Having a focused plan prevents discouragement of indecision
Because having a plan will help you to have discipline in reading the bible. Don’t let indecision problems like “I didn’t read because I couldn’t decide where to start” prevent you from experiencing the power and protection of having a daily dose in God’s word. “He who plans to fail, fails to plan”. Its okay to deviate from your plan if the holy spirit leads, but its always good to have a plan in place for the days we aren’t hearing the Holy Spirit so clearly.
All Scripture is given by God and is profitable for many purposes
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” -2Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is profitable. Not just some, but all of it. All of it is God breathed and useful. When you read your bible do you tend to just focus on the parts you like, that are easy, and skip over the other parts? There is a blessing to be had for reading not just the parts you like, but reading the whole word of God. You may come across passages you didn’t realize were in the bible. Like, if you skipped over Kings and Chronicles because it didn’t “seem relevant” you would have totally missed the amazing forshadowing of the miracles of Jesus by the miracles of Elijah and Elisha.
Staying in the word helps us fight temptation and desires of the flesh
Having a disciplined plan of reading also helps prevent against temptations of the flesh
Gal 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Joh 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Reading God’s word is one way to sow to the Spirit rather than sowing to his flesh. Having a disciplined reading plan will help you trimph against the rebellious flesh in us saying “I don’t feel like it”.
So you know what the bible says.
How can you apply what you’ve never learned? It is better to read the whole word of God for yourself rather than just relying on other people’s interpretation of what the bible says.
Because there is power in God’s word
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The word of God counteracts temptation
Luk 4:4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”
If Satan starts throwing lies at you, are you able to recognize what he’s saying doesn’t match up with God’s words? Can you throw back at him the truth you’ve read and learned from God’s word?
Reading God’s word is one of the weapons for spiritual victories
Because scripture is what Jesus used to fight temptation. The word of God is also considered the “sword of the spirit” (Eph. 6:17), an important component of the Armor of God which helps us to withstand spiritual attacks and stand victoriously (Eph 6:12-13, 2 Cor 10:4-6).
2 Coriinthians 10:4-6 lists several things the “weapons of our warfare” (the weapons being listed in Ephesians 6) are good for. This list includes:
- Bringing your thoughts into captivity (into obedience to Christ)
- Pulling down strongholds
- Casting down arguments
- Casting down things that exhalt themselves against the knowledge of God
Reading God’s word is one of the important compenents of this.
The word sanctifies and cleanses us
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
Eph 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
It keeps our mind focused on spiritual things
Col 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Reading the bible increases our faith
Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Hearing and keeping the word of God make us blessed
Luk 11:28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
The word is full of wisdom, teaching, and correction
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.