Why?

There are exceptions to this, but there are many people who are not interested in a given subject if they see no use for it in "real" life.

One way people express this is, "When am I ever going to need to know this?" Or, "When am I ever going to use this?"

I've been there - in my junior year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute taking Advanced Calculus, which is beyond third semester Calculus. And, in fact, as far as I know, I have never used anything in this subject in the 55 years since I took it.

I believe many people view the Bible in the same way, saying, "When am I ever going to need to know this?"

Another way the Bible is disregarded is, "I already know all I need to know about it!" And, therefore, I can ignore it. My grandmother said that was how my grandfather felt about the Bible, and he was a preacher's kid. Alas. (But maybe she was wrong about him.)

Why should I read the Bible?

Well, OK, what use is it to read the Bible? This: that the Lord God reveals Himself either little by little or very profoundly as we read the Bible. This is NOT an academic exercise! (Anyone agree here?) Oh, OK, except for students in religious schools.

Knowing that the Lord God reveals Himself in the reading, the enemy of your soul wants to distract you from this effort, and He's very good at it. I know, I get distracted a lot.

Where to start? How to proceed? Ask the Lord to help, and maybe ask a friend to help, too. I will say this; start by reading about Jesus in the first four books of the New Testament, called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Yes, there will be many references to parts of the Old Testament there that either you'll just have to pass over or else write down as a question for someone else, but these books still reveal Jesus as the great Lover of all. They reveal what He was like, and that reveals what Father God is like, since Jesus on earth was the exact image of His Father in every respect.

You will also benefit from reading the Psalms. But my advice is to start with the books about Jesus. Of course, you can read whatever part you want to, and I trust that eventually you will read it all.

Larry Carroll
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P.S.
Now let me go off on a tangent. How else does the Lord Jesus reveal Himself to us? Well, the Bible is the baseline, but there are four ways listed in John chapter 5. They all must agree, or at least not disagree.

Here in John chapter 5, Jesus is telling a crowd who or what reveals Jesus as the Son of God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

1. First, at that time there was John the Baptist. John's purpose in life was to reveal Jesus as the Son of God to the crowds. We have people in our lives that fulfill that same role, revealing Jesus as Lord. So, look for these people!

2. Second, Jesus said the works that He does reveal who He is, which is still true today. So, watch! See what He is doing! And find out what He has done over the centuries.

3. Third, Jesus said God the Father also reveals who Jesus is, speaking directly to our spirit, that is, to our inner being. So with this, you just know something. How do you know? You just know. But it has to agree with the Bible, which is also known as the Word of God. So, listen to the voice within! It should give you peace. If it does not, then ask if it does or does not agree with Scripture. And talk about it to a friend.

4. Fourth, the Bible, also known as the Scriptures, reveals Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. So, read it! Start here!

There is a passage in Scripture which says, "And you will seek Me, and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you..." (Jeremiah 29 verses 13 and 14.) You will find Him, because He wants you to find Him. He is for you! He wants to relate to you in a good way!

His name is Jesus, or Yeshua, in Hebrew.

Hallelujah!