A Living Book

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, HCSB

IN HIS INSPIRING BOOK TITLED Fresh Air, Pastor Chris Hodges writes: “The Bible is a divine wind machine, inflating our sails with God’s breath, giving us direction and purpose, and propelling us forward.” Who among us couldn’t use a little wind at their backs? With the Bible, we have all the wind power we need to live a godly life. But we have to read it.

Think of it this way: A sailboat with the sail down is not going to be affected by the wind. The sail is useless, extra weight. However, when the sail is up—as it is designed to be—the power of the wind is captured, propelling the boat forward almost effortlessly. It’s the same way with reading the Bible—we have to take advantage of Scripture’s power to propel us forward in our walk with God. Without it, we won’t get anywhere.

It’s great to have good intentions about reading the Bible, but it’s best to actually have good habits. We are creatures of habit. Though establishing good habits takes some thought, some planning, and the discipline to follow through, it is well worth the effort. Getting into the habit of daily Bible reading soon becomes a joy. And the more we read the Bible, the more we want to read it. Getting started is the first step. It can be a little like running—the hardest part is often the choice to head out the door. Once we’re into it, we enjoy it and benefit from it.

BOTTOM LINE

We desperately need the Word of God. It’s not optional if we want to grow. So make it a priority to develop good Bible reading habits.

Moment of Strength: Matthew 4:4