Writers in the service of King Jesus will, of course, often refer to the Bible—in our lives and in our writings. The words God inspired should inspire us, and no less so the words that pertain directly to our calling and task as writers. With that in mind, I’d like to offer ten Bible passages that I hope will be helpful, insightful, and inspiring for Christian writers:
Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples (1 Chronicles 16:23-24 NASB).
Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book! (Job 19:23 NKJV).
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart (Proverbs 3:3 NLT).
You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you (Isaiah 26:3 CSB).
Then the LORD told me: “I will give you my message in the form of a vision. Write it clearly enough to be read at a glance” (Habakkuk 2:2 CEV).
It seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in an orderly sequence (Luke 1:3 NASB).
These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31 NIV).
The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing [a] massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity (2 Corinthians 10:4-6 The Message).
Put on God’s armor now! …. So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist (Ephesians 6:13, 14 GNT).
Write in a book what you see, and send it (Revelation 1:11 NASB 1995).
These passages aren’t only for writers, of course…but they do seem to hit the mark for those of us who feel called to “Tell everyone about the amazing things [God] does” (1 Chronicles 16:24 NLT).
What about you? Is there a specific passage from the Bible that informs and ignites your writing?
Losing with AI
I may write with clarity
in words imbued with class,
but if I don’t have charity,
I’m just a gong of brass.
If I have the that bold prophetic gift,
and my faith can move a mountain,
but there’s no sustenance I lift,
I’m just a bone-dry fountain.
If I give everything away
to the poor and the oppressed,
but love them not in Jesus’ way,
I’m a prince who thinks he’s dressed
so well (O, mirror on the wall!)
when I really wear nothing at all.
One of your most profound Andrew. This poem is a keeper. One to read again and again.
Susan, I am so honoured!
Thank you very much, Mr. Laube, for this inspiring compilation.
Many blessings to you!
MaryAnn
Thank you for these Bible verses! I am encouraged to continue writing about the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
A common question for writers is “why do you write?” I give the following answering:
The disciples came up to Jesus and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”
Jesus replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward a welcome awakening.”
Matthew 13:10-13 MSG
I sign every book with my name and Matthew 13:10-13 MSG under it.
Love it, Ted!
1 Corinthians 10:31
[31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
I love that verse! I like to use the end of it as a salutation in emails.
“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.” ~ Matt. 10:27
Or, in our case, write and send it!
Thanks for the encouraging verses, Bob!
I write missionary stories for children and always add this verse at the end. Psalm 34:11.”Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”
Also, I like Psalm 68:11. “The Lord gives the word; the women who announce (publish) the news are a great host.”
Isaiah 52:7 goes along with that. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation.”
2Co 4:6 – For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Because Light always shines in the darkness.
One of my favourite scriptures about writing is from Ecclesiastes 12:10
“The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.”
Thank you for that list, Bob. I’m putting it in my Encouragement file.
When I feel like maybe I just don’t have it in me to do this whole writing thing (including platform building and marketing and all the rest), these are two I turn to:
“For (I ) am God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works which God prepared in advance for (me) to do.” Eph. 2:10
“And God is able to make all grace abound to (me), so that at all times, in all things, having all that (I ) need, (I) may abound in every good work.” 2 Cor. 9:8
Thanks, Bob, for the verses. My own favorite, especially when writer’s block or doubts occur, is Jeremiah 29:11:
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD. ‘Plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (NIV)
Colossians 4:3-4: “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
I like Psalm 45:1, which my aunt has placed in her poetry book before she died, and Jeremiah 30:2.
How about Jeremiah 15:19: “If you utter worthy, not worthless words, you will be my spokesman.”
We might borrow one of these for the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference next year.
When I sign my books, I always add Proverbs 25:11 and Psalm 45:1.