Most people in this "Post Biblical" era cannot tell you who the parents of John the Baptist are or in which of the 66 books of the Bible the "Sermon on the Mount" is found.  We live in a microwave society where we want our information now and knowledge, if even sought after, is relegated to the relative.  We have been spoon-fed the lie that all truth is situational and ethics are a relic.  What's worse yet is with the abundance of material written or produced for the professing Christian masses it is very hard to tell which is true and Biblical.

 

     It is so important to read our Bibles.  Not  just so we know the stories but it is God's Word.  He preserved it for thousands of years so we can know Him.  It is His chosen method of telling you what you need to know about Him and what He wants you to know.  If you do not read it you will know know the truth and you will fall for any fad that is passing through.  It is your anchor and your sail.  A ship without an anchor or a sail simply floats along with whichever tide is prevailing and will eventually dash upon the rocks.  If you have an anchor and a sail you will get to where you need to be and you will stay there.

 

     We fear this world so much and know our Bible so little that our only safe haven is one of the many "Christian Bookstores" where you can buy anything with at cross on it.  Do you want a catchy slogan on a t-shirt? No Problem.  Do you want a pen that tells the whole world that you are a believer? No problem.  Should we deem "Christian Bookstores" are bad?  No.  As with all things it all depends on why you are there in the first place.

 

     What is disturbing is that all the catchy merchandise is up front and the Bibles and Bible Studying material is in the back corner.  Why is that?  Is it because we want a book to help us understand the Bible without actually reading the Bible?  Do we want something to wear or to adorn our home that tells everyone about our faith while not knowing how to verbally express the same thing.  Are these things bad?  No.  Again, it all depends on why you are there in the first place.

 

     There are many objections to reading the Bible;

     Ok, but where do I start?  Start anywhere.  You can start in Genesis, or you can start in Matthew or anywhere your finger lands.  It is good to have a plan but if all else fails JUST READ IT.  I have 2 yearly plans here.  One lets you know exactly which chapters to read day by day.  The pros are that you don't have to guess, it tells you.  The cons are if you miss a day it gets discouraging when you think you have to double up to catch up. You don't.  Just read and add a chapter a day until you catch up.  The other is one from Hank Hanegraaff.  It is called The Legacy Reading Plan.  I like it better because you set your own pace and it puts the books into catagories.  The pros are that you are self paced and don't fell as bad when you miss a day and it is structured so that you get the flow of the books.  The cons are that you need to do the math on your own as to how much you need to read a day or week.

 

 

 

 

 

What is the most important thing to remember?  Just read.  If you don't read you won't know God.