How to Truly Treasure the Bible and Encounter God

How Do You Read the Bible?

When you read the Bible, do you approach it as a textbook or as a treasure? Do you read it merely to gather facts about God, or do you seek to know Him personally?

A Common Mistake in Bible Reading

Like many pastors, I used to encourage my church repeatedly: “Read your Bible. Read your Bible. Read your Bible.” We even included McCheyne’s Bible reading schedule in our bulletin so everyone could follow along. However, one day God revealed the inadequacy of this approach to me.

Interestingly, there is not a single verse in Scripture that explicitly commands us to “read” the Bible. You can search your concordance in vain for such a command. Instead, you will find exhortations to study, meditate on, muse over, and hide God’s Word in your heart.

Why Reading Alone Isn’t Enough

Simply reading the Bible is insufficient. While it has some benefit—far be it from me to discourage you from reading Scripture—it is not the interaction with Jesus that we need. Most of us read a chapter a day to keep the devil away, but that’s not transformative.

We don’t read the Bible to gain information either. Yes, knowledge is important, but it is not the ultimate purpose of God’s Word. The Bible was given so we might know God, interact with Him, and behold His greatness toward us.

A Transformational Revelation

When the Lord showed me this, it revolutionized how I approached the Bible. Previously, I studied it like many others: to learn facts, gain knowledge, and impress others with what I knew. While I could help someone by quoting a verse, these interactions often lacked power and life because they were coming solely from my intellect.

But when God revealed that I should open the Bible to hear Him, see Him, and experience Him, the Word became a treasure to me. It was no longer a textbook—it was my treasure.

Seeking God in His Word

Now, each morning when I open my Bible, I read to see how great my God is. I read to behold His vastness, omnipotence, and goodness because I know the enemy will try to lie to me about who God is. The enemy will attempt to make me doubt His goodness, grace, and glory.

Therefore, I must see these truths for myself. I need to experience His greatness and His grace anew every day.

Personalizing the Word of God

In my time with the Bible, I don’t just seek to see how big God is—I seek to understand how big He is to me. Jesus said, “If My words abide in you…” This abiding is how we interact with Him. Yet even studying and meditating on the Word, without the aid of the Holy Spirit, will be fruitless. Without the Spirit, it’s just black ink on white paper.