Pastor A

You might wonder; how do I begin to study the Word of God? What do I need? There are three “basic” requirements for daily Bible study as I see it:

1. You need a definite time and place. Many Christians favor an early-morning devotional time. Some say Jesus set this example when He “rising up a great while before day… departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35. If it is possible for you to have your devotional time early in the morning, this is certainly the best way to begin your day. But you need to be realistic.

If you are one of those people who get up at 7:00, but wake up at 10:00, then you would be better off to choose another time, later in the day. The important thing is that you choose a time and then include that time in every day’s activities. Consider it your daily appointment with God.

The place you choose is also important. To really be able to concentrate on the Word, you should be alone in a quiet place. Get away from the TV, radio, cell phone, ipod, and other people. If you live in a small house with a big family it may be difficult to find a secluded place. Just remember that God knows all about your situation, and if you seriously want to have consistent, daily devotions, God will help you determine the best time and the best place.

2. You need a good Bible. Don’t make the mistake of trying to read one of those “world’s smallest” Bibles during your devotional time. This is one sure way to lose interest (and possibly fall asleep). Make sure you use a Bible with printing large enough for easy reading. Help yourself by finding a good KJV Bible that “fits you.” Find a Bible that you love! Example the size, weight, margins, font size, color, Bible study notes, etc. Fall in love with your Bible.

3. You need a journal or notebook. This is used to briefly record your discoveries in the Word each day. It will be a sort of spiritual diary. For easier handling, the size and shape of this journal should be similar to that of your Bible. Carry your journal with your Bible to church and thus you can use to take notes from your pastor or the special speaker. Be willing to grow in your faith; therefore, utilize tools that accommodate this desire!

What heart preparation is essential to effective Bible study? Yesterday we examined the first two; today we will consider two more essentials.

A dependency on the Holy Spirit is essential! This may come as a shock: you cannot understand the Bible on your own. You need help. And, praise the Lord, it has been provided. Jesus explained that one important ministry of the Holy Spirit is to teach believers what the Scriptures mean. Consider John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.“

As you read the Bible, depend on the Holy Spirit to guide you, and He will. Just as promised, He will show you what His Word means and how its truths fit into your life. A young art student had been standing in a gallery for some time studying a certain painting, trying to determine its meaning. He started to walk away when an older gentleman tapped him on the shoulder and said, “How would you like my interpretation of the painting?”

“Sure,” the art student responded. The man then began to explain the significance of each color and figure in the painting. After quite some time, the young man asked excitedly, “How do you see so much in this picture? Have you studied it before?”

“No,” the man said. “I painted it.”

As you read the Bible, just depend on God to show you the true significance and meaning of His Word. He will.

A willingness to obey is essential! We will never totally understand the Bible in this life. There are truths in God’s Word too profound for us to completely comprehend with our finite minds. Isaiah 55:8-9 sums it up, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.“

But even though we cannot totally understand the Bible, we must willingly obey its teaching. James warned against hearing the Word without doing the Word, “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” The truth of God’s Word should be revealed in our lives primarily through what we do, not what we say.

He was the original “Doubting Thomas.” When the other disciples came to him and excitedly shared the news of Christ’s resurrection, he said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. He demanded proof before accepting their remarkable claim. But eight lonely days passed before he knew the truth. Then, on the eighth day he was with the other disciples when Jesus appeared in their midst.

The Lord spoke to Thomas and invited him to touch His hands and side. But Thomas did not need to, because just the sight of the risen Master was evidence enough to convince him. He looked into the eyes of the Savior and said, “My Lord and my God.“

The Bible says that, “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Thomas believed because he met face to face the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ. Of course, we cannot meet Jesus face to face as Thomas did, but we can meet Him through the written Word of God, the Bible. This perhaps was the most important lesson in the life of Thomas; learning faith through the Word of God.

There is an oldie but goodie that goes like this: Curious little Johnnie discovers a large dust-covered family Bible in the living room and asks his mother: “Mommy, whose book is that?”

“Why, that God’s book, Johnnie.” With childish brilliance he answers, “Well, why don’t we give it back to Him? Nobody seems to be using it.”

Sound familiar? Chances are you live in a household much like Johnnie’s. The Bible is there, but it is just a part of the furniture, not a part of the lives of the people who live in the house. By now you are probably shaking your head in agreement, and that is good. The first step toward solving a problem is recognizing what is wrong. But first, let’s personalize the issue: What role does the Bible play in your everyday life? Do you read it daily? Do you study it daily? Do you live by the belief that “a verse a day keeps the Devil away?”

If the Bible is not an indispensable part of your life, you have a real problem on your hands. Dozens of reason for the absolute necessity of Bible study could be listed. Over the next couple days we will examine some of the reasons you need to study the Bible.

If Judas could return for just one hour to speak to you personally, undoubtedly he would try to persuade you to make the decision he did NOT make. He would talk to you about your eternal destiny. There is a good possibility he would ask you: Do you know for certain that if you were to die today, you would go to heaven?

Tragically, many people have the idea that even if God made eternal life possible, He would not let us in on the secret. The good news is that God does offer eternal life and that you can be sure of receiving it. In fact, one reason the Bible was written was to get this message to you. The Bible states, “These things have I written unto you that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” I John 5:13.

Suppose that you were to die tonight and stand before God; what reason would you give Him for allowing you into Heaven? Would you tell Him about all the things you have done for Him? Would you mention your tithes and offerings, your work for the church, your baptism, your perfect Sunday School attendance? Many people would. But the Bible says that none of these answers are acceptable. There is only one answer and it is given in great detail in the Bible. This answer is known as the Gospel, which means, “Good News.”