How Do You Read?

by W. H. Moody

There are 774,746 words in the Bible (King James Version) according to Horne’s Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures.

At a pace of 200 words per minute, a person can read the entire Word of God in 65 hours.

Recently I was stirred with the realization that so few Christians really know the Bible, simply because they do not read it sufficiently.

The word know is mentioned about 1,500 times in the Scriptures, indicating that God desires us to become fluent in the knowledge and use of His Holy Word.

One of Satan’s master devices against the cause of the Lord is to keep us out of the Book.

Reading Habits

In the first place, the massive intrusion of television has curtailed, or even excluded, reading as a habit of many people. Bible reading can hardly be called a habit with numerous Christians!

We read from 15,000 to 20,000 words from the daily newspaper. Many will read an average of 50 pages of a book each day, which amounts to some 20,000 words. We read letters, circulars, magazines, government forms, and many other items, but what about the Bible?

If a person will read the Bible just 35 minutes each day—nine pages in an average-size Bible, or 6,300 words—he or she can read God’s Word three times a year. With a reading of less than 12 minutes a day, the entire Bible can be read in a year!

Forty-four of the 66 Bible books can be read in 30 to 35 minutes each.

Perils Through Lack

of Bible Knowledge

Just as underdeveloped countries continue in privation because the people do not have the technological know-how enjoyed by countries where research has found a way, so many lives are spiritually unproductive because of a lack of Scriptural understanding.

What God said of Israel could be applied to us today: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. . . thou hast forgotten the law of thy God." (Hosea 4:6)

Failures in Christian lives are due to the absence of living by the Book!

David learned this secret and was inspired to write, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalms 119:11)

Weakness in Christian service is the result of a lack of appropriating the Scriptures. Like a victorious sword in battle, God’s Word, if we use it, will enable us to triumph. "Take. . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17) Sinners can be eternally lost because of our inability to use God’s Word to convince them of His love, the fact of sin, the way of salvation, and the new life in Christ!

Bible Reading

We love God’s Word and believe it implicitly, but we really don’t know it well enough because we don’t read it often enough!

Read Specifically. Paul’s words to Timothy are timely for us today: "Till I come, give attendance to reading." (1 Timothy 4:13)

This reminds us of Jesus’ parable of the nobleman who gave responsibilities to his ten servants, saying, "Occupy till I come." (Luke 9:13) Surely part of that occupation is the regular reading of the Scriptures!

Other renderings of 1Timothy 4:13 add to the urgency of Bible reading: "Attend to your Scripture reading." (Moffatt) "Devote yourself to the reading of Scriptures." (Goodspeed) "Concen-trate on your reading." (Phillips)

A systematic, page-by-page reading of God’s Word is imperative if Christians are to know it and be able to use it to pull down the strongholds of Satan and build the kingdom of God! Like Christ, we must say, "It is written." (Luke 4:8-17)

Read Daily. Ezra read God’s Word "day by day, from the first day unto the last day." (Nehemiah 8:18) It is thrilling to note this account of revival through Bible reading! A new tenor of spiritual perspective would result from the practice of regular and purposeful daily Bible reading! Try it!

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophesy, and keep those things which are written therein." (Revelation 1:3)

Read For Life-building. "And he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them." (Deuteronomy 17:19)

God’s Word contains all the

principles for a well-balanced Christian life. Every area is dealt with so that there is no separation of spiritual and practical living. The Bible can become a veritable sustaining and energizing force in all of life! Does it mean this much to you?

Read It All. Far surpassing the Bible promise box, the favorite portions, and devotional guides (all of which are excellent) is the total reading of the Bible. Joshua "read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law." (Joshua 8:14) The Bible is one total Book, and is the complete revelation of God and His purpose for man.

A Challenge

"How readest thou?" Jesus asked a lawyer. (Luke 10:26) These words have an application to us. Let us be honest in our appraisal of our personal Bible reading habits.

Let us consider this important matter in the light of our own needs, the needs of others, the soon return of the Lord, and our gathering before the judgement seat of Christ. May we not be condemned because we have neglected His Word which He magnifies above His name. (Psalms 138:2)

L. Moody said, "When I read the Bible, God talks to me. . . When I pray, I talk to God. . . When I study the Bible, I prepare to talk to others."

Unless we listen to God through the reading of His Word, we will lack the very essence of heavenly knowledge, inspiration, and power!

"I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is to build you up." (Acts 20:32)