It’s important we read God’s Word regularly because once a week is not good enough. Coming to church just on a Sunday and then going back into the world for six-seven days, only having received God’s Word, having been cleansed just that one time in a week, having ourselves refreshed for that single hour on a Sunday is not going to get us through the whole week.
One sermon can’t cover all the battles you’re going to face in the week ahead and one sermon can’t cover everyone’s struggles all at once in the church. We need to have a continual renewing of our mind as we read in Romans 12.2:
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12.2
God’s Word is what helps us renew our mind daily. Spending time in God’s Word really helps us prepare for those days ahead, those weeks ahead. As you read the Word early, God’s Spirit is in you and God knows what you need. So, when you read His Word, He can really speak to you personally. It helps your relationship with God, it helps you knowing God, and it helps to prepare you, regularly, throughout the week.
I also find it’s important that we read God’s Word for ourselves because as we read in 1 Corinthians 1.10 to 14:
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians 1.10-13
This is very interesting because they are so accessible, we all have our favourite teachers, and we can then get into a situation where we say: ‘John says this, Peter says this, Daniel says this’, but we should instead be focusing on Jesus first.
As I said, while we are greatly blessed to have great teachers, our focus shouldn’t purely be on who’s our favourite teacher. If we’re spending time in God’s Word, our focus is always on Jesus.
Those teachers can help open the Word to us, they can help us grow, but we don’t want to be in a position where it’s John versus Joe, Peter versus Paul, we want to be aligned with Christ, we want to be one body, in one mind, and we want to be focusing on Jesus first.
This means we don’t get into a position where it’s ‘what we are about’, ‘who, which person we follow’, because we should be following God first.
Therefore, yes, while we are very fortunate to have many great teachers, personally, I think reading God’s Word is important for us.
I know it can be difficult at times. We lead busy lives – on the train, in the car – and it’s very easy to just put on the podcast, always just listen to YouTube in the background or do something of the sort, but I think
it’s important that we always carve out time to personally read God’s Word for ourselves too so he can speak to us.
In summary, it’s important to read God’s Word and we should take time as God’s Word is accessible to us. He has put His Spirit in us so that we can understand God’s Word no matter who we are.
The world might find it foolishness but God, when He saved us, gave us a Helper and we are not alone in understanding God’s Word.
Readings God’s Word is how we get to know Him. It is how He has personally chosen to reveal Himself to us, it’s how we can learn what to pray and how to know God’s will. It helps to make us better Christians by teaching us and preparing us for the good works God has, by helping us live a more godly life, by correcting and rebuking us, by convicting us when we are not in God’s Word, when we sin.
It teaches us how to behave and how to love one another and how to treat the lost. It equips us to give the reason for the hope that is in us; it allows us to not be taken by every wind of doctrine and every teaching out there, by every new challenge.
It helps us give us faith and stability in Jesus; it strengthens us each day as we go out into the world. It renews our mind and it keeps our focus on Jesus.
Let’s close in prayer:
Dear Lord, I just thank you for this day Lord. I just pray that your Word will go out Lord. I thank you that you put this on my heart today Lord, and I pray that it will help reach the hearts of those who need to hear it Lord. I pray that what’s of You is settled in people’s hearts and what is not of You Lord, that you will allow to wash over them Lord. I just pray as everyone gets ready to go out in the week ahead Lord that you will renew their minds, refresh their spirits Lord, and refresh their souls so we can go out and be a light in this world where everyone is in darkness and confusion.
Lord, I just pray that you will bless us as a fellowship Lord and that you will help us grow stronger in unity Lord and that we will have love for one another first, and that will be guarded by the mind of Christ and the love of Jesus in all that we do Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.