21-Day Growth Challenge | Day 18: "The A,B,C's of Bible Study, Part Two"
NOURISHMENT. Understand, that you cannot have spiritual life without the divine food that sustains that life. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4; see also, Heb. 5:12-14 & 1 Pet. 2:1-3).
OBEDIENCE. Honoring Christ and pleasing God by obeying the Word of God ... let that be your constant object (Matt. 7:24-27; Heb. 5:9).
PATIENCE. Do you sometimes think it would be great to sit down with your Bible today and have complete knowledge by noon tomorrow? That's not reality. Be patient with yourself, keep studying, and you'll add more to your store of Bible knowledge after every session (Phil. 3:15).
QUESTIONS. Use questions to learn about a text. "Who wrote this ... Who was it written to ... What was the historical circumstance ... Are there any other passages that will help me understand this ... What is there in this passage that I need to apply ... How does this passage help me understand other parts of the Bible ?? etc."
REVIEW. Don't ever finish or "get through" with any portion of Scripture. Go back and review. Start over again with key passages, and you may learn something you missed before (Phil. 3:1; 2 Pet. 3:1).
STUDY. There is a difference between reading and study! When you read, that's your first contact with the information. Next, you should think about that information: "What did it mean to them? What does this mean today? How do I apply this today? How does this passage or teaching relate to other parts of the Bible." When you study, you apply the mind God gave you to the book He gave you (Eph. 5:17).
TRACKING promises and prophecy. When you find a promise (Gen. 3:15), or a prophecy (Isa. 53) in the Old Testament, follow those passages to their fulfillment.
UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES. Especially when you read the stories in the Old Testament, don't just regard those passages as historical narratives. Look for underlying principles that transcend dispensational boundaries (Rom. 15:4).
VERSIONS. Bible bookstores' shelves are running over with all sorts of different versions and translations of the Bible, some good and helpful; others, twisted and inaccurate. Consulting several English translations can be helpful, but don't get too far away from the standard translations {King James, New King James, American Standard, New American Standard}.
WORDS. Don't deceive yourself into thinking that "word studies" and definitions are boring or unnecessary. The fact is, God has chosen to communicate with us through words. We need to know what those words mean. Use a good Bible dictionary, consult references, and respect the Biblical significance of the words you read (1 Cor. 2:13).
X marks the spot. Systematic reading all the way through the Bible is a great help to your understanding. Read a portion; mark an "X" in the margin, or put the date, then continue at that place next time.
YOURSELF. We may be tempted, in our Bible reading and study, to immediately think of others -- how they need this; how others have violated what the passage says. Our first concern must be, self-examination (2 Cor. 13:5).
ZEAL. As you read and study and gain knowledge, be sure that knowledge is accompanied by the zeal to teach and practice the truth of the gospel (Rom. 10:1-3)
Day 18 | Online Exercise
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