Saddleback Church: How to Read the Bible With Your Ears

Prayer and Bible reading are not two separate activities, they are two parts of a conversation with God. You need two to hold a conversation, and both should be talking about the same thing! Let God start, because He's God and you're not! Let Him start it in the Bible.

Read for depth and not for distance. Don't use it like a medicine cabinet "I know what I'm looking for, God, don't bother me until I find it." Don't treat it like window shopping, either. When you find something that fits, don't turn away from it because of the cost. It's not a lottery, either. Don't gamble on which verse will open up first.

Not necessary to read chronologically. God will meet you wherever. Ask god to show you what to read today. Make yourself available to Him.

Start at the beginning of a book, and take all the time you need (as many days as necessary) to finish it. The same Holy Spirit that caused the Word to be recorded, now inspires every reading of it. Read for depth: stop and look down into the "water" (skipping rocks example). It's not how far and how fast, but how deep you can go.

Room-temperature water (sometimes when we come to the Word, we're not all fired up about it. We're just so-so. Lukewarm.). When a teabag is dipped in once (teabag is scripture), nothing. But let the teabag sit in the water and steep, and the water will receive the flavor, color, aroma, character of the tea. The heart will begin to absorb the nature, character, flavor, and aroma of Christ.

Read it, think about it, talk to God about it. May read several chapters at once, or may read same few verses day after day for a while.

Return to water - it's identity has changed - it's not water now, it's tea.

No longer an experience with a book, now an encounter with a friend. It is a letter to us. A friend.