You studied the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 539 do you follow a daily Bible reading plan of some sort? Maybe one that is designed to help you read through the Bible in a year, or one that's suggested by an app on your smartphone, or one that's drawn up by the pastor of your church? Reading the Bible is a rewarding experience, and the goals for doing so are many. Some reading plans are created for personal growth. Others are designed to enhance the holiday seasons enjoyed throughout the year. Some reading plans are intended to provide readers with a little inspiration with which to face each day. The only bad reading plan is one that is followed simply so that one can say he has read the Bible each day and check off that box on his list of things to do for the day. We should never read the Bible just for the sake of reading it. I like the line that says some people learn to read, but some people read to learn. When it comes to the Bible, we should be of the latter type. God reminds us in deuteronomy 32 47 that his word is not just idle words, but is our life. The words of scripture reveal to us human beings the heart, mind, and will of God. The scriptures teach us how to live so that we will enjoy to the fullest our relationship with the Lord and each other. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to teach us how to think and live in a way that pleases God, sets an example for others, and leads others to the Lord. When the religious leaders of his day began to criticize and persecute Jesus, he responded in part by scolding them for reading the scriptures without allowing what they read to change their attitudes and behavior. Yes, they knew what the scriptures said, but they never applied what the scriptures said to their own lives, especially those scriptures that told them to praise him instead of persecute him. For being such educated men, they weren't very smart at all, even though they studied diligently. They were merely checking off boxes on a to do list instead of letting the words they read really soak in to alter their course and change their ways. We need to be careful that we don't make the same mistake. We read the Bible every day, not just because it is on our list of things to do, or because we think that we will look like better christians for doing so. We read the Bible every day so that we will not only know our Lord and savior, but so that we will learn how to become more like him.

This has been your thought for the day with Steve Burkham, pastor of Community Christian Church in Stockton, California. If you have questions or comments for Pastor Steve, please send them to dailythoughtspodcastmail.com. Have a great day and we hope you'll join us tomorrow as Pastor Steve opens God's word to bring us another thought for the day.