A lot of people in conversation will tell me that they don’t read the bible at all, or enough. But if we want to know God, and hear His voice clearly we really need to.
So why don’t people? Perhaps it is hard to read a book every day that describes how God supernaturally intervenes in the lives of people, and yet they may fail to see any supernatural phenomena in their own present circumstances. That’s because once the supernatural, and the belief that God can do the same in their lives is taken out of the bible, it merely becomes a guidebook to good morals and values.
But the bible is far more than that. It is a guide to the supernatural and to dynamic encounters with a God who still works wonders. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) The bible was given to us that we might hear God’s voice and respond to that voice with life-changing faith.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God, because the bible is designed to supercharge and energise our faith. (Romans 10:17) It encourages us to believe for the impossible; to expect God to move in our circumstances, and to experience heaven on earth.
It’s actually a really weird and crazy book. There is some wild stuff in there. And you’ll find God is in it, for God and His Word are one. Once we read it with the right reasons and attitude, and search for Jesus within it’s pages, I guarantee you will discover and experience far more than you could ever dream, think or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
C.S Lewis wrote, “it’s not a question of learning a subject, but of steeping ourselves in a Personality”. That personality is God Himself.
2 Tim 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
But there is something to be mindful of when it comes to reading the bible and hearing God speak. It’s the fact that “A little bit doesn’t help.”
Our second daughter is studying to be an exercise physiologist. She readily and regularly tells us that only doing one session of exercise doesn’t change you, and diets you can’t live with day after day aren’t going to help either.
It is rather consistent exercise over a period of weeks, months; even years that dramatically changes us.
“The same is true with the Bible. A little bible reading won’t really change us, because it is the consistent daily meditation, month after month; year after year that changes us. Reading the bible is very much like eating food. Food is fuel for the body. In the same way the bible is fuel for the soul, and without it the soul will shrink into a weakened state, just as our muscles do without exercise.” (Jack Deere) We essentially will become “flabby and weak”!
One of the first key steps to spiritual health is taking in the right fuel day after day. The second step is using the fuel to make right, often hard choices every day. When we do that it exercises our faith muscles to grow and develop. That can take time, but it’s in the repeated use and choosing to read and obey God’s word, that produces Christ-like character.
The main reason the bible is ineffective in people’s lives, and that they struggle to hear God speaking clearly to them is quite simply that they fail to read and do it consistently. If we want to hear the voice of God on a regular basis then we will have to become intimately acquainted with the written Word of God.
As Kenneth Hagin said, ”In consistency lies the power”
Today, make up your mind to set aside a regular time each day to meditate in the scriptures, so you can hear His voice. Holy Spirit will remind and bring the words you read to your mind, not only to guide, but also to save you from a lot of trouble, and heartache when you then do what it says.
Prayer: Lord please help me to make reading your word a priority in my life. There is so many times when I desperately need to hear your voice and receive your guidance. Remind me that hearing your voice each day begins in spending time in your word. In Jesus Name Amen.