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| bible study articles |
WHY SATAN DOESN’T WANT YOU TO STUDY THE BIBLE
I’m convinced one of Satan’s most successful schemes against God’s people is in blinding us to the importance and relevance of spending time studying the Scriptures. God’s Word is invaluable. It is a far greater treasure than anything this world has to offer yet many treat it as though it has no worth. Instead of investing time studying the Bible, it is left unopened and gathering dust. Whether it is because of busyness, complacency, or just a lack of awareness, believers miss out on the benefit of growing in their relationship with the Lord when they do not cherish and abide in, His Word.
Satan’s primary objective is to prevent Christians from appropriating all that is rightfully ours as God’s children. He wants us to live spiritually bankrupt and destitute lives and one of the ways in which he goes about accomplishing that is by keeping us from studying God’s Word. It is simple really: If we don’t know who we are or who our God is, then we will miss out on what He wants to do in and through our lives. God has given us a surpassing treasure according to the riches of His glory—we have every spiritual blessing in Christ. But unless we are grounded in biblical truth, we are destined to be ineffective for the gospel in this world. However, when we make time to study the Bible our lives are enriched and established upon the sure foundation of His Word.
What treasure does the Word of God have to offer you? Let me give you a description of the riches that God has for those who study the Bible. I've heard Psalm 19:7-10 paraphrased like this, "The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries." We have to develop the same heart of the psalmist who says in Psalm 119:162, “I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.”
Let me share with you eight benefits of studying the Bible:
1. It assures you of your salvation (1 John 5:13)
2. It guides you with your decisions (Psalm 119:105)
3. It gives you confidence in prayer (John 15:7)
4. It cleanses you from sin (John 15:3 / John 17:17)
5. It brings joy (John 15:11)
6. It gives you peace (John 16:33)
7. It makes you strong (1 John 2:14)
8. It leads to success (Joshua 1:8)
The Bible answers life’s biggest questions.
In addition to getting to know the God who created us, studying the Bible also helps us to learn about ourselves, and the world in which we live. Answers to all of life’s biggest questions are found in God’s Word. Such as:
• Who am I?
• Why am I here?
• Where did I come from?
• Where am I going?
• What should I do with my life?
• What is my relationship to God?
The Bible answers all of these questions and so much more: it is our Creator’s revelation to us. When we understand this, we will begin to rightly esteem its value and importance in our daily lives. We will also view the time we spend in God’s Word as the most vital part of our days and guard that time from being disturbed by the constant stream of distractions that make up our modern lives. Ringing cell phones and never-ending emails are always clamoring for our immediate attention, but as we discipline ourselves to set time aside to study God’s Word we will realize that intrusions such as these will be better handled after we have spent time with the Lord. What are you waiting for? Open your Bibles and find your reward! Are you unsure of how to study the Bible? You can learn forty easy to do Bible study methods by ordering Learn to Study the Bible, by Pastor Andy Deane.
STUDY THE BIBLE USING THE INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY METHOD
A review of three simple steps you can do to study the Bible better.
Here are the three simple steps to an inductive Bible study:
• Observation—“See it” (What does the text say?)
• Interpretation—“Know It” (What does the text mean?)
• Application—“Do It” (What will the text cause me to do?)
STEP #1 OBSERVATION: “SEE IT”
Open Your Eyes to What the Text is Actually Saying
To observe the passage means to take notice of it by fixing your mind upon the Scripture. In other words, don’t just read it; carefully examine what it is saying. Observation demands time, concentration, and discipline. It cannot be hurried. The purpose of observation is to help you to see the context of the passage and absorb all of its meaning. The best way to do this is to simply read the passage a number of times, in a few different ways. For instance, first read it slowly and prayerfully, then once again aloud, and finally read it through, pausing at the end of each verse, and reflecting upon what it is saying. Each time you read the text be sure to write down everything you notice about the passage, even those things that seem obvious.
To practically help you observe better simple remember the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. Answering these questions from the text will help you see the bigger picture. For instance:
1. Who: Who are the people in the story? Who is writing?
2. What: What is being communicated? What is happening?
3. When: When did it happen? When will it happen?
4. Where: Where are they going? Where did it happen?
5. Why: Why did he say that? Why did he do that?
STEP #2 INTERPRETATION: “KNOW IT”
Interpretation Will Help us Discover What the Text Means
A correct interpretation of Scripture will never be discerned strictly by human logic. We cannot simply apply our intellect to the text; we must be willing to allow the revealed wisdom of God to speak to us through the pages of Scripture. Many Christians miss the truth of God’s Word because they are trying to mold its precepts to fit their own personal ideologies. They read meaning into the text rather than drawing understanding from it. However, when we come to the Bible prepared to have our thoughts and ideas conformed to its authority (rather than the other way around) then whether we are seasoned biblical scholars or the youngest Sunday school students we will be able to come away with a correct understanding. The best assurance we have of arriving at the right interpretation of any biblical passage always begins with laying aside our own preconceived thoughts and ideas, popular opinions, gut feelings, long-held beliefs, and persuasive arguments, and allowing the Word of God and the Spirit of God to impart understanding to us.
To practically help you discover the correct interpretation there are five questions that can be asked to help you find the writer’s original intent. For instance:
1. Why did the writer say this?
2. What is the meaning of this?
3. What is the significance of this?
4. What is the implication of this?
5. Why is this important?
STEP #3 APPLICATION: “DO IT”
How Are You Applying What You Know?
Application puts feet on our Bible study—we cannot really say we know the truth until we walk in it. How do we apply the Bible to our daily lives? It’s simple. We become “doers of the Word.” James 1:22 says that if we are hearers only we are deceiving ourselves. God’s purpose for our study time is transformation—He wants to make us more like Jesus. He is not impressed by our knowledge; He is blessed by our obedience. So one very important question that we need to be asking as we study the Bible is how can we apply what we are learning to our lives each day.
To practically help you apply the Scriptures you have to “design a project with a deadline”. Ask God to show you a personal, practical and provable project that helps you to live out the Word. It should be something that helps you to specifically do what the Bible is asking within a given timeframe. There must be a deadline that you set for yourself otherwise you will forget about it quickly. Ask yourself:
• How does this truth apply to my life? (At work? At home? At school?)
• In view of this truth, what specific changes should l make in my life?
• How do I propose to carry out these changes practically?
• When will I complete this project by?
Remember, the goal of the inductive Bible study is not just the acquiring of Bible knowledge; it is to use that knowledge love Jesus more each day. How do we show God love? The Bible is clear on this, by joyfully obeying His commands (1 John 5:3). Following these three inductive Bible study steps will help you get more out of your Bible study time.
Studying the Bible should be exciting. If you feel like you are stuck in a routine and want to add some variety to your Bible study experience then why not learn forty different Bible study methods? Visit http://www.LearnToStudyTheBible.com to find out more. With 40 Bible study methods you’ll be sure to find many that keep your Bible study time fresh and thought-provoking. Each Bible study method has a handwritten example to help you see exactly how to do it. You can learn one of these Bible study methods, The Daily Bread Bible Study Method, right now by visiting http://www.squidoo.com/40WaystoStudytheBible.
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book summary
Pastor Andy Deane's new book teaches you forty different step-by-step Bible study methods to help you discover, apply and enjoy God’s Word. Each practical method has a handwritten example to demonstrate to make it easy for you to follow the steps. Learn how to study the Bible with so much variety that you'll never get into the rut that routine brings ever again.
bible study methods
Daily Devotions, Daily Bread, Timothy Method, SPECS ON, Rethink & Restate, Alphabet Method, One At A Time, Six-Searches, Exhaustive Questions, 5 Ps Method , Verse By Verse Charting, Chapter Overview Method, Chapter Details Study, Book Overview Method, Book Details Method, Bible Characters, Biblical Topics, Bible Themes, Word Studies , Translation Comparison, Messy Bible, Modern Issues, 30 Days Each, Vantage Point , Royal Wisdom, Categorizing Proverbs, Meeting Jesus, Twenty Jesus Questions, The Commands Of Jesus, Truly, Truly, Study The Biblical Type, Study The Prayers, Study The Miracles, Study The Parables, Study The Psalms , Heart Monitor, Funnel It, Weather Report, Climb The Ladder, Cross Thoughts
These 40 Bible study methods will teach you how to study the Bible in simple, step-by-step ways with handwritten examples of the Bible study method to make it easy for you to understand.
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reader reviews
"For almost 20 years, I have loved studying the Scriptures. I can't imagine life without God's Word! That's why I'm excited to see this book become available. It combines so much helpful information on how to get the most out of your time in God's Word, all in one place. You get instructions in basic Bible study skills, guidelines for developing a quiet time, and 40 different methods of Bible study with step-by-step directions and handwritten examples. But what excites me the most about this book is that it will inspire and equip Christians (young and old) to draw nearer to God by spending more time in personal Bible study. If you are looking for something that will help you to dig deeper into God's Word and get to know Him better, I believe you will find this book invaluable."
- Noreen Hay
"Because I love the scriptures and know the importance of both reading and studying the Bible, I am always thankful for practical tips that make Bible study exciting and personal. This book, with the 40 different methods mentioned, has had a direct impact on the way I approach Bible study, offering creative and easy to follow methods when analyzing texts of scripture. For anyone looking for practical methods in Bible study, I heartily commend this volume."
- Bijan Mirtolooi
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