The Invisible Influence of the Bible!
The Temptation that Stunts Growth!
Our spiritual problems usually begin with jumbled thinking. For example, why do some Christians fail to thrive? The answer is that they have stopped reading their Bibles frequently. They have listened to and believed a subtle but serious lie! J.C. Ryle recognized this lie Satan whispers to all believers: “Your reading does you no good: give it up.”1
Pragmatism Shrinks Your Faith!
Satan’s suggestion is a powerful appeal to pragmatism, to which, for better or worse, we seem hardwired. You are busy, and reading the Bible seems challenging some days and nearly impossible to do each day. When the devil plants this seed of doubt about its value, he gains ground in the war for your soul. Since Jesus came to give life, he reminded his listeners of the devil’s counter mission: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The primary way that our adversary harms us is to separate us from the words of life, God’s Word.
Growth Tip # 1: Reject the Question!
The first thing to do is to remind ourselves that pragmatism is often the opposite of faith. Pragmatism can be helpful sometimes, but God often asks us to commit to “impractical” acts of faith: For example, he called the Israelites to six days of marching around Jericho in silence. Then, on the seventh day, he told them to march seven times around, followed by simply shouting and playing musical instruments (Joshua 6:3-6).
Can you imagine the ancient pragmatist dismissing this as stupid behavior that clearly would have no effect? But God! The seemingly irrational but faithful behavior of the Israelites prompted God to unleash his power. No human hand brought that wall to the ground, but God required human obedience by faith beforehand!
Is that not a common theme in the Bible? God asks his people to hear and obey him by faith, not by sight, and then he works wonders. So, when you fight against sloughing off in Scripture reading, remember that God has asked you to read his book, and what he commands, he will bless.
Why ask if it is doing any good? That is the wrong question! The right question is whether you will obey. By faith, not by sight, we know it is only those who read and meditate on his words whom he has promised to bless (Psalm 1:2) with a successful future (Joshua 1:7-8)! Each king of Israel was told that whether they would be successful and “continue long” in that role (Deuteronomy 17:20) depended on the laborious process of handwriting a personal copy of God’s word (v. 18) to read “all the days of his life” and obey (v. 19).
Growth Tip # 2: Answer the Question!
Just do it! Stay connected to God through his word, and you will grow. But, also, just trust it! Satan is wrong! The Bible does change you, but often without noticeable changes. Consider J.C. Ryle’s two brilliant observations:
Do not think you are getting no good from the Bible, merely because you do not see that good day by day. The greatest effects are by no means those which make the most noise and are most easily observed. The greatest effects are often silent, quiet, and hard to detect at the time they are being produced. Think of the influence of the moon upon the earth, and of the air upon the human lungs.
The Word may be gradually producing deep impressions on your heart, of which you are not at present aware. Often when the memory is retaining no facts, the character of a man is receiving some everlasting impression. Is sin becoming every year more hateful to you? Is Christ becoming every year more precious? Is holiness becoming every year more lovely and desirable in your eyes? If these things are so, take courage. The Bible is doing you good, though you may not be able to trace it out day by day.2
God’s word is growing you—guaranteed! If you are God’s child and you read the Bible prayerfully and reverently, desiring to obey it, it is the most powerful force in your life. God simply spoke the universe into existence (Genesis chapter 1). God still speaks to his children through his word, and through it, he creates a stronger spiritual life of hope and joy.
The popular children’s song, attributed to Harry D. Clarke, gets it right:
Read your Bible. Pray every day,
Pray every day. Pray every day.
Read your Bible. Pray every day,
And you’ll grow, grow, grow!...
Don’t read your Bible - forget to pray,
Forget to pray, forget to pray;
Don’t read your Bible - forget to pray,
And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink!1
Listen to the song here: Read Your Bible, Pray Every Day
Here is a helpful, related article:
"17 Benefits to Reading the Entire Bible" by Kristen Wetherell
J.C. Ryle, Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977), 136–37. Available on Kindle for $.99. This is not an affiliate link benefiting the SPT ministry.
Ibid.
https://hymnary.org/tune/read_your_bible_pray_every_day_clarke.
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