"Pastor, what's your approach to daily Bible study? Should I study randomly or start from Genesis and go through to Revelations?"

 

Let's dive into something crucial: the Bible. You see, the main reason why the Bible exists is so that we can know God. All the other things you think about the Bible are just extra. Some people read the Bible religiously, while others just look for a verse to quote. But beyond all that, there's a chance to know your God.

I mentioned before that those who read the Bible just to find a verse to quote may not truly know God. They might get some breakthroughs here and there, but they won't really know God by jumping from one verse to another for relief or breakthrough.

Studying the Bible for breakthroughs and relief is good, but what's more important is studying it to align yourself with God. It's like the moon, which doesn't have its own light but reflects the light of the sun. If we can align ourselves properly with God's word, we won't need to search desperately for one verse to save us. Those who are properly aligned always reflect God's light.

In one of Apostle Paul’s letters to his student Timothy, he said something important about the Bible that every Christian should consider when reading it. Let's take a look at the scriptures:

From 2 Timothy 3:15-17:

15 "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

So, it's clear that studying the scriptures is crucial for gaining wisdom about our salvation in Christ. Verse 16 tells us that scriptures have four main benefits: they provide doctrine (which is how to worship God), reproof (gentle warnings against faults), correction (fixing things that are wrong), and instructions for living righteously.

Starting from the beginning of the Bible, from Genesis, is essential. You need to know every detail from the very start. By reading from the beginning, you'll understand when certain rules or principles changed. For example, many Christians don't know that Jesus gave up His position as God (the Word of God) to become the Son of God. He was God, the creator of all things, but things changed when He decided to sacrifice Himself for us. He's no longer just God as we know Him; He's now the Son of God. Some call Him "God the Son," but that's just to sound religious. As the Son of God, He's also the Lord of all, with God putting everything under His control – just as it was when He was called The Word of God.

But now He has a Father, whom He sits beside in heaven. Jesus didn’t return to heaven as The Word of God; He returned as Jesus, the head of the church. The Bible, particularly the letters from Apostle Paul, makes this clear. Paul often starts his letters with "blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Some of you start your prayers with "Father, in the name of Jesus..." yet argue that Jesus is the only God in heaven. If Jesus is God, why do you start your prayer like that? There’s God the Father of our Lord Jesus up there in heaven, and there’s Jesus right there by His side. If you don’t believe this, then it’s because you haven’t read your Bible. Asides Paul’s epistle, Stephen literally saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. The mistake many Christians make is that during Jesus’s earthly ministry, he mentioned that he and His Father are one and that he was in the Father and the Father in Him. But that’s just like saying the Holy Spirit is in us. When Jesus completed his earthly assignment and was transformed into his glorified body, he was given a sit by the Father. You have to understand this.

The reason why believers pray to God the Father in the name of Jesus is because Jesus clearly told us that it would be the new order after His ascension.

The reason why there’s serious argument about tithing is because some people have failed to read their Bible from Genesis to Revelations. We have a new high priest, and the laws of this new high priest are different. He has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. I pay tithe, not because it opens the windows of heaven and pours down blessing, but because I’m financially committed to the growth of the kingdom of God. As Apostle Paul puts it, as God prospers you in business, keep something in store for the advancement of the kingdom. In reference to Matthew 6:33, If you want God to add things to you, then you must seek His kingdom.

So read from Genesis to Revelations, stop crashing into diverse scriptures. If you discipline yourself to read one chapter of the Bible per day, you’d be done in two and a half years. Imagine if you can read more than two chapters daily.

To wrap it up, when Jesus said “come and learn of me, my yoke is easy,” He wasn’t joking. If you’ve read the Bible, then you’d realize that His yoke is really easy.

I hope this has brought enlightenment to someone.

Remain ever blessed, in Jesus precious name!"