Do you have “ears to hear” God’s Word (Mark 4:9, 23)? Are you listening? Here are some ways to improve our spiritual perception:
- Schedule daily Bible reading. Otherwise it won’t happen. And don’t forget to read together (maybe at the dinner table).
- Take up God’s Word with a humble heart and teachable spirit: “Lord, show me the log in my own eye.”
- Receive God’s truth in community. We need each other’s support to be good soil for the seed of the Word (Mark 4:8, 20). No Christian is an island. The Bible is for the church.
- Seek out accountability. We do much better learning and following God’s Word if we take a class, join a group, etc.
- Go to bed on time on Saturday night so you can come to Sunday worship fully alert, ready to hear from God!
- Have your own Bible and bring it with you to worship, Sunday School, Bible study, etc. (and parents, your kids need their own Bibles). Personalize it with underlining, cross-references, short notes—all of this will help you visualize pages and passages, thus assisting you in finding texts you’ve studied before.
- And therefore, don’t settle for online Bible access. To be sure, digital tools can help us search the Scriptures. But there are enormous benefits that come from using a printed Bible.
- Hide God’s Word in your heart: memorize! The sword of the Spirit is God’s Word, but you can’t wield it if you don’t wear it.
- Read the Bible systematically. Don’t just pick it up and flip to a random page. And don’t just keep bopping back to a handful of favorite verses. Read it all, and see how God’s whole story comes together. (E.g., try our 2-year Bible reading plan.)
- Submit, don’t dabble. Don’t just use the Bible to find ideas you like, or as a launching pad for your own agenda. Read and dare to embrace and apply God’s truth faithfully!
- For accuracy and readability, I recommend the ESV translation.
