I have asked one thing from the LORD; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the LORD and seeking Him in His temple. – Psalm 27:4
Can you think of a time when you had a crush on someone? Maybe that person was in your math class, so instead of listening to your teacher you wonder what your crush is like. Perhaps you found out they were out for the band, so you decided to join too, just in case you got the chance to talk more with them. Because let’s be honest, when you like someone, you want to know all about them. You want to talk to them all you can.
That’s a lot like how we’re supposed to feel toward God. We should be desiring to be where God is. We should be thinking about Him and be wanting to know Him more. We get that when it comes to a crush, but it’s a bit harder with God, isn’t it?
How do we seek God and spend time with Him? One good place to start is by setting some time aside each day and talking with God and reading God’s word. You could begin by simply reading a scripture before bed and spend a couple of minutes praying. As you get comfortable, you could increase your time with the Lord. The more you spend time with Him the easier it gets.
Today’s Truth: Time spent getting to know God is never wasted.
Any time you spend getting to know God is not wasted. Knowing Jesus is the best decision you could ever make. So challenge yourself to go deeper with God and get to know Him better.
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4 (NLT)
Have you ever read the Bible but felt overwhelmed? Maybe the book seems really big. Perhaps you don’t like reading. Those things can make Bible reading seem really hard. However, the study of God’s word is important.
Today’s verse shows us that we aren’t to just eat food and that’s all we need for growth. Instead, it tells us that we need also need to feed on the Word of God. Feeding on God’s word might sound weird, but it’s really helpful for your spiritual growth.
The Bible helps us learn right from wrong. It helps us make good decisions and makes us wise.
God’s word is a powerful tool in our lives. Your heart was made for God’s word. God’s word is a seed that produces growth and life in your life. So if you haven’t, find ways to make time for God’s word. It might be something simple like reading a quick devotion every day or listening to a YouTube sermon or Podcast. Even if you don’t like to read there are many ways to get God’s word in your heart.
So today, make God’s word a priority in your life. Don’t go a day without spending time in God’s word!
“Every word of God is flawless;he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. – Proverbs 30:5 (NIV)
The Bible isn’t just like any other book. The words written in it are powerful. If you take time to get the Bible into your heart and mind, it can change your life. The Bible can help you go from sad to happy, from sick to healed, all by simply getting God’s word into your heart. If you believe what is written in the Bible and act on it, your life will change.
So when you face challenges and struggles today, you can take comfort. You know that God’s words are flawless and contain the answer to the things you’re facing. Look to God’s word for encouragement, direction, and comfort.
Challenge yourself to spend some time today to discover some Bible verses that speak to you. Begin reading and thinking about them to get those scriptures into your heart and life. If you don’t know where to start, here are a couple of suggestions.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness – 2 Timothy 3:16
It’s really easy to not put that much weight on what the Bible says. You can easily think that the things in the Bible are nice concepts but it really doesn’t matter if you read it. If you’re a good person and try to do the right things, then you’re doing alright. If you buy into this, you’re selling yourself short. The Bible offers us a lot more than just words on a page.
The Bible is written by the inspiration of God. It wasn’t just some random thoughts written down and nice ideas. When it was written, it was inspired by God.
The Bible is also powerful because it corrects, instructs us and it helps us think and believe right. If we get the Bible into our hearts and lives it has the power to change us. The Bible isn’t just concepts or ideas, it’s powerful!
So don’t just let the Bible be ideas or concepts. Rather get into God’s word. Let it be a part of your everyday life. Read it daily, get the truths into your heart and see how powerful God’s word really is!
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If you’ve struggled with getting started reading the Bible, we’ve got a devotion with some tips on how to get started.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
It’s almost the beginning of a new year, and you’re probably starting to think about New Year’s Resolutions. Maybe you want to lose some weight, learn to play guitar, or spend a little less time playing video games. Most people try to make some positive changes for the upcoming year.
One of the best resolutions you can make is spending more time reading your Bible in 2020. So this year, we want to present you with some simple ways to make having a quiet time with God really simple.
It can seem really intimidating to try to read the Bible each day. So let us help you by giving you some quick tips to help you have a simple Bible study plan for 2020!
Tip #1 – Spend 5 mins in the Bible each day
In your quiet times each day, challenge yourself to spend a simple five minutes reading the Bible each day. And if reading the Bible isn’t your thing, consider having it read to you. YouVersion provides an audio version in several different Bible translations.
Also, consider:
Reading a Proverb that is the same as the day number. So if it’s January 1, read Proverbs 1.
Start reading a chapter from the book of John each day.
Do a topical study of an area that interests you. Search our website for topics or google and see what you can find.
There are lots of easy ways to get God’s word into your life. Pick one that makes sense to you. Then set a timer for 5 minutes. When your timer goes off, you’re done. It’s that easy.
Don’t make Bible reading hard this year. Instead, commit to 5 minutes a day and you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll grow in your walk with God in 2020!
Check out this great video by the Bible Project to help you get started reading the Bible.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. – Psalm 119:105
Have you ever used Google Maps when you were in a new place? Perhaps you wanted to know where to get some food and you decided to let your maps app direct you to an awesome new restaurant. Once you turned on that map, it gave you turn by turn instructions that led you to your destination.
God wants the Bible to be our Google Maps in life. The Bible is what we can go to when we need to know what the next turn is in life. The Bible is our place to go when we don’t know what to do. The Bible has answers to the toughest of situations and circumstances you might face.
Treat God’s word like Google Maps. Let it guide you each step of your journey. When you don’t know what to do, it shows you what to do. When you don’t know what the future holds, it brings you hope and encouragement. God’s word is the answer to everything we face!
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To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the LORD. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn – Proverbs 1:7 (GNB)
Many students today don’t take time for God in their lives. Most of the reasons for not having time are legitimate. It may be due to being busy, the pressures of life, or some other reason. Regardless of the reason, this verse tells us that not making time for God in our lives is stupid.
Yeah, that hurts to hear, doesn’t it?
As a Christian, you should be wanting to know Jesus more. That should be one of your main desires.
There are treasures found within God’s word that can help with all the problems you face each day. God’s word is powerful and it can teach you amazing things. When you spend time in God’s word it is never wasted time. It helps you with every aspect of your life.
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When you spend time in God’s word, you gain practical wisdom on how to handle many of life’s challenges. Decide today that you’re not going to fill your life so full of other things that you have no time for God. Make knowing Him an important part of your life.
As a teenager, there is nothing more fun than taking a dodgeball and hurling it with all your might toward a player on the opposing team. Follow that up with the awesome feeling you get when that dodgeball produces that satisfying smack as it hits your target’s body. Playing dodgeball can be a lot of fun, but did you know that you can learn a lot about reading your Bible by playing dodgeball?
There’s A Goal
In Dodgeball, you have a goal. You have to hit as many of the other team’s players with a ball before they hit you and you’re out. We should approach reading the Bible that same way, with a focus and a goal. Reading the Bible shouldn’t be a boring aimless task, but it should have a purpose.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Phil 3:14 (NIV)
For example, you could read the Bible with the idea in mind that you want to know what God says about your future and the plans He has for your life. You could find verses in the Bible on that topic. Having a goal and a focus like this when reading the Bible helps it from becoming dull and boring.
The Game Changes You
Another thing that can be learned from dodgeball games is that the game changes you. When you start the game, you smell good and your clothes are nice and clean. Usually, by the end of the game, the players are sweaty, and they definitely don’t smell good.
In the same way, that is how we should be after reading the Bible. There is great power available to you in the Bible. It has the power to change your life. The words in the Bible can encourage you when you’re having a bad day. The Bible can also challenge you to be more than you ever imagined you could be. Reading the Bible will change you because the Bible has the power to change your life!
Heb. 4:12 “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective];” (AMP)
The Bible has power in it to change your life! Get into the habit of reading the Bible with a purpose and getting to know God through His word. If you do, it will change your life!
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Pray: God, I thank you for your word. I thank you that it is alive and full of power. I thank you that I can get to know you through your word. I purpose to make reading the Bible a priority in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Let’s be honest. Have you ever been reading your Bible before bed and before you knew it, you were completely asleep within minutes? I know I have a few times. You’ve probably heard at youth group or at church how important it is to read your Bible. But how do you keep Bible reading interesting? Especially when playing Fortnite sounds way more fun!
Here are a few tips that should help you as you develop a habit of Bible reading and study into your life.
Tip #1 – Set Realistic Expectations
When you begin to develop a habit of reading your Bible, it’s not going to be easy. You’re going to want to do something that seems more fun. It’s going to take some work to focus your attention on God and what He wants to speak to you.
Don’t try to set goals that are unrealistic when you’re getting started. Reading your Bible for two hours a day probably isn’t going to happen. Instead, think about something that is realistic. Perhaps you can look at a Bible verse and think about it each night before you go to bed.
Set some realistic expectations and build from there. Once you start enjoying reading one verse a day, try two or more. But start small and be realistic. There are days when you’ll forget, and days when it’s really hard. That’s part of the process. Don’t give up. Instead, keep at it and you’ll begin to develop a greater love for reading your Bible.
Tip #2 – Find The Right Bible Fit
To make Bible reading more fun, experiment. Try a Bible that lets you search by topic. Think about a topic that interests you and use that topic to begin your study.
A few months ago, a friend introduced me to a new version of the Bible that I hadn’t read before. Reading scriptures that I had previously studied came alive and excited me as I read them. A new version of the Bible can make your Bible reading time way less boring.
Experiment and find a good version and Bible for you. As you find things that interest you in the Bible, it will keep you from falling asleep as you read.
Tip #3 – Don’t Read The Bible
Yes, you read that right. Don’t read the Bible. If the Bible feels hard to understand, start off by reading a good book about the Bible, or about a topic that interests you. You don’t have to limit your Bible study time to only the Bible.
If you struggle with low self-esteem, find some books that were written by Christian authors about that topic. Often, they’ll expound upon verses and can help you see things from a different point of view. Your Bible study time doesn’t have to be limited to just the Bible. There are lots of other great devotions and resources that can help you enjoy your time in the Word more.
Tip #4 – Listen to the Bible
If you don’t like to read, or fall asleep when you do, find a Bible you can listen to. YouTube, Podcasts, audio versions of the Bible are all out there. Experiment and find one that works well for you. Then put it on as you shower in the morning or fall asleep at night.
You’ll be amazed at what you can learn by simply listening to the Bible being read out loud. Use those free moments in your day to listen to God’s word instead of defaulting to looking at your phone or tablet. God can really speak to you as you listen to Him through His word.
Tip #5 – Ask for God’s Help
Don’t be afraid to ask God for His help.You don’t have to figure out how to make the reading the Bible fun alone. Ask God for help. He’ll be glad to help you out.
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I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. – Ephesians 1:18 (NLT)
Paul prayed that the Ephesian’s hearts would be flooded with light. That’s a good prayer to pray over yourself too. Pray that when you read the Bible, it’s like a light bulb goes off in your heart. Pray that you see things in the word of God and they become real to you. Praying a prayer like that every day can be really helpful. You’ll begin to see things that you’ve never seen before when you read your Bible. It keeps Bible reading fun and exciting. If you get God involved, Bible reading can be a really rewarding experience.
Rather, he delights in the teachings of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night. – Psalm 1:2 (GW)
Its easy in the busyness of life to take the Bible for granted. Life happens and the next thing you know its been days, weeks or maybe even months since you had some time to spend reading the Bible.
The Bible shouldn’t just be something that we make time for when nothing else is going on, it should be something that we are excited about and reading day and night. One of the best ways to get excited about God’s word is to just start digging into it. The more you read it, the more you desire to read more.
So challenge yourself to make reading the Bible a priority in your life. Determine to not let all the stuff going on keep you from spending time with God.
Let’s be honest. Have you ever been reading your Bible before bed and before you knew it, you were completely asleep within minutes? I know I have a few times. You’ve probably heard at youth group or at church how important it is to read your Bible. But how do you keep Bible reading interesting? Especially when 
