Chapter
20
Know "How?" to study your Bible
....come HUNGRY & THIRSTY for MORE OF GOD in your life
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What gives God joy and a smile?
Isn't it when our hearts desire to know Him more, ....to seek Him.
We want to be with Jesus, ....as He wants to be with us.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
Let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes (TRUTHS).
I will meditate on Your precepts (TRUTHS),
And contemplate Your ways (TRUTHS).
I will delight myself in Your statutes (TRUTHS);
I will not forget Your word.
— Ps 119:10-12 NKJV, Ps 119:15-16 NKJV
So, ...how does God teach us His TRUTHS?
He has not left us guessing....
“This is the new covenant I will make (through Jesus Christ) with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws (TRUTHS) in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”
— Hebrews 10:16 NLT
How does God "put His laws" in our hearts and minds? He pours spiritual TRUTH into us, ....as we ACTIVELY ENGAGE with Him, ....eating the "Bread of Life" and drinking "living water" ....from God's Holy Word.
Come hungry, thirsty....
....if you honestly want to know Him more....
Jesus said, "I am the bread of life (TRUTHS IN HIS WORD). Whoever comes to me will never be hungry (spiritually) again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (spiritually)."
— John 6:35 NLT
....and....
Explaining spiritual truth, Jesus said, "Whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water (TRUTHS IN HIS WORD) that I give him will become in him a spring of (LIVING) water (satisfying his thirst for God) welling up (continually flowing, bubbling within him) to eternal life".
— John 4:14 AMP
If we know Who Jesus IS, then we will ask for a drink of His "living water", ....the unending spring of His presence within our spiritual hearts, ....continuously refreshing us, ....and giving us eternal life.
Come hungry, thirsty....for more of God....
We must be genuine, honest in who we are and the way we live. We must HUNGER for God's Word to know Him more. ....We must THIRST for living righteously for His approval. ....GOD SEES, KNOWS, ....and SATISFIES us with His joy, peace, hope. ....God COMPETES us with His loving presence in our lives!
....THIS is "How?" we start studying!
Make your Bible study personal....
An online search for "How to study the Bible" gives an abundant list of websites to visit for helpful suggestions on studying God's Word. Lots of good stuff to consider, ....too much to talk about here. ....So, let me make a few suggestions....
Choose a Bible Translation you enjoy reading.
There are several English language versions from which you can choose. In writing style, they range from "Word-For-Word" to "Paraphrase" translations. The following chart illustrates the range of options.
To test your reading preference, go to a website like www.biblegateway.com and read chapters like John 1 or Psalm 1. Read them in different translations until you find one (or more) you like best for your personal Bible study.
There are also good Bible Apps for your phone and computer. At my age, I'm "old school" and prefer a printed "hard copy" Bible. Younger, you might prefer a phone app. If so, checkout the app at www.YouVersion.com, ....and see if it works for you. And for in-depth Bible study, consider www.BlueLetterBible.org.
Write personal notes to recall what you are learning....
Some people like to write journals. Helps them think through what they are reading in God's Word. ....Later, they can recall conversations with God, remembering what they learned. ....For me, I like writing notes on the pages of my Bible where I'm reading.
For example, many years ago I attended a men's retreat, where we studied Psalm 1 in considerable detail. SMILE, ....today I don't remember circumstances about that retreat, ....but I remember what we learned. Here's a photo of my notes....
Whether you journal or write notes, ....this is a really good study habit to remember what you are learning from God. Helps recall details of your God-Moments too.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you "see" and understand TRUTH as you read, speaking personally into your life.
....God does not leave us guessing what His Word means for us personally today! As Jesus said....
“Remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — He will TEACH YOU EVERYTHING and will REMIND YOU OF EVERYTHING I have told you."
— John 14:24-26 NLT
....which leads us to....
Let's talk about it....
As you read scripture, PRAY ASKING GOD TO REVEAL HIS TRUTH TO YOU. ....As you focus on a specific verse(s) that "speaks" to your heart and mind, ....DESCRIBE THE TRUTH YOU "SEE" ....as either a Truth, Commandment, Principle, or Promise. Ask yourself why is this important to know? What is God saying to me?
....Then with an open and transparent heart....
Ask yourself honest questions about what you BELIEVE about this TRUTH? How does it RELATE to your life's circumstances? ....Consider the difference it would (or might) make in your life (Romans 12:2), ....if you applied this Truth, ....Commandment, ....Principle, ....or Promise ....in your life.
As you believe and trust God, ....be "thankful for this TRUTH" that He is showing you, ...."asking God to help you" ACTIVELY ENGAGE with it in your life....
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
— Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
....Then, as you conclude your "quiet time" study with Jesus, ....or as you finish your Small Group Bible Study with friends, ....you close your Bible and head out into today's busyness stuff. ....REMEMBER what you just asked God to help you do, ....as YOU MAKE LIFE-CHOICES....
Continue to meditate on TRUTHS God has shown you, ....ESPECIALLY THE ONES you asked Him for help applying it in your life. .....As you make daily choices, be ACTIVELY ENGAGED in applying those TRUTHS .....that relate to your life's circumstances.
Understand, ....God's TRUTHS will not make a difference in our life, ....unless we choose to make them a priority for making a difference in our life. Such is our responsibility.
Why does this study approach work?
....SMILE. Glad you asked.
It works because you choose to continually GROW IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD and Jesus our Lord. Because you....
LISTEN & SEE God's Truth as you READ, asking in PRAYER ....that God would help you know what He is saying to you.
TRUST & BELIEVE God as you RELATE His Truth to your life circumstances, ....PRAYING you understand what to do.
OBEY & APPLY as you RESPOND, ....asking in PRAYER for God's help changing your life with His Truth.
Why "with PRAYER"?
....Well, God is Spirit. He is Truth and Life. God is the One Who created us, ....so knows best how we should live our lives. If we are not talking with God, how else can we gain understanding and guidance from God's Word?
As your heart and mind become more Christ-like, ....which influences your choices, ....so your life becomes more Christ-focused.
* Credit: "3Rs + Prayer" Bible study approach is not unique, but a blending of what I've learned over the years, ....including from The Navigators, ....from a Bible teacher friend, ....and a good book titled "The Promise Principle".
