Learn Bible Study Tips and Hints
Leave Your Emotions Out Of It
Our emotions can be as fickle as the weather. Studying the Bible helps us to have victory over our thoughts and emotions, no matter what conditions may be surrounding us. When we know God’s Word, we can have the same peace on days when storm clouds roll in as we do on those bright sunny days. The problem is that too often we look at our situation instead of keeping our focus on the God who has control over every circumstance.
In Bible Study - OBEDIENCE Is Necessary Each Time
Many people have the mistaken idea that hearing a good sermon or Bible study is what makes them grow and get God’s blessing. It is not the hearing but the doing that brings the blessing. James 1:22 tells us that we should be doers of the Word! It's not about what you "want" to do, but it is about what God tells you to do. It doesn't matter if you have a different opinion. God's opinion is the only one that matters. He knows best - so obey Him! In fact, every time we read the Bible we are commanded to obey. The Word of God IS a command. It’s a trumpet. It’s a call to action. If we obey – we are blessed. If we don’t – we are only kidding ourselves.
In July 1976, Israeli commandos made a daring raid at an airport in Entebbe, Uganda, in which 103 Jewish hostages were freed. In less than fifteen minutes, the soldiers had killed all seven of the kidnappers and set the captives free. As successful as the rescue was, however, three of the hostages were killed during the raid. As the commandos entered the terminal, they shouted in Hebrew, "Get down! Crawl!" The Jewish hostages understood and lay down on the floor, while the guerrillas, who did not speak Hebrew, were left standing. Quickly the rescuers shot the upright kidnappers. Two of the hostages hesitated - perhaps to see what was happening - and were also cut down. One young man was lying down and actually stood up when the commandos entered the airport. He, too, was shot with the bullets meant for the enemy. Had these three obeyed the soldiers' command they would have been freed with the rest of the captives.
It’s a powerful picture of how Salvation is open to all, but we must obey Christ's command to repent and make him Lord. Otherwise, we will perish with the judgment meant for the Enemy. James 2:17 – “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”. o We falsely assume that simply agreeing that we should pray means we’re praying; or knowing we should worship makes us worshipers.
It is truly better (for our friends and for us) to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter from memory. God is not impressed by our knowledge; He is blessed by our obedience.
Have The Right Attitude In Bible Study
Yes, it really could be me that God is talking about when He asks for change. (be teachable). o “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves…(1 John 1:8). o Meekness means you accept it, and you don’t argue with it. Honor it as God’s Word. A W. Tozer in the Pursuit of God gave a great definition of meekness, "The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather, he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God has declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is, in the sight of God, more important than angels. ... He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring what they think."
Bible Study Is More Effective When You Remove Sin
James saw the heart as a garden, if left to itself the soil would produce only weeds. He urges us to pull out the weeds and prepare the soil for the implanted word. Before the Word can be planted, we have some weeding to do by laying aside filthiness.
WHY is heart preparation necessary? Sin is filthy to God...and to people. o We cannot bear close contact with a person who doesn’t wash their body or their clothes. A Jr. High school in Oregon faced a unique problem. A number of girls began to use lipstick and put it on in the bathroom and then pressed their lips to the mirrors leaving dozens of little lip prints. Finally the principal decided something had to be done. She called the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the custodian. She explained lip prints caused a major problem for the custodian, who had to clean the mirrors every day. To demonstrate how difficult it was, she asked the custodian to clean one of the mirrors. He took out a long-handled brush, dipped it into the toilet, and scrubbed the mirror. Since then there have been no lip prints on the mirrors. When tempted to sin, if we could only see the real filth we'd be kissing, we wouldn't be attracted to it.
Or imagine you saw a chef preparing your food while sneezing on his hands (we reject such dishes). If bodily filthiness is horrible to us, what must the filthiness of sin be to the pure and holy God? How can we come to God before we are washed? This is such a dirty world we walk in. James 4:8 – “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (the same verse says...) Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Repentence is necessary - even if it is difficult. I know change isn’t easy: A 2006 medical study reveals just how difficult change is for people. Roughly 600,000 people have heart bypasses a year in America. These people are told after their bypasses that they must change their lifestyle. The heart bypass is a temporary fix. They must change their diet. They must quit smoking and drinking. They must exercise and reduce stress. In essence, the doctors say, "Change or die." You would think that a near-death experience would forever grab the attention of the patients. Sadly that is not the case. Ninety percent of the heart patients do not change. They remain the same, living the status quo. Study after study indicates that two years after heart surgery, the patients have not altered their behavior. Instead of making changes for life, they choose death.
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