![]() For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV) I could talk about God all day long, but there is nothing like reading His word. Shamefully, when I was in high school, I barely picked up my bible unless my mother instructed me to. For someone who is an avid book reader, it was rather nonsensical of me to leave the bible, untouched, right beside my bed each night while it soon collected dust. I found myself trying to read it, but then either going to Instagram or going to sleep. I had always had the bible app, but only really glanced at it occasionally for the verse of the day. Either the bible stories I read didn’t make much sense to me, or I didn’t know where to start. Any of this sound relatable? Well, if it does, then it’s okay. It’s dope that you’re reading this, because that probably means you’re interested in making a change in your bible habit. Like I explained, I’ve been there and, honestly, the bible can be kind of (or very) intimidating. I mean, c’mon, there are almost 1,200 chapters in the whole thing. As followers of Christ, we are told to read the word and know the word... to be honest, Religion makes reading the bible seem way more like a procedure than an experience. However, what I had to realize that the bible is not something that you should just read through in a few sittings. It is not an task or an assignment. It is something that you must treat as water for the soil of your life. It is something that you must use as a guide. A tool. A weapon. It is something that you must crave and have a hunger for because it is the one thing that will never die and can never be defeated. It’s alive and powerful, and it is meant to facilitate a spiritual transformation within you. It’s top 5 (right next to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). It is important for me to share this with you on my blog because I would not be adequately able to share my truths without it. I’ve learned to make reading the bible spiritual food for my soul, rather than procedural knowledge for my head. The bible tells no lies. Whether you think the stories are metaphorical or actual occurrences, God just wants you to take the time to interpret it and realize that He DID DAT. Have you finishing a bible story like this: So, today I want to share a few tips on how to kickstart your daily bible habit. Strong emphasis on these just being “tips”, as I ask God to lead your hearts in a way that is most meaningful and enlightening for you each day. But, here are just a few things that have made reading the bible an erryday thing for me, and will hopefully help you experience His word more habitually, too. 1) Make a confession If you feel moved to increase your hunger for God’s word, the first thing you should do is make a confession to Him. Tell Him how you feel. Ask Him to acquire your taste for Him. The most important part of this journey is maintaining and cultivating your relationship with God. In return, He will do just what you asked for and the rest will follow: His word will make more sense, He will guide your heart to read what you need to read, and He will make this bible experience worth your while. 2) Do it out of love Always make love your motive when you are approaching The Word of God. “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 If you want get an authentic and life-changing experience of out reading the bible, shift your intentions from knowing The Word to knowing the Lord. Read the bible sheerly because you love Him and want to get to know Him better. Use His word to learn how to love others, yourself, and God more deeply. When you make reading the bible a religious ritual, you will get less fulfillment and traction out of it. If you approach the bible out of reverence and love for God, you will experience the greatest level of admiration and fullness as you read through His word. Love conquers all things. It will fuel your daily bible habit and it will transform your heart, mind, and soul as you engage in the digestion of God’s word. 3) Download/Explore the Bible app! There’s nothing like the good ole’ paperback, but with the growing use of technology, it’s totally fine to read the bible on your phone. If you have the Bible app already, then ayeee you on to something! But, there are some pretty dope features on the app that a lot of people may not know about. Start your bible streak! Now, the application keeps up with your “reading streak”, kind of like the streaks you have on Snapchat. It gets me hype when I see how many days I’ve been reading the bible, and I find the Bible being one of the first things I look at in the morning so that I don’t break my streak. If you’re an accountability or goal-setter, the use the streak feature to encourage you to read The Word more. Also, if you don’t know where to start reading, start by reading a plan! Personally, the plans were one of the main things that got me reading the Word everyday. You can find plans about pretty much everything like love + worry + grace + money + dating + sex. The bible plans usually include short devotionals and then follow with associated bible verses. So, find a plan that interests you or relates to your life at the time (I’ll also include some of my favorite bible plans at the end of this post). Not only do you get to read the word, but it is also broken down in a plan so that it makes sense and is relatable to you! With the streak feature and bible plans, you are able to set small goals for yourself. Tiny goals are important on this journey. Be proud of whatever amount of time dedicated to reading God’s word, He will appreciate every last bit of it and will love you all the more because of your willingness and humility. 5) Set aside a quiet place and time It’s really awesome to have the time to read the bible throughout the day, but it’s a even more beneficial to set aside some time to really give some undivided attention to His word. For those of you who know me, y’all know that I am not particularly social in the morning. Yeah, let’s put it like that :-) However, many of you may not know the exact reason why I am not a morning person. I don’t talk much when I wake up because the morning is my time to meditate and pray. So, now the morning is my time to meditate, pray, and read my bible. I like starting my mornings off with the Word, because it feels as though it has a strong impact on the course of my day. I am filled early, and it tends to spill into my actions and interactions with people. Whether it’s in the morning or at night, or for 15 minutes or for an hour… set aside some time where you can quiet your mind and focus on the Word. Establish just a moment of time to be present. Be thankful in this period of time. Be vulnerable and temporarily removed from the world that promotes self-defense and survival. Learn to depend on a full, daily dosage of God’s word. 5) Journal If you don’t want to forget what you read or if you are having a hard time grasping an idea, write it down! I like to write the things that I read in my own words so that I increase my understanding. Sometimes putting ideas to paper helps them to become more tactile and rememberable. It’s just like note-taking: if you’re professor says to the class “this is going to be on the test”, don’t you think you are going to want to write it down? God gives a WHOLE lot of test answers in the bible, just in case you didn’t know. If you come back and study something later, that’s when an idea truly becomes tacky on your heart and your mind. Also, another cool thing about the bible app is that you can make notes, bookmarks, and even images off of scriptures. It’s also good to write things down that you don’t necessarily understand, because a different time and mindset may grant an alternative understanding. Maybe God wants you to experience something before you understand what you have read. 6) Pray after you read Some things in the bible may leave you confused + convicted + joyful, but, no matter what you feel, you should pray about it. Like I said, the bible is not just a book that you read through and you’re done. It has a vast amount of dynamic functions, and one of them is being a prayer book. Prayer should be used for exceedingly more than just asking God to do this and to do that. Talk to God about His word. You should express your thankfulness if you feel particularly moved by a passage. Equally, you should express your doubts and confusion + pray for clarity when needed. This is EXACTLY how God wants you to muse over His word. I have discovered that when I pray through His Word, my prayers become indescribably more powerful and stimulated. I feel God’s presence and I hear His voice more clearly. I understand the bible more genuinely when I pray over what I read, and it makes me want to read His word even more. God is overwhelmingly flattered when you talk to Him or ask Him questions about His word. He’ll start doing things to your heart and mind that you never seen done before. 7) Share after you read! Don’t just keep in His word, let it spill out of your mouth and share what you’ve learned with others! Don’t be afraid, you don’t have to be a preacher in order to advance the Good News. There is sooo much power in your words, and it’s quite electric when one discusses His word with others. Remember that God never intended for you to keep His words to yourself. When you make time to read the bible, pray, and discuss His words with the people that you trust...that’s when we reach the truth, and the truth will set you free beyond measure. God calls each and every one of us to share His word so that His truth can propel to every end of the earth. Share what has encouraged you so that it may be an encouragement for others. Talk through passages with one another, and you might be able to gain a deeper, more engaged understanding from these conversations. Also, did I mention that you can also request to have friends on the Bible app? But, wait, there’s more: you can also complete plans with your friends! Doing a plan with a friend or family gives you the opportunity to discuss devotionals and scriptures with each other, fostering not only a deeper understanding of the Word, but also a deeper connection with those that you love. I do plans all the time with my friends and family. My mother and I complete a plan with each other every week, and now we talk about God with each other everyday! It’s truly beautiful, and will bring you closer to people as you draw closer towards God. So, to sum all of my words up: Read, pray, keep, and repeat. I pray for you all as you embark on your personal journey through His Word. Keep truth-seeking and keep loving. Truthfully, Olivia M Y F A V O R I T E D E V O T I O N A LS 1. The Way Back - Get Your Christian Life Back On Track (One of the first devotionals that got me back in track with my Bible habits and walk with Christ!) 2. Armor Of God 3. 10 Things To Abandon For Spiritual Growth 4. The End Of Me 5. Free Of Me: Why Life Is Better When It’s Not All About You 6. 7 Laws Of Love 7. Knowing God’s Heart
2 Comments
Leslie McPhaul
7/29/2018 07:04:46 am
💜💛😍🙏🏾
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Grandma
8/10/2018 04:43:15 am
“did my heart burn within”, after reading your truth about God and His word?
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Olivia McPhaulWriter. Christ enthusiast. Zealot of love. Offering my truth and sharing my imperfect journey in womanhood. Archives
May 2019
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