An Intentional Faith by Allen JacksonSample

The Bible says that God loves us, and he wants to bless us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). It’s a line so many of us have heard before, but ask yourself: Would you know this truth without reading the Bible? How would you discover the spiritual blessings in Christ without reading the Bible, God’s book of promised blessings? . . .

Let’s be candid, though. The Bible—God’s Word—can be a daunting book, right? It’s composed of sixty-six separate books and spans hundreds of pages. It contains historical narratives, poetry, prophetic warnings, personal letters, and apocalyptic literature. . . . The Bible can be a difficult read. But that difficulty can be navigated if you have a plan. . . .

Starting with the Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—can be a great on-ramp. Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The Gospels present a narrative of Jesus’ entry into human time and space. They show how God’s son took on an “earth suit” of human skin and walked among us, how he became a revelation of God’s heart for us.

Through the words of the gospel writers, you’ll be transported into the story. You’ll fish on the lake of Galilee or stand in the cemetery with the awestruck group who witnessed Lazarus emerge from the tomb. I suspect you’ll begin to empathize with the disciples as they struggle to understand Jesus’ parables, make sense of his healing power, and keep up with his ideas and invitations. You’ll feel the crush of the crucifixion, the joy of his resurrection, and the wonder of his ascension. You’ll see how God loved us enough to come down from Heaven, to be with us. You’ll see how willing he was to give everything for us. And as you begin to see the truth of God’s love as told through his story, you’ll find that reading the Bible is not a burdensome intrusion that must be tolerated because of a misplaced sense of religious obligation. Instead, you’ll find that opening your mind to God’s thoughts and perspectives prepares you for a new way of living, of being. It prepares you for a new sort of existence.