Bible Intake

Personal Spiritual Discipline: Bible Intake

Overview

Overview

Importance of Bible Intake

1 Timothy 4:7 ESV

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

1 Timothy 4:7 ESV

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

For many students the concentrated study and time spent daily in God’s Word will be an effort and challenge, but these disciplines are guidelines, methods, activities and practices that train one’s life in Christlikeness, much like training a vine to grow on a trellis.

Their purpose and goal is Christ Himself, not prideful, prize-winning perfection in the practice but a means to getting as close to and a much like Jesus as you possibly can - and staying there.

Joshua 1:6–8 ESV

Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Jos 1:

“There is absolutely no shortcut to holiness that bypasses or gives little priority to a consistent intake of the Bible.” - Jerry Bridges

“This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.” - D.L. Moody, John Bunyan, and others.

Intake

Take care when presenting the particular personal spiritual discipline not to reduce it to simply Bible reading

The discipline is more robust than reading the printed page - remember that some of your students may not know how to read, or their literacy skills are so rudimentary that learning and worshipping through reading is beyond them.

One of the ways practicing daily Bible intake, besides reading it for yourself, is through hearing it read.

Biblical basis

Jesus said those who hear it are blessed

Luke 11:28 ESV

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

, and Paul taught that faith comes through hearing ().

Paul taught that faith comes through hearing

Romans 10:17 ESV

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

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The Bible teaches in ; ; and 13 that the entire congregation of God’s people stood to hear the book of Moses read to them.

The Bible teaches in ; ; and 13 that the entire congregation of God’s people stood to hear the book of Moses read to them.

Paul admonishes the Colossians to read his letter publicly

Colossians 4:16 ESV

And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

) and Timothy to dedicate himself to the public reading of Scripture in his ministry ( )

Timothy to dedicate himself to the public reading of Scripture in his ministry

1 Timothy 4:13 ESV

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

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Pronounced blessing on those who read and those who hear God’s Word read.

Pronounced blessing on those who read and those who hear God’s Word read.

Revelation 1:3 ESV

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

Contexts for hearing God’s word read

The Word of God may be read aloud in church services or in the context of a believing family in home worship.

In addition to radio, Christian programming on television, Internet websites, and DVDs are ways that non- readers receive the word daily.

Importance of reading God’s word

“God has spoken, It is written, and Preach the Word.” - Peter Adams

The form of Bible intake is most readily accessible to many is of course reading it oneself

The form of Bible intake is most readily accessible to many is of course reading it oneself

While we should be careful not to hold forth reading as the only form of Bible intake to those we teach, neither should we think lightly of the great blessing we have to read God’s word.

Remember that God chose to reveal Himself and preserve that record in written form. The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, guided the human authors, and superintended its transmission

Peter Adam emphasizes, “God has spoken, It is written, and Preach the Word.” God told Moses and the prophets to write His revelation to them in a book.

It is absolutely appropriate for us to encourage students toward a literacy as well as to present them with the value of reading God’s word for oneself.

Bible Reading Plans

Developing a practice of reading God’s Word daily requires discipline and dedication.

Such effort is aided greatly by a reading plan.

Whether students adopt a plan that takes them through the entire Bible in one year of any other method, a plan will take away the guesswork of “what should I read today?”

Developing a Plan for Bible Intake

(Note that this is most applicable to literate students; for those who are not literate, an emphasis on seeking means to hear God’s word read and memorizing God’s Word is appropriate.)

Read the Bible with a high view of Scripture.

Do not read the Bible with God in a box; keep alert for new ideas and truths.

No matter how familiar a passage may be, reading and rereading a passage reveals details or nuances not previously seen.

Keep a notebook and pen close by to note new insights, lingering questions for further investigation, or a prayer that spontaneously flows from your heart as you read.

Read the Bible daily, a the same time each day if possible, and make it a routine that is not optional.

Look up words that are unfamiliar in a dictionary or bible dictionary and trace events on a Bible map using the place-names that appear in the passage.