Scripture Reading - What's Your Plan?

 As our title of "Christian" says, we should be mimicking Christ. Meaning that would should become more and more like Christ. We can never forget that as believers should always becoming more like Him. We have been given a very nessasary tool, the only tool we have to become more like Him, all other tools are developed out or for this tool. The Bible is the very word of God. The Bible is the words of God and shows us what His actions are so that we can get to know Him.

When we are electing people to positions, hopefully we are not just electing people according to what group they are with though that is reality; instead we give them opportunities to speak so we find out more about them and what they represent so that we can make a choice to support them with our vote or not. When you meet someone knew, you have to get to know them? You sit with them and ask questions and talk with them so you know them. You also watch their actions to see if this is the kind of person that you want to be around. When you have been around someone for a long time, say a best friend, you start becoming like each other. One of my closest friends and I were around each other we so much that we even had the same laugh.

That's the idea of discipleship is to become like Christ by spending time with Him. Our major resource to know Him is His words. As believers we have to start thinking like Christ. When we start thinking like Christ we will become more like Him, we must allow Him to renew our minds (Romans 12:2).

To know how to think we need to know what to think. To think like Christ we must first know how Christ thought, we have to dive into the mind of God. To do so we must correct what I think is one of the most unused disciplines in the church and the root of most of the churches problems. We have to read scripture!

I want to present to you a plea from scripture to read scripture.

• Matthew 6:19-21 - We have to treasure the word of God in hour hearts

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

• Luke 6:45 - Your words are the overflowing from your heart.

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

• Colossians 3:16 - You have to put the word in you and let it live.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

• Romans 10:8 - The words of God must be on our hearts and ready to be spoken.

"But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming"

• Luke 8:15 - The Good Soil, the soil that is not thrown into the fire is the one that listens and does the word.

"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

• Deuteronomy 11:18 - We have to permanently fix the word of God to our Hearts and Minds

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."

• Psalm 119:11 - (My favorite) We don't want to sin against God, so we have to put God's word into our Minds and Hearts.

"I have treasured Your words in my heart so that I may not sin against you.

There are many more than this, but what believers have to realize is that it is knowing and living the word of God that separates us from the rest of the world as far as how we appear to the outside world. What I don't understand is people not wanting to read the word of God and then complaining when they can't hear God speaking to them. We already have a lot of what God has to say and what He has for you to hear is already in your hands if you will take the time to read (hear) it.

I would urge your to be very intentional about reading Scripture and plan it out. It does sound great to read the whole Bible in a years time, but that is an undertaking. If that is what you feel like you need to do then go for it. I have done it myself and glad I did. However, don't feel pressured to. If what you plan is to read a verse a day and apply it to your life, then go for it. If its a chapter a day, everything under a bold heading a day, whatever it may be, the important thing is that your are allowing God's word to start permeating through your heart and mind so that you are becoming more like him. But do plan it. Write it out. Do it. God's word is alive and active, sharper than any double edge sword. - Hebrews 4:12 Why would you not want that in you.

One last thought. John 1:1 says, "the Word was God". John 14:6 says, "I (Jesus) is the Life". Matthew 4:4 say, "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." So when we are reading scripture we are putting God inside of us, putting more life in us, and feasting!

Eat Up!