Reading the Bible - What I’ve Learned and Where I’m Headed in 2021

What do you do when you get to the end of the Bible? You start again! There are 1189 chapters in the Bible. By reading 5 chapters a week, we read 260 chapters a year. So it takes 4 1/2 years to finish. It took our church that long to read the entire Bible together the first time around and now Mike and I are joining in from the beginning as we start reading it together again. Even though I’ve read the Bible in its entirety before, I feel like I’m reading it for the first time because I’ve learned so much in the last year.

First I want to say, if you are a Christian and you don’t desire to know God through the study of His word, why not? Do you really know God? Are you really a Christian or do you just think you are? If you are a Christian, your journey through the Bible has probably been a lot like mine. I want to share a few things, for lack of a better way to say it, that I’ve changed my mind on when it comes to understanding the word of God.  There are seven points — the number for completion and perfection.  

1. Book studies are not Bible studies. I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of Bible teachers in many churches who don’t know how to teach the Bible. If they did, they wouldn’t rely on books and video teaching. I’ve seen many pastors read what they consider a good book and then use that book for a sermon series. I’ve seen many “teachers” who are “facilitators” who lead the typical “what does this verse mean to you” type discussion. I believe this opens the door for false teachings and it’s an easy way to take verses out of context. It also takes away from the one and only book we need, the Bible. 
2. There are very few pastors who only teach expository through the Bible. I’ve heard many topical sermons over the years and I can’t tell you much about any of them. You know the ones, the series on marriage when half your audience is unmarried. Or the series on parenting that doesn’t apply to half the audience. Topical sermons oftentimes lean more towards motivational speeches and again, these sermons are a great way to take verses out of context. I believe most of these sermons start with a topic and then add a little Bible to it. This is dangerous theology and can easily open the door to false teaching. 
3. There are many false teachers and some we easily recognize like Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen and many we don’t, like Rick Warren and Joyce Meyer. I’ve changed a lot this past year in which pastors I will listen to and what books I will read. I tried once to read a highly recommended Rick Warren book and I just couldn’t do it. Something was just off to me and as I started researching what Warren teaches, I understand why. I deleted from my Kindle or donated from my bookshelves, books by Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Rick Warren, Frances Chan, and others. I’ve kept David Platt but I’ve kinda pulled away from him also. I need more in my Bible study and I need truth not emotional rhetoric. 
4. God doesn’t speak outside of scripture. The Bible is the only way God speaks to us. This is contrary to what many people teach and what many Christians believe and I’ve struggled with this teaching and where I stand on it. I’ve done the “Experiencing God” study by Henry Blackaby and also “Discerning the Voice of God” by Priscilla Shirer. I’ve read the very popular “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. I remember when we were going to church at FBC Powell, Pastor Phil Jones spoke against “Jesus Calling” and it made me a little mad but it stuck with me and I kept researching it, discussing it with different pastors, and I now understand the problem with that book. Scripture is the voice of God. A great book to read on this topic is “God Doesn’t Whisper” by Jim Oscan. 
5. The Bible is a book about God. It’s not a book about me. The gospel message of Jesus Christ starts in Genesis and goes all the way to Revelation. For example, when we read about the Israelites being held in slavery, it’s a picture of God setting us free from the slavery of sin through Jesus Christ. Bondage is a picture of our sin. Deliverance is a picture of Jesus setting us free. Pharaoh is a picture of Satan who wants to keep us in bondage. Did you know yeast is a picture of sin and unleavened bread is a picture of how we are to get rid of sin in out lives. Passover is a picture of how we are to apply the blood of Jesus. You may know all this but even though I’ve read it before, I am still learning. I’m learning how to see God’s salvation message throughout the Bible. It’s all about Jesus! 
6. I finally found the answer to the age old question, what is God’s will for my life? He is not sending me signs and speaking to me to help with my everyday decisions. If He was, I wouldn’t make so many mistakes. God’s will for my life is to live according to His word and for my life to bring glory to Him. That’s it! Period. No more, no less. 
7. God’s word is true. You have to approach it verse by verse, and study it day by day. That’s my goal for 2021. 

“If you want to hear God speak, read the Bible. If you want to hear Him speak audibly, read it out loud.” ~Justin Peters

PS. I sometimes feel like I have more questions than answers and I’m ok with that as long as I am studying and growing in my understanding of scripture.