Reasons to read your bible...

Today we are going to look at WHY should you read your bible..

I know, I know you think you know the answers to this... And maybe you do..

But I know I have always found reviewing my Motivations... Educational..

So here are my top 5 reasons to read your bible...

1) First thing it does is it elevates your thinking.

What does that mean?? 

Well instead of starting your day (Yes I believe starting your day with bible is very important..)
But if you open your mind first thing in the morning and you add into it GOD'S thoughts, God's ways, Gods directions for your life.. It makes you more mindful of your direction for the day..

2)Second thing reading your bible does is it gives you PEACE...  

Starting your day with God's mind and God's direction starts you off with peace. It gives you direction. It makes you have diving guidance.. 

How many times have you heard people saying.. 

"I just wish there was an instruction Manuel"

There is.. It is called The Bible!

3) When times are hard... And they so often are!!

God's word gives us a Refuge.. 

A place to run to .. A place to find solace.. and HOPE!

4) When you read your bible frequently.. It starts to change you... FOR THE BETTER...

Some would get all freaked out by this statement..

But it's true..

God's word when you read it gets into your heart and mind.. And it tells you it won't come back void.. 

It's full desire is to bring you into a closer relationship with the ALMIGHTY GOD. 

And in all honesty... WHO can't use some personal improvements?

Is there anyone who has such perfect character or such a sterling personality that they need no help??

5) God is God.. So often in our world we allow men to make and determine what is right and wrong.. 

Let God be right.. 

Scarcely does a day go by when we don't see the things of MAN...

I will be honest.. I think it really is a dying art.. Learning and Leaning On GOD!

Lessons from the word of God!

So today were going to continue our lessons from 

1 Samuel 3:1-21

The Word of the Lord was Precious in those days

I guess my question is what does that mean..?

Is God's word precocious even in our days.  

**When was the last time that your heart and soul YEARNED for God's word**

**When was the last time you truly read your bible to learn something new?**

Considering there have been hundreds of people martyred recently for their faith due to ISIS.. 

Can we really afford to be so glib?

1And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

4That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

5And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.

8And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.

9Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

11And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

15And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

16Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.

17And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.

19And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20And all Israel from Dan even to Beer–sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

21And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

Just a side note.. The verse I highlighted in red.. Says that Samuel had not known God yet..

Even though he had served in the temple for years already. 

Just goes to show that you can be about God's work and not "know God" or have that relationship with him. It will do no one any long term good if your so busy about doing the good things of God if you aren't actively working on and perfecting a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Lord revealed himself to Samuel..

Isn't that just like The Lord that he would use the WORD of God to show who and what he is..

When was the last time you were involved for more than 5 minutes with your bible? 

I won't lie.. before taking the break I took to get some perspective.. I gotta tell you I hadn't spent much time in my bible. And I sure hadn't been doing much changing in my own life..

My Spiritual Journey

Well I don't know about you ladies. 

But I want to.. have a daily time of Bible reading. 

I find it keeps me sane.

Yes Literally in fact. There is something about a daily bible reading that will change who you are (for the better) and make your day less chaotic and crazy.

Maybe it simply is just starting your day admitting to yourself and God that you are dependent on him and his help..

Well so for the next little while I am going to be reading from the Book of 1 Samuel.

And we start it out with the story of Hannah and her husband. 

1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim–zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

 

3And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

 

4And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

 

5But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.

 

6And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

 

8Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

 

10And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

 

11And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

 

12And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

 

13Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

 

14And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

16Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

 

17Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

 

18And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

 

19And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

 

20Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

21And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

 

22But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.

23And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lordestablish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

 

24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.

27For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

 

28Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to theLord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

I think the part of this chapter that I am in love with most is that Hannah wasn't some perfect woman. She wasn't someone to whom there was no trial in her daily life. 

~Firstly she wanted children but as of the beginning of this chapter hadn't conceived this child. For the woman who is infertile what a beautiful reminder. Just because you haven't conceived as of yet.. doesn't mean you won't.. Think on that for just a moment. 

~Hannah knew much provocation. She had to daily share her husband with another woman.. THANK GOD I don't have this issue. Living with another woman in my house telling me what to do etc.. Praise God that the New Testament allows for me to only have my husband and not to have to share him. But look at Hannah she lived with this burden and from all evidence was not bitter about it but was sorrowful in spirit. Seeking out God's house to pray and make requests for God to see her need and change her situation.

~Even the Priest was assuming things about Hannah.. Thinking she was a drunk. Think about that. She didn't get all puffed up and bent out of shape when he made that accusation to her.. Nope she quietly and with meakness explained herself.. (Which in this day and age just asking someone to do so.. Explaining themselves.. can get you thoroughly cussed out..) But not so with Hannah she quietly and with a great sadness of heart she not only bore her own burden for children and explained that to him.. But she also defended herself in a charitable and quiet spirit. Not in a how dare you even say that kind of attitude either.. I mean think about it.. I'd have been tempted to use that tone of voice if someone came up to me while I was kneeling at the altar praying about something and while weeping they said "Hey you sinner are you drunk and here in God's house??"

~And by the way.. GOD answered her plea's BECAUSE of the way she responded to the priest.. At no point here does God say oh you poor girl.. He had no right to see you as that... NOPE..! God stood behind the man of God.. Even though later on here it explains that Eli's own priesthood is full of sin.. YEA.. Get that.. Eli's family is doing the sinning.. Talk about how hard it had to be for Hannah to see the contradiction of sinners inside of what Eli was saying about her.. He was labeling her with the sins of his own family.. Smearing her life with the vileness of his own household.. But she didn't respond by telling him to mind his own business did she? And GOD Blessed her for that meek and quiet spirit..

Just in this one chapter.. I have found enough to try to model myself after..