“An ignorant congregation will always be the curse of a Church. A Bible-reading congregation may save a Church from ruin. Let us read the Bible regularly, daily, and with fervent prayer, and become familiar with its contents. Let us receive nothing, believe nothing, follow nothing, which is not in the Bible nor can be proved by the Bible. Let our rule of faith, our touchstone of all teaching, be the written Word of God.” (J.C. Ryle, “Warning to the Churches”)

This statement showed up as a reminder in my email inbox and made me stop in my tracks. It reminded me of the importance of spending time with Jesus in prayer and in his word.

This Washington Times article from April 2023 states the following stats:

• About 44% of Americans say the nation would be worse off without the Bible, the American Bible Society reported in the first installment of its 2023 State of the Bible survey.
• Another 41% said the nation would be “about the same” were the Scriptures absent from society, while 14% said America would be better if the Bible were excised from the country.
• Bible reading has fallen to 39% of Americans in 2023, a precipitous decline from a pandemic-era high of 50% of Americans surveyed in 2021. Currently, 24% of American adults read the Bible at least once a week apart from a church service.

I’m convinced that it is impossible to know the will of God without knowing the word of God. It’s time for followers of Jesus to be committed to spending time with God daily in the Bible and prayer. It’s time for us to come back to needing and loving the word of God instead of merely “trying to find time” to spend a few minutes in it. O, that God would fill us once again with a passion for his word as we commit to our time with him in it. May we sound more and more like this psalmist:

“I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.” – Psalm 119.11 (CSB

“I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches.” – Psalm 119.14 (CSB)

“I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” – Psalm 119.15-16 (CSB)

“How I love your instruction! It is my meditation all day long.” – Psalm 119.97 (CSB)

“How sweet your word is to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth.” – Psalm 119.103 (CSB)

“I am severely afflicted; LORD, give me life according to your word. – Psalm 119.107 (CSB)

As we commit daily to following Jesus, may we be committed to our time with him. Not so that we can be “good Christians.” Instead, so we can know Jesus, love Jesus, and do what pleases him most.

Resources to help with your time with Jesus.

Ignite City Church Bible Reading plan.

Inner Room prayer app (iOS | Android)

VerseLocker memory verse app (iOS | Android)