day when the Father exalts me, not for the works I have done, but because of what my Lord and Savior, Jesus, has done in my place.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:10)

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Loving the Church When It’s Hard

“I just don’t want to go back. I didn’t feel welcomed there, and I probably won’t feel welcomed again.”

I read my friend’s message after I had invited her to our church, and my heart hurt for her.

This wasn’t the first time I had heard these words. Many conversations with friends have included stories of disappointment, betrayal, hurt, confusion, or simply apathy related to their experience with church. Maybe it was a dysfunctional youth group, or the parking lot was too full. Maybe a rule said they could not take communion, get married there, or serve on the board. Possibly it was someone in leadership who caused them pain.

The Church—we need to remember—is made up of flawed people. Yet we must fight for the Church to hold fast to the commands of Christ and grow within his body of believers.

Why I Love the Imperfect Church

First, we need to make a clear distinction between the Church and your church. If your church is a body established on the foundational doctrines of Christianity, then your church is a part of the universal Church, consisting of all believers throughout the ages.

Jesus loves the Church. It is his Bride. Jesus gave his life for her. But today, many are turning their back on the Church because of the failures of their church.

I’ll admit, sometimes I’m not too happy with what the church does:

Churches split.
Churches are cliquish.
Churches try to look good.
Churches take on too much debt.
Churches get busy with the wrong things.
Churches overlook single people.
Churches forget about widows and orphans.
Churches lose sight of the gospel.

All of that is true, but I still love the Church. I get frustrated with choices made and things I have no control over. But I still love the Church.

Why? The main reason I love the Church is because Jesus loves the Church:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her, so that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless…for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church. (Ephesians 5:25–29, emphasis mine)

To “present to himself the church in all her glory”—this is what Jesus desires us to be and pursue.

Three Ways We Can Grow to Love the Church

So how can we pursue a growing love for the Church and even our local church? I believe there are three main ways:

1. Patience

As Americans, we are typically impatient with any kind of change and even more so with heart-change. When a goal is set before us, we make plans, charts, and lists.

That works for a lot of things, but not for growing in love. When we spend time with the community of believers; when we share a meal in Jesus’ name; when we serve one another in the church; only then will we see what works in the church and how our hearts need to change.

Little by little, when we commit to our local church and to patience, our hearts will desire more of that community. We will pursue growth in love to give more glory to the One who created us for love. But this doesn’t happen instantly; it requires patience.

2. Prayer

We also watch closely how we spend our time, and we make room for prayer. We schedule it into our days. We do not neglect it. We daily bring our concerns, worries, expectations, and desires to God.

He already knows them, but by pursuing this time with him, your heart will desire more of what he wants in your life. His ways will be uniquely known to you through this communion. And when you grow closer to Christ, your love for the church will grow as well. You will see it as he sees it—a vessel for his glory.

3. Persistence

Don’t give up on the church. Do not leave this body because of the hurts your church and its people have caused. Jesus Christ knows all about hurt. He is with you and desires to have you with him. Jesus spilled his blood for the Church. Jesus spilled his blood for you.

How can I turn away from what he gave his life for? How can I run from what he established and desires to use to display his grace? May we persistently serve the church and grow in community so we also display his grace.

I pray that your church, my church, and the Church will spur us in daily seeking his wisdom and living as fully devoted followers of Christ, so we may cling to all that is good and bring glory to him.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

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How to Start Reading Your Bible

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

There used to be long periods when I would never open my Bible outside of church. When I finally made myself sit down with God’s Word, guilt drove me into it for hours on end. There is great benefit from long times in the Word, but shame does not motivate consistency.

How to Start Reading Your Bible
Think “Small and Sustainable”

I gained greater motivation with regular, short times in Scripture. Initially, the whole thing took maybe 15 minutes; no more than 10 minutes with the Bible, maybe five minutes for Scripture-focused prayer. Honestly, even that was sometimes more than my attention span could handle. There were (and still are) occasions when my Bible time is no more than 10 minutes. While not ideal, it is better to spend five minutes focused meaningfully on Scripture than an hour that’s immediately forgotten.

This takes introspection—knowing your limitations while working to expand them. If you can only concentrate for five minutes, start there. But also work to increase your stamina—start with a prayer for guidance, end with a prayer that reflects on what you’ve read. Once the five-minute sessions become easier, add a couple of minutes.

If it works better for you, don’t focus on duration but on number of verses. Start with 10 verses, eventually moving to 20, then a chapter, and so on.

The point here is to set a length that is sustainable and fulfilling, a little challenging, but not overwhelming.

Think “Consistent and Conscious”

I failed in daily Bible reading until God made a way for me to read at the same time every day. He kept me in that state for six years until it became a habit; without it, I felt malnourished.

Morning Bible time, before the responsibilities of the day begin, is wonderful. My experience is that it wakes up your mind and heart, preparing you to stay focused on Jesus that day.

I’d love to be able to do this. However, I am not a morning person, and even when God basically forced me into early morning Bible times, I often struggled to stay awake and focused.

The most important thing is that you’re in the Bible every day (or at least very nearly) and able to focus your mind on God’s Word. If that’s in the morning, awesome. If it’s better for you during lunch, excellent. If you read God’s Word right before you sleep, you end your day on the highest of notes.

Think “Purposeful and Planned”

I failed for a long time because I waited to decide what to read until right before I started. This stole time from actual Scripture reading and made me anxious, which decimated my focus.

A simple plan can alleviate this problem. One idea is to pick a book of the Bible and read through it. Any of the Gospels are a wonderful start for those who are developing regular Bible reading, Mark or John especially. Next, I recommend shorter books, like 1, 2, and 3 John. Completing them gives a sense of accomplishment that energizes Bible time.

God’s Word reveals God’s Son, and all who love him will spend time in his Word regularly.
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Move on to bigger books, like Romans, Ephesians, or 1 and 2 Peter. For Old Testament suggestions, start with Genesis, then Joshua and Judges, then Ruth and Esther; these are books bursting with engaging stories and action.

All of these books are accessible and packed with deep spiritual truths. Most importantly, they familiarize you with reading every day.

While you are new to regular Bible reading, it is possible that some of the other books will unintentionally discourage you from your daily practice. For example:

The book of Psalms is an amazing book, full of praise, lament, deep theology, and beautiful writing; it’s also long, and might be discouraging initially due to its sheer size.
Proverbs is overflowing with wisdom in digestible truth nuggets; it may be difficult to read more than a few verses at a time without having to stop and meditate on what has been read, a potential speed bump to your habit-forming.
Revelation is full of hope and wonderfully tells the story of Christ’s return and reign; as it deals with Spirit-inspired visions, huge divine concepts, and a confusing future, it could frustrate this habit-forming phase.

Any worthwhile habit and goal is worth breaking into attainable steps, and this goal is one of the most important to our lives. After you have established daily time with the Lord through his Word, the entirety of the Bible is not only open and available, but should become a goal, itself.

Three Bible Reading Aids

Thank God there are so many aids to get Scripture into our minds on a daily basis.

1. Audio Bibles

Audio Bibles open up many opportunities for regular Bible time. Any listener can find something appealing: plain, spoken audio, audio with dramatization, audio with commentary or musical interludes, etc. If reading is difficult or impossible, an audio Bible can become your daily source of God’s Word.

2. Paced Bibles

Many publishers print Bibles with a built-in reading plan, often taking you through the Bible in a year or two. These Bibles remove some of the guesswork about your daily reading, especially once you’ve established your habit and want to read through all of Scripture.

3. Chronological Bibles

My first real success in consistent Bible reading came through a chronological Bible. This organizational style attempts to arrange Scripture in order of events, focusing on narrative. Some chronological Bibles simply swap the order of entire books, grouping books that record events of a similar time; others divide individual passages and put them with other sections that refer to the same event and times. Some also consolidate redundancies leading to greater clarity and shortening the time it takes to get through the entire Bible.

God has chosen to make himself known in our time through the Bible. His Word reveals Jesus—the love and life of all believers—so all who love him will spend time in his Word regularly. This is for our benefit and to his glory.

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