National “Carry a Bible Day”

By Dale V. Nobbman

It would be nice if in the United States there was a day designated each year officially proclaiming that particular day as: Carry a Bible Day. It would be better still to have the day observed on an international basis, even though in some countries the act of carrying a Bible around can get a person in serious trouble. 

However, here in America we are blessed with the freedom to carry a Bible around any day we wish, and therefore we do not actually need an “official” day to carry a Bible around in public. But it would still be a fitting annual observance to have a special day set aside for just such an activity—in order to openly express not only our faith in God as Christian citizens of America, but also to express our gratitude to God for blessing us as a nation founded on the principles of Christianity. 

However, as we proceed further down the road toward the end of the church age, with the accompanying biblical signs of trouble that go along with living in these end-times, Christians will need to lead by example in glorifying our God and His Son, Jesus Christ; for the grace and blessings bestowed on us and our country over the centuries leading up to the present age. It is no surprise that our current period of time in America is filled with increasing sinfulness—including apostasy—as we enter into the “latter days” as foretold in the Bible.

Let us review some specific biblical examples of societal problems that the Holy Scriptures say will come about in the days approaching the Rapture of Christians from the earth (before the great seven-year Tribulation period upon the earth).

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

“In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.  These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 1:18-19).

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desire; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1Timothy 4:1).

Does this all sound familiar today? Yes, it does! We have undoubtedly entered into the “last days” as accurately predicted in the Scripture verses above. So what is the Christian instructed to do when faced with the sinful conditions and difficult times we find ourselves surrounded by today?

“And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you” (Proverbs 25:21-22).

So, exactly how are Christians able to teach the gospel to those who are not yet believers in God, in Jesus Christ? The only way Christians can teach others what is right and true is to be in the Word of God, because the Bible is the recorded Word of God provided to us by Him for many purposes in life (including the use of it as a “sword” when presenting the gospel to others.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword”

(Hebrews 4:12).

“For you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

The apostle Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians that the Word of God is the “sword of the Spirit” which is one part of the “full armor” of God described in Ephesians 6, to strengthen and protect Christians against the schemes of the devil. In fact, the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) is the only “offensive” weapon Christians have at their disposal for defense against the devil.

Paul also warned us in the book of Ephesians that we would find ourselves in the midst of “spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness and the forces of wickedness” and that Christians can only resist and repel those demonic forces with the “sword of the Spirit” (the Word of God.)

Christians need to study the Bible and keep it (the sword of the Spirit) available at all times to stand firm and deflect, as Paul graphically puts it, “The flaming missiles of the evil one in the evil day.” As Christians, we must always anticipate some adverse reactions and persecution from unbelievers who do not appreciate the various demonstrations of our beliefs and faith in God.

By all measures, we are living in those “evil days” mentioned by Paul, and that is why it is important for us to blow the dust off our Bibles, strap on the “sword of the Spirit” and share the “Word of God” with as many people as possible—before it is too late for the “lost” to be saved.

That is exactly why it would be great to have the “Carry a Bible Day” on our national calendar.  Because if we would carry a Bible with us, for example, on various types of mass transit or to the coffee shop or to the local park or into churches, our workplace, schools, public meetings, and even into the chambers of the U.S. Congress, etc, we would then be armed with the “sword of the Spirit” everywhere we go.  Just imagine the potential positive impact of all those “swords of the Spirit” being flashed about by Christians around our nation on the very same day of the year!  

The “sword of the Spirit” is an effective witness for God, and Jesus Christ, and Christianity, even by means of simple acts, such as placing a Bible on a subway seat, or on a park bench, on a table or desk, etc. You never know when a Bible you place in front of you or next to you may actually promote important and serious conversations with other people about what the book has to say inside the cover.

And if, at the end of the day, you decide to give the Bible away to someone who expresses interest in its content, or if you simply leave the Bible somewhere for someone to pick up, you can be assured that the Word of God will not return void. 

“So My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do” (Isaiah 55:11). 

The Bible you would possibly give away or leave somewhere on Carry a Bible Day, wouldn’t need to be a big or expensive Bible, but it could be for example, just a small pocket size copy of the New Testament, or any small Bible easily carried in your hand, a pocket, a jacket, a purse or a backpack. 

Just think of the possibilities for potentially getting the Word of God into the hands of people who need it, by simply leaving, for example, a Bible in the seat of a cab, because then the cabby or the next cab passenger may decide to take a peek inside and read a few verses or pages, or for example, if you left a Bible on a park bench, because the next person to sit on the bench might pick it up, take a look inside, and decide to read a few pages or a few chapters. 

And even if you left a Bible some place where it was not appreciated and someone threw it into a trash dumpster, perhaps a homeless person looking for their next meal would find the Bible and decide to put it in their pocket and read it later. That person may inadvertently find the “bread of life” they need for finding hope, guidance, inspiration, strength, and the love God provides us; but especially the way to salvation that they need through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

“And the Word became flesh…the only begotten from the Father…full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Every year we celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas, and rightly so, because it was at that time the Word (Jesus Christ) became flesh, on our behalf, in order to redeem us (all believers in Him) from all of our sins (past, present and future sins) through His death on a cross, and Resurrection! 

Regardless if there is ever a national or international Carry a Bible Day, or not, we should always be prepared as individual Christians to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with unbelievers everywhere, on any day of the year.