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“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:32 (KJV)
Bible Study Anyone? So often in life, there is a greater focus on your physical appearance than your inward man. Hours upon hours you spend focusing your attention and efforts on your flesh. Yes, looking good on the outside is important, but should you allow your inner man to perish from starvation and hunger from the food that it also needs? Here’s something I believe will help you to take better care of your inner man this year in the form of bible study :
Study – To read with the intent of obtaining knowledge
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” – Revelation 1:3 (KJV). You would see here that there is blessing in reading. As you are reading this, you must thank God just for the mere fact that you can read. Imagine the many around the world and even ones that you know that cannot read too well or at all.
Reading gives information or knowledge (newspapers, magazines, novels, advertisement), but the information that is being read is not always true. Sometimes it is filled with lies, rumors, or make believe. So, it doesn’t matter if you don’t read some of them because their aim is to detour you from what God wants you to know and believe.
But it does matter if you don’t read God’s word (The Bible, Holy Scriptures). This is because God’s word is truth. What is truth? (God, you, devil, eternity). Look at the difference when you pick up the Bible to read verses something else, you feel tired, sleepy, lazy, just don’t feel like reading it or as you read you feel that you are not understanding anything and you give up.
That is when you discover it is a spiritual fight. The enemy is trying to keep you away from the truth to keep you ignorant. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hoseas 4: 6 (KJV). The bible is filled with knowledge to help you in your personal life, family, business, ministry and so on.
So the devil tries to work with your mind and your flesh. “…the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”– Matthew 26: 41 (KJV). You decide who you are going to side with. The bible is your spiritual food. “…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” – Matthew 4:4 (KJV). It is your source of strength, energy, vitamin, peace, hope. How can we come across all these blessings if we fail to read and study for ourselves?
Who is expected to study?
Is it only for pastors, teachers and leaders in the church? 2 Tim. 2: 15 (KJV) – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” All of us are expected to study; each one of us has our own purpose to fulfill whether it be in full time ministry or something else like business. God has sent His word to us all. It is the key to your success in life, so you can’t depend on anybody to study for you. You will take your own test STUDY FOR YOURSELF.
People devote their time to study medicine, science, technology so why can’t you devote yourself to study and know God’s word? How will you know if someone is talking sense or foolishness, lying or telling the truth about God and his word? You must study for yourself,
“ These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” – Acts 17:11(KJV). They searched the scripture for themselves, so it is important so that you protect yourself from deception.
Types of study
1. For memorization – Learning scripture verses.
2. Information and research – To gain knowledge about a person, place, topic, etc.
3. Revelation – The understanding or interpretation of the scriptures, discovering the hidden messages or truth behind the word.
Getting Into Study – How to Start?
1. Time – Whether morning, day or night, this varies due to individuals. You must just avoid excuses like “I don’t have the time”. Well hold on; let me find some for you. Subtract your phone time, television time, internet and social media time and add any of them together. Time is there you just have to be willing to use it to spend time in study. Avoid the 5 minutes before bedtime and after you have worn yourself out from the day. Chose a time when you have more energy and invest it in God’s word. If you put in the time and are willing to sacrifice you will get the reward.
2. Place – Find a private spot with the least noise and distraction as possible, especially what you have control of (TV. off, radio etc. off). This helps to make sure you are focused and tuned in to studying God’s word. Group study or bible study fellowship is Ok at times, but we are trying to get the benefits of personal private study.
3. Pray. Yes, I mean right before you begin to study. I’m not talking about your morning or daily devotional prayer. This is to prepare your mind, heart and soul to hear what God is saying to you and for others.
4. Selection – Make the selection on the word/ topic, verse, passage, character, chapter, book you wish to study on. If you are a beginner do not jump into tough books like Revelation. If you are not starting at the beginning with Genesis, start with Matthew and the Gospels to learn through the life of Jesus and know what the Lord has done for you.
It is a good practice to read and re-read verses you intend to focus on for your study time. If you don’t have any of them already, aim to get a few bible study tools like a bible dictionary, bible concordance or encyclopedias, bible atlas etc. These things help you to go deeper in your study which will result in maturity and growth.
Always have something to take notes for what you learn and discover during your study. As you study, focus on things like what does the passage say? What does it mean? And how does it apply to you. You can also go to places like crosswalk.com or biblegateway.com to get more help.
5. Be Faithful – Be committed in studying God’s word, knowing that you are being loyal to God. If you want to do your part in advancing the kingdom of God here on earth, you will commit yourself to studying God’s word that you will know his will, carry it out and seek to help others accomplish God’s will. Being faithful means doing it when you don’t want to, don’t feel like, you just have to discipline yourself. Avoid distractions like phone calls and such. Even if you are not able to do daily bible study at least commit to daily bible reading.
Don’t be discouraged if understanding or revelation doesn’t come right away. Often times, I noticed like out of nowhere I get clarity and understanding on something I read and studied in the past. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9 (KJV).
6. Pray – You may ask, but didn’t I already do that? Well I hope you would have. Well this time it is not only for more help but also a prayer of thanksgiving. Thanking God for things like the time spent together, the understanding and revelation you have received and will receive.
In addition to that, you need God’s help with application for you to make the adjustments in your life and business to the things that you need to get rid of.
7. Share – It is always God’s desire for you to share what you learn with others. Remember the word of God is food for your inner man meant to help you in this journey of life. So, as you reach out to help others consider that you are helping someone get to God’s intended destiny for their life.
Finally, In addition to salvation God’s word is intended to cause growth, produce results and meet the needs of mankind.
For more material check out bible resources to help advance your spiritual growth.
See you again soon.
Take care until………and God Bless ya
Feel free to give me your input or let me know how this benefited you in any way.
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