The message that I’ve been getting this year is this: Read your Bible every
day.
A simple message.
One I’ve been getting since childhood.
However, it has taken 25 years for me to put it into practice – and still I
have days where I foolishly don’t make it a priority.
But here’s the thing: doing so makes renewing your mind a lot easier.
Romans 12:2 says:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is
good and acceptable and perfect.

The part of this passage which I have struggled with at times is the renewing.
If you think about how much you are bombarded by this world and its media,
advertisers, your social peers and your own flesh’s desires you see that
we’re not in a light weight paintball battle.
So renewing our minds, conforming them to Christ, will

• enhance our relationship with Christ – our savior
• help us to stand against the schemes Satan (Ephesians 6:11)
• help us to edify other saints (Romans 12:4-9)
• help us to know what the Lord’s will is
• help us to be lights unto the world

With this in mind, even though I read/listened through the whole Bible once,
and am wrapping up a New Testament read/listen Jessica and I are going to
read through the Bible together (separately, and then discuss together)
this year.
Paul Henebury encouraged me towards this early this year and I’ve made it a
priority.
The sad thing about Seminary is that this was not a priority emphasized by
any teachers I had, save one.
John and Karen got me the Bible on audio CD for Christmas last year and its
been great listening through.

Make the time, it can only benefit you!
If you’ve got questions about what you read ask someone you trust as a
spiritual leader.
And if you’re not sure who that is, you’re more than welcome to ask me and if
I don’t have an immediate answer I can find out from my resources.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes as you read – it will be a bright year, if only lit by the Word of God!

Resting in Him,

Randy Peterman

Footnotes

1 The New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update, (La Habra, California:
The Lockman Foundation) 1996.