I'm an ex………alcoholic, drug addict, criminal, hustler, womanizer, fighter, liar, manipulator, player, drug dealer, thief, abuser, hypocrite, and a worldly, confused individual.

My name is Ben Lively. I'm not who I was before.

I'm a born-again child of the Most-High God!!  Anointed, Chosen, Set Apart and called to represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I teach Christians the Truth of Gods' Word.

I'm a mouthpiece for the Lord Jesus Christ.

I will not compromise, play any games, or waste time with this mission from on High. I know that in and of myself I am Nothing. I need God for every breath I take and every move I make.

I have Christ living in me and I'm burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, I'm different now and forever more.

This earth is not my home. I know that and I declare it, boldly.

I'm strong in prayer, praying in Power and in the Spirit.

I will preach, teach, deliver, evangelize, prophesy, baptize and build up groups of believers as God allows. HE IS working through me as I'm surrendered to His service as an instrument of righteousness.

And if you know me or get to know me you realize that I take no credit for this but God gets ALL the GLORY. In Christ, I live and to Heaven, I will rise...

 

 

 

Thank you so much for tuning in and Welcome everyone – Hope you’re well!  I’m your host, Ben Lively, and you’re listening to “Shaken Awake” – Episode #21! 

 

I just want to thank you for tuning in, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing right this very moment.  And listen - If you find any value in today’s episode – please pass the news, pass the podcast name and link to a friend, family member, or colleague that you feel would benefit from this show, and become blessed as you are through the words that the Lord shares through these messages.   You can also find these episodes on YouTube, by searching “Shaken Awake Podcast” and clicking on the “subscribe” button. 

 

As always, I promise you another great show – But, more than anything, my HOPE for you today, and always, is that you have an actual encounter with the Lord - He’s is always right there with you, even when you think He’s not.  So, let’s get ready to invite Him in with us, right here, right now and allow Him to speak directly to your heart and minds.   

 

So here goes, here is today’s topic: “Why Most Christians Don’t Read Their Bibles - The Damage Being Done And the Blessings Being Missed”

 

 

If you’ve ever heard my testimony on episode one, you know I grew up going to church as a kid, and spending four years in a private Christian school.  I had what some would call an advantage to being introduced to Jesus and the Bible, which by many standards is correct.  However, when I look back, I may have been better off NOT going.  Why?  Because I was not taught anything but “stories” from the Bible, and that was about it.  It led me to thinking there wasn’t much more to the Bible than what I was taught in Sunday school or the Christian school.  I believed enough to believe and pray to Jesus on occasion, but I more or less left reading the Bible up to the church and school to provide to me.  I knew what I was taught and I, like most kids, believed I knew it ALL!  Skip forward….oh…15 or so years, and I’m loosely back in church, listening to what the preacher said, albeit, most of the time hungover or in a brain fog. However, I was being “taught” the Bible, or so I believed.  The pastors preached messages that were engaging, or we wouldn’t stay very long.  Until we went to a church that “felt right”, like we “belonged”.  So, one and off we’d go, some months more than others, but would always rely on the preaching of the week and the one, two, maybe three Bible verses that were thrown up on the big screen in order to follow along to and read.  That, my Brothers and Sisters was my Bible reading experience through life.  Does this sound at all familiar to you?  I hope not, but I already know the answer from many of you listening.  It’s what most Christians and professing Christians (we’ll get to the definition of that in a bit) claim as the extent of their Bible ‘experience’.  How do I know that?  Because there are large institutions that spend millions and millions of dollars to scour the world and do studies and surveys to find out these details.  So I found a few that I want to share with you today – some of you may be shocked, others saddened, but one thing is clear – a spiritual problem exists within the Body of Christ when it comes to dwelling in God’s word.  We’ll take a look at what God’s Word says in a bit, but let’s take a look at these alarming and sad statistics, and as you know, they’re not getting ANY better!

 

 

From Pewer Research Center in April 2017, so you know it’s gotten worse, not better, which is so unfortunate:

 

1 About a third of American Christians (35%) say they read scripture at least once a week, while 45% seldom or never read scripture. Frequency of reading scripture differs widely among religious groups. Majorities of Jehovah’s Witnesses (88%), Mormons (77%), evangelical Protestants (63%) and members of historically black Protestant churches (61%) say they read scripture at least once a week. By contrast, 65% of Jews say they seldom or never read scripture.

2 Three-quarters of Christians say they believe the Bible is the word of God. 

3 Christians, who make up a majority of U.S. adults (71%), are divided over how to interpret the Bible.  While about four-in-ten Christians (39%) say the Bible’s text is the word of God and should be taken literally, 36% say it should not be interpreted literally or express another or no opinion. A separate 18% of Christians view the Bible as a book written by men, not God.

4 In 2014, about four-in-ten Christians (42%) said reading the Bible or other religious materials is an essential part of what being Christian means to them personally. An additional 37% say reading the Bible is important but not essential to being a Christian, and 21% say reading the Bible is not an important part of their Christian identity.

5 Seven-in-ten Americans (71%) know the Bible teaches that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. A similar share know that Moses was the biblical figure who led the Exodus from Egypt, and 63% could identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible, according to our 2010 religious knowledge survey. But fewer than half of adults (45%) could name all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), and only four-in-ten (39%) identified Job as the biblical figure known for remaining obedient to God despite extraordinary suffering.

 

 

 

Between early 2019 and 2020, the percentage of US adults who say they use the Bible daily dropped from 14 percent to 9 percent, according to the State of the Bible 2020 report by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society (ABS).

A decrease of 5 percentage points in a single year was unprecedented in the annual survey’s 10-year history; between 2011 and 2019, daily Bible readers had basically held steady at an average of 13.7 percent of the population.

But the decline continued during the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic, and by June, the percentage of daily Bible users had dropped to 8.5 percent.

Amid the pandemic, a larger decline occurred among the Americans who say their choices and relationships are shaped by the Bible, a group ABS calls “Bible engaged.” In January, 27.8 percent of American adults were Bible engaged. By June, after months of quarantine and church closures, that figure was down to 22.6 percent.

Overall, about a fifth (22%) of US adults interact with the Bible multiple times a week, not counting Scripture use at church, according to a January survey. More than a third (35%) of Americans say they never read the Bible—unchanged from last year but up from 25 percent at the annual report’s inception in 2011. Sixty percent read the Bible four times per year or less.

The annual report also showed that millennials read the Bible more frequently than any other generation, with 26 percent reading it multiple times each week. That’s consistent with previous findings  that practicing Christian millennials know the Bible as well as or better than their parents and grandparents. Adults aged 74 and up are the least likely age group to read their Bibles multiple times each week, with only 10 percent doing so.

While most Bible readers (65%) prefer a printed version, millennials are about as likely to read the Bible digitally (52%) as they are in print (48%). Americans who live in a household that owns a Bible (77% of the population) are as likely to use a Bible app as those without a Bible in the house (56% vs. 55%).

The entire Bible can be read aloud in 70 hours!

 

 

According to the Ponce Foundation, specializing in Faith Driven Market Research:

 

Of over 2 billion Christians in the world, less than 30% will ever read through the entire Bible. The fact is over 82% of Christian Americans only read their Bibles on Sundays while in church.

A little over 20 years ago, Gallup released the results of a major study indicating that 86% of Americans claimed to be Christian, although only 70% of these admitted to being “born again” according to biblical measure.

In recent studies, the Pew research indicates that only 25% of Americans now attend church any given Sunday, significantly down from 47% in 1990.

The study also shows that, in evangelical churches throughout the United-States, statistics show 36% of those who attend church weekly indicate that believing in Jesus Christ is the only true way to Heaven.

A shocking 57% of American Christians believe other religions can lead to eternal life.

One of the main reasons why American Christians don’t read their bibles is, only 22% of them believe the Bible is fully inspired by God Himself, and written by men who were divinely appointed by the Lord almighty.

Over 1 in 4 American Christians believe the bible to be a book written by mere men, not at all the word of God.

 

Of over 2 billion Christians in the world, less than 30% will ever read through the entire Bible. The fact is over 82% of Christian Americans only read their Bibles on Sundays while in church.

A little over 20 years ago, Gallup released the results of a major study indicating that 86% of Americans claimed to be Christian, although only 70% of these admitted to being “born again” according to biblical measure.

In recent studies, the Pew research indicates that only 25% of Americans now attend church any given Sunday, significantly down from 47% in 1990.

The study also shows that, in evangelical churches throughout the United-States, statistics show 36% of those who attend church weekly indicate that believing in Jesus Christ is the only true way to Heaven.

A shocking 57% of American Christians believe other religions can lead to eternal life!

 

To tell you the truth, I could look at any more statistics – makes me sick.  Of course, 41 years of my life, I fell into most of those categories.  For me, when it came down to exact reason why I didn’t study the Word of God – it was because, simply put, I didn’t value what was inside, and put everything in my life above It.  It wasn’t important to me.

 

As I recently pondered over some claims I’ve heard during my lifetime that although, should’ve been convincing enough to get me to read the Word of God, I just dismissed it altogether as – personal preference, men’s opinions, not accurate, or just plain old-fashioned NOT IMPORTANT TO ME OR MY LIFE:

-       The Bible is the Living Word of God

-       God has breathed the Life onto the pages

-       The Bible, was written by men, but inspired by God Himself and The Holy Spirit

-       The Bible is the roadmap and guide to life.

-       Every one of life’s problems and questions are answered in the Bible.

-       God speaks to you through the Bible.

-       It’s a living, breathing, entity that is ever-changing as you seek Him – it is vast and beyond more than just the words typed in It.

-       There are secrets in the Bible to be revealed to you as you read it.

-       Read the Bible in one year, straight through, and it will change your life.

 

I’m sure there’s more, but these are just a few I remember.  

WHY DID I IGNORE THESE CLAIMS AND VALID POINTS MADE?  WHY DID I STILL CONSIDER READING THE BIBLE THE LOWEST PRIORITY (IN FACT, IT WASN’T EVEN ON THE LIST) IN MY LIFE.  YET, EVERYTHING EVIL AND BAD WAS – EVERYTHING WAS!!!  I put more time into researching which deodorant smelled better or what IPA beer to buy than I cared about opening a Bible and reading it!!!

 

 

Little did I also know, our Bible speaks about reading our Bibles – what we gain and what we lose by reading or not reading!  Did you know that?  I didn’t!  Here are a few:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

Therefore, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ...

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually 

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the 

 

There are at least 100+ more verses that speak to the wisdom, knowledge, glory, and wisdom gained by reading our Bibles, so I’ll leave that up to you to read.

 

I’ve learned more about God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, my life, my sins, my blessing, His grace, my salvation, how to run the race set before me, and everything I share in these podcasts.  I’ve ONLY learned them through reading my Bible and the wisdom and understanding from The Holy Spirit when I read from the Bible.  It has totally transformed everything I thought I knew, to what God has always wanted me to know!   There’s NO DOUBT I was lost in the world I was living – I got all my information from occasional pastors every few Sundays for a half hour, social media, so-called “friends”, news media, and tv and internet.  Can anyone else relate?  I actually hope you cannot!  But, according to the statistics, many of you do or can.

 

If I could provide one piece of life-changing advice to the world, Christian and non-Christian alike, and I had 30-seconds to do so, I would do my utmost to convince everyone to dive into the Bible and read it through and here’s why:

 

-       Everything you’ve ever wanted or aspired towards is in that great Book of God.

-       Everything society strives for can be achieved through God’s Word.

-       Everything we ever want is through the Words found in God’s Living Bible.

-       What everyone lacks can be found in the Bible.

-       Knowing God and having a personal relationship with Jesus starts and ends in the Bible.

-       The reason most people are unhappy inside, is because they haven’t experienced the true love, joy, peace, security, and blessing found in God alone, which is spelled out in the Bible.

-       The Bible is the greatest and only true Fact Checker that has ever or will ever exist.

-       It is the ultimate guidebook, instruction manual, how-to, wisdom and understanding that serves as the framework and personal guidance of the The Holy Spirit, to express and realize true love, true joy, true peace, true understanding, true wisdom and knowledge, true happiness, true protection, true repentance, true guidance, and a true understanding of the Creator of the Universe and everything within it.  It’s a love letter from God to His children and it’s timeless, everlasting, and free – it was written by Him for YOU.

-       It will fundamentally and spiritually change you from the inside out.

-       It opens up two-way communication between you and God.

 

Furthermore, there are a million reasons why you should be in the Bible EVERY DAY, and none of them are to be legalistic or follow some ‘rule’ or ‘law’, but rather:

 

Matthew 4:4 “But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

 

Proverbs 6:23 “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.”

 

Job 22:22 “Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.”

 

2. To do God’s will: It helps you obey God and not sin.

Psalm 119:9-12 “How can a young man keep his behavior pure? By guarding it in accordance with your word. I have sought you with all of my heart; do not let me drift away from your commands. I have stored what you have said in my heart, so I won’t sin against you. Blessed are you, LORD! Teach me your statutes.”

 

Psalm 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.”

 

Psalm 40:7-8 “Then I said, “Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”

 

1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

 

Matthew 24:24-26 “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Remember, I have told you ahead of time. So then, if someone says to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe him.”

 

4. To spend time with the Lord.

Proverbs 2:6-7 “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.”

 

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

 

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 

John 14:6 “Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.”

 

John 5:38-41 “and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. “Your approval means nothing to me.”

John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

 

Romans 15:4-5 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.”

 

Psalm 119:50 “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

 

Joshua 1:9 “I have commanded you, Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

 

Mark 10:27 “Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God.”

 

Make sure Christ is always first in your life. You don’t want to drift from Him.

 

Revelation 2:4 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

 

Romans 12:11 “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

 

Proverbs 28:9 “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.”

 

Psalm 103:20-21 “Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.”

 

Psalm 56:10-11 “In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?”

 

Psalm 106:1-2 “Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, Or can show forth all His praise?”

 

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

 

1 Peter 2:2-3 “Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation. Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!”

 

With Scripture you can teach, bear each other’s burdens, give biblical advice, etc.

 

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Because of this, comfort one another and build one another up just as you have done.”

 

1 Peter 3:14-16 “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready tomake a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”

 

2 Corinthians 10:5 “and all their intellectual arrogance that oppose the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.”

 

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

 

Ephesians 6:16-17 “in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

 

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

 

Psalm 119:89 “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

 

Psalm 119:151-153 “Yet you are near, LORD, and all your commands are true. Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever. Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.”

 

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.”

 

John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

 

Psalm 1:1-4 “Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Rather, he delights in the teachings of the Lord and reflects on his teachings day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams a tree that produces fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. He succeeds in everything he does. Wicked people are not like that. Instead, they are like husks that the wind blows away.”

 

Colossians 1:9-10 “Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; 10 that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

 

2 Timothy 3:17 “It gives the man who belongs to God everything he needs to work well for Him.”

 

Ephesians 5:15-16 “So then, be very careful how you live. Don’t live like foolish people but like wise people. Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days.”

 

Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

 

1 Corinthians 9:27 “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

 

Psalm 78:3-4 “stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.”

 

Hebrews 11:3-4 “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.”

 

 

CONSEQUENCES OF BIBLE ILLITERACY

God reveals himself through His creation and His word. If we base our knowledge of God on anything other than scripture, we are walking down the path of characterizing Him based on cultural input and feelings. Both of these are shifting sands, that will change, and will cause us to question the character of God when something conflicts with our poorly informed theology.

Neglecting the Bible leads us to assume God’s character rather than actually knowing it. We need the truth of God’s word to guide our lives.

When we don’t invest in knowing and understanding God’s word, we don’t know our purpose, and we can’t live a life pleasing to Him. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

When God calls us to have faith, He doesn’t call us to blind faith. He calls us to trust Him with what He has told us and promised us in His word. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”  God wants us to live by faith, and have faith in Him because of His word.

When we live by faith and seek Him, we can understand His will for our life, and then do as James 1:22 tells us, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” In the next two verses (23-24) it says, “for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”

If this is what it looks like to hear and not do, what would be said of the Christian who fails to even hear, and read God’s word? If we don’t listen, read, and seek to understand God’s word we will walk through our life wandering from His divine plan and purpose for our life, doing what He forbids, and failing to do what He requires of us as His children, leading to a life that is not pleasing to Him.

In verse 13 of Psalm 119, the psalmist vows that “with my lips I will declare all the rules of your mouth.” It is by knowing and loving God’s word that the psalmist shares God’s ways with others. Declare is such a powerful word in that verse, as it means to make known, or to announce.

My purpose in being intentional is not about being and having a better life. It is about glorifying God and doing His will for our lives. Its not about you getting a badge for Bible literacy for you to show to your peers, but that you can fulfill the Great Commission.

As Christians we should take Bible literacy seriously because when we don’t we are not equipped to fulfill the Great Commission. If we don’t know God’s word, we can’t share it with others and make disciples of all nations. If we try to fulfill the Great Commission without knowing and sharing God’s word, we are not making disciples of Christ, but of morality and worldly wisdom.

Without an understanding of God’s word and knowing His character, we will struggle to live life in awe of God, and live a life overflowing in worship of Him. In verse 14 of Psalm 119, the psalmist declares that he delights in the testimonies of God more than in all the riches. He delights in God’s word.

Human beings by their very nature are worshipers. Worship is not something we do; it defines who we are. You cannot divide human beings into those who worship and those who don’t. Everybody worships; it’s just a matter of what, or whom, we serve. 

Lastly, we cripple ourselves by not being prepared for the spiritual warfare that comes, when we don’t have the whole armor of God (Eph 6:10-18). If we look at the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, we see how He responds to Satan’s attacks. With the word of God that is hidden in His heart.

If we want to stand a chance against the spiritual attacks of the evil one, we too must do as Jesus did, and the psalmist declares in Psalm 119:11, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

This is not a one time effort, but a lifetime of growing in understanding of the word. We need the instruction of God’s word to prepare for battle, and the reminders like Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,” to keep us ready.

The point of sharing these consequences of being Bible illiterit is not to instill fear or legalism in our lives. The point is to accurately assess the consequences of an uninterested approach to God’s word, so that we can see clearly and make changes where the Spirit of God prompts us. Don’t change because of guilt or a sense of duty. Change because you want a deeper relationship with God, for you and your family, and to glorify Him with your life.

 

So, my final questions to you are this:  What in your life is stopping you or you’ve decided is more important than putting in 15-30 minutes of your day, every day, into the Word of God?   Are you prepared to continue to put The Bible at the bottom of your daily to-do list.  What is more important that God’s Living Word?  What are your prepared to tell God one day, to His face, if He asks why you never took time out to read the Book He wrote for you?

 

 

My final statement is this:  I challenge you to prayerfully consider the information discussed in today’s podcast.  Test it with God’s Word, and ask God where and how He wants you to make His Word more central to your life.  Everything you could ever want or need or hope for is outlined inside the pages of your Bible.  Set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier each day, and make some time for your Creator and watch your entire life change.

 

 

 

So, before we end today’s show, I just want to thank you all again for tuning in and I HOPE you were touched by God through today’s message and scripture.  I’d like to ask you a favor only IF you received any value out of today’s show – would you tell at least one person you know – call them, text them, email them, talk to them – tell them to give this show a listen.  It may just help them in their walk with Christ.  

 

Also, I really need your support - If you could give me a quick star-rating on your phone app - it takes literally 3 seconds.  I’d love that help and support for you guys, which will allow the Lord and the Holy Spirit to reach even more lives through this broadcast.

 

If you’d like to get ahold of me, you can write me a note on www.shaken-awake.com/contact you can also email me directly at ben@shaken-awake.com or even call or text me directly for any reason at (407)-493-3208 (repeat).  I want feedback, questions, ideas, requests, criticisms, corrections, - if it’s important to YOU, it’s important to ME.  

 

Also, If you’d like to be a guest of this show, please reach out to me, as well.  If you have a life and/or eternity-changing story you’d like to share, please let me know and I’ll schedule you in.  We don’t hear enough of the TRUTH these days or the POSITIVE ways of God and Jesus Christ these days, and this podcast is going to help change that up – Id love your help with this where you can.

 

Next week’s episode is another powerful and DO-NOT-MISS episode – thanks for joining!  

 

Until next week, take great care of yourself and each other, and God Bless You all.  

 

Outro music.