Read the Bible! Where Do I Start? Ep. 21

Sarah Annie Schneider: Welcome to the Addicted to God Podcast. I'm your host and Bible mentor, Sarah Schneider, and I am addicted to God. Addicted to God is a community of imperfect people who are pursuing a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. For over 20 years, I have been on my own Addicted to God journey, and this Addicted to God movement was inspired by the hundreds of incarcerated women whom I had the privilege to mentor over the past decade in my local jail. The more I learned about their addictive behaviors, the more I realized that my zeal to know and understand God's word is not that different from their uncontrollable desire to use their drug of choice. So, in a nutshell, addicted to God is where we transfer the unhealthy, unsatisfying, and in some cases destructive habits and choices to the freedom and fulfillment that can only come from the one and only healthy addiction, God and his limitless word. I want to emphasize God's limitless word. I chose these three words very intentionally. Number one, because I don't truly believe you can become addicted to God without getting addicted to His Word. And number two, God's word is literally limitless. I have only been reading God's Word for a little over 20 years, and you know what? Every single day, every single year, God continues reveal to me new truths, new revelations, new insights, and countless applications for me to put into practice where I can tangibly see God's hand on my life. In addition to God's word, my days are filled with listening to sermons. So my first resource recommendation that I want to shout out today is the One Place app. I highly recommend you download that. And I also feel my drive time, my walks, household chores or outdoor work that I'm doing. I listen to podcasts that talk about the Bible. It amazes me that I can listen to hours of people, teachers, preachers, and Bible experts who have invested their entire lives into studying God's Word, and I get to glean from their wisdom and knowledge. On top of my own Bible readings and study, They've been to seminary. Most have doctorate degrees And when they teach, my brain is stretched even more. I love how they bring a much deeper historical, cultural, and contextual teaching. In the time that I get to spend in God's Word, it just makes it that much richer to have their information, their insights, and their perspectives. That's why today's episode is one of the most fundamental messages that I could talk about on this podcast. I want to read the Bible, but I don't know where to start. I know, right? I get this question so much, and I'm shocked and saddened that this very question is what prevents people from reading it. They are intimidated, unsure where to start, have preconceived beliefs that they're not smart enough to understand it or it's too hard to understand. God himself has something to say about that. Psalm 119, 130 says, the unfolding of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple. Unfolding gives that layered, deeper over time feel. And it is specifically says even the simple can understand it. That's the everyday Joe. That's you and me. then emphasizing that word layers. With layers, that's what the Bible is. It's why children can learn the Bible and understand at their level of comprehension, as well as the scholars who devour it and still believe they haven't even scratched the surface of their learning. That's limitless. And then there's Hebrews 5, 12 through 14, that puts it this way: Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. what it is saying to us in Hebrews 5 is that reading the Bible is like starting with milk. It's all we can consume when we are babies in the Bible, and even scholars who have devoted their entire lives to the book will tell you that they're still being fed. The Bible doesn't run out. You can't get enough. You just grow into more of it. let me humor you for a second. I came up with this analogy and I think it's kind of interesting. Let's just imagine that starting to read the Bible is like doing a coach to 5K. You know, that person who wants to start exercising but has no idea where to begin, no fitness professional would ever say to a beginner, just slap on some sandals and run until you hit three miles. That's not even possible. That's not realistic. That's not even smart. So if you're a couch potato, the first thing that they will tell you to do is invest in a good pair of running shoes. And biblically speaking, that's your Bible. In episode thirteen, I endorsed the Life Recovery Bible. So go back and take a listen and see if that one would fit your needs. In a future episode, I'll go deeper into the number one Bible I recommend for new beginners, and that's today's resource recommendation number two, the Life Application Study Bible. It is the number one best-selling study Bible. I'll put that link in the show notes so that you can quickly get yours. let's go back to our coach. To 5K scenario, if you're going to start running, you also need to make time for it. You schedule it. Are you going to train in the morning, the afternoon, on your lunch hour, after work? If you've never run a 5K before, you've never made time to do it. And unless you are intentional about making time, you will never train. Therefore, you'll never build up the endurance and strength to achieve your goal. In the Christian space, we call this a devotional time. time you set aside and dedicate to your relationship with God. having studied my Bible for over 20 years, that time for me is first thing in the morning. And I treasure it. Okay. The third discipline you're going to need if you're going to get off the couch and start running a 5K is accountability and coaching. A lot of people use the Couch to 5K app for audio cues or Or they grab a running buddy or a coach to keep them motivated and on track. Spiritually, this looks like finding a Bible mentor, joining a small group, or a Bible study, or linking arms with an accountability partner. Proverbs 27, 17 says, iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another. God did not design for us to do this alone. And then fourth, as a runner, you have to build your skills gradually. The Couch to 5K program doesn't throw you into running miles on day one. It starts with a super gentle beginning. Maybe 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking. And slowly builds you up week by week. There might be tough weeks. You'll have doubts along the way, and what you are doing may not feel natural or that you're making progress at all. Which results in discouragement. it takes perseverance. It's consistency that gets you there, not perfection. Spiritually, it's technically the same. Growth isn't instant, it's progressive. God meets us right where we are and grows us step by step. Philippians 1 6 reminds us that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. When you miss a day or you stumble, don't beat yourself up. Just begin again. And finally, the final step: seeing the progress. You see, when you keep showing up, part of the success is that you showed up every day. Some days you feel strong, empowered, capable, while other days you just gave yourself credit for lacing up. Over time, You can tell the difference from where you were to where you are now. and another thing, if you keep it up, you'll not only accomplish your goal of completing that 5k, but that milestone may compel you to train longer, harder, and with greater intensity. You may have never dreamed that you could run a marathon and one day realize it's possible. this example models how to start reading God's Word one day. at a time. I wish someone had walked me through the where do I start years ago. what I'm sharing with you today comes from my hard-earned experience, best practices I have developed over the years, and what I've actually seen work as I've guided dozens of women whom I've mentored one-on-one The best way for me to frame the Bible is that it is actually a love letter from the God of the universe to you. you don't need a seminary degree to read a love letter. You just open it. But just like an earthly relationship, it doesn't start with marriage on the first date. you begin by getting to know the other person, spending time together, listening to their heart, discovering who they really are, and learning whether they are trustworthy and kind. You don't rush, you let the relationship grow. Now granted. Sometimes you feel that spark right away and you know that this person is someone special, but you still take the time to go through all the firsts and you look forward to every conversation, every new discovery, and every moment you spend together draws you closer. Yet some of us approach the Bible the same way that we would rush into a new relationship, expecting instant fireworks and a deep connection on day one, as if something magical is supposed to happen just because you're opening the book. But then when it feels awkward, distant, or even cold at first, you get discouraged and you walk away. that's not how real intimacy is built with God or anyone. It grows gradually, one honest conversation at a time. So where do we actually start? There are so many opinions out there, but if you take the couch to 5K approach, the most important thing is that you're reading something every day. Some people recommend starting in Proverbs because it's known as the Book of Wisdom. It's full of short practical truths about how to live wisely, how to speak, how to handle money, relationships, anger, and character. It's extremely helpful, but it can feel a little random since the verses aren't in any particular story order. Others may recommend you start in the Psalms because the Psalms draw from emotion and people being completely honest with God and they're crying out, they're praising, they're complaining, and they're celebrating. I use the Psalms earlier in this podcast because Psalms has some valuable insights. Psalms also shows us that it's okay to bring every feeling to God. don't get me wrong, every single book in the Bible is great and purposeful in its own unique way. My goal is to set you up to love every book in the Bible and give you a solid starting point that guides you into becoming addicted to God's word A lot of people, especially those who are new to the Bible, think that you would start at the very beginning in Genesis. And most people do start there. That's not a bad idea either. Logically, it makes sense to start there, but the Bible isn't just like any other book. It's actually 66 different books that tell a beautiful story when they're all combined. that story begins with a marriage and ends with a marriage. But you won't see that right away. The problem with starting in the Old Testament. is sometimes those names, cities, and laws can feel very heavy and hard to pronounce, which also can make it tough to stay excited about opening it every day. Which by the way, my next resource recommendation is the UVersion Bible app. I actually use it to read the Bible to me audibly so I can follow along in my Bible and not get hung up on any of those big pronunciations. So to start, I'm encouraging you to start in the New Testament, specifically the Gospels. That's where Jesus enters the story. Those Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were men who walked with Jesus. They heard his teaching, watched his miracles, saw him crucified, and witnessed him raised from the dead. Matthew shows Jesus as the king, the rightful heir to David's throne. Mark shows us Jesus as a humble, selfless servant. Luke shows how fully human Jesus actually was. He wept, he grieved, and he felt everything we feel. And then there's the book of John. John is my favorite because it shows that Jesus is the Son of God and the source of eternal life. But here's the beautiful part. Once you meet Jesus in the Gospels, the Old Testament suddenly comes alive in a whole new way. You actually start Seeing Jesus on every page. Let's take Genesis 22, for example. When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. But after you meet Jesus, you realize that story is actually pointing straight to him. Just like God provided a ram for Abraham, he provided his own son as a sacrifice for us. Jesus became the first lamb and the final lamb. That's why we no longer have to sacrifice animals. He was the perfect sacrifice once and for all. that's why I love starting with the gospels. Once you see Jesus clearly, the whole Bible starts to make sense. All God asks of us now is that we give him our hearts and open his word every day. So if you're ready, let me explain why the Gospel of John is my absolute favorite book to start with. As I said, John is one of the four Gospels, the first four books you'll come to in the New Testament section. If you can get your hands on a red letter Bible, one that prints Jesus' actual words in red, I think you'll be amazed at how many chapters are entirely in red. What a mind blower. You are reading the quoted and recorded words from the hand of each of Jesus' disciples, And if that doesn't make you want to read it, I don't know what will. Another thing that excites me about the book of John is how many verses speak so powerfully into what it means to get to heaven, the assurance that heaven is a real place, and why it's so important to put your complete faith, trust, and belief in Jesus, not just in who he is, but in a real, abiding relationship with him. John opens with one of the most stunning statements in all of Scripture. It says, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He's talking about Jesus. Jesus is the living word of God, who existed before creation, who was present at creation, and who stepped out of eternity and into human flesh to be with us. I used to think Jesus came into the scene when he was born in Bethlehem, but no, God is all three persons, God the Father, and The Son and the Holy Spirit. And guess what? All three were present at creation in Genesis 1.1. Jesus was with God in the beginning. He didn't just appear in the New Testament. And it gets better. Let me walk you through some of my absolute favorite verses. John 3 3. Very truly I tell you, no one can even see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. In these verses, Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, who's a religious leader who came to Jesus at night, probably because he was afraid to be seen with Jesus. But Jesus doesn't scold him. He gives him the deepest truth that he could offer. And quite frankly, the deepest truth he can offer us to be born again. That means a completely fresh start, a brand new nature, not reformed, but reborn. I've also mentioned this verse on this podcast before, John 3.16, and you probably know it. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. That's the most quoted verse in the Bible. And yet, don't let its familiarity make it small. God so loved, not grudgingly, not minimally, so loved. Whoever believes, that's you and that's me. And then there's my life verse, the one that I come back to over and over again, honestly, daily. The one that keeps me grounded when I start to drift toward pride or performance. He must become greater, I must become less. These are The words of John the Baptist, but I have claimed them as my own. This is the posture I want to carry every single day. When I was exhausted trying to be everything successful, thin, popular, the perfect mom, a perfect wife, this verse set me free. Truly, God must become greater. I must become less. If you're wondering what a life verse is, it's a short Bible verse that God makes incredibly personal to you. One that makes you feel as if it was written for you specifically in your life. It's the verse you come back to again and again, and it encourages you when you're discouraged, corrects you when you need it, gives you hope, and reminds you who you are in Jesus Christ. Many people call it their anchor verse or the scripture that defines their testimony or calling. And John 330 is my life because it pierced my soul the day I read it. I knew God was telling me to get off the pedestal of my life and put him on it. All my priorities were messed up. To this very day that verse keeps me in check and reminds me that God is God and I am not. And another John verse I want to offer you and I love is John 15 5, where Jesus says, I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. I love the remain in me part because that's the daily study. That's all he's asking. Walk with me, talk with me, read about me. And honestly, the single greatest goal that you have for reading the Bible is to become like Jesus. But A vine and branches. What it's really saying also is we don't have to strive or manufacture fruit in our own strength. In other words, we can't be good enough. We simply get to stay connected with him because he is the vine, and the fruit will just naturally come because we abide in him. And there's John 14, too. Have you ever questioned whether or not there really is a heaven? John quotes Jesus and verifies this for us too. In my father's house, there are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you, and I'm going there to prepare a place for you. He is preparing a place for you personally, not a generic heaven. A prepared place with your name on it, and there's room for you in your father's house. next, some people believe that every religion and any beliefs and any God means that all paths lead to heaven. Jesus doesn't agree with that statement at all. He is very clear. He says in John 14:6, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. This is one of the great Seven I am statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. This is one of the most generous things Jesus ever said. Because he didn't say good luck figuring it out. He said, I am the way. And he's not pointing you in a direction and leaving you to figure it out either. He's walking you there himself. You want heaven? Jesus is confidently the only way you can get there. this may sound a little bit too exclusive. And it should because It is. it may not seem fair, but that's all the more reason to learn this book and why it is completely fair, right, just, and the most generous gift God could have ever given us. Then there's the assurance of when your life starts falling apart. I love this verse when my life feels like it's falling apart. John fourteen twenty seven says, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. This peace is not absent of hard things. It's a settled, anchored, deep in the bones peace that the world cannot manufacture. John sixteen thirty three says, I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world. Possibly the most honest and most comforting thing Jesus has ever said. He does not promise a trouble free life, but he does say take heart. Because he has already won. Next is an explanation about who Jesus is and why we should put our complete faith in him. And that's John 20, 31. These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. The stated purpose of the entire Gospel of John, So you would believe. The entire book is an invitation. I do have a simple formula to help guide you in where to start. It's a method called SOAP, S O A P. It's probably the most popular Bible study method for beginners and for good reason. It's simple, it's memorable, and it actually works. The S is for scripture. Read a passage. It can be one verse, one paragraph, or a chapter. Whatever feels manageable, whatever amount of time you can allow. Second is observation. That's the O. What does it actually say? don't try to interpret it yet. Just observe it. Look, think about who's speaking, who they might be talking to, and what is actually happening. then there's A, application. What does this mean for my life today? How does this connect to something that I'm going through right now? And last, prayer. Talk to God about what you just read and thank him. Ask him questions. Tell him what you're feeling. This is where it becomes a conversation and not just a reading assignment. You can do soap in 10 minutes. You can do it in an hour. It scales to whatever amount of time you have. This week's challenge is that you would open the Gospel of John. Just read one chapter, one. And when you're done, ask God one question. What do you want me to know today, Lord? And then wait and listen. He's going to answer. Friends, this isn't the end of your story. This is the beginning of your rescue. And I am truly honored to have you on this Addicted to God journey with me. Learning to trade every harmful addiction for the only one that truly satisfies Jesus Christ and his living word. if today's episode stirred something in you, would you please share it with someone who you think would benefit? Perhaps it's someone who feels stuck or hopeless. You never know how God might use it to spark freedom in their life. And I'm on numerous social media platforms, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Substack. at Sarah Annie Schneider. I'm also always looking for guests. And if you're genuinely transformed by Jesus and you've experienced what it means to transfer your addiction to him, I would love to hear your story. Email me at addictedtogodpod at gmail.com. And as we close, remember, you're not defined by your past or your struggles. When you transfer your addictions to God, he becomes your one and only healthy addiction. So God bless you. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. And we'll see you next week. Don't forget to choose the better addiction.