Isn't It Time You Read the Book

[Steve Myers] Why haven't I really read the Bible? It's a simple but powerful question you may have never stopped to ask. It's on your shelf. On your nightstand, perhaps. Maybe you've inherited one from your parents or your grandparents. Is it collecting dust right now? You might even carry it to church. But let's be honest. Do you really read it? You're not alone. It's the best-selling book of all time, translated, more than 2,000 languages, billions of copies printed. Yet it's one of the least read books.

So let me ask, isn't it about time you read the book? Not just flip through it. Not just highlight a few verses you already agreed with. But actually read it to hear what God's saying to you. It's not just ancient literature. Not just a religious history book. The Bible? It's alive. It's the instruction manual for life. And more than that, it reveals who you are, who God is, and the very reason you exist. In fact, it's the book that reads you.

Now, we know most people probably don't read the Bible. Why is that? Some say, it's boring. You ever get to Leviticus and say, I'm out. Some say it's outdated. Ah, it's an old book. So how can it possibly matter to modern life? Some say, too hard to understand, weird names, confusing stories. Others say, I just don't have time. But then somehow there's time for hours of scrolling.

But what if the Bible isn't outdated at all? What if it actually predicts what's happening right now? You know, Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 He predicted, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars." Sound like today's headlines? You see, the Bible makes a bold claim that no other book does. It says it is the inspired word of the living God. It tells us where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going. You know more than that, God has sent you a personal invitation. You could say a calendar invite to a real relationship with Him. But you have to read the invitation.

It reminds me of when we bought a new air fryer. It had all kinds of buttons and features, could do all sorts of cool things. But I couldn't even set the clock. So what did I do? I actually had to open the manual. So where do you go to learn how to live, how to think, how to make sense of this confused world? The Bible. This is the owner's manual for humanity.

Now some people say, why bother reading it? It's got contradictions and all kinds of errors. But what if the problem isn't the Bible? What if it's how people approach it? You see, the Bible wasn't meant to just be studied like a textbook. It was written to be lived.

God says in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Now that's not math or science knowledge. That's spiritual knowledge. Mankind has tried everything else, philosophy, politics, psychology, self-help. And here we are, a world still spinning out of control.

But if the Bible offers something different, what do we find? We find hope through the gospel of the kingdom of God. Now some have the wrong idea that God gave us the Bible to restrict us. No, He gave it to protect us, to bless us, and to lead us to real peace. It says He is love, and everything He commands flows from that love. So when you open the Bible with a humble heart, you don't just read it. It reads you. It reflects who you really are, not who you pretend to be. And if you let it, it can change your life.

You may have heard of Francis Collins. He's the geneticist who led the Human Genome Project. He was an atheist, didn't believe in God at all, dismissed faith as superstition. But something changed. He read the Bible, and he said it influenced not only His faith, but how he used science to serve humanity.

And yet, why is it that so many people misunderstand the Bible? Well, it's because most don't want to hear what it really says. They think, I don't want to be corrected. I don't want to change. After all, it doesn't say what I want it to say. You know, it's hard to admit. Maybe I've been wrong. Maybe what I grew up believing isn't quite what God says. But without that humility, growth is impossible.

Is there a Bible verse perhaps you've avoided because it challenges you? Might be Revelation 12:9. It says, Satan deceives the whole world. And that includes religious deception. You see, not everyone preaching from a pulpit is telling the truth. That's why 1 Thessalonians 5:21 commands, prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. I had to do that myself. I remember when I first questioned traditional holidays like Christmas and Easter. I opened my Bible to Jeremiah 10 and I saw what God said about pagan customs. Then I ran across Mark 7. That's where Jesus rebuked people for replacing God's commands with human traditions.

But I love the holidays, the lights, the gifts, family gatherings, even lighting the candles at midnight church. I thought I was honoring Jesus. Then I searched the Bible. Where does it say to celebrate Jesus' birth on December 25? I couldn't find it. I discovered the wise men didn't actually visit a baby in a manger, but actually a young child in a house. And worse, I learned that many of those traditions came from pagan practices centuries before Christ.

I was disappointed at first. Quitting those traditions, that was hard. But aligning my life with God's Word changed everything. I began observing God's festivals like Passover and the Holy Days that Jesus kept. And my relationship with God grew stronger. I kind of felt free, free from trying to justify unbiblical worship. I even raised my family that way. So from the time my children were small, we chose to center our home on God's Word, not on traditions I once followed. Now, they didn't grow up confused about why we celebrated some days and not others. They understood the Scriptures behind it.

You see, those biblical Holy Days, they became a part of our family rhythm. They weren't just church observances. They were family memories and spiritual anchors. And now I see the fruit of that. My children, my grandchildren know what they believe and why. They're not untangling from unbiblical traditions like I had to. They're starting from a foundation of truth. Now, life hasn't been perfect, but it's been clear, clear in direction, clear in purpose, and clear in worship. And I wouldn't trade that for anything.

But listen, don't believe something just because I say it or because your church says it. Open your Bible. Read it. Test it. You know, that's what the Bereans did in Acts 17:11. They didn't blindly accept Paul's preaching. They searched the Scriptures daily. That's what God wants you to do. But understanding the Bible, it takes more than curiosity. It needs humility. Isaiah 66:2 says, God looks to the one who's humble and trembles at His word. So if you come to the Bible just trying to confirm your opinions, you'll miss out. But if you come ready to obey, God will open your understanding. That's what Psalm 111:10 says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding have all they that do His commandments. So obedience brings clarity. God even challenges us in Malachi 3:10 to test Him. And you know Psalm 34:8 says something wonderful. It says, taste and see that the Lord is good.

So you don't just learn the Bible by reading it. You learn it by living it. You want proof? Studies have shown over and over again that people who regularly engage with Scripture have lower stress, lower anxiety, less loneliness, and better mental health and even more hope.

Now maybe you're thinking, okay, but where do I begin?

Well, you don't need to be a scholar. You don't need Greek or Hebrew. You just need a teachable heart and a willingness and a readiness to learn and obey.

Here are four simple steps.

Number one, start reading the Bible daily. Just a few minutes a day. You can begin with the Gospels and read what Jesus actually said.

Number two, don't just read. Stop and ask yourself, what is God teaching me here?

Number three, pray for understanding. Psalm 119:18 says, open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law.

And number four, obey what you learn. You see, knowledge without action changes nothing, but when you live it, it can change everything.

Now if you've ever tried reading the Bible and felt lost, there's help. We have a free Bible study aid called How to Understand the Bible. Go to ucg.org/bt512. You'll find practical tools and simple keys to make Scripture clearer and more meaningful and learn how to apply it for real spiritual growth and peace. Imagine you can see the Bible come alive like never before. So if you're ready to start, go to ucg.org/bt512.

So here's the bottom line. You can keep doing what most people do, ignoring the Bible, guessing your way through life and hoping it all works out. Or you can pick up the book, wipe that dust off and open your heart to the living word of your Creator. God says in Deuteronomy 30:19, "I've set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life."

Start today. Choose truth. Choose blessing. Choose the life you are meant to live. Isn't it about time you read the book?