Read Your Bible or Die | Paul Washer

This is an excerpt from a Q&A with Paul Washer from 2021 at Grace Community Church.

[onementality]

I'm 5 years in on being a daily reader but I was failing some days because I was depending on myself to not miss a day so about 6 months ago I cried out to God before I went to bed and I begged for help to desire His Word because I know my relationship with Him depends on it and I love The Lord but I just didn't have what it takes to be obedient enough to submit to The Bible daily and since then I've honest had new love and desire for not just reading the Bible but it's a whole new desire to love people and everything in life. I don't just read once a day, I have to read/ study 3 times a day praise God for answering that prayer. I honestly believe I have been "Born Again" because the desire I have to share The Gospel and disciple other Christians who are struggling. Praise God for loving us first and for giving us the only direction to His solid foundation through his Word. Jesus said Peter do you love me? Well feed my sheep!

[Numinalis]

Read your bible every day. I started reading daily in the morning about 4-5 months ago. My entire life has been changed since then!

[hockemeyer]

When I first started a regular discipline of daily devotional reading some 35 year ago. I looked at it as a chore. Today it is the first breath I take every morning and I cannot get through my day without first sitting at the feet of the Father through the reading of scripture. When I read scripture, God's word is a familiar friend. When I was young my grandmother would sit me on her lap and read stories. In those days, because of family problems, my grandmother's lap was the only place that I felt loved and secure. I get that same feeling now when I open my bible and read.

[How.To.Get.Saved.]

Love Paul Washer! He's influenced me so much. Before I came to Christ a few years ago, the Bible seemed so big and intimidating, but I've been reading it every single day since turning to Christ, and it's not intimidating anymore. It's my lifeline, and I can't imagine missing a day. It's such a treasure to me.

[cameronmcglade]

This is so true for me as a ex meth addict if I walk away from my faith I will end up back on drugs and meth is the devils drug its happened once a few years ago n I can never let it happen agian or I will die so my faith keeps me alive

[NVRAMboi]

I don't know exactly how I developed a deep hunger/need to read or hear scripture preached every day. I'm older and I suspect a confluence of difficult events (aka "life") punched me in the gut and completely got my attention for the first time in my Christian life.
I'm very thankful for that hunger, that need, now. My life is a three-legged table w/o reading or hearing His word every day now. It's not because I'm a "good person" or better than anyone else. It's because I need His help and assurances. It's because I am fully a child of my Creator now and I know it. As I enter into the last part of my life, I can and could endure most anything so long as I have a copy of His word. We are so lucky to have the Bible. And it's free, as is His gift of salvation. The invoice has been paid by Him for all of us who seek and believe on Him.
Seek, and you will find Him.

[kvanniekerk]

I am systematically reading through the Word every morning. I started at the beginning of January 2023 and every day I read a chapter out of 2 Old Testament books and 2 New Testament books. By the 1st of Feb, I've managed to complete 2/3 of Genesis, the whole of Ezra, the whole of Nehemiah and Esther and tomorrow I start on Job. In the New Testament I've completed Acts and Matthew and I started Mark a few days ago.

I have to say that this has been a struggle in the beginning, but now I am actually enoying my reading and I am captivated to read what is going to happen the next day. It's like the Word has become alive to me and it reads almost like a cliffhanger on most days.

Even though I've read through the Word a couple times to date, this time is different, and it has deepened my way of praying and improved my day to day life as well.

Truly, Paul Washer is correct for saying we must read our Bible or die. I have been a believer for as long as I can remember, but now, since starting to really spend time in the Word, I can see how far I've drifted offshore and how close to drowning I've come in this world. A little leaven truly spoils the whole batch.

[elmyrvl]

If i don’t consume this book and i don’t pray, I’M GONNA DIE.

yes! 😭

[student]

Simply put, I will Die without his word. That is how and why I read or listen to the bible in place of listening to music or the radio. I watch You Tube sermons rather than watch a TV series. Not all the time but most of the time and all of the time with music and radio. It’s like smoking cigarettes. To quit I had to tell myself this is suicide, which it is. I then told myself without God I am nothing and will wither. So, the only way to know God is to listen to his word. 13 times now I have listed to the bible. and like Paul said, one time I listened to the book of Romans 35 times straight. That is how I know God. Every time I hear the word it is relevant to what I am currently doing in my life. He guides and protects me. God Bless.

[DonCarrier-tl]

I know what you mean. I am the same way. I have reread the Bible many times and I can't stop . I thrist for more every day. God's word is living, it goes to the heart. Thank you Jesus. Amen

[gavinmitchell]

Psa 119:92  Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

[DaveGIS]

I met Jesus when I was a soldier, and from then on I've loved His Word. But as a baby Christian, I had no knowledge of Scripture at all. None.

So I went to the local Christian bookstore and bought a set of cassette tapes of the King James Bible narrated by Alexander Scourby. I played it in the barracks every day, and probably drove my fellow soldiers crazy, but I didn't care. I wanted to hear the Word of God, and I wasn't going to let anyone or anything stop me.

In about half a year I'd heard every book of the Bible from beginning to end. In the years since, I've studied the Bible in more depth and ruminated on what the Bible says. Now I, who once knew nothing about the Bible, lead a Bible study in my church.

I don't write this to brag, but rather to encourage everyone everywhere to study the Bible. There are many effective ways to do this. For me, the most effective way was to hear the Bible being read out loud --- it's a great way to proof read the text before diving more deeply in to it. There are many excellent web sites (including Bible Gateway which I use and recommend) where you can simply click on an icon and hear the entire Bible read to you.

Blessings in the Lord.

[jimphillips]

Wow 😲, I have been there Paul. Heart attack, multiple stents, ICD implanted, 2 AED shocks while I was conscious. Sudden cardiac death Your honesty about struggling after your event is a thing I can relate to. Blessed beyond words 🙏✝️🤗

[DC-wbjz]

I’ve been putting the bible at the beginning of my days. Its not easy being a Christian but you will never regret this. Reading the bible is how you hear from God. (John 10:27) (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

[Bobepc]

It’s not enough to just read the Bible, we must also earnestly pray and seek His face. We should be spending at least as much time on our knees, earnestly praying and seeking His face as we do reading our bibles if we wish to have a balanced and effective devotional life.

[DanPeters-ddkx]

Please turn down your back ground music.

[heavenbound]

The last 4 perhaps 5 years or so my children and I gather at night to read and pray, but lately I have really struggled, I find it hard to have that desire to just sit together to read and pray, it's hard. When I go to sleep those nights I feel horrible, I feel empty, I'll wake up in the morning and feeling weak, empty knowing that I ignored the most important relationship I have, the one with my creator.

[tj]

This is so true. Brings tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing.

[RevDavidReyes]

Glory to God. He is worthy of all praise!
Love you much, brother Washer.

[southwife]

Amen. So grateful for Brother Paul's Life and Testimony.