The Bible Is God’s Voice of Encouragement to You!

Day 2 of the 7-Day “Pick Up the Bible and Let the Bible Pick You Up” Reading Challenge

Welcome back to Day 2! Yesterday we uncovered Bible Reading Secret #1 — every Scripture is written for you, but not every Scripture is written to you. Today we build on that foundation with something just as life-changing, straight from Chapter Three of my book.

Here’s an excerpt:

For Over Eight Years, God Has Met Me in the Word

For over eight years now, I have begun every single morning in the Word of God, including this morning. And in all that time, there has not been a single day — not one — when I have opened my Bible and not walked away strengthened and encouraged. What started as a simple response to a defining question the Lord asked me on Sunday morning, July 16th, 2018 — “Greg, what would you think about not starting another day without first spending time in My Word?” — has become the most life-changing decision I have ever made, second only to receiving Christ.

And in these daily encounters, I have discovered something empowering and life changing: when you pick up the Bible, the Bible will pick you up! For the believer, God’s Word is His voice speaking an adrenaline shot of encouragement straight into your life. You should expect to be encouraged every single time you open the Word of God!

Romans 15:4 (NLT) says it this way:

“The Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

That single verse doesn’t just inspire — it reframes the entire purpose of the Bible. Scripture was never given to weigh you down, expose what you lack, or keep you living under a sense of spiritual deficiency. It was given to build you up, to steady your heart, and to anchor your identity in who God says He is — and who He says you are.

When you truly see that the Word of God was written for your encouragement, it changes the lens through which you read everything. You stop approaching Scripture as an obligation — and begin to engage with God’s Word as an opportunity. You’re no longer reading to “measure up,” but to be lifted up. And in that shift, something powerful happens: what once felt like discipline begins to awaken desire.

The Nourishing Power of God’s Word

The Bible often compares itself to food because it truly is food for the soul — essential, life-giving, strengthening. You can’t go a day without it!

• It is bread that sustains us in every season. “People do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3, NLT).
• It is honey — sweeter than anything the world can offer. David had a love affair with the Word of God: “They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb” (Psalm 19:10, NLT).
• It is milk that causes spiritual growth. “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk” (1 Peter 2:2, NLT).
• It is meat that produces maturity (Hebrews 5:14, NLT).
• It is something to be devoured and delighted in: “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16, NLT).

Every morning when I open the Word, I am reminded of Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” And every morning I walk away fed, strengthened, and encouraged… and so should you!

The Greatest Battle Over Your Life

Here’s a truth I want you to sit with today:

The greatest battle over your life is what you believe about God — and what you believe God believes about you. Because what you believe about God will either attract you to Him or repel you from Him.

Life, circumstances, disappointments, and the enemy can all distort what we believe about God—making Him seem distant, critical, or ready to punish. But the Bible confronts those lies with truth. It reveals a God who is kinder, more loving, and more for us than we could ever imagine.

The Word does correct us — absolutely. But its deepest correction is not about behavior modification. It is about belief transformation. It reshapes what we believe about God and what we believe He believes about us.

And here’s a promise I want you to carry with you:

The Bible is the only book in the world that gives you the power to become what it says you can become — and do what it says you can do simply by reading it!

Why? Because God’s Word is not merely information—it is living, active, and at work within us.

“The word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:13, NKJV

And James tells us to:

“Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” — James 1:21, NKJV

The Word doesn’t just tell you what God wants you to become. The Word itself works in you to produce it.

David’s Love Affair with God’s Word

No one in Scripture loved God’s Word more than David. Psalm 119 — the longest chapter in the Bible — is his passionate declaration of that love. It shows us how the Scriptures encouraged him, revived him, and carried him through every season. David didn’t see the Word as a rulebook to dread. He saw it as God’s encouraging voice — sweet, reviving, guiding, and joyful.

“I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.” — Psalm 119:162 (NLT)

Here are just a few of the ways David experienced it:

• Revival when he was at his lowest: “I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word” (Psalm 119:25).
• Strength in sorrow: “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word” (Psalm 119:28).
• Comfort in suffering: “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life” (Psalm 119:50).
• Guidance in uncertainty: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).
• Joy in the midst of distress: “Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight” (Psalm 119:143).

God: The Great Encourager

The Bible is first and foremost a revelation of who God is. God and His Word are one. At His heart, God is an encouraging Father. He does not break the bruised reed or snuff out the smoldering wick (Isaiah 42:3). He draws near to the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Time and again, His voice breaks through with the same message: “Fear not… I am with you!”

• “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” — Genesis 15:1
• “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you.” — Isaiah 41:10
• “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” — Isaiah 43:1

These are not harsh commands. They are the tender words of a Father who wants His children to live free from fear, secure in His love. God’s perfect love — revealed in His Word — drives out fear and fills us with encouragement. God and His Word are one!

Paul: The Apostle of Encouragement in a Culture of Criticism

As we study the Scriptures and look at the Apostle Paul — arguably the greatest man in the New Testament outside of Jesus — we don’t find a man obsessed with correcting sincere believers. We find a servant of God committed to encouraging them. I call him the Apostle of Encouragement.

Yes, Paul corrected. Yes, Paul confronted. But his dominant ministry was not tearing down — it was building up. Paul’s go-to word is the Greek parakaleō — a rich verb that blends comfort, exhortation, urgency, and coming alongside. This verb shares its root with one of the Holy Spirit’s titles in John’s Gospel: Paraklētos — “Helper,” “Comforter,” “Advocate.” When Paul encourages, he mirrors the Spirit’s own ministry.

His letters overflow with it:

• “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)
• “Preach the word of God… patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.” — 2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT)
• “He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.” — Matthew 12:20 (NLT)

Correction was never meant to stand alone — it was always meant to be wrapped in encouragement. Paul didn’t create critics — he created encouragers. In a world full of critics, we don’t need more voices tearing people down — we need voices that build people up. We need more voices like Paul. Voices that remind people who God is. Voices that remind people who they are. Voices, like God’s — that encourage.

God is not looking for ways to short circuit your destiny. He is looking for ways to empower you to fulfill your destiny!

God’s Unstoppable Promises: Encouragement That Endures

The Bible’s encouragement is anchored in God’s promises — promises that cannot fail.

• “Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” — Isaiah 46:10 (NLT)
• “For I know the plans I have for you… plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
• “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” — Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

You can’t feed your fears and your future at the same time, and you’re feeding one or the other. The truths of God’s Word will always feed your future and starve your fears. They remind us that God’s plans are good, unwavering, and unstoppable.

Receive — and Then Give

The Bible is God’s voice of encouragement to you. Make it your daily bread. Let it nourish you, correct your beliefs, revive your soul, and fill you with hope.

Receive His encouragement deeply — so you can give it freely.

Pick up the Bible today. Let the Bible pick you up. And watch how His encouraging voice changes everything.

Your Bible Reading Secret #2 Takeaway

Before you open your Bible today, carry this with you:

• You should expect to be encouraged every single time you open the Word of God.
• The greatest battle over your life is what you believe about God — and what you believe God believes about you.
• The Bible is the only book in the world that gives you the power to become what it says you can become simply by reading it.
• Correction was never meant to stand alone — it was always meant to be wrapped in encouragement.

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Join the 7-Day Challenge

This is Day 2 of 7. Tomorrow we pick up Bible Reading Secret #3, straight from Chapter Four: “The Self-Care Secret Hidden in Plain Sight.” Pick up the Bible… and let the Bible pick you up.

If this excerpt was a blessing to you, get your copy of Pick Up the Bible and Let the Bible Pick You Up on Amazon and read the full chapter — plus everything else God has for you in the pages ahead.

And if you know someone who needs to hear God’s voice of encouragement today, share this post with them. It might be exactly what they need.

Pick up the Bible… and let the Bible pick you up!