God has spoken. What He said is recorded in a book that He guided holy men of old to write. We know it as the Bible. Because He oversaw and inspired all that was written it is also known as The Word of God (II Timothy 3:16).
Getting the message from God’s Word should be a high priority for each of us. It is able to make us wise unto salvation (II Timothy 3:15). It addresses issues we all face and provides insight for daily decision making (Psalm 119:105). It is able to penetrate to the deepest recesses of our lives (Hebrews 4:12). If we don’t make God’s Word our map and mandate for life we might find its ready availability taken from us. It has happened before (Amos 8:11-12). It can happen again.
You’ll need to prepare for this task: it is hard to do a good job at anything without the right tools. This is as true in getting the message from God’s Word as it is in any other project. Let me share some tools that are necessary to make the most of your Bible reading and study?
A good Bible: one with large enough print that is easy to read. If possible, get one with wide margins so you can make notes in it. Try finding one with paragraph breakdowns, as well as single columns like you have in most books you read. I’d recommend the New International Version, The New American Standard Version or the New King James Version. For general reading, a modern day paraphrase like the Living Bible or The Message is helpful. Also useful: a good Bible dictionary, Bible handbook, concordance and commentary.
