Expectations when Reading Your Bible

Introduction: As a Christian, we are commanded and exhorted by God to read the Word of God. For what purpose? So that we can hear from God. This Bible is what God uses to communicate with you and with me.  

This Bible is the voice of God that we should follow: 

I Samuel 15:1 – “therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.”

These Words of God are the voice that you should follow. God doesn’t speak to the ear, but to the spirit. It’s not an audible voice, it’s through the Word of God. 

When we read the Bible, God expects you and I to:  

I. Be Ready- I Samuel 3:10 “Speak, for thy servant heareth”. Based on Samuel’s response to God’s Word, Samuel was ready and prepared to hear God speak to him. The Time to be Ready: Samuel was a young child and he was ready. The Time to be ready is from a young age, don’t waste any time being ready to hear the voice of God. I Samuel 2:18 “But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child”. From childhood. The Reason to be Ready: Samuel was ready to hear the Word of God. The reason to be ready to hear the Word of God is because God wants to speak to you personally and specifically. The Blessing of being ready- Samuel was ready and expecting God to speak to him and He did. Samuel obeyed the voice of God. 

 II.  Be Available- Isaiah 6:8 “Then said I, Here am I; send me.” Isaiah made himself available. After being ready for anything that God can call you to do, be available when you read the Word of God. The culture of today makes it difficult to be available for God. The Time to be Available: There was a time when Isaiah made himself available. The time Isaiah made himself available was when he was in the right place, at the right time. The right place is church. The Reason to be Available: Isaiah made himself available and God used him. If you make yourself available, God can use you. Isaiah made himself available, and God said Go! The Blessings of being available: Isaiah was blessed by God for being available. When you make yourself available to God, God will use you for His service, which is an honor. Once you do what God calls you to do, you will be blessed. The Bible says in . 

III. Be Obedient- Jonah 1:3 Jonah initially flees from the presence of the Lord after the word of the LORD came unto Jonah however, in Jonah 3:1, God gives Jonah a second chance. This time, Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Jonah was obedient unto God. The Time to be obedient: Jonah ran from the Prescence of the Lord and was disobedient. Jonah 1:3 “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD”. The time to be obedient is when God tells you the first time to do what He has called you to do. The Reason to be obedient: God wanted Jonah to preach to Nineveh. Jonah 4:9-11. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. Aren’t you glad for that? Those that are here today without Jesus Christ. The Blessing of being obedient: Jonah got to see what God could do with someone who was initially disobedient and later was obedient. The blessing was for other people. 

Conclusion: The next time you open your Bible to read it as you normally do, consider that God expects some things from you, out of what you read in the Word of God. God expects you to be Ready, like Samuel was when he said “Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth”. God expects you to be Available, like Isaiah was when he said “Here am I; send me”.Lastly, God expects you to be obedient, like Jonah was when the Bible says that “Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD”.