Many Christians, and non-Christians, own a Bible somewhere at home. It is the number one most sold book in the world and has always had that title. It is also the number one more stolen book in the world, as well. Why is this book so popular, and why should Christians care?
It is the word of God! The Holy Bible is God's word given to us in a physical form, and the word of God is Jesus (John 1:1). The word of God is useful in so many ways. One of the friends that I am growing close to had some trouble getting into reading the word. He would rather ask questions than read the word. Let me make it clear that there is nothing wrong with asking questions to get knowledge; but if you do not know the word, the answer could be completely false and you could fall prey to false doctrine because of your lack of Biblical knowledge. We must prepare ourselves with the word. We must put God's word in our heart. As Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
If we are ever wondering why we are not growing spiritually, let us look at the Bible. After all, it is one of the five ways of spiritual growth. When we feel like we do not know God, He has make Himself clear through His word. When we feel uncertain about God or something we have learned, the Bible has all truths. When we need help knowing if something is of God or not, the Bible will tell you. When you are thirsty and seeking life and peace, the Bible has an unlimited supply of it right inside of the pages. Everything a Christian needs is presented between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21.
Gotquestions.org helps to explain this point. "We read the Bible because there is so much false teaching. The Bible gives us the measuring stick by which we can distinguish truth from error. It tells us what God is like. To have a wrong impression of God is to worship an idol or false god. We are worshiping something that He is not. The Bible tells us how one truly gets to Heaven, and it is not by being good or being baptized or by anything else we do (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:1-10; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10-18. 5:8. 6:23, 10:9-13). Along this line, God's Word shows us how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-8; John 3:16). And it is in learning this that we are drawn to love Him in return (Matthew 7:24-27). The Bible equips us to serve God (2 Timothy 3:17; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It helps us know how to be saved from our sin and its ultimate consequences (2 Timothy 3:15). Meditating on God's word and obeying its teachings will bring success in life (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25). God's word helps us see sin in our lives and helps us get rid of it (Psalsm 119:9, 11). It gives us guidance in life, making us wiser than our teachers (Psalms 32:8, 119:99, Proverbs 1:6). The Bible keeps us from wasting years of our lives on that which does not matter and will not last (Matthew 7: 24-27)
If we want to learn more about God and grow stronger in Christ, we must be willing to dive into the word. This does not mean read a book of the Bible a day. You start wherever God calls you in whatever portion God calls you. Maybe you are reading a verse or two a day, and maybe you are reading a paragraph or an excerpt a day. It does not matter how you start, just as long as you get into the word of God every day in order to grow.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that, "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." If we want to become wiser, learn more about God, or spiritually grow, we must grab a hold of God's word and dive into it daily.
-D
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