Scripture Master Tip #11: Read More Than One Verse a Day

 
11. Read more than one verse a day or per study session. 

The Book of Mormon is organized in such a way that you can often read a single chapter and it serves as a stand-alone meditation on a certain topic. This is true to a slightly lesser degree of the New Testament as well. However if you merely read a single verse at a time, you likely won’t gain the full meaning, or comprehend the intent of the subject of which you are reading. This is because you are reading a few words here and there out of context, and it will seem to you like nothing more than a nice saying. For that, you might as well have a desk calendar as a set of scriptures.  While reading one or two verses a day is better than not reading your scriptures at all, it hardly qualifies as study, therefore it isn't very much better than not reading at all.

“I have heard many well-intentioned Church leaders and teachers instruct congregations to find time for daily scripture study, ‘even if it’s only one or two verses per day.’ Though I understand the point they are trying to teach and applaud the sincerity of that conviction, may I gently suggest that if we are too busy to spend at least a few minutes every day in the scriptures, then we are probably too busy and should find a way to eliminate or modify whatever activities are making that simple task impossible (Elder M. Russell Ballard, When Thou Art Converted, 68).

 For more about feasting on the word of God, please refer back to Scripture Master Tip #10:  Immerse Yourself In the Scriptures.  To find out why reading one verse out of context is a problem see Scripture Master Tip #22: Context is Everything. To go on to the next tip in the series click here:  Scripture Master Tip #12:  Rid Yourself of All Distractions

**There are 22 Scripture Master Tips in total!  You can find them all HERE.