New Scientific Study What Happens When You Read Bible
https://youtu.be/5OoKN3T73WA?si=-mYTTC93MhtC-_WN
A SCIENTIFIC STUDY REVEALS WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU READ THE BIBLE
You always hear people say that it’s important to read the Bible. But do you know why? A scientific study reveals the answer.
What Happens When You Read The Bible
Makayla Andrus shared the impact of reading the Bible 4 times a week.
“I recently heard of a scientific study of what actually happens to you when you read the Bible. The study was done on people ages 8 to 80.On days one and two, there wasn’t much of a difference but on day three, they started noticing a change. Here are the stats of what actually happened when the people read the Bible four times a week or more,” she said.
“Loneliness went down 30%.
Bitterness went down 43%.
Anger went down 32%.
Alcoholism went down 42%.
And watching pornography went down 60%.”
Testimony
One of the many testimonies shared prove that the word of God is alive. It changes hearts and minds, and transforms from within.
Jerry Devoe loved committing crimes because of the sense of power it gave him. He got involved in different crimes because he loved victimizing people. The criminal lifestyle became his identity for more than 25 years. Until one day, he read a Bible inside the jail out of boredom and curiosity.
“What is this Jesus have for me?” he said back then.
Jerry tried to change, but he struggled to break his felonious behaviors. However, Jerry started to feel guilt and shame whenever he committed them. So, he turned to the Bible to find hope.
“Lord, if You’re real, if You have a will for my life, help me to understand it,” he prayed.
Then finally, at 42 years old, Jerry gave his life to Jesus and left the life of crime.
Verses To Inspire You To Read The Bible
To help you better, here are few verses that will inspire you to read the Bible:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). source
Bible Benefits According To Scientific Research
In this episode of More To The Story, Lucas Kitchen digs into some scientific research on the benefits of Bible engagement, prayer, and church attendance. You’ll be encouraged by the results. He also looks at 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which predates the research by thousands of years, but agrees with its findings.
Today we’re going to talk about some scientific research concerning Bible reading, and other spiritual practices, right after this.
Do you read you’re Bible? A study conducted a few years ago suggests you should. At least four times a week is the prescribed amount suggested. Let’s see how Bible reading and study might make a difference in your life in a segment I’m calling, Bible Benefits.
BIBLE BENEFITS
I don’t know if you’ve heard this or not, but I often have heard people say Christians are the biggest hypocrites of all. They claim Jesus but there’s no difference in their lives. Some recent research from CBE challenges that statement. Here’s how.
Not long ago CBE released some research that helps us understand the effects of Bible engagement and other spiritual habits on modern people. They divided their respondents into groups according to how often they attend church, and if they pray daily, and the amount they engaged with their Bible. Bible engagement includes listening to Bible based sermons, audio versions of the Bible, or just going old school and reading it.
They wanted to see if there is any measurable difference in the lives of people who interact with Scripture and take part in these other practices. They identified a few destructive habits that could be measured. Among them were Getting drunk, non-marital sex, gambling, pornography, and destructive thoughts. In the church world we call those risk activities, sins. The research wanted to find out if any of the habits were reduced in correlation to Bible engagement, prayer, and church attendance.
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES CHART
I have a graph here. If you’re listening on podcast you can see the graph by going to freegrace.in/Biblebenefits all one word. but I’ll give you the run down. The graph shows that there is a consistent drop in these destructive habits for those who engage with the Bible, pray, and attend church.
On average someone who attends church at least once per month looks to be ten to fifteen percent less likely to be involved in these destructive habits over those who don’t go.
Prayer plays a role too. It seems like prayer has the greatest effect on drunkeness, non-marital sex, and especially pornography, with nearly a 20 percent decline in those sins if someone prays at least once per day.
The final column on the chart breaks down different levels of Bible engagement and the affects they have. It seems that getting drunk, non-marital sex, and pornography have the sharpest decline for those who engage with Scripture four or more times a week.
Some overall findings show If a person engages with the Bible at least four times a week they’re 228% more likely to share their faith, 59% less likely to view porn, 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness.
It’s really pretty incredible. I love research. This is what church leadership has been telling us for 2000 years, but now research methods make it possible to corroborate those claims.
So are Christians the biggest hypocrites. Well, it depends on what you mean by Christian. It turns out that there are many self-identified Christians in the study, but being a Christian doesn’t mean that people were automatically different. For instance, if someone engages with their Bible only one time a week or less, they are statistically indistinguishable from non-Christians in terms of sin reduction. They have the same level of those destructive habits, and sins as non-believers.
So Christians who don’t take part in Christian activities might be struggling with hypocrisy, but there’s no doubt that Christians who engage with scripture, attend church, and pray regularly are different. Regular Bible engagement correlate to less risk activities.
CORRELATION ISN’T CAUSATION
Now, we should note, that correlation doesn’t always mean causation. That means that sometimes in data sets we notice that two criteria are correlated. Sometimes there are false correlations. I saw some great examples of this recently.
If you chart the number of people who drowned in a pool per year next to the amount of films Nicolas Cage appeared in each year from 99’ – 09’ the graph lines look very similar. Is there a correlation between pool drownings and Nick Cage movies? Uh… maybe, I mean I could see there being… but no… probably not. I’ve included a link to a bunch of hilarious false correlations done by Tyler Vigen.
So there you have a false correlation. However, when you have aspects that are interconnected and adjusting the amount of one affects the amount of another, we call that correlation. It’s a mutual relationship between two things. For instance, research has shown there is a correlation between poverty and property crime. That’s a provable correlation. However, is it crime that causes poverty, or is it poverty that causes crime? Or is it another factor outside these that interacts with both? It can be difficult to tell. So, that’s why we say correlation isn’t the same things as causation. Just because we recognize a correlation doesn’t mean we know exactly why it’s happening. It can be an interplay multiple factors.
WIth Bible reading I suspect that the correlation is not just affected by this habit, but by other factors. If you engage with the Bible, you’re more likely to pray. If you’re open to the Bible and prayer, then you’re more likely to find yourself fellowshipping with other’s who do the same, and those types of people often value lower levels of destructive habits and sin. It’s very hard to disentangle which of these is the “cause” if there is even a single cause.
The thing is, it might not matter. As an example, There’s a highway near my house. You can get on the high way in Dallas, or you can get on it in Hawkins, TX, or many other places, but however you get on, you’re on the highway and you’re going somewhere.
Salvation is like the ignition of your car. It’s a one time event that takes place the moment you believe in Jesus for eternal life. But after that point…
Discipleship is a highway, and you can get on it by Bible engagement, or you can get on it by fellowship. You can get on it by prayer. When you do, though, it’s going to take you places. Which ever one of those spiritual activities that brought you to the highway will inevitably lead to others. Before long you’re passing the onramp for the others as well. Discipleship is movement. It will change you.
This study shows, however, that there are lots of people who have believed in Jesus, but they aren’t taking advantage of the amazing benefits of Bible engagement, prayer, and church attendance.
INSPIRED BY GOD
I had an idea of a different verse I wanted to share with you today on this topic, but once again the verse of the day that popped up on Biblegateway just fit too well. It says:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Do you want to have a life marked by good work? Do you want to have a great life. Bible engagement, prayer, and church attendance is part of a balanced fulfilling life. I hope you’ll take advantage of these incredible tools Our Lord Jesus gave us. source
Why should we read the Bible / study the Bible?
We should read and study the Bible because it is God’s Word to us. The Bible is literally “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). In other words, it is God’s very words to us. There are so many questions that philosophers have asked that God answers for us in Scripture. What is the purpose to life? Where did I come from? Is there life after death? How do I get to heaven? Why is the world full of evil? Why do I struggle to do good? In addition to these “big” questions, the Bible gives much practical advice in areas such as: What do I look for in a mate? How can I have a successful marriage? How can I be a good friend? How can I be a good parent? What is success and how do I achieve it? How can I change? What really matters in life? How can I live so that I do not look back with regret? How can I handle the unfair circumstances and bad events of life victoriously?
We should read and study the Bible because it is totally reliable and without error. The Bible is unique among so-called “holy” books in that it does not merely give moral teaching and say, “Trust me.” Rather, we have the ability to test it by checking the hundreds of detailed prophecies that it makes, by checking the historical accounts it records, and by checking the scientific facts it relates. Those who say the Bible has errors have their ears closed to the truth. Jesus once asked which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you,” or “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” Then He proved He had the ability to forgive sins (something we cannot see with our eyes) by healing the paralytic (something those around Him could test with their eyes). Similarly, we are given assurance that God’s Word is true when it discusses spiritual areas that we cannot test with our senses by showing itself true in those areas that we can test, such as historical accuracy, scientific accuracy, and prophetic accuracy.
We should read and study the Bible because God does not change and because mankind’s nature does not change; it is as relevant for us as it was when it was written. While technology changes, mankind’s nature and desires do not change. We find, as we read the pages of biblical history, that whether we are talking about one-on-one relationships or societies, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). And while mankind as a whole continues to seek love and satisfaction in all of the wrong places, God—our good and gracious Creator—tells us what will bring us lasting joy. His revealed Word, the Bible, is so important that Jesus said of it, “Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). In other words, if we want to live life to the fullest, as God intended, we must listen to and heed God’s written Word.
We should read and study the Bible because there is so much false teaching. The Bible gives us the measuring stick by which we can distinguish truth from error. It tells us what God is like. To have a wrong impression of God is to worship an idol or false god. We are worshiping something that He is not. The Bible tells us how one truly gets to heaven, and it is not by being good or by being baptized or by anything else we do (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:1-10; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10-18, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-13). Along this line, God’s Word shows us just how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-8; John 3:16). And it is in learning this that we are drawn to love Him in return (1 John 4:19).
The Bible equips us to serve God (2 Timothy 3:17; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It helps us know how to be saved from our sin and its ultimate consequence (2 Timothy 3:15). Meditating on God’s Word and obeying its teachings will bring success in life (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25). God’s Word helps us see sin in our lives and helps us get rid of it (Psalm 119:9, 11). It gives us guidance in life, making us wiser than our teachers (Psalm 32:8, 119:99; Proverbs 1:6). The Bible keeps us from wasting years of our lives on that which does not matter and will not last (Matthew 7:24-27).
Reading and studying the Bible helps us see beyond the attractive “bait” to the painful “hook” in sinful temptations, so that we can learn from others’ mistakes rather than making them ourselves. Experience is a great teacher, but when it comes to learning from sin, it is a terribly hard teacher. It is so much better to learn from others’ mistakes. There are so many Bible characters to learn from, some of whom can serve as both positive and negative role models at different times in their lives. For example, David, in his defeat of Goliath, teaches us that God is greater than anything He asks us to face (1 Samuel 17), while his giving in to the temptation to commit adultery with Bathsheba reveals just how long-lasting and terrible the consequences of a moment’s sinful pleasure can be (2 Samuel 11).
The Bible is a book that is not merely for reading. It is a book for studying so that it can be applied. Otherwise, it is like swallowing food without chewing and then spitting it back out again—no nutritional value is gained by it. The Bible is God’s Word. As such, it is as binding as the laws of nature. We can ignore it, but we do so to our own detriment, just as we would if we ignored the law of gravity. It cannot be emphasized strongly enough just how important the Bible is to our lives. Studying the Bible can be compared to mining for gold. If we make little effort and merely “sift through the pebbles in a stream,” we will only find a little gold dust. But the more we make an effort to really dig into it, the more reward we will gain for our effort. source
9 Tangible Benefits of Bible Reading
9 Tangible Benefits of Bible Reading for Your Church
The more often Christians engage the Bible at least four times a week, the more bold they will be in sharing and growing in their faith.
By Jeff Martin
The Center of Bible Engagement compiled extensive research findings by Arnold Cole, Ed.D. & Pamela Caudill Ovwigho, Ph.D. into a document titled “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4.”
In the study, they polled 40,000 people ages 8 to 80. They wanted to see how people were engaging in Scripture. As they compiled the results, they made a profound discovery they were not even looking for when they originally planned the survey.
The study indicated that when people engaged in the Scripture one time a week, which could include a pastor instructing the congregation to “open your Bibles…”, there was negligible effect on some key areas of their life. The same result was true if people engaged in the Scriptures two times a week. The result equaled little to no effect.
Three times a week saw a small indication of life. There was a slight pulse, a faint heartbeat. Something moved in the behavior of the person engaging in Scripture.
The eye opener happened when Bible engagement reached at least four times a week.
A steady climb of impact would have been expected, but that was not the case. The level was basically stagnant over days one and two, with a small bump on day three. But when day four was reached, the effects spiked in an astounding way. The stunning findings included the following:
- Feeling lonely drops 30%
- Anger issues drop 32%
- Bitterness in relationships drops 40%
- Alcoholism drops 57%
- Sex outside of marriage drops 68%
- Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%
- Viewing pornography drops 61%
- Sharing your faith jumps 200%
- Discipling others jumps 230%
The research literally leaps off the charts. The findings hammer home the truth that there are profound differences between people who engage the Scripture at least four times a week and those who engage with the Scripture less often. This data is extremely revealing. There is a full-blown effort to keep the followers of Christ from consistently reading the Bible on a daily basis.
Integral to these findings is that people who engage the Bible one to three days a week indicate basically the same effect on their personal lives as those who do not engage at all. The deceptive reality is that they can feel good about their activities without any sustainable results. They think they’re being “good Christians,” but their lives are no different than people who aren’t Christians at all.
Study: Trauma-Informed Bible Reading Reduces Depression, Anxiety, Anger
One day soon the pandemic may be past, and COVID-19, a memory. But the trauma—from the isolation, seeing people die, facing financial stress, and living with loss and the anxiety of the unknown—will continue for a long time to come.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of American adults with recent symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders increased more than 5 points between the summer of 2020 and the spring of 2021. One out of every 10 people reports having an unmet mental health care need.
“We’re going to see this level of trauma for many years,” said Nicole Martin, executive director of trauma healing at the American Bible Society (ABS). “It’s not just going to go away when everyone is vaccinated and everyone is allowed inside.”
Martin and the American Bible Society want to meet that need with trauma-informed Bible reading, teaching people about healing from trauma using Scripture.
A recent ABS-commissioned study by Baylor University researchers found that combining education about mental health best practices with Bible reading can have a significant benefit. In their study, this reduced the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and increased forgiveness, compassion, and sense of purpose. source
How Does Reading the Bible Affect Your Brain
How Reading the Bible Affects the Brain
Reading the Bible has a strong emotional and spiritual impact on its readers for a lot of reasons. And reading the Bible imparts a strong influence on your faith and religious beliefs. But what impact does the Bible have on your brain?
In this article, we’ll be going in-depth into how exactly the Bible can affect your brain. As well as your thought patterns and beliefs. If you’re interested in learning about this topic, keep on reading.
What’s Happening Inside Your Brain When Reading the Bible?
When you’re reading your Bible, you may have a strong emotional reaction to scripture along with the stories. My heart pounds when Pharaoh is chasing the Israelites from the rear and the red sea is in front of them. Or when Esther states “I was born for such a time as this.” Even the dynamic between siblings, Rachel and Leah rivalry over Jacob. And their feud carries on to the next generation, after all it’s his step brothers who sell Joseph into slavery.
According to a study, your brain is reacting and responding in numerous ways when you read the Bible.
Dr. Michael Feguson performed a study, Where the researchers scanned and studied the brains of religious individuals. While they were practicing spiritual activities, such as prayer and reading scripture.
In this study, it was found that there were three regions of the brain that were the most active during these times. Areas such as the frontal attention lobe, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the nucleus accumbens all experience significant increases of activity and responsiveness during religious activities.
It was found that high amounts of
How Reading the Bible Affects Your Behavior
Changes in our behavior begin with changes occurring in our brains. Here are a few of the ways reading the Bible can affect our behaviors:
-It Encourages Goal-Oriented Behaviors
As we stated above, reading the Bible affects neural pathways within your brain. One of these neural pathways, in particular, is called the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, or ML-DA.
This system is also known as the brain reward pathway, and the activation of this pathway comes with a lot of benefits. Functional theories have credited the ML-DA with enforcing goal-oriented behaviors.
When this system is activated by reading the Bible, it can have multiple effects on the way you behave in your day to day life. For one, reading the Bible can encourage and inspire behaviors such as praying.
This is due to the fact that when the mesolimbic dopaminergic system begins working. It causes our brains and bodies to experience a strong emotional response, which in turn will affect our behavior. The more positive emotions you feel while reading the Bible. The stronger the effects are that occur within your brain.
-It Encourages Partaking in Community Activities
Not only can the Bible encourage you to begin spiritual practices such as praying. But it also motivates you to find a community of like-minded people to surround yourself with.
When you read and discuss the Bible in a large group setting, the emotional reaction is magnified. Since what you and others may experience is bound to be far stronger in a group as opposed to reading the Bible alone.
The Bible can have a strong effect on our brains. Which in turn can change our behaviors. Behaviors such as involving yourself in spiritual practices such as praying and being involved in a religious community stem from the emotional reaction you get from reading the Bible.
How Reading the Bible Affects Your Thoughts
As we discussed earlier, when you read the Bible, emotional reactions occur within your brain that can have many effects.
But these chemical reactions that your brain experiences can also affect your thoughts. The more you focus on a particular belief or idea, the stronger your belief in that system will be. When you really begin focusing on these ideals, they become a part of your thoughts.
Your thoughts can differ depending on how you perceive the Bible or God. For instance, if you read the Bible and focus on God as a loving entity, you increase the amount of love and compassion in your body. That’s pretty amazing!
However, if you subscribe to the depiction of God in the Bible as vengeful, you may increase more negative emotions within your brain. Which will, in turn, affect your thoughts and actions. The more you draw your attention to certain ideas, the stronger your belief in these ideas become.
The Bible itself also speaks many times about the power of thought. So it’s clear to see how important it is to be mindful of what you’re constantly consuming and how you’re interpreting it. As shown, your thoughts are very powerful.
In the video below, you can learn more about another study. That was done in terms of the connection between spirituality, brain chemistry, and how your thoughts are affected.
Your Brain on God: How faith Affect Your Brain Chemistry on YouTube is interesting.
Other Benefits from Reading the Bible
Not only does reading scripture have numerous benefits, but reading, in general, holds a lot of power and has many positive effects on the mind. Below we’ll explore some more ways reading the Bible can positively impact you.
For one, reading the Bible can heighten brain connectivity. When you read, you are using several brain functions at a time, including visual, auditory, comprehension, and more.
You are using multiple parts of your brain to decode the words on the page, and when you pair those functions with the other parts of your brain that are releasing chemicals like dopamine, you are sure to have a strong and emotional reaction to what you’re consuming.
It’s also proven that you can improve your concentration if you dedicate just as little as 30 minutes a day to reading your Bible.
If you already struggle with concentration, this is a great practice tool for you. Setting aside a time of day for yourself to read the Bible is great for creating healthy patterns and schedules for yourself. Patterns are built over time, and they all begin inside your brain.
Your brain is responsible for noticing patterns and helping you create structure. Not only will these patterns enable you to set time aside to read your Bible, but this time will also help with your concentration.
The Bible can have a strong and lasting impact on a lot of different factors within your life, including your brain. It’s fascinating to see just how much goes on internally when you’re reading scripture.
Conclusion
We explored how the Bible can affect different areas of your brain, as well as your thoughts and actions. When reading scripture, chemicals are released within the brain that are caused by a strong emotional reaction on your end.
We also discussed while our brains are experiencing change, our thoughts and actions will change as well. Depending on how we receive and decode messages within the Bible we can think and feel either positive or negative emotions.
Lastly, we discussed other ways reading your Bible can positively affect your brain and the ways you form patterns. So next time you open up your Bible, remember there’s a lot happening inside your brain. Which all contribute to keeping you and your faith strong.
were released through the body, while reading the Bible. When dopamine is released, you are likely to be more focused, motivated, and happy.
It’s clear to see there are numerous chemical reactions and systems at play here. Many of which can positively affect your brain and make a lasting impact on your thoughts and behaviors.
Reading the Bible can affect neural pathways in the brain. These pathways are in charge of cognitive thinking and behavior. As you read, dopamine releases and affects the thoughts you have while reading the Bible. These factors contribute to changing your ideals and key beliefs.
Reading the Bible can do a lot more than just affect the brain, though. Once certain parts of the brain are activated, emotional responses begin to show not only inward, but outward in the form of behavioral changes as well.
9 Tangible Benefits of Bible Reading for Your Church
The more often Christians engage the Bible at least four times a week, the more bold they will be in sharing and growing in their faith.
By Jeff Martin
The Center of Bible Engagement compiled extensive research findings by Arnold Cole, Ed.D. & Pamela Caudill Ovwigho, Ph.D. into a document titled “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4.”
In the study, they polled 40,000 people ages 8 to 80. They wanted to see how people were engaging in Scripture. As they compiled the results, they made a profound discovery they were not even looking for when they originally planned the survey.
The study indicated that when people engaged in the Scripture one time a week, which could include a pastor instructing the congregation to “open your Bibles…”, there was negligible effect on some key areas of their life. The same result was true if people engaged in the Scriptures two times a week. The result equaled little to no effect.
Three times a week saw a small indication of life. There was a slight pulse, a faint heartbeat. Something moved in the behavior of the person engaging in Scripture.
The eye opener happened when Bible engagement reached at least four times a week.
A steady climb of impact would have been expected, but that was not the case. The level was basically stagnant over days one and two, with a small bump on day three. But when day four was reached, the effects spiked in an astounding way. The stunning findings included the following:
- Feeling lonely drops 30%
- Anger issues drop 32%
- Bitterness in relationships drops 40%
- Alcoholism drops 57%
- Sex outside of marriage drops 68%
- Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%
- Viewing pornography drops 61%
- Sharing your faith jumps 200%
- Discipling others jumps 230%
The research literally leaps off the charts. The findings hammer home the truth that there are profound differences between people who engage the Scripture at least four times a week and those who engage with the Scripture less often. This data is extremely revealing. There is a full-blown effort to keep the followers of Christ from consistently reading the Bible on a daily basis.
Integral to these findings is that people who engage the Bible one to three days a week indicate basically the same effect on their personal lives as those who do not engage at all. The deceptive reality is that they can feel good about their activities without any sustainable results. They think they’re being “good Christians,” but their lives are no different than people who aren’t Christians at all.
This can be devastating to a movement. Limited activity is elevated to the same effect as consistent activity, when it is actually the same as no activity.
The reality is that with a lack of consistent Bible engagement defined as at least four times a week, Christians have less confidence in sharing their faith with others and are more vulnerable to falling prey to false teachings, as well as a lethargy and apathy in consistently living out their faith in their circle of influence. The studies show that the best spiritually based predictor among 13- to 17-year-old teenagers was their engagement in Scripture.
The other side of the coin is equally conclusive and encouraging. The more Christians read or listen to the Scriptures at least four times a week, the more bold they will be in sharing their faith and growing in their faith. Their lives will begin to have a profound impact on those immediately around them. There will also be fewer times of stagnation in their spiritual growth. They will become viral in their faith.
This mounting evidence of the impact of Scripture on not only the individuals in a society but on the actual underpinnings of an entire society can lead to the findings being discouraging when you find out that most people are not communicating to their center of gravity and are cut off, making them vulnerable to invasion. But the power of simplicity goes both ways. When a critical node is identified and reengaged, the entire system can be reinvigorated with astonishing and rapid effect. source
More Benefits of Reading the Bible Daily
The Bible is our Heavenly Manna. It is the Bread of Life. However, most of us often hurry to get through the hustle and bustle of life without even eating our morning meal– the Word of God.
Moreover, we continue throughout the day without even compensating for it at noontime or nighttime.
I learned throughout my Christian life that you never waste the time you spend with God. Reading the Word, just like any other activity, has its advantages.
To enlist some, here are ten benefits of daily Bible reading:
1. It quickens the mind.
- The Bible as an educational material.
Psalms 119:130 says, “The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
The Bible, like any book, is a type of educational material. We learn from it not only Bible trivia but also principles which are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
When we open and read through the pages of God’s Words, we connect ourselves to the ultimate source of knowledge and wisdom.
2. It makes one awesomely abundant!
- The best investment in life.
Reading the Bible is the best investment in life. According to Psalms 1:2-3, “Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, and whatever they do prospers.”
- Does God compensate people for reading the Bible?
This verse is similar to God’s charge to Joshua upon his succession of Moses’ leadership. The Lord says that if he keeps everything written in the law, he will succeed and prosper.
Well, of course, the act of reading the Bible is not what makes man prosperous. We are not compensated for reading the Bible. Instead, what makes him prosper is his obedience to what “thus saith Lord.”
3. It serves as our guide.
- It’s undoubtedly not blind leading the blind.
The Bible is the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path (Psalms 119:105). It means that it serves as our guide throughout life. And although it doesn’t explicitly tell us what to choose, it gives us principles to follow to help us in our decision-making, whether big or small.
Imagine the Bible as God’s voice stirring you where to go. He who sees the beginning and the end will never fail you.
He will allow you to see great signs and wonders. He will make you get through the fiery furnace of your life. He will even part the Red Sea, or calm the storm for His children, as you journey home to the heavenly abode.
3. It changes you.
- It has the power to stir the hearts to action.
Hebrews 4: 12 says, For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart.
One of the hallmarks of good literature is its ability to stir its viewers’ hearts to action. The Bible is a powerful book that changed the lives of billions of people from generation to generation.
- By beholding we become changed.
The Bible says, “By beholding, we become changed” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Thus, by constant meditation on God’s love letter, we become reflectors of God’s love and image, which is a powerful witness to the people around us.
4. It equips you for good work.
- A missionaries manual
The Bible equips us for righteousness as written in 2 Timothy 3: 16. In the preceding verse, however, we are charged to present ourselves to God as one approved, a worker does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth
The bare study of the Scriptures is enough to make a man equip for service. It is the missionary’s manual. He who receives a Biblical education gets the highest training the world could afford.
And although the study of sciences, literature, and other fields is beneficial, the Bible is still the best material to prepare man to work for God’s vineyard. Just think about Peter, James, and John?
5. It strengthens the faith.
- Our only safeguard for faith.
Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (KJV).
The Bible, along with prayer and ministry, is our only safeguard for faith. If the Christian is not rooted in good soil, he will wither. Daily Bible study allows us to grow healthy and fruitful.
Without daily Bible study, our visions of eternity will grow dim. Remember that we are all afflicted by sin, and without constant meditation of the Words of God, our strength will diminish, and our hopes will die.
6. It protects you from temptation.
- A Biblical life is a life of active Bible study.
Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (KJV).
The Bible, according to Ephesians, is the sword of the spirit. When Jesus was on earth, He was able to defeat Satan’s temptations because of God’s Word.
- Jesus is our example.
Remember his famous line, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4)? Jesus was our example in all things. His life is our standard. And if we want to live a Biblical life, daily Bible study must be our guard.
7. It gives us joy.
- The answer to our live’s whys.
“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16).
The Bible does give us joy. It has the answers to all our lives’ whys; it encourages us when we are down; and it satisfies our souls with the abundance of love, joy, and peace.
I believe that there is a God-size hole in every human heart that He is longing to fill. No material wealth or possession can fill a place that only Jesus can.
8. It sanctifies us.
- The divine filter– God’s words.
In John 17:17, it says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
Having faith won’t change the fact that our conditions are still imperfect. The Bible allows us to have a change of heart. It refines us to be more and more like Jesus.
When we read the Scriptures, we become aware of God’s holy precepts, laws, and standards. It leads us to repentance and a desire to live a righteous life. When we humbly receive the reprimands of Scriptures, we allow the spirit’s sanctifying power to affect us.
9. It reminds us of God’s wondrous deeds.
- It reminds us of past victories and gives security for the future.
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 11: 8, 9).
The history of people in the past gives us the strength to carry forward to the unknown future. It is pleasant and fulfilling to know that this same earth was once the perfect world God created.
It is the world that experienced the great flood, ten plagues, and the parting of the sea. Do you know what the common theme is in these events? Deliverance. Daily Bible reading allows us not to forget how God delivered his children in the past and how He can deliver His children at present and in the future.
10. It leads us to salvation.
- The Way, the Truth, and the Life which became flesh…
Lastly, in James 1:21, it says, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
The Lord wants to have a personal encounter with us through the Scriptures so He can save us.
Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Word of God that became flesh. And it is only through Him that we can have salvation.
Indeed, if we study the Bible and feast on God’s words daily, we may take advantage of all these ten things and a lot more!
Reading the Bible is a spiritual commitment that yields spiritual and mental, social, emotional, financial, and physical results. The question is, why ask for snacks when God can give you a full meal? Munch and now the Word of God and be full!
More Benifits of How Reading the Bible, will change your life!
One of the best ways, in committing to your faith and learning the gospel is reading the Bible, consistently. But many people may not be aware of all the benefits of reading scripture. Therefore, this article provides eleven benefits of reading the bible and how bible reading will positively benefit your life.
Benefits of Reading Your Bible Daily
The following is a brief list of benefits of reading the Bible: gaining wisdom, increase feelings of joy and hope, and encouragement by being reminded of God’s promises. Additional benefits include discovering the multitude of emotional, physical, and spiritual benefits that will make you and your faith stronger. All these factors can contribute to long term happiness and health. Continue to read, if you would like to discover even more benefits to reading your bible.
Honestly, I didn’t read a Bible until I was forty. Since reading my Bible on a consistent basis, I’ve transformed in so numerous ways. For instance, I went from a constant complainer to have a grateful heart. Another example, I didn’t feel the need to get the last word in which contributes to maintaining peace in my home. Therefore, the next section will detail the importance of reading your Bible daily to receive wisdom.
1 Reading the Bible Daily Increases Wisdom
An additional benefit of reading your Bible is gaining a wide range of wisdom. From financial wisdom to relationships and everything in between.
Not only do you gain knowledge of the historical content of the Bible, but you will gain wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Many Christians refer to the Bible as the “essential wisdom” as it is the simple message of the gospel in God’s word. Father God loved the world that He sent His only Son to die for our sins. And through Jesus Christ, we are reconciled to Father God. That’s the Gospel in the most simplest form.
Jesus is also referred to as “wisdom” in the Bible, as stated in of Colossians 2:3 “is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Wisdom Scriptures
According to Proverbs 2.6, The Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge” An additional benefit or reading God’s biblical wisdom is it help you navigate through life, by steering you on the right path while being obedient to the Lord.
Components of Wisdom
Wisdom is known to have three main components, those being knowledge, understanding, and application. The first step towards gaining wisdom is arming yourself with knowledge and actively seeking out that information.
Knowledge of the Lord increases while Reading your Bible
Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
In the passage above, fear also means revering the Lord. Those who fear and honor God will seek the His advice through reading the Bible. “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Understanding
The next component of wisdom is understanding, in other words, grasping the biblical knowledge you have read. Understanding the Word of God is an important step to becoming wiser. Once you’ve filled the God’s word in mind and it sprouts like a seed in your heart, you will begin to see to fruition of the benefits of reading the bible.
You can ask God to give you understanding. God will always confirm His word to you, especially while reading the bible. I find when I ask God something, I stumble on it during my daily Bible reading. Sometimes, God will led me to the exact passage that I need to hear for that day.
“If any of your lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.” James 1:5
You can dig deep in the word, through word studies, commentaries, and even find sermons on-line to further explain any topics. Mediate on specific verses throughout the day.
Additional wisdom will come as you read through the lives of biblical figures. Notice the key points and takeaway from their lives will encourage you.
Reading Proverbs daily will contribute to understanding wisdom. After all, there are thirty-one proverbs in the Bible, one of each day of the month.
Application
The last component to achieving wisdom is to begin applying what you have learned by implementing these ideas and practices into your life.
Gaining wisdom is definitely a benefit that automatically comes with reading the Bible. Not only are you gaining wisdom about God’s word, but you gain wisdom to apply to your everyday life. When you encounter struggles in your life, the Holy Spirit will bring into remembrance God’s word, the exact word that you need at the time.
2 Strengthening Your Faith
In addition to wisdom, the Bible is saturated with faith scriptures. Not to mention, all the faith-filled stories of God helping His people. Consistently reading your Bible will strengthen your faith in God and His word.
As you read through the Bible with a faith-filled heart, the words on the page and the biblical stories will bring your comfort, motivation, and direction. Studying the biblical stories we become emotionally invested. All these factors will explode your genuine faith.
Above all, God’s word provides a firm foundation. That is to say when you have Holy Spirit and other supernatural encounters you can line these experiences with God’s word which in turn will strengthen your faith.
As a result, your faith will naturally become stronger each day as you read the Bible. You can’t help spiritually mature by injecting consuming and implementing God’s word into all areas of your life. As is stated in Romans 10:17, “ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message of Jesus Christ.”
Reading your Bible opens your heart and mind to the Spirit and the Word of God. Coupled together, they will contribute to growing your faith every time you refer to the holy text. This is definitely another benefit to reading your Bible keeping you and your belief system indestructible against the storms of life.
3 Joyful Is Another Excellent Benefit or Reading the Bible
Similar to the other themes we have discussed, the Bible also emphasizes joy and pleasure. When you read your Bible and seek positive and joyful verses, you are bound to feel more joyful.
Also, every time you open up your Bible and begin reading, you are allowing yourself to become closer to God and his message. Which can’t help make you feel joyful. It is even said in the Bible that being joyful is not an option, but a command.
“Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I will say Rejoice!” 1 Thess 5:16
When you feel joyful, it shows in all aspects of your life, internally and externally. Not only will your mindset improve, but the way you treat others and yourself will change as well.
Reading your Bible will allow you to feel joy for a lot of reasons. Not only are you strengthening your relationship with your faith and with God, but your feelings of joy will improve many aspects of your life.
As the Bible said, joy should be experienced and prioritized. Reading your Bible will allow you to feel just that, which is a pretty big benefit for you at the end of the day.
4 It Gives You Hope By Reading the Bible
If you’ve ever felt lost, anxious, or confused, it’s likely you’ve turned to your Bible for some kind of guidance. The Bible helps us feel hopeful and positive when we are at our wit’s end. As you can find messages of inspiration and hope on every page.
But the hope you feel and receive when reading the Bible doesn’t solely come from inspirational verses. Hope stems from worshiping a God who will not desert you when you feel hopeless.
Reading the Bible consistently when you are feeling down is a great way to restore hope and joyful feelings back into your life. But if you’re looking for verses that speak of hope to look to in times of need. There are plenty of Bible verses that will give you the strength and motivation you’re looking for.
It’s harder on some days than others to feel hopeful. But the Bible aims to not only educate you on the Lord’s word but to guide you in times of need. This is definitely another benefit of reading your Bible and consuming the lessons inside, as it will drastically improve how you feel on a bad day.
5 It Reminds You of God’s Promises Is A Wonderful Benefit
Another benefit to reading the Bible is being reminded of all the promises God has made to you. Your faith continues to grow stronger when you count all the promises God has made to His followers.
It’s continually shown, within the stories of the Bible that God will follow through on the promises. God can not lie, and He will fulfill His promises to those that love Him. Seeing all the promises God has for you, while you read the Bible builds your faith. And allows you to connect with your faith and your Savior on a whole new level.
Similar to the ways we discussed how focusing your attention on verses that speak of joy help you when you feel lost and confused. Directing your attention to what God has promised can lift you up as well.
There are promises of God’s goodness and compassion everywhere within scripture. In Psalm 145:9, it says, “The Lord is good to all, he has compassion on all that he has made.” Reading scriptures like this, reminds you of the goodness of your Father. And additionally, it reminds you of the promises that have been made to you.
Reminding yourself of these promises benefits you and your faith in the long run. By continually, leaving you feeling stronger and the Lord is by your side and protecting you, 24/7.
6 You’ll Learn To Fall in Love with Jesus
When you read the Bible, you read stories about Jesus while on Earth. This will give you a whole new appreciation for your faith. Reading the words Jesus spoke, as well as the actions he took while he was here.
As a Christian, when you read the Bible, you don’t just learn about Jesus, but you get to know him personally by consuming the stories and lessons. This is a huge benefit for you, as your appreciation for your faith will grow when learning more about God’s son.
One of the best ways to truly learn about Jesus is returning to the actual, original source, meaning the Bible. Many Christians compared their evolving relationship with Jesus to beginning a relationship with a new friend.
In order to get to know a new friend, and learn to love and care for them, you have to spend a good amount of time with them. Spending time with Jesus through scripture is key to building a loving relationship with your faith, as well as Jesus.
7 You’ll Build Habit Is A Huge Benefit
Setting aside time each day to read your Bible is beneficial to you in a spiritual way. But what about in other ways?
Not only does reading the Bible draw you closer to your faith in God, but it allows you to build habits with yourself that become healthy lifestyle practices. When you begin to set habits with yourself, the more natural the action you wish to take becomes. It also becomes less of a chore after a while, and more of an enjoyable activity you look forward to.
Not only that, but when you invest time in reading your Bible every day, you’re not only investing in yourself, but you’re investing in your relationship with the Lord. Building habits is key to staying consistent within your religious practices, and it makes it easier to begin building other healthy habits as well.
8 You’ll Get to Know Yourself Better
Not only will you get to know God better through reading the Bible, but you’ll get to know yourself as well. Many Christians speak of finding themselves through scripture, and not only finding a loving and healthy relationship with Christ but with themselves as well.
Building a connection with someone relies on knowing who they are, as well as who you are as well. You can’t build a real relationship with anyone if you aren’t honest.
If you can show up to your relationship with God with honesty and love in your heart, you’ll strengthen that relationship, as well as the one you have with yourself.
For any relationship to work, both parties must approach it with honesty and love, as well as the knowledge of what they and the other person bring to the table. When you truly know yourself, you’ll get to know God.
Reading the Bible allows you to get to know yourself better through the different stories and lessons you might see yourself represented in through scripture. This is a huge benefit to you and your happiness in the long run.
9 It Gives You Instructions for Life Benefit
If you want to live your life fully, according to what God has in mind for you. Reading the Bible is the first step in learning about what you should be doing. The Bible is basically the original instruction manual and will assist you in how to be a good follower and believer as well as discover God’s nature.
Second, Timothy 3:17 says, “The scriptures are the compressive equipment of the man of God and fit him fully for all branches of his work.” It’s clear to see the Bible was specifically written to offer guidance and advice for you to follow.
As is stated above, the Bible is laced together to offer the followers of God a guide to turn to when they are in need. If you are currently facing a problem that has you feeling confused or scared, don’t be afraid to open up your Bible to see what God will communicate to you during this time of uncertainty.
Whether you are a new follower of the gospel, or you’re a Christian who doesn’t know where to turn, the Bible will give you the answers and instructions you need to live a happy and fulfilled life.
This is probably one of the biggest benefits reading the Bible has to offer, as you’ll always know where to turn when you’re in need of answers.
10 It Turns You Into a Role Model/Leader, Making you a benefit to others
Reading scripture can allow you to become a spiritual leader and role model within your family and your community. Using tools like the Bible allows you to spread these messages to your loved ones, as well as educate them on the contents of your scripture.
This is definitely beneficial to you if you wish to be the spiritual leader in your household, especially if you have kids. Educating yourself on the Bible and the messages within allow you to teach your children important lessons they can understand, and you can all discuss together.
You can also become a prominent figure within your community or your church. Knowing and understanding the wisdom that the Bible speaks allows you to reach out to others who may want to discuss these things with you.
Being a religious figure in your own household and community gives you and others so many opportunities to discuss spirituality, while also strengthening everyone’s faith in the process.
11 You’ll Become a Better Listener
When you fully understand and know the contents of the Bible, as well as your relationship with God, self, and spiritually, it’s easier to become a listener to others.
Good listening goes hand in hand with the teachings of Jesus. Active listening and empathizing with others is a large part of what Jesus was about. Implementing Jesus’s teachings into how you listen to others allows you to make real connections with others when you are actively listening.
When you fully understand the teachings of Jesus, you’ll be able to follow his methods by listening to others, as opposed to just hearing them. Also, it’s important to mention that when you listen to people’s questions and comments, you can respond correctly and fully understand where others are coming from.
This is highly beneficial to you and to others as well, as this causes you to make more genuine connections with others, as well as practice the teachings of Jesus correctly.
Conclusion
From spiritual to emotional factors, the Bible can allow you and your community to grow and evolve in different ways when you read scripture.
We discussed how the Bible aims to inspire you and make you feel joy in your time of need. It also allows you to make stronger and more genuine connections with God, as well as yourself.
Reading the Bible also gives you the opportunity to educate yourself on exactly what God has intended for you, as this scripture is seen as God’s instruction manual for you. You also have the chance to get closer to God and grow stronger in your faith when you read the Bible.
Prayer
Lord in Jesus name I pray God’s word will come alive in your life, you will see a breakthrough in all areas of your life. And that you will reap each and every one of these eleven benefits be magnified each time you read your Bible. May God Bless you! source