I remember being newly saved and hearing this quirky phrase come out of Pastor Jaron’s mouth: “Readers are Leaders and Leaders are Readers!” As silly as it first sounded, this phrase is not only entirely true, but also entirely biblical. In 1 Timothy 4:12-13, Paul commands Timothy to be an example to his church and what is often forgotten is that part of that example is found in “giving attention to reading.” What Paul was essentially saying to young Timothy was, “if you want to lead, you MUST read!” I know that for many of you, being told that you have to read is absolute drudgery. You and I live in a culture that is so technologically advanced that reading seems as archaic as cassette tapes and typewriters. A common cry is “Why read when you can listen to the book on CD?” Or “Why read the book when you can go and rent the movie?” While technology has certainly provided our world with incredible benefits (I personally like the fact that I can access the Scriptures in any translation in mere seconds with just a tap of the keys on my computer) it has also cheapened our society out of the amazing rewards of reading. It is a proven fact that people who are readers are wealthier, more successful in their jobs and in all of life, have more variety of interests, have a greater ability to understand how other people think and feel, are better writers, can concentrate better, and have much more influence in their world than non-readers. (information taken from Focus on the Family website, family.org) And this is concerning just reading in general, but how about the importance of reading the Bible! Mark Twain once said, “People say when they get to heaven, they’ll fly around from cloud to cloud playing a harp; but I don’t see too many people trying to learn how to fly or too many taking harp lessons to get ready for the event.” Many believers say they want to serve God and obey his word, but how many are reading the Bible in order to learn how? The Bible is not just one big book, but actually a collection of 66 smaller books written over a period of at least 1600 years by about 40 different authors. Everything they wrote was inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). Our Bible is NOT just a book! The great Abraham Lincoln understood this when he wrote, “I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Saviour of the world is communicated to us through this book.” George Washington said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” Here’s what the philosopher Immanuel Kant had to say, which you will probably never hear quoted in any philosophy class, “The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.” You know one way that we “belittle” the Bible? YOU DON’T READ IT! In 1839 Alexander Campbell wrote, “The Bible is to the intellectual and moral world of man what the sun is to the planets in our system,--the fountain and source of light and life, spiritual and eternal....” Patrick Henry the fierce patriot who fueled the start of the American Revolution once said, “The Bible is worth more than all other books which have ever been printed.” And finally, Charles Dickens one of the greatest literary minds the world has ever known proclaimed, “The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or will be known in the world!” And yet so many Christians simply miss out on the treasures of reading the Scriptures! Don't let that be YOU! GET READING TODAY!