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Getting ready to Read the Bible

As anyone of us know, the desire to do something is greater than the reality of actually doing it.  I use to run for both exercise and good health.  I ran a number of small races - especially the Crazy Legs in Madison each year.  I wanted to run a half marathon; but alas, never did, because I didn't do the training necessary to compete.  Oh, I continued to run, but not on the level of "training".

Now that is an important principle in relation to reading the Bible.  As the Apostle Paul writes to his young pastor mentee, Timothy, he reminds him of the value of consistent reading of the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:16
16  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 

Do you see the word - training?  It is a word that means a consistent and steady learning process.  A lot of people want to read Scripture (desire) but then they run up against the difficulty of "I don't understand this" and give up.  I've asked people if they've read Genesis and they'll say "Yes", and how about Exodus?  And most say 1/2 of it...Why half?  Because the first half is about the Exodus and the drama that unfolds as Moses confronts Pharaoh and Israel goes through the sea miraculously protected by God...AND then they get to Mount Sinai and it all seems to get murky. 

Let's face it...without something help us understand we'll probably not understand, and that will make reading the Bible either an eventual give up, or nothing more than duty.

So, this year I'm going to teach the Bible all the way through the Story.  I'm calling it "The Bible - From Garden to Glory", and if you would like some help along the way with both reading and understanding, I'd be more than willing to help.

Two quick things that might help a lot.  For all of you who have devices with Apps on them, go into the app area and hunt for and install "Read Scripture".  It is much more than a way to read Scripture, it has lots of helps, including videos to help you understand.

Secondly, I hope to post videos from time to time that you can watch (they are all short) from a place called "The Bible Project" (look them up).  I hope you can not only watch them, but go back and keep referring to them in order to keep understanding where you are at.  For example, look at this one that introduces you to what the Bible is all about:


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