From Tyler: Today’s post is from CM Logan, a writer and pastor. While most posts here are written by me, I love getting the chance to share other writers with you. If you’re interested in posting read more here.
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I was in college, and the pastor said we were starting a sermon series in Nehemiah. He told us, “For those who aren’t familiar, it’s in the sticky pages of your Bible.” Those words lied dormant for years in the dark recesses of my little brain until I realized I hadn’t heard a single message from the book of Nehemiah since. Certain books get ignored because they are not as fun or easy as other books. The result is neglect of the “sticky pages.”
The solution is simple: read them! “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” so we need to unstick those pages. (1 Tim. 3:16)
I know the Sunday School answer of “read your Bible” has been beaten into the brain of every youth. I also know you have probably heard sermons or read articles telling you to read the whole Bible.
Instead of just telling you to read the entire Bible, I’m going to tell you why you need to read the entire Bible and how it can help you live a better life for God:
God tells us to study
We are to study to show ourselves worthy, and we are also called to rightly divide the word of Truth. If for no other reason, we should read the whole Bible because God asked us to.
We want to grow big and strong
If we are only reading excerpts or familiar passages of the Bible, we can stunt our growth as Christians. God has something to say to you in those “Sticky pages” and you miss out on what He has to teach if you ignore it.
The author put it there
Would you pick up a book and start reading from the middle? Or would you skip chunks of the book because you don’t think they are important? The fact is, the Author thought them to be important when He put them there. If we truly want to hear the totality of God’s story, we need to read all of the Scripture.
There is one story
Okay, so there are hundreds of stories, but there is one narrative. Think of it like this (by the way, my mind got blown when I realized this truth) the Bible was written by 40 people, in three languages, and across two continents. It was written over the span of 1800 years by fishermen, kings, doctors, shepherds, and even a couple murderers. These men did not know each other and yet the Bible tells one consistent and flawless story without contradiction or mistake.
If we skip passages of the Bible (like minor prophets or Chronicles) we minimize the impact this consistency has.
So, read the Bible. The whole Bible. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” and for that reason we should read it.
What tips or struggles do you have to share about purposefully reading all of the Bible? Share.
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Rev. C.M. Logan is a youth pastor to a bunch of amazing kids, husband to a beautiful wife, and father to three precious children. He and his wife, K.M., are also in the process of launching the Christian Writing Studio, a website dedicated to helping people share the Gospel and their stories in writing. Check them out at http://www.
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