(This challenge and post are sponsored by Tyndale House and the Filament Bible)
Ephesians 6 calls the Word of God the “Sword of the Spirit.” There’s a very good reason for that. The Bible protects us from so much. But in order to be able to use that sword, we have to know what it says. How often do you hear something said that gives you a check in your own spirit and makes you wonder if it’s true? Or how many times have you fallen for a lie because you didn’t know the Truth?
Most of us know that spending time in God’s Word is the road to a strong relationship with our Heavenly Father. He reveals Himself to us in His Word. He gives us instruction and rebukes us. He encourages us to use it in spiritual warfare. But oftentimes, as new (or even as seasoned) believers, we don’t really know where to begin reading the Bible or how to even start.
How to Start Reading the Bible
Has anyone ever asked you where to start? Have you wondered yourself? It’s easy to think you should begin with Genesis since it is the first book. Or maybe you should just Google a topic you want to learn more about and go from there. The most important part is the starting, but where to start is equally as important, especially if you are a new believer and this will be your first time reading the Bible.
Knowing it can be challenging to decide how to start reading the Bible, I’d like to offer a suggestion because I know the Bible can be a bit intimidating. Truthfully, the most challenging part is the getting started part. But once you do and you start hearing God more clearly, while being encouraged and gaining confidence, you will not want to put your Bible down. So let’s start, together.
Start with John
Today, I’d like to invite you (challenge you even) to join me in reading the Gospel of John. Even if you have read the Bible many times, John is a wonderful book to read to get you back into the habit of daily Bible reading. But especially if this is the first time you’ve gotten serious about reading the Bible, it’s the best place to start.
The book of John will give you a solid understanding of who Jesus is and a clear picture of his ministry during his time on earth. The book of John really hones in who Jesus in a way that the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not.
As I’m working to get myself into a better habit of Bible study, I’ll be studying John myself for the next 10 days or so and posting my thoughts, as well as what I’m learning, on my Instagram page. I would love for you to join me!
Head over to the Start with John website to download your free Gospel of John app. This app is one of the best I’ve seen and includes study notes, devotionals, videos, and maps to help make the book of John come alive for you (and me!). The book of John text is also on the website so you can read along as you explore the app, even if you don’t yet own a Bible.
I encourage you to get your whole family involved. Ben will be joining me as well. Family discussion time is some of the best for really digging in and figuring out not only what the Bible says but how it applies to your everyday life!
If you do join me on Instagram, use the hashtags #startwithjohn and #filamentbible so we can connect and learn from each other. I can’t wait to see how you grow!
Who’s with me?
