January 11, 2017 Jonathan Evans

Only by reading the whole Bible can we discover particular needs

Winter sunrise

 

On the one hand, read the parts of the Bible that speak to your needs now. On the other hand, read the whole Bible which contains every part you need.

 

If you read the whole Bible, you will get the specific answers to your particular problems “thrown in”. But if you read only for the particulars, you will miss the whole Bible and with it the answers you’re (not) looking for. Why? Because often what we think is the problem is really our idea of what the problem is. But when we’re reading through the Bible, and come to a portion that seems “unrelated”, we discover and become aware that the problem underneath that problem is really this problem.

 

Say you are quick to get angry and you read Ephesians 4:26 or James 1:19-20 to find help. Then you happen to come across Proverbs 26:14 and you recognize your laziness in getting up on time. Suddenly when reading through Galatians 5:22 you realize that your lack of self-control might be the root problem, not your anger or your laziness. You pray, start getting up on time, and soon discover that you have more and greater control over your anger and tongue. 

 

Sometimes God gets to a problem directly, but just as often he gets to it in an indirect and round about way.

 

We read the whole Bible because when God speaks in one area it impacts every area. No one area of your life is separated or isolated from all the others. On a plate of good food nothing you eat will be bad for you.