We’re asking God to do more. We believe that God is able and willing to do “far more abundantly than we can ask or think according to his power that is at work in us.” (Ephesians 3:20) But here is the thing; you will never get More of God until you learn to seek him in his word. Sunday morning we gave you 10 reasons to spend more time in God’s word in 2016. Today I want to give you 4 reasons why we fail to spend time in God’s word like we should.

1. We’re lazy. The politically correct way to say this would be that we are “undisciplined”, but the reality is we are lazy when it comes to spending time with God. It takes time and effort that we don’t want to spend. It is easier to stay in bed, watch another episode on Netflix, or get in one more round of Candy Crush than it is to open up our Bibles and engage our heart and mind with God’s word.
2. We’re too busy. How many times have we made this excuse? Yet we always find time to do what is important to us. We can make it to the gym, make another trip to the coffee shop, or read one more post on social media. Our cell phones may very well be witness in heaven that our neglect of God’s word was not due to a lack of time.
3. We don’t like what it says. We would never admit this one openly, but let’s be honest; there are parts of God’s word that we don’t like. There are things that God says that don’t set well with us. When our will contradicts God’s will, it is easy for us to want to back away from what it says. When God’s word doesn’t set well with you, know this, it is you that are wrong, not God.
4. It hurts. God’s word exposes things in me that I don’t want to admit exist. God’s word reveals things about me that I wish weren’t true and when I see these things, they sting. I don’t want to be told I’m selfish. I don’t want to be shown that I am idolatrous. Yet God’s word forces me to see myself clearly. This is grace. It is in grace that God uses his word to break you, but rest assured that he never breaks you to leave you broken. The same word that breaks, also heals and restores as it points us to Jesus, our Redeemer.

I pray that God would make us a people of the word. A people who study, memorize and meditate on the life-giving truth of God’s perfect word. I pray that we would crave and desire and understand the necessity of it in growing in Christ. I pray that God would help us to eliminate the excuses that we use when we neglect his word.
I want to challenge you to spend more time in God’s word this year than ever before. I want to challenge you to do away with your excuses, and ask God for the discipline to make time in his word an everyday part of your life.
For His glory and your joy,
Pastor Charlie