Seven days without the Bible makes one week (weak).

The Bible is the all-time, heavyweight best seller of all books. Yet sadly, it may also be the least read. We like having one on the coffee table or nightstand, not to read, but to show.

A Barna survey found that 88 percent of Americans have a Bible in their home, but only about 37 percent of them read it on a regular basis. Forty percent of respondents said the main reason they were not reading the Bible was that they were too busy.

No wonder, then, that so many Christians are spiritually anemic, clueless as to God's will, and easily swayed by cultural goobledygook.

Faith is strengthened and set on fire by hearing the Word. Conversely, faith withers and wilts when we don't hear it.

As the Israelites were commanded to DAILY gather the God sent manna, so should we the manna of God's word. "Give us THIS DAY our daily bread," Jesus taught us to pray. Along with physical food, that includes food for the soul.

I have what is called a "Light Bible." When you open it, it triggers a light that shines out onto your face. I use it for illustration purposes.

But honestly, that's exactly the way I feel when I open God's Word. Spiritual light pours out and shines on my soul. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Ps.119:105).

Here's the deal. When the Word of God is neglected, both individually and nationally, a slow drift away from God is set in motion.

It is much like when a person lies down in a float in the ocean to relax and catch some sun. When they lift their head up fifteen minutes later, they are stunned at how far out the tide has taken them.

Thus it is when we lie down in our complacency and forget God's Word. We wake up one day shocked at how far we've drifted!

These are dark and dire days. Our only hope is a move of God, which I believe can happen! But awakening has always fallen exclusively on those whose prayers shook heaven, and whose souls burned with the fire of God's Word!