Read Your Bible
As we enter into a new year, I want to remind you all about the Bible reading plan that we have put together and made available for you. They are printed out in the foyer, and we also have them in digital format if that’s preferred. And as a word of exhortation this morning, I want to take a moment here to strongly encourage you to make regular Bible reading a part of your daily and weekly life. Why do we so strongly push for daily Bible reading here at Emmaus Church? There are many reasons we could offer you, but I want to just quote one reason God gives us from Hosea 4:6—”My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”.
One of the things getting on a daily Bible reading plan and following it will do is it will fill you with the knowledge of God through taking in all of his Word. And in being filled with the knowledge of God in this way you will be kept from destruction. His word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path, it will keep you from stumbling and tripping. By not leaning on our own understanding but instead submitting ourselves to God’s word daily he will make our paths straight.
God promises to fill us with knowledge as we turn to his word daily and do not neglect it. Now, while it’s true that merely letting God’s word remain as mere “head knowledge” that has no affect on your life is a concern, what should be an even greater concern to us as a church is someone who goes days, weeks, months even without ever opening the BIble. Paul in Colossians 3 exhorts us to “let the word of Christ dwell among you richly”. God’s word dwelling in and among us richly means that his word is ready on our tongues. And it’s ready on our tongues because it’s been hidden in our hearts. And it’s hidden in our hearts because it’s been understood and learned by a renewed mind. And it’s understood and learned because individuals—you and me, church—have spent time, hours and hours of time just sitting and reading it. That’s it. We know what’s in there that God has spoken and over time, it transforms us.
Do you know the word church? Do you have a plan to spend time in God’s word daily in 2025? This is my hope and my prayer both for myself and for you this coming year. Would you consider joining us in the reading plan if you don’t have a good plan you’re already following?