Is This Verse of the Day Enough? [29]

11/27/24 • 26 min

Host: TJ Freeman
Summary: In this episode of the podcast, TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, addresses the challenge many Christians face of not regularly engaging with the Bible. He shares personal stories of his own struggles and how finding a different translation helped him understand Scripture better. TJ emphasizes the importance of prioritizing time for Bible reading, offers practical tips for integrating it into a busy schedule, and explains the benefits of deep engagement with God's Word.

Key Points:

Reading the Bible as a Chore: Many Christians go through seasons where reading the Bible is easier and others where it feels like a while since we’ve spent time with the Lord. Even though it’s a hard truth to stomach, many times this is because we are not rightly prioritizing time in the Word. We need to remember that spending time in the Word is more important than lots of things we do in a day.
Why it’s Worth it: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that the Word is profitable for us. We can know that reading the Bible will only benefit us! It teaches reproofs, corrects, and trains us in righteousness. Since God created us, we can only be whole if we are spending time with Him in His Word. The more we read, the more we are equipped to live like Christ.
How to Read the Bible: Commit to more than just reading one verse or chapter a day and just being done with it. Read it, draw some observations from it, try to interpret it, find some applications to your own life, and then pray through that text. Start with a smaller portion of Scripture and spend some time really reflecting on it.

Listener Takeaways:

Pick up a translation of the Bible that you understand. If you can’t understand what you’re reading well, you will have a hard time meditating on it. Sometimes we need to read a different translation to help us get into the Word more. Study notes can also be an aid in our understanding of the Bible.
When you sit down to read God’s Word, take a second to pray and ask the Lord to help you understand it. Ask also that it would transform your heart and mind.
Go back to episode four of this podcast to hear more about how to read the Bible!

Connect with Us:

Website: backtorurality.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: [email protected]

Key Points:

Reading the Bible as a Chore: Many Christians go through seasons where reading the Bible is easier and others where it feels like a while since we’ve spent time with the Lord. Even though it’s a hard truth to stomach, many times this is because we are not rightly prioritizing time in the Word. We need to remember that spending time in the Word is more important than lots of things we do in a day.
Why it’s Worth it: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that the Word is profitable for us. We can know that reading the Bible will only benefit us! It teaches reproofs, corrects, and trains us in righteousness. Since God created us, we can only be whole if we are spending time with Him in His Word. The more we read, the more we are equipped to live like Christ.
How to Read the Bible: Commit to more than just reading one verse or chapter a day and just being done with it. Read it, draw some observations from it, try to interpret it, find some applications to your own life, and then pray through that text. Start with a smaller portion of Scripture and spend some time really reflecting on it.

Listener Takeaways:

Pick up a translation of the Bible that you understand. If you can’t understand what you’re reading well, you will have a hard time meditating on it. Sometimes we need to read a different translation to help us get into the Word more. Study notes can also be an aid in our understanding of the Bible.
When you sit down to read God’s Word, take a second to pray and ask the Lord to help you understand it. Ask also that it would transform your heart and mind.
Go back to episode four of this podcast to hear more about how to read the Bible!

Connect with Us:

Website: backtorurality.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: [email protected]

Previous Episode

Should You Listen to Christian Radio? [28]

Host: TJ Freeman
Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, delves into whether Christians should listen to Christian radio. He shares that we should listen to songs, radio hosts, and radio preaching with discernment. TJ also shares some helpful examples through his own experience with radio. If you feel like this might be a silly question to ask, this episode is for you!

Key Points:

Avoiding Emotionalism: When TJ started listening to Christian radio, he really enjoyed it and it became a source of encouragement to him. Things started to take a turn when TJ started to rely more on the radio than his time in God’s Word and prayer with the Lord.
The Purpose of Songs: We see in Colossians 3:16 that God means to use songs to form us and shape us to be more like his son. It is a good thing when the songs we’re hearing are helping us meditate on things that are true to the Word of God. It is bad when we are listening to songs that are singing untrue things about God.
Benefits of Christian Radio: Rural people who may not have access to a grand theological library or a counseling center, can have access to fantastic sermons and other resources from their cars or own living rooms! You can have these resources right when you may need them, especially when you’re having a tough day. Listening to Christian radio also helps us connect us to the broader church. It is good to hear from Christians outside of our little bubbles whether that be missionaries or pastors from different parts of the world.
Shallow Theology: Christians should be careful when they listen to Christian Radio because often times the songs or artists can have wrong or just shallow theology. We need to remember that the songs we listen to shape our thoughts and our worship, so be careful and use discernment.

Listener Takeaways:

When you are listening to the radio, ask yourself if this is helping you understand what the Bible says? Use discernment when listening to songs or sermons on the radio. Don’t just trust the artists because they’re on the radio!
Don’t let Christian radio be your only source of encouragement. It should not be a replacement for your relationship with the Lord. Prioritize time in the Word and time in prayer.
Consider listening to some older hymns every one and awhile for some deep and profound songs. These hymns are often also written by people who we can know were trustworthy Christians. Let some older saints come alongside you in worship!

Connect with Us:

Website: backtorurality.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: [email protected]

Next Episode

Can Christ Outshine the Christmas Glow? [30]

Host: TJ Freeman
Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, reflects on the holiday season's mixed feelings and emphasizes making the most of it to point people to Christ. He shares personal stories, traditions, and practical steps to help listeners glorify God during the holidays. Using the acronym 'GLOW,' Freeman encourages his audience to remember the true reason for Christmas and how to navigate difficult circumstances with faith.

Key Points:

Christmas as a Tradition: Oftentimes during the holidays we can lose ourselves in the traditions surrounding a holiday and forget what the holiday is actually about. We can get lost in what we’re doing or what we are feeling, with our pausing to think about Christ (Colossians 3:17).
Seeing Christ in the Holidays: We can start to focus our gaze back on Christ this Christmas by thinking of the acronym: GLOW. GLOW stands for Give generously (2 Corinthians 9:7), look for the lonely (Matthew 24:40), orient your activities around Christ, and witness in the wonder (John 1:14).

Listener Takeaways:

Remember to give cheerfully, especially to your local church. It can be really encouraging to give financially or to give your time to serve your church.
Invite people into your home this holiday season, especially if you know they might be alone this year. Have them over for Thanksgiving or for a holiday movie.
Be looking for opportunities for things that naturally point to Christ. It could be the star on the top of your tree, or another special holiday tradition. Look for Christ in them.
Take the opportunity to witness to others. Tell them about Jesus this holiday season.

Connect with Us:

Website: backtorurality.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: [email protected]

Back to Rurality - Is This Verse of the Day Enough? [29]

Transcript

Imagine skipping breakfast every day and then grabbing a single bite of dinner. And calling that enough. You'd never do that, at least not regularly. Our bodies have to have food to survive. But how often do we do that with God's word? Quick verse of the day here or there, a week without opening the Bible here or there.

Is it any wonder that we're struggling so much in our lives? Well, today we're going to talk about how to stop snacking on the Bible. And to start feasting instead, even