How Do You Develop Your Desire or Hunger To Read And Study The Bible or God’s word?
- Vicent Nemeyimana
- March 29, 2017
- Uncategorized
Hey there,
As always, I am glad you are and I am very happy to share with you this truth. What truth? How you are going to build and maintain your desire to read and study God’s word in just 4 ways.
But wait! We have a problem.
What problem?
Many Christians fear admitting this challenge but the truth is; most Christians have no appetite or desire to read God’s word. Many of us only open our bibles on Sunday when the pastor in the church asks us to. Some don’t even take bibles to church; we have projections of God’s word onto the walls and the pastor reads for us!
Surprised?
And here is the worst; what! Yes, the worst part of the above challenge is that few people or none shall ever tell you the effective means of building and maintaining that desire!
1. Many of us have no passive desire to open our bibles and read and study them all the time
2. Few of us can admit that challenge
3. None or few of the people out here can give us the effective remedy to our fist problem.
But you are blessed. How? You have come across this article and you won’t struggle with this anymore!
Actually, if you were strong enough and approached your pastor with the question, what can I do to have desire for God’s word? Your pastor will simply tell you to pray about it.
Yes, he will ask you to pray and even fast; call the Holy Spirit to install that desire in you. But do you know the surprise?
Here is your surprise; it won’t work!
Why?
Of course, about the strategy not working has nothing to do with the prayer itself, its power, Holy Spirit and the like; it has everything to do with the pastor and you.
Usually, pastors and Christians like the advice “go and pray about it” but this is usually not because they understand the power of prayer or that it has ever worked for them but simply because they know it the right answer a serious Christian should give to a disturbed heart or person.
Do you see the problem?
Yes, you heard me well.
The prayer sh
all not work for you not because itself is not powerful but simply because you just know it is what you, as a serious Christian, must do and yet you know well it won’t work; after all, many people struggling with the issue of reading their bible have already prayed about it a thousand times but in vain!
all not work for you not because itself is not powerful but simply because you just know it is what you, as a serious Christian, must do and yet you know well it won’t work; after all, many people struggling with the issue of reading their bible have already prayed about it a thousand times but in vain!
But is that why I am here? I mean, am I here to tell you that it won’t work?
Waaah, far from it; I am here to tell you what works! Now, this is your sweetest part, read on.
Here, we are NOT talking about finding pleasure in obeying God’s word; we are talking about finding desire and pleasure for READING and studying the bible. Yes, we are trying to understand exactly what moves people to open up their bibles almost every day and every time without first being reminded by their pastor or circumstances.
We have done enough introductions; here are your EFFECTIVE tips;
4 Ways Through Which You Can Create Your Desire To Read The Bible
A. Just know the Bible is a great and valuable book
This is your beginning and effective approach. Understanding that the bible is a great book, with great insights, wisdom, knowledge, sweet stories and life saving word from God and comparing this knowledge with your desire or longing to read that same book is a great step towards building your momentum.
While trying to answer the same question that I am answering today, Erika Dawson tried to cite some important verses that reveal the greatness and value of God’s word, check out his article Here.
Yes, sometimes I was just like anyone else; I had no passion, time or even desire for God’s word. Even I would be sleepy and dosing off during bible reading at the church!
But then a thought came in; if the bible is such a great and inspiring book, how come I don’t feel it? How come I don’t have the desire to read or study my bible? How come it bores me?
The above questions are important; they set you on the journey of searching for the answer. Remember, knowledge starts with asking and understanding that you actually don’t know or don’t understand!
Actually, writers like John Piper at DesiringGod cite some people’s excuse for not reading the bible as lack of time, but that is not the real problem; we can never lack time for something we regard valuable and have much desire and longing for.
Understanding that the bible is such a great book and yet you have no such passive desire or longing for that book is a great beginning. But then, where do we go next?
B. Read the bible along with some other inspirational books and bible guides
According to John Piper in his 2014 article called Why We Neglect Our Bibles, the number one reason people don’t read their bibles is because the bible appears irrelevant to their lives. I also want to believe that this is a global challenge among many Christians.
Actually, many Christians like citing bible verses but if asked to explain exactly what the same verses mean or imply in the real situations of the people they are preaching to, few can walk that talk.
In other words, we have grown up into a society that does not see bible and God in everyday struggles, businesses and situations of man like dating, business, romance, games and plays, eating, drinking, education and science, sports and technology and everything else. Some people think God’s word can be applied in some situations and not others.
But that is not true!
God’s word is applicable to everyone in every situation.
I personally think this all happens because we have inadequate understanding, interpretation and assimilation of the bible. And that is where our point comes in; reading your bible along with other inspirational books, bible guides, commentaries, other Bible versions and so much more.
This is my number one desire-builder for God’s word; I love reading so much, listening to great world pastors expose hidden insights in God’s word. And I am automatically moved to open the scriptures so I can prove their insights or even build more for myself. It is so inspiring.
Some writers have been gifted to present the bible stories in a more inspiring, illustrative, exciting, attractive and friendly manner. Yes, I am saying that you shall kill boredom, increase your longing to read more and understand more as the stories unfold and a true reflection of the same bible builds up in your life.
And believe me, some great bible writers, commentators, and inspirational writers who write books while referencing the bible are your weapons here.
Yes, the reason you have no desire for God’s word is because you don’t understand it. You see contradictions, irrelevance, boring stories, and uncoordinated narrations when you open up that book. Isn’t it?
But you can solve all those troubles by grabbing yourself a handbook that gives you a bible guide, a commentary like that of Matthew Henry or John Gill, listening to a great preacher like John Piper or Dr. David Jeremiah do interpretations for you. And believe me, you will love opening and reading your bible more than before.
Many Christians pretend to understand the bible just without having any guide. They open up a page, read it as if reading a newspaper, no notebook so they make notes, no guiding questions, no nothing, and they pretend they have understood. They do this during the first three days or weeks or months following the marvelous acceptance of Christ while in an exciting crusade and then can no longer read the same boring bible on the 4th day, week or month!
The inspiring books, the bible guides, the commentaries, the inspiring pastors on TV or internet kill the boredom because they help you understand the bible in real life situations and build your longing for more of that same word applied in your life.
Let me make a confession; I have come to understand Jesus Christ and God and Holy Spirit not necessarily or directly from the bible but from faithful writers who have written about Him basing on the bible. Yeah, now that I am grown up, I can find out so many things on my own right from the bible but that is or was not always the case.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit or God inspires or teaches us His word just through others.
Try this and you will see the magic!
C. Read the bible with others/community bible reading
I have said this often and I will say it again; the Baptist Church impresses me when it comes to community bible reading. They have got a program they simply call “the bible study”.
In this program, members of the church are divided into varying groups and casually study the bible. Everyone can ask questions, answer questions and teach others according to how he or she has understood the bible.
Yes, insights are shared, constructive arguments tabled, questions are shot, and everyone hustles through the bible to find the right answers. And believe me when I say that no matter how boring, non-interesting and confusing God’s word may seem to you, you automatically long to read, study and understand more.
Why or how?
Because you are eager to ask something, answer someone or contribute to some insight. And maybe you also don’t want to be the odd-man-out.
I don’t know how to express this, but I want you to know that God’s word is so sweet when it’s being shared as a community or a group; it never bores.
At home, you could try reading the bible with your family; your wife, husband, children or neighbors. It inspires to share God’s word.
But maybe you don’t get this, it is okay. But then below is your number one, effective and powerful method of automatically developing your desire to read and study the bible! Can you guess the point? See below;
D. Teaching God’s word
Did I say teaching God’s word to others? Yes, you heard me well.
Before, I started up The Complete You Ministry, I certainly did not have much desire, time and longing to read, study and know more about God through the bible. But when I opened up my website and specialized in helping fellow Christians with important Christian questions and puzzles in many aspects of life, I became addicted to reading God’s word.
Yes, every time I open up my bible, I am eager to learn, discover new insights and revelations from God so I can best answer other people’s questions that touch the bible, religion or general Christianity.
This is your magic tool!
You don’t have to be a theologian with PhD in divinity or theology before you can preach God’s word or share with others what inspires you. And as you search through the scripture what to share or preach to others, your desire and longing to read and even discover more keeps building up.
This is automatic.
You don’t have to think about it or even first push yourself to locate your bible and read it. On the other hand, the bible brings itself to you because it is your life. You want to understand what happened to Noah and the boat, the woman caught in adultery and Jesus, the mystery of resurrection and its implication, the preaching of Peter in the streets of Jerusalem, yes, you simply long to know everything so you can share everything.
And by the way, I have ever shared in my old writings that inspiring and motivating others is not actually about them (at least not them only), but about me for I am inspired and motivated while inspiring others.
That is why some counselors shall tell you that one of the best ways to help yourself out of stress and cure depression is to find someone to help or give a hand. The trick is simple; you get motivated and inspired while trying to help others.
This is the same principle here; some inspiration from the bible can only be got while trying to inspire others. Some God’s revelations and sweetness of scripture can only be accessed through preaching or sharing the word with others. And as you share the word with others, your reading and studying culture greatly improves.
That is your magic!
Summary
Prayer is everything, but I mean a prayer in action. Stop living a lie and put your faith to work. And before you tell someone to deal with his issues with just a prayer, be sure you under
stand and believe in what you mean.
stand and believe in what you mean.
You won’t develop your desire READ God’s word by just praying about it or simply making a timetable and committing yourself to it as if it is a diet routine, oh no, your desire should be developed to that level where it becomes your lifestyle.
And the above four steps (understanding and believing that God’s word is valuable and magical than any other book, reading the bible alongside other inspirational and guiding books and commentaries, reading the bible with others or in a group and endeavoring to teach or share with people the little that you have already known) are your magical ways you are gonna use to develop, stir and maintain your desire, longing and culture to open, read and study God’s word (the bible) every day and time.
God bless you so much
The Complete You Ministry, www.miklahlife.com
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