Message #31503

[Psalm 51:17]

Start by reading any of the 4 gospels FIRST in the New Testament, and Genesis in the Old Testament(b/c that's when God's creation starts). One chapter each of Psalms and Proverbs(2 of the big wisdom books in the entire bible).

For a new believer, I wouldn't YET start with one of the smaller epistles in particular like Peter, I/II/III John, and James, as well as one of the bigger ones like Hebrews b/c it's more on the spiritual meat side, and new believers need to be filled with spiritual milk first.

For example, take this passage in I John...

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Does this passage mean if, let's say, a born again believer watches football, basketball, or race car games(I'm a fan of the first 2 myself) regularly, he or she wasn't somehow saved to begin with? Of course not! Won't go into further study on this, but for anyone that READS AROUND this passage in I John 2, you will see the CONTEXT of what this passage is trying to tell you. But nonetheless a new believer may read this and automatically think something like, "Oh no! I get lustful thoughts seeing such and such movie star, or am too big of a fan of baseball, or I somehow happened to fell in love with xmas displays at Wal-Mart, that I may not be a lover of God!". See the point here?

Also, when they get to Acts, it has to be read VERY carefully b/c this leans more on the HISTORICAL side(as it's more of a transition book when the gospel is first given to the Apostles to preach in Israel) - so it may not be a bad idea for a new believer not to dive into it too soon.

But yeah...my personal tips is each day for a new believer, start with a chapter of the 1st 4 gospels, a chapter of Genesis(the book that started it all), and a chapter in Psalms and Proverbs. And maybe after a couple of weeks or so, they can go into one of the major epistles like Romans.