I have a favorite Bible. My wife gave it to me on Christmas 2014. Its’ called “The Revival Study Bible.” It contains tons of notes and quotes on selected passages from LOTS of great Christian men and women leaders. The focus of this study Bible is on Revival. These men and women lived and breathed Revival. Their focus was on getting back to abiding in Jesus through time in the Word and time in prayer. God has used many of these great leaders to foster change in both their lives and the lives of their audience.
Before I get into reading a Christian book, I discipline myself first to reading my Bible or select passages from God’s Word. Reading the Bible is primary reading for me. It is the main filter to reading other religious material. I pray each time I read for God to show me what I need to hear and do in my daily happenings.
“Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.”
2 TIMOTHY 2:15 AMP
http://bible.com/1588/2ti.2.15.AMP
Even with the study notes in the Bible, I still remind myself God wants me to read the instruction manual first then go later to other’s notes or books on the Christian faith. He wants to speak directly to me in His Word just as He speaks to the other Christians, commentators, and book authors. He loves us so much he wants to communicate the truth to all people.
My church, Catalyst, regularly encourages its’ members to read their Bibles. They call it self-feeding. The Bible was one of the first books used to teach me to read as a young child. I love reading the Bible. God always has something to say to me about every life situation thru His Word. It never gets boring to me. I use different Bible translations to get a different angle of the same truth. My thirst for the Bible gets me excited to want to share the truth to others.
I personally recommend you pray about the kind of Bible you want to read. Many get hung up on one translation due to their denominational upbringing. I challenge you and others to try to get a new Bible and especially one of a different translation. It helped me to appreciate how God is creative in explaining His Word thru the different translations. Right now I go between two or three translations.(Yes I read a lot. I thank my mother for taking the time to teach me to read before I entered Kindergarten.) The Bible is the most important reading material in my life. It has be transformational to me and will continue to shape me the rest of my life.
Bibleselfeeder 