Bored of reading the Bible

[URA]

Just thought of a few other things.
--Maybe you could try reading the Bible in its original languages, if God so gifted you the capacity to learn such things.
--Try writing your own psalms. I started doing that awhile ago, and it's amazing how God can speak through you, when it seems like it's all your words; the Holy Spirit just flows through you, it's great.
--I've heard of different adaptations of the Bible. Movies, of course, and I think I saw something about a sci-fi adaptation of the Book of Genesis. Could try reading/writing some of those.
--Try reading/writing some commentary about the Bible; specific books, testaments, the whole thing in general, or anything of the sort. It can give deeper understanding & different views on the Bible that could "spice it up", so to speak.
--I know a guy who's memorizing chapters of Romans. If a book really stands out to you, you could try memorizing some of that.
--Discussion groups?

Honestly, I don't think there's any harm in taking a break from the Bible; problems come when people can, and should, be reading the Bible, but don't. In your situation, a break might be your best option; read something else, focus more on other hobbies, and let God guide you back to the Bible when it's time. Reading/doing other things could give you new insights on God's word, seeing how it might be used in different circumstances, or maybe just finding things that are funny coincidences. Whatever it is, let God lead your path, trust in Him, go to sleep, and figure it out tomorrow.

 

[aiki]

Bored of the Bible, not God.

How is this so? If the Bible really contains the very words of the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, how can they be boring? If the words in your Bible are the words of the One you love above all things, why wouldn't you hunger to read His words of love and truth to you again and again and again? What did the prophet Jeremiah know of God, what did he experience of God that made him write:

Jeremiah 15:16
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

Why did God's words give joy and rejoicing to Jeremiah but they only manage to bore you?

 

[thesunisout]

Hi, I understand how important it is to read scripture everyday but I am beginning to fear that I am growing tired of reading it. It feels kind of boring and repetitive and I really hate to feel that way about it.

Any advice?

Hello,

If you feel bored when reading the bible ask God to give you a hungering and thirsting after His word. Ask God to show you how His word applies to your life, and how it empowers to live the life He has created you for. Ask God to give you topics that you would interest you as you study His word.

The word is our spiritual food and it refreshes our soul. I don't always feel like reading the word, but once I do, I have never failed to get something out of it. Ask God to open the eyes of your understanding concerning His word brother.

 

[dqhall]

Hi, I understand how important it is to read scripture everyday but I am beginning to fear that I am growing tired of reading it. It feels kind of boring and repetitive and I really hate to feel that way about it.

Any advice?

If you learn more scriptures, God might call on you to testify. I did not read the Bible today. I have read the Gospels over and over. I think my problem is not practicing the commandments well enough.

Once I was reading Matthew like I had numerous times before. I saw Matthew 23:24 "You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!" I prayed, "What could this mean?" I got an answer, "they strain out a gnat, and swallow like a camel." It made better sense to me.

 

[Rescued One]

I think boredom comes to those of us who have attention deficit. I picked up a paperback book entitled Know Your Bible, All 66 Books Explained and Applied($1.49). I find it very helpful. Another idea that I think would be helpful is to have a good friend read it also, a certain chapter each day and then discuss it with me. I haven't come across a partner on that.

I don't think I would recommend Bullinger.

Bullinger's views were often unique, and sometimes controversial. He is so closely tied to what is now called "Ultradispensationalism" that it is sometimes referred to as Bullingerism.[12] Noted dispensationalist Harry A. Ironside (1876–1951) declared Bullingerism an "absolutely Satanic perversion of the truth". [13] Bullingerism differs from mainstream dispensationalism with regard to the beginning of the church. Mainstream dispensationalism holds that the Church began at Pentecost as described early in the New Testament book entitled "Acts of the Apostles". In stark contrast, Bullinger held that the Church, which the Apostle Paul revealed as the Body of Christ, began after the close of Acts,[14] only revealed in the Prison Epistles of the Apostle Paul.[15] Other dispensationalists (often described as "mid-Acts" dispensationalists, i.e., Acts 9 or 13) hold that the Church, the Body of Christ, began at or shortly after Saul's conversion.
E. W. Bullinger - Wikipedia

 

[Emli]

How do you experience God when you read the Bible? Is He involved in it? Talking to you, and do you pray while reading?

When I first started really getting into Scripture, I would ask God every question that would pop into my head, and He would answer somehow. It could be from either experiences or from other verses/chapters. I involved Him in everything in my life, always talking, always asking. Like a child. He wants us to do this.

The Bible has never been some boring book for me, like it is for some others, because it is a way to get to know God. But it's thesunisout said, it's spiritual food. It's meaningless without involving the Holy Spirit, and we cannot even understand it without Him, because it is spiritually discerned. So I would advice you to invite the Holy Spirit to teach you every time you read.

I would also recommend an Audio Bible. I keep it on in my ear whenever I have the chance, and even though I don't listen to all of it all the time, God quickens my spirit to what He wants me to hear.

God bless!

PS: remember to be a doer of the Word as well. Live by God's commandments and the teachings of Jesus, and the Word will become alive for you.

 

[DeerGlow]

I listened to the RC Sproul series where he goes all the way through the Bible. I thought it was awesome.

What series is this?

 

[GraceBro]

Hi, I understand how important it is to read scripture everyday but I am beginning to fear that I am growing tired of reading it. It feels kind of boring and repetitive and I really hate to feel that way about it.

Any advice?

My pastor, a former rabbinical student, tells the story of coming to the Lord and not understanding the New Covenant. He told the Lord, and I paraphrase, "I am not opening this book up again until You show me what this means." This was coming from a guy who was in the habit of reading the Bible for 3 to 4 hours a day at this time in his life. Shortly thereafter, through some events that occurred and new revelation, he started reading it again. He said, "It was like somebody had rewritten the Bible." God didn't strike him down for saying he wasn't going to read the scriptures until certain things made sense. God made sense of it for him and renewed his desire to read His Word. He can do it for you as well.

 

[polkaman]

Well there is always one person like me
Around. It is good to read the Bible
Every day, but if you feel burned out
Take a couple days break...maybe
Pray, and ask for guidance. Maybe
Utilize what you have learned...maybe
Review how parts of the Bible apply
To you. Maybe also Bible recordings
Might be good... reflect as to what
Or how it may impact you...basicly
Start to interpret how the Bible impacts
You, family, friends

Maybe think how the Bible can "come
Alive"

In a few days you'll be back reading

I wish you well on your well

 

[-Luca]

Where are you reading at? Pray He gives you a stronger desire to read.

Proverbs and John

 

[redleghunter]

Hi, I understand how important it is to read scripture everyday but I am beginning to fear that I am growing tired of reading it. It feels kind of boring and repetitive and I really hate to feel that way about it.

Any advice?

I would examine why and how you read Holy Scriptures.

If we read the Bible as a "get help manual" I can see why one would get bored reading Obadiah.

If we read the Bible to learn more about God and by doing so wanting a more intimate relationship walking in the Spirit, then things become more interesting.

How is important too. One can just read and reflect, that's fine we need to do that daily like we eat meals and drink fluids. However, we also should study the Bible in small increments breaking down the text which is exegesis.

Exegesis means “exposition or explanation.” Biblical exegesis involves the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it. Exegesis is a part of the process of hermeneutics, the science of interpretation. A person who practices exegesis is called an exegete.

Good biblical exegesis is actually commanded in scripture. “Study [be diligent] to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). According to this verse, we must handle the Word of God properly, through diligent study. If we don’t, we have reason to be ashamed.​

More: What is good biblical exegesis?

Bible study is much more edifying in a small group with some experienced hands in attendance.

Here's an online Bible study sheet which is very similar to our men's Bible study format.

Blank Bible Study Worksheet.docx

 

[-Luca]

Be gripped by what it says! Revelation 21 and 21 are remarkable. John's First Epistles has searing themes that illuminate lethargic hearts. Romans 8 is written in tremendous language. The Psalms contain so many cries from the heart. Isaiah 53 contains such clear views of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus at the Cross.

I have heard many good things about Psalms, but I have never really read it.

 

[redleghunter]

Proverbs and John

Are you using a Bible reading plan from an App?

 

[redleghunter]

Proverbs and John

Read Psalm 51. It's amazing. It was David's prayer after he was confronted with his sin of adultery and conspiracy to murder Uriah the Hittite.

 

[discipler7]

Any advice?

.
For a start, here's my summary of the Bible or Word of God.

0. God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient. God has His throne in heaven.(EZE.1, REV.4) Satan and his demons rebelled against God.(ISA.14:12, EZE.28:17, REV.12:4-9)
....... God-in-heaven desired to replace the spiritual rebels with S'piritual humans. Earth is like a test-bed for this purpose.

1. On earth, all humans are born sinful/evil/satanic because of Adam's Original Sin = unclean/dirty/unholy = bound for hell when they die.(ROM.5:12)

2. So, no humans on earth can see the true face of the Holy God and live.(EXO.33:20, JOHN.1:18 & 5:37)

3. To save fallen humans, God-in-heaven endeavoured to come down to earth in lesser forms as the invisible Spirit or as the visible human(= Angel of God or Jesus Christ). (JOHN.8:58/EXO.3:14, JOHN.1:1 & 14, 1TIM.3:16, 2COR.3:17, ISA.9:6)
....... As the Spirit, God-in-heaven gave His Law to Moses and the Jews, in order to curb humans' inborn tendency to commit sins/evil-deeds/satanic-deeds.(DEUT.28)
....... As Jesus Christ, God-in-heaven gave the apostles and Christians the sacrificial Lamb of God on the Cross(JOHN.1:29), in order to save them from hell when they die = the free gift of salvation or the kingdom of heaven through faith.(JOHN.3:16, MATT.4:17, GAL.2:16)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

A good analogy of our One and Only God is our one and only sun.
... God-the-Father-in-heaven sends His invisible Spirit and His visible Son-Jesus to earth to sustain immortal life = the sun-in-outer-space sends her invisible warmth/heat and her visible light to earth to sustain mortal life.
.
.
.
.
The Bible or Word of God can be broken down into 2 parts, the Old and New Testaments/Covenants, ie,

(i) if you wanna have a good n long life on earth, you need to keep the Law/Word of God.(DEUT.28, MATT.19:21, ACTS.15:24-29, cf; 1COR.5:1-5 & 11:30, 1JOHN.5:16-19),

(ii) if you wanna go to heaven when you die, you need to be saved from hell by Jesus the Christ/Messiah/Savior.(MATT.5:27-30, ROM.5:12, LEV.17:11, HEB.9:22, JOHN.3:16, 1COR.6:9-11, REV.22:12-15)

Christians should aim to achieve both, ie to gain both blessings from God, eg MATT.19:23.
.
.
Bc of our inherited Adam's Original Sin, we have the dual problems of INVOLUNTARY satanic/evil/sinful thoughts, eg immoral lust, hate, anger, greed, selfishness, jealousy, fear/worries, doubts, etc, ...and VOLUNTARY satanic/evil/sinful deeds, eg blasphemy, idolatry, murder, adultery/fornication/rape, stealing, lying/cheating/defrauding, etc.
....... The former resulted in being cursed/sent to hell when we die(GEN.3:14-16) and the latter resulted in being cursed by God with a sad and short life on earth. God's Law solved the latter and God's Son solved the former.
....... Usually, before someone committed murder, he/she had originally harbored hate or greed or lust or jealousy or etc in his/her heart and mind.(source is spiritually from Satan - JOHN.8:44, MATT.16:23 & 23:27, MARK.7:21, 1JOHN.3:8)) IOW, all humans are born satanic/evil/sinful/unclean, from their hearts to their feet.
.
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At ACTS.15:24-29, God/Jesus requires Gentile Christians to begin their born-again lives of the Spirit by keeping 4 easy or non-burdensome laws of Moses, ie avoid eating blood, strangled animals, foods sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality = minimum legal requirement. They r then given time to learn to gradually keep the other laws of Moses which are not a burden, esp morality laws, eg the Ten Commandments at EXODUS.20, LEVITICUS.10:9, DEUTERONOMY.18:9-14, etc.
....... In comparison, Jewish Christians are required by God/Jesus to continue to keep Moses Law, as many as possible, because it is not a burden to them.
....... Eg, Gentile Christians should still avoid homosexuality and continue to eat non-kosher foods because the former is not a burden but the latter is a burden(ie it's a burden for them to keep the food laws).
... Faith in God's Son, Jesus = faith in God's Word/Law/commandments because JOHN.1:1 says the Son is the Word and is also God.

We need to properly differentiate between involuntary satanic/evil/sinful thoughts and voluntary sins/evil deeds, and between involuntary or inborn Gentile and Jewish Christians.

Analogy about involuntary evil/satanic thoughts and voluntary evil-deeds/sins - black crows often squawks noisily over our heads but we should not let them build their dirty nests on our heads.

 

[Healing with Jesus]

howdy!

There is a Bible app called "YouVersion." I think you have to create an account, but it's free. In there, you can start a reading plan. So there's a daily task to accomplish.

The Bible Project even has some plans!! And they are cool because some of them will have a little video preface, then provide you with the chapter to read.

Anyway, I know it's hard to admit to something like this. But I am proud of you for saying it, and for reaching out to your spiritual siblings for advice on how to increase your thirst for our Savior, who is Living Water.

 

[-Luca]

My pastor, a former rabbinical student, tells the story of coming to the Lord and not understanding the New Covenant. He told the Lord, and I paraphrase, "I am not opening this book up again until You show me what this means." This was coming from a guy who was in the habit of reading the Bible for 3 to 4 hours a day at this time in his life. Shortly thereafter, through some events that occurred and new revelation, he started reading it again. He said, "It was like somebody had rewritten the Bible." God didn't strike him down for saying he wasn't going to read the scriptures until certain things made sense. God made sense of it for him and renewed his desire to read His Word. He can do it for you as well.

That is an amazing story! A lot of times I do find it hard to understand the Bible, particularly the KJV.

 

[-Luca]

Are you using a Bible reading plan from an App?

I think that I tried a few of those from the Bible app, but I am not currently on one. I really need to get a physical Bible myself, I only have access to it online.

 

[redleghunter]

There is a Bible app called "YouVersion." I think you have to create an account, but it's free. In there, you can start a reading plan. So there's a daily task to accomplish.

Love it. So many plans to choose from. I use the M'Cheyne one year plan or Canonical one year plan. The former will take you through the OT once and NT and Psalms twice a year. The latter the Bible once in a year.

Love that you can read this app in multiple languages and has just about every English Bible translation including the Orthodox Jewish Bible and Complete Jewish Bible.

 

[-Luca]

Read Psalm 51. It's amazing. It was David's prayer after he was confronted with his sin of adultery and conspiracy to murder Uriah the Hittite.

Wow that was actually really powerful! I am definitely going to be referring back to that again in future, possibly very soon, thanks!