Nothing and no book is as rich as the word of God, no wonder the devil keeps people away from it. The Bible is the richest, most inspiring, most motivating, most enlightening, most powerful, most reliable and most comforting word that you can ever see or lay hold on in this world.

I have heard many people complain that they sleep anytime they carry the Bible to read. In fact, some see it as being boring and interesting. Little wonder people are destroyed, killed or are messed up by the devil because many children of God are ignorant of the power, defense, shield, instruction in the Bible.

Vow not to be destroyed by the devil or any force of darkness by being curious to know God’s word, God’s power, God’s Love and instructions in the Bible. Remember every man is a product of what he knows or does not know. For instance, a mother that only feeds her baby with carbohydrate will have Kwashiorkor baby at the end of the day. It does not matter if she did it out of ignorance or not.

The same thing happen to us when we don’t apply the instructions in the word of God. It does not matter if it was out of ignorance of the Word of God or out of disobedience. So far as you act contrary to the instructions in God’s word, you may have to pay dearly with your life except by God’s divine intervention.

Let’s examine the Bible according to Proverbs 22:5

“Thorns and traps are in the way of the sinful. He who watches himself will stay far from them.”

Now let us examine this scripture with practical life example.

Those who live a sinful life make themselves prey/victim in the hands of devil. Sin itself is a trap, so even if the devil decides to ignore a sinner, the act of sin in itself brings pains and traps people’s destiny. Bible says “thorns and traps” are in the way of the sinful. Have you mistakenly carried a plant with thorn before? If yes, I  know the only feeling you experienced was “pain”. What about a trap; have you seen a trapped rat before? The rat is completely helpless in pain and cannot move forward or backward.

That is the clear picture of what sin does to people’s destiny. It brings pains, guilt, regret, helplessness, stagnation and shame. In addition, if the sinner refuses to repent, it will lead to death. Don’t you think that a trapped rat can die if nobody rescues it on time? It is the same thing with the thorns. Imagine someone falls on plants with thorns, for hours could not stand up due to the pain and nobody comes to rescues him. What do you think could happen to such a person?

That is what exactly happens to those who sin and refuse to repent, they are suddenly cut short and destroyed by their sin.

I knew a lady who came to school just like every other student but began to mingle with the wrong/bad set of friends. She refused to listen to counsel to stay away from such friends. Unfortunately, one Saturday morning, we got the news that she was involved in an accident with some soldier friends on their way to another city for a friend’s party. All of them died. It was heart breaking news. First, she had finished her exams but refused to go home, hanging around with friends (bad one). Probably the person that drove them was drunk to have hit a stationary truck. Moreover, as a student, what was she doing in the midst of soldiers at night going out of the town?

My beloved, sin is indeed a trap and a thorn. Do not fall victim. Some people do not live to tell the story. Devil is most powerful over a soul that sins. He can waste them anyhow as far as the soul is in sin. However, as many that confess their sins and believe in Christ Jesus, the devil no longer has a say over such life.

This is where I am driving at; this particular warning against sin is in the Bible. However, when we do not carry the Bible, open nor read the Bible, how do we see these warnings and heed to them. Do not be deceived, the richest book on earth is the Bible. It is a preserver of life and destiny both here on earth and in eternity. Therefore, decide today not to be far from the Bible henceforth.

Sometimes some people want to read the Bible but do not know where to read. There are many approaches to reading the Bible. I will just give you few approaches.

Approach 1: Chronologically

You can decide to start reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation serially. That is if you read Genesis Chapter 1 today, tomorrow you will read Chapter 2 of the same Genesis until you get to the last Chapter and move to the next book, which is Exodus. Thus, you are able to comprehend how humankind came to existence. It helps you to follow several events that happened serially up to the time of Christ.

Approach 2: Topically

If your Bible has concordance, you can go to the back pages and look for a topic that will interest you. Under such topic, they will write several scriptures that are related to that topic and you begin to feed on those scriptures.

For instance, you may decide to study on ‘love’. If your Bible has concordance, check the topic and it will show you scriptures that talk about love. Thus, you are able to know and understand such topic very well.

I pray for you that God will give you understanding of the word every time you open it in Jesus Name. Love the Bible and your life and destiny is preserved!