Are You Reading the William Shatner Bible?

 

“Bible reading enables us…to enjoy communion with God as He speaks to us from His Word, encouraging us, instructing us, and revealing Himself to us.”   Jerry Bridges

  I love The Babylon Bee. If you’re not familiar with the Bee, it’s satire, tongue in cheek, a kind of Christian version of The Onion. A recent Bee had “8 Handy Bible Reading Tips” (remember it’s satire). Here they are:

 ·         Consider getting a hip translation with cool words like “yeet” and “sheeesh.” How can you experience the eternal Word of God if it's not cool and hip? 

·         Get an audio Bible read by William Shatner. In... the beginning... God... created... the heavens... and... the earth... 

·         Make sure to set aside at least seven seconds a day to read the Bible. It’s important to dedicate a few short seconds to the Lord before you spend the rest of the day on social media. 

·         Spend most of your devotional time trying to get a good picture of your Bible next to a cup of coffee for your Insta. Now that you’ve got a few seconds with the Lord, spend the entire time live-tweeting your devos and getting that perfect Instagram shot. 

·         Look for creative ways to rip verses out of context and make them all about you. Get creative! Read a verse about ancient Israel or Jews in the first century and think, “How can I make this all about me?” 

·         When your kids try to interrupt you, shout “NOT TODAY, SATAN!” Pair this maneuver with a cross formation using your fingers for maximum impact. 

·         Underline the entire book so no verses feel left out. The more underlining, the more spiritual you are. 

·         Whenever you read a really convicting verse, make sure to apply it to everyone else instead of yourself. This is an important one. If you read a verse that convicts you, just think how much Becky from Bible study needs to change her life instead of you. It's better this way.  

  Aren’t those hilarious? Yet, a reality that’s not funny is how few Christians consistently read their Bibles or are in the habit of reading them on a daily basis. A recent study sponsored by LifeWay shares some unfortunate yet unsurprising results: “A third of Americans who attend a Protestant church regularly (32%) say they read the Bible personally every day. Around a quarter (27%) say they read it a few times a week.” In other words, though our churches are to be based on the Bible, the facts are clear – many good, Christian, Bible-believing folk are not spending time in the Word every day or even every week…and it shows. 

  While our church is theologically conservative, if the numbers are accurate, many in our church are biblically illiterate. It’d be tempting to believe that in a church like ours the majority of people would be in the Word just as much throughout the week as they wish to be on the Lord’s Day. Sadly, that’s simply not the case. Even in a church like ours, many people struggle to simply do what they believe they ought to do. 

  Most who attend Grace know they should be reading the Bible throughout the week and probably feel guilty that they’re not. The issue isn’t ignorance or naivete but habit and commitment. People simply do not do what they know that they ought to do and, on one level, actually want to do. It’s not a habit simply because it’s not a priority. But it should be. No other daily habit is so life-changing and so affects our church. 

  For example, if you don’t shower, brush your teeth or wear deodorant, you’ll smell and others will socially distance from you. But if you don’t consistently read your Bible, others may not socially distance from you but they’ll probably wish they could. While you may not physically stink, your attitude and behavior will. You won’t be any different from those who don’t know the Lord. When we’re in the Word and applying it to our lives, we become more like Jesus. We’re gracious, attracting others instead of repelling them. Reading the Bible changes us, our priorities, and our worldview. 

  Others may not know why they know what they know, but they know when a Christian is consistently in God’s Word. Being in God’s Word makes us kinder, less selfish, more patient, more grateful, and joyful. 

  You are what you eat. That’s true physically and spiritually. What you mentally digest impacts you. Think about how you feel when you read your newsfeed or watch the news. Reading the Bible consistently has several benefits. It helps you see the world from God’s perspective. Instead of seeing a world out of control, you see a world that even in its moral deterioration is accomplishing His purposes. It reminds us that this world and life are temporary and to instead live for the real world and eternity. 

  2 Timothy 3:16, when discussing the topic of Scripture, says that it’s “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” Verse 17 goes on to say that this leads to the completeness and equipping “for every good work.” God’s Word is life-changing. Regularly reading Scripture reorients our thinking so that we grow up spiritually. You’re not equipped to handle life if you’re a spiritual toddler. 

  You’ll never meet a mature Christian who doesn’t regularly read the Bible. Why? God’s Word has power. It’s life-changing. There is no other book that can so change your life and eternal destiny, but the Bible can. 

  Gaylord Kambarami was the General Secretary of the Bible Society of Zimbabwe. Once when he offered a man a New Testament, the man responded, “If you give me that Bible, I will roll the pages and use them to make cigarettes!” Gaylord replied, “At least promise me that you will read the page before you smoke it.” The man agreed, so he gave him the New Testament and went his way. Fifteen years later, Gaylord was attending a convention when the speaker on the platform suddenly spotted him, pointed him out to the audience, and said, “This man doesn’t remember me, but 15 years ago he tried to sell me a New Testament. When I refused to buy it, he gave it to me, even though I told him I would use the pages to roll cigarettes. He made me promise to read the pages before I smoked them. Well, I smoked Matthew and I smoked Mark and I smoked Luke. But when I got to John 3:16, I couldn’t smoke any more. My life was changed from that moment.” He had become a full-time evangelist, pointing others to the powerful message of God’s Word. 

  God’s Word is spiritual dynamite. It can revolutionize your life but only if you read it. I dare you to read your Bible every day for the next month. Try it and get back to me on how God’s Word changed your life.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.