From the Home Place

August 12, 2025

Why is it that the best things for me seem to be the hardest things to do? I think it goes back to the battle between my flesh and God’s Spirit, a battle that has plagued every human who has ever walked across this ‘ol ball of dirt (except Jesus that is). We all know what we want to do – take the easy way.

I need to lose weight, but I don’t want to diet and exercise. I need to save money, but there is this thing I want to buy. I need to become more Christ-like, but I want to be me. I need to develop spiritual disciplines, but I want to live wild and free.

Perhaps this is all remedied with the thing the Bible tells me I need to do: I need to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. (Romans. 12:2) How is this possible, by reading and applying Scripture. Yes, I may be good about reading Scripture, but Jesus stated that I am to “do” the things the Bible tells me to do. Our American culture usually elevates knowing above doing.

Why is it that making time to read my Bible is so difficult? Because that is the single most effective method for transforming my mind. Yet to be truly transformed, I must make the necessary changes in my lifestyle to obey that which I read during my daily study of Scripture.

I’m often asked, “How should I read my Bible?” To which there a variety of methods: You can read the Bible from cover to cover in one year; You can read the Bible alone, or you can read it with a friend, or even in a larger group – it appears that this method was the primary one used during biblical times; You can read the Bible aloud, or quietly; You can read the Bible for personal or group study.

For me, Bible reading is most effective in four steps: 1) May I suggest that you daily read less of the Bible. Yep, that’s right, read less of the Bible, and really study what you do read. I suggest that we no longer read a chapter of Scripture each day, but that we read a few sentences or perhaps a paragraph, and then we dig deeply into the meaning of individual words. To me, reading my Bible is like really enjoying a good meal – take smaller bites and chew them well (this method is proven to aid in digestion), also true with Scripture.

2) The second step of biblical renewal is to journal what you have just learned from your study. Sometimes this will involve a paragraph in your journal, other times it will take pages to state what you have learned and how you plan to apply those lessons. Suggestion – Your journals will make beautiful gifts to your older children or grandchildren. They will be able to connect with you in a way far beyond the normal family dynamic.

3) The third step to all Scripture reading is to apply what you are reading. Jesus didn’t suggest that we are blessed for our reading, or for sitting in a classroom under a teacher, or in church under a preacher, we a blessed when we apply what His word tells us to do. And yes, application is the hard part that my flesh hates.

4) Memorize Scripture. “Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.”

If we as His followers want to have the mind of Christ, we must fill our minds with His words, and allow His words to fill us. As the old preacher stated so well, “We don’t need to get more people into the Bible, we need to get more of the Bible into people.” Always – After reading – application!

Doing the hard part with you, Neal