You don';t have to attend church or take part in Christian fellowship for long before you hear at least a little something about the importance of reading and studying the Bible for yourself, and doing it daily. If you';re in a group study or an accountability group, you may hear questions such as, “What is God showing you through His Word lately?” or “How has God blessed you through your Bible study?”

This is part of the Biblical encouragement for believers to encourage one another in their faith, and it brings up a practical question for the average Bible reader: What good does it really do us to read the Bible daily? Or to put it more personally, “What';s in it for me?”

You won';t have to read and study the Bible for long before you find out that the answer to that question is this: plenty! If you';re trying to decide what kind of computer to buy or what to wear to tomorrow';s big job interview, you probably won';t find anything in the Bible concerning those kinds of decisions. But if you';re looking for solid wisdom when it comes to fixing what is wrong in your life or just making your life better, or when you';re trying to find out how to be a better person, parent, spouse, friend, or spiritual leader, then you';ll find it in the pages of the Bible — if you take the time to look for it.

The rest of this chapter details some of the benefits you will most certainly receive if you make daily Bible reading and study a priority in your life. The following sections won';t give you all the benefits of reading and studying the Bible — you may find that you come up with a few of those on your own — but they will give you an idea of how God wants to bless you as you place the study of His written Word at the top of your personal daily list of things to do.