Building a relationship with God; reading his word

As stated in the first part of this series, we build a relationship with God by speaking with Him (Prayer)

, reading the Bible and doing what He asks of us. In part two we will address the importance of reading

his word, how to select a Bible and how to study the Bible.

The importance of reading his word

The Bible is God’s gift to humankind. In it we can find what He expects from us, what we can expect from

Him, and advice on how to live our lives. Most significantly, we find the wonderful message of how much

God really loves us; how he saves us from our human failings and sins.

God tells us directly to be familiar with his word and to remember it.

Proverbs 4:5; Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.

We can’t follow God’s word or live a life that is pleasing to him if we don’t know what he wants.

God knew this so he gave us the Bible to serve as our instructions. If we follow his instructions, our

lives will be filled with love and joyful living.

1 John 2:5; But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:

Clearly, God wants us to obey His word so we must be familiar with it.

How to select a Bible

There are many versions of the Bible available today and we are sure to see new versions in the future.

As scholars become more adept at translating old languages the words we see in the Bible may change but

the message will be the same. The advice found in the Bible was valid 2000 years ago, it’s valid today

and it will be valid 2000 years form now.

It is important that you select a version of the Bible that is easy for you to understand. Many people

have a great deal of difficulty reading the King James version of the Bible because it is written in an

old style of English. That doesn’t make this version any less valid, just a little harder to understand.

For ease of understanding I recommend the New American Standard, New International or the New Living

Translation versions. They are all very easy to read and understand and have a study version available

which includes translator notes and more detailed explanations of some of the verses.

If you have further questions about which version to choose, please seek the advice of your local pastor

or priest. If you can’t afford to buy a Bible, ask your priest or pastor if you can borrow one. You can

also find free Bibles online.

How to study the Bible

The Bible is a very large book and to pick it up with intent of reading it from cover to cover can be a

bit overwhelming. Instead, make a commitment to read one chapter of one book each day or commit to

reading 20 minutes per day.

When reading the Bible, it’s not the number of words that you read but understanding what you read.

To better your understanding of the Bible, start your reading session with a short prayer asking God to

help you understand what you are about to read; what is the message He wants you to receive.

I highly recommend that people start by reading the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In the

Gospels, you’ll learn about the life of Jesus, His message to the world, and the reason for his coming

to this earth.

Read in short bursts then stop and think about what you have read for a few minutes. If you see how the

reading applies to your life or if it’s a bit confusing, read the verses again. Remember, the important

thing is to understand what you are reading.

If it is your goal to read the entire Bible, be patient; it’s a large book. There are a number of online

Bible reading plans that, if followed, will allow you to read the entire Bible in one year.

I know that you will enjoy building a relationship with our heavenly father through your reading.

Your life will be filled with great joy and love and you will discover that you are never alone.