Don't enjoy reading the Bible?

[hupo]

There was a time when I "heard" a voice saying "don't read the Bible.....". I was convinced satan was behind this one and so I force read for a couple of months only to finaly hear God wording the full sentance: "don't read the bible....with your own mind!". That was an awesome lesson. If I could only put it to practice......

I don't think it means you have to turn your mind off completely...that would be impossible...just look for the guidance of the Holy Spirit while you ARE reading.

That is exactly what the lesson was about..... to be guided by the Holy Spirit

Thanks

[hupo]

Sometimes trying a different translation may help. But I have used Bible studies to help me get deeper into His Word when I go through dry spells. And I use three different translations as well.

Hope this might be of some help.

I hope so too. any idea or suggestion is helpful, little bits of information, of experiences...... it's encouraging........

Thanks

[Guest Biblicist]

My mother had a bookmark she kept with her Bible it said. . .

This book will keep you from sin, or

Sin will keep you from this book.

[hupo]

My mother had a bookmark she kept with her Bible it said. . .

This book will keep you from sin, or

Sin will keep you from this book.

hmmmmm.... definatly something to check with God

[kittylover0991]

I've been debating with myself if I should bring this up. It's an issue that bothers me a lot.

The issue is that I don't enjoy reading the Bible.

It makes me sad because I know God wants me to hear Him through His word.

I hear people here and elsewhere who seem excited with scripture. I envy them.

What am I lacking? What am I overlooking?

Having put my faith in God and Yeshua some 10 years ago, it is frustrating to have to battle every time I go to the Bible.

I don't expect answers. Just venting............

Is there anyone out there who has this issue?

Praying to God for thirst of His word, got me to the desert....

It's dry in the desert.

No, I'm not giving up on God or Yeshua

I'm not giving up on reading His word

I am giving up on trying to understand

Hey Hupo,

Let's say I know, as probably many others on here, know exactly where you are coming from. Okay, sounds like the typical thing to say, and you probably don't the typical: "Just pray and read God's Word", "Ask for God's help", "Talk to someone", "Read his word anyways, it will come", and my favorite "Just keep going, you'll be fine. I'm praying for you."

*gives Hupo a big hug*

Sure, we all have different circumstances that we live with, different pasts, different presents, different futures, but I know the feeling all to well of not wanting to read God's Word... it has been a struggle for eight and a half years, still on going. That desire to be in his word and the desire NOT to be in His Word are a raging battle inside of me, almost every day... For a long period of time, say about 6-7 from when I got saved? His Word seemed like ink on a page.. YES I was saved! Praise the Lord I was saved, but although I knew I should read his word? I didn't want to, and had no desire to read the word that God has so wonderfully given to me...

Do you likes hugs?

Not everybody is in the same cirumstances for sure, but first, do you have any sin in your life? I mean sin that unconfessed, habitual or not, that you haven't turned over to God? It could be something as small as a little thought, to something really big, but if there is sin in your life that you haven't confessed, it can take away the greater part of that desire to read God's Word. That needs to be taken care of first.

That might or might be what's going on at all.. but we need to be right with God. If we are saved, God will give us an understanding of his word by the way, as promised in Corinthians. Paul said that the Holy Spirit would give us "discernment" or "understanding" about God's Word if we are saved

These once was a man who had two dogs.. one white dog and one black, but he had a problem. He told his friend, "The two dogs fight all the time, but I want the white dog to win. How do I make it so that the while dog always wins?" His friend told him, "Well, you feed the dog you want to win."

The moral? We have a constant battle raging inside all of us... the spirit and the flesh... The thing is? In order for the flesh to win those battles? We have to feed it. This does'nt only apply to temptations in our life, it also applies to things like our prayer life and our devotion life... If you feed the spirit, it will get stronger, and if we feed the flesh, it will stronger instead. Just keep doing what you are doing Stay in prayer as you have been doing... that's GREAT! Just keep praying and keep trying to read your bible... a hint I was given to pray before you read your bible and ask God to show you something special.. as the Holy Spirit to give you discernment and understanding... my pastor told me once to just keep reading until the Lord shows you something...

Something else? It might not be the best idea to start with Genesis and the first so many books of the bible The Old Testament is a hard part of the bible to read Try reading John, or 1 John, or even just the New Testament It is a lot to read and I've learned personally, a lot easier to pick up stuff and learn things from

Hupo, I wish I could tell you more, and I wish I could tell you this would be easy.... but it's not. But I can tell you that it can get easier.. the more you feed the spirit, the easier it will get... now, as was alrighty said.. there will be "dry spells" where you are in these valleys where reading the bible and praying just seem like the most boring and most tedious thing in the world.. the key is? Just keep going...

Oh yes, if you're looking for encouragement? I"m sure how much you are in there, but the chat is a GREAT place to go Talk to some people and tell them what's going on For the greater part of the time, there is someone there that can help One last time, maybe you could talk to somebody about accountability for reading your bible This could be someone to not only help you with doing it, but you can ALWAYS talk to that person... it's an amazing thing

I hope this helps... and praying for you Love you in the Lord

Here's another hug

With sisterly love in Christ Jesus

Crystal

[Guest shiloh357]

Hey Hupo

Do you have any Bible topics that interest you? Things related to the Bible you like to study about that are also addressed in the Bible?

You know, my brother hated the water when we were growing up. Mom, though, thought it was her duty to make sure that he and I had swimming lessons.

The swimming instructors had to go with him an inch at a time. For a while all he could do was get his feet wet. Little by little, he became accustomed to the water and could swim well enough that by the following summer he was swimming like a fish. He was more excited about going to the pool than the rest of us.

I believe the Lord will meet you where you are. He will not put on you more than you can bear. For now, why don't you meet the Lord in prayer and just read some of the easier parts of the Bible, like the gospels or Epistles, or maybe somethingn out of the Psalms. Just a little at time, just get your feet wet for now.

I would also add, that the fact that your recognition of your lack of passion shows that the Holy Spirit is working on you.

[nebula]

One thing you can do is get a Bible on CD or tape. That way you can listen to it in the car or while you are doing chores or whatever.

If nothing else, it will be a start.

[Guest Biblicist]

One thing you can do is get a Bible on CD or tape. That way you can listen to it in the car or while you are doing chores or whatever.

If nothing else, it will be a start.

Good idea, Neb! They also have it on DVD. My mother bought it. Pretty cool!

[Grace1479]

I've been debating with myself if I should bring this up. It's an issue that bothers me a lot.

The issue is that I don't enjoy reading the Bible.

It makes me sad because I know God wants me to hear Him through His word.

I hear people here and elsewhere who seem excited with scripture. I envy them.

What am I lacking? What am I overlooking?

Having put my faith in God and Yeshua some 10 years ago, it is frustrating to have to battle every time I go to the Bible.

I don't expect answers. Just venting............

Is there anyone out there who has this issue?

Praying to God for thirst of His word, got me to the desert....

It's dry in the desert.

No, I'm not giving up on God or Yeshua

I'm not giving up on reading His word

I am giving up on trying to understand

I've been a christian for years, but it always felt if I'm getting bored with reading the Bible, until a while back. Thank God I feel otherwise now. I started reading the 4 gospels first to get to know Jesus more intemitely, and the Psalms. What helped for me was to get a bible like "Everyday with Jesus" bible or a study bible. It's going so much better now. I've read the bible through 5 times already, but started again this year, and for the first time I enjoy reading the OT. Before you start reading, first ask God to reveal Himself through His word. Tell Him how you feel about the reading of His word, and ask Him to help you with that. It takes a lot of self dissipline, but hang in there, it will get better. And even if you don't feel like reading do it anyway, for God said we must seek Him and when you can sacrifice, God will never let you down.

[RedeemedByHim]

Reading the Bible...hmmm......I have been a Christian for three years and just now starting to read Bible for myself. the truth is, i grew up in a church where you had to read so much of the Bible every single day. I would try but if i did not understand something, I would just give up. Now i have just started a couple months ago reading Bible on regular basis, and I love it. I started in Matthew and I am going to go through NT then I will do the OT. But one thing is that I had a desire to when I started looking at it as God's love letter to me. It is no longer a dreaded thing. And oh by the way...if I miss a day...so what...GOd knows my heart...