Bible study has everything to do with growing. We all know that we are to grow, but do we really know how to grow? There are many important things that we must do in order to grow. While we would not say that Bible study is more important than anything else, we can say that it is foundational. It is like God’s plan of salvation. All parts are equally important even though they have different characteristics and functions. The bible records over twenty things that save us. Try to leave one out, and you cannot have salvation. To try and place a greater importance on some parts over others is outrageous. But, there is one that is more vital to us than the others. In the case of salvation the one thing that provides for salvation is our individual obedience. Without obedience, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and everything else is useless for our salvation.
In this instance, bible study has to be the foundation of our growing. We need it to learn about God and His will. Today, we have the priviledge of almost everyone being able to read. There are also enough copies of the Bible around that every person can own one. This is a tremendous advantage from times past. They did not have bibles available and most people could not read. When times called for better education, it was usually begun by bible reading. Few books were written that were considered to mass publish. We have a definite advantage. We can read. We can understand. We can see it for ourselves. We do not have to rely upon someone to tell us the words or meanings.
There have been many suggestions for personal bible study. Which method depends on you. Some people read it for literary content, others for the spiritual benefits.
See how the people listened to God’s word in Nehemiah’s day.
- Nehemiah 8:3, “Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. “
Imagine that. An all day bible study. That would be too much to bear on some today. They were also attentive. They had a desire to learn.
- Psalms 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. “
We should begin bible study with prayer. As the psalmist wrote in his prayer, there is a window of opportunity by reading God’s word. “God is speaking to me”. This is how I should look at this opportunity. To see if I can serve God better by learning His will better and more accurately.
- Exodus 24:3, “So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has said we will do.'”
We should read the Bible thoughtfully so as to understand. We should read it carefully making note of who is talking and the events going on. We need to read it repeatedly. It always amazes me that as often that I read a passage, there is always more I can learn from it. We should read it extensively. To see the context will help us understand better the events and reasons for actions. We need to read the Bible regularly and faithfully. Last, we must read the Bible with an open heart. We must be ready to obey. We must be ready to repent when we are convicted of sin. We must be ready to go when He sends. We must do “All the words which the LORD has said….”
We also need to memorize God’s word. We need to keep His word in our hearts. Memory will help us do this. Some people commit to memorize lots of scripture, others memorize scriptures that have special meaning. Either way you go, it helps in life if God’s word is written on your heart.
- Job 22:22, “Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.” Psalms 119:11, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! “
Psalms 119:52, “I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, And have comforted myself.”
Psalms 119:92, “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.”
Psalms 43:3, “Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle.”
Deuteronomy 8:3, “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.”
Proverbs 6:20-23, “My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ‘You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ‘”
Bible memorizing helps you in many ways. It keeps you from sinning. When you know God’s word, you do not want to violate His laws. It gives you comfort. You will have to experience this to really understand it. It keeps your mind on God and directs you toward living the Christian life. It keeps you going on your way. You go with confidence. The scriptures can give you guidance. Keeping them in your heart will make it easier to make decisions in this life. It is also good that children learn and memorize scriptures. It teaches them that scripture is important to us, and should be for them.
Meditation is also another part of bible study that is important. Not only to read, but to consider what we read. Sometimes you might read a passage in the morning and think about it all day. If you do think about it, you can view it from different viewpoints. You can draw conclusions about it. You can ask yourself why. You can ask if there is a reason. You can see if there is a way that you are affected. You may have to make some decisions to change your life. Joshua was told the reason to meditate and the benefits of a proper application in his life.
- Joshua 1:8, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
The most important way to read the Bible is obediently. If we have no desire to improve our relationship with diety, then bible reading is done in vain. We have to be ready to make changes if called for. We may have to examine our faith and the doctrine we practice. If something we practice is different than what God gives us in His word, we must change. Remember, God will not change for us; we have to change for God.
Look at all of these reasons for our obedience. Notice the reasons for obedience.
- Deuteronomy 31:12, “Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law.” Exodus 19:5, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.”
Psalms 119:2, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!”
Psalms 119:4-6, “You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. {5} Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.”
Psalms 119:100, “I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.”
Psalms 119:101, “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.”
Psalms 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
Proverbs 1:33, “But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”
Proverbs 19:16, “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.”
Ezekiel 18:19-20, “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”
John 8:51, “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
Matthew 13:23, “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Isaiah 1:19, “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.”
Matthew 5:19, “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'”
2 John 1:9, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.”
1 John 2:5, “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”
John 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Romans 6:17, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”
1 John 2:3, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
1 John 2:17, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 3:24, “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
1 John 5:2, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.”
Revelation 22:7, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
We are looking forward to eternity. We wait for the Lord to come. Until that time, we must prepare. The Bible has the pattern. The Bible has the words of life written in its pages. The Bible shows us the way. The Bible gives us hope.
Do not take bible study lightly. Your soul depends on it.
