I have heard a few people say they did not need to own a regular Bible. They felt that having a cell phone or tablet gave them all the study tools they needed. They saw no use in keeping books around to collect dust. Technology is a wonderful and very useful tool, but is it all we need?

Make sure you are never without the Word of God to study, comfort and guide you.

On Feb. 21, 2008, the United States shot down a malfunctioning satellite using a modified SM-3 missile. The previous year China also shot down a failing satellite. According to Richard Hollingham, in an article for the BBC, “. . . a massive solar storm, a cyber-attack, and space debris can all do damage to our satellites" ("What Would Happen if All Satellites Stopped Working?" June 10, 2013). If this happened, the entire worldwide Web could eventually fail. We have become very dependent on using satellite technology, and unless changes are made, the world is going to be in sad shape if something happens to them.

Many government officials are also talking about what to do if hit by an EMP. An EMP, or electromagnetic pulse, could wipe out the electricity grid. If an enemy were to explode an atomic bomb above a country, it could cause long-term national power outages, and it wouldn’t take long for us to descend into complete chaos.

Life can and surely will get crazy at some point. Maybe not by one of these scenarios, but who knows? There could even come a time when religious teaching is declared unlawful. We cannot see into the future, of course, so we need to be prepared for any situation.

We are told God’s Word will never pass away, but we should make sure we are able to access it. We must be ready, watching and prepared (Mark 13:31-36). Part of that preparation is to keep ourselves well-trained in the Word of God. What would happen if we could not use our phones or any other Internet-based gadgets?

God has given us a wonderful hope in His plan. We are not only told to put on the armor of God, but to “take the shield of faith” and “the helmet of salvation and sword of the spirit which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16-18). The key word here is “take.” We receive that protection with the help of the Holy Spirit and by using the word of God, the Bible. We “take” it with us. While the law is written on our hearts, (Romans 2:15) the Word of God helps us to always be ready with an answer (1 Peter 3:15).

It is important to be able to reach for God’s Word at any time anywhere. We should be able to find comfort in God’s Word and then share that hope with others (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). We are told many times to be there for each other (John 13:34-35; Galatians 5:13, Galatians 6:2). We need to encourage each other! If we become completely reliant on technology to give us God’s Word, we may be left without it at some point.

We need to make sure we at least have a physical Bible. It would not hurt to have other study guides on hand as well. Paul tells us, “I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren” (1 Thessalonians 5:27). We cannot read what we do not have. Make sure you are never without the Word of God to study, comfort and guide you.