My Reflections

Should I Study the Bible?

Take Up Your Cross

Prompt:
I am getting ready to have a Bible study with some of the guys here in the home so I am sending the prompt before hand. I would forget later. Why is Bible study important? How often do you study with others?

Answer:
I could say a whole lot on this topic. This could turn into a sermon. Why is Bible study important?

First of all, studying the Bible is not just about religion. It is not some regular ritual or practice like attending church every Sunday or saying a prayer before meals. Although, for some people it can turn into this. However, some religious ritual is not what it is intended to be.

Reading and studying the Bible is about a relationship. This is the most important relationship you can have in your entire life. It is a relationship with Almighty God, the creator of the universe.

When thinking about relationships, how are they developed and maintained? You develop and maintain a relationship by spending time communicating with the person you are wanting the relationship with. This pertains to any relationship: love, friendship, and relative.

How do we have communication with God? When we want to talk to him, we pray. Do we not want God to talk to us too? How are we going to learn about him if we don’t read his word? How can we hear what he has to say to us if we don’t take time to listen? Do you even know everything it says?

Do you want to increase your faith in God? Read and study the Bible. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. If you don’t hear it preached and you aren’t reading or studying it, how will you hear God’s word to increase your faith?

Do you want direction in your life so you will know what to do and where to go next? Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”. Read the Bible.

Psalm 119:7 - I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. Do you want to know how to praise God? Open up that Bible!

Do you want to avoid sin? Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. - Psalm 119:9. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. - Psalm 119:11. Study God’s word.

Do you want to behold wondrous things? Psalm 119:18 - Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Read God’s word.

Verse 16 of Psalm chapter 119 says, “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word”. Do you want to be delighted in God’s statutes? They are found in the Bible. Memorize it, read it, study it, and get familiar with it.

Do you want to be removed from reproach and contempt? 22. Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. 23. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. (Psalm 119:22-23) Think about the Word of God.

Do you want counseling? Psalm 119:24 - Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. Read the Bible.

Do you want comfort in the time of affliction? Read God’s word. (Psalm 119:50) This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Psalm 119:58-60 is as follows. 58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. 59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. 60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. Do you want mercy? Do you want to know how to change your ways? Study the Bible.

Do you need good judgment and knowledge? It is in the Bible. Psalm 119:66 - Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Believe in the Bible.

Do you want to do good? Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. (Psalm 119:68) Study God’s word.

Psalm 119:80, Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. Do you want want to know God’s Word and Sound doctrine? Read the word.

Psalm 119:81, My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Do you want the Hope of Salvation? Hope in God’s word.

Do you want help to endure persecution? All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. (Psalm119:86) God’s word is faithful. Get familiar with it.

(Psalm 119:93) I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. Do you want to be quickened? Memorize scripture. (Quicken means to make alive, revive, stimulate, enliven.)

Do you want to be saved? Look at Psalm 119:94. I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts. Search those scriptures.

Do you want to be wiser than your enemies? Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. Psalm 119:98. Meditate on the scriptures.

(Psalm 119:99-100) 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. Do you want want more understanding than the teachers or the old people? Meditation in the Word of God and keeping his commandments is the answer.

Do you want a hiding place and shield? Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. - Psalm 119:114. Hope is found in the Bible. Seek shelter in the Word of God.

Do you want evil doers to depart from you? Psalm 119:115 - Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. Study the Bible and keep God’s commandments.

Do you want to be delivered from the oppression of man? 133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. - Psalm 119:133-134. Take direction from the Word of God.

Do you want great peace? Love the Bible. Psalm 119:165 says, “ Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them”.

Do you want God to seek you? Memorize scripture and keep his commandments. Psalm 119:176 - I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

2 Timothy 2:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Do you want to know the truth and not be ashamed? Study the Bible so that you will know truth and not be ashamed before God.

Do you want to know Jesus? John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Know the Bible.

Then there is 2 Timothy 3:16-17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Oh man or woman of God, do you want to be perfect unto all good works? Spend time in the Bible.

We must read, study, memorize, and learn to love God’s word. By doing so, we love God himself, and we get to know his love for us.

As far as studying the Bible with other people, I believe we gain a better understanding of it by studying it with other people. The Bible does say, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” I don’t get together personally with others as much as I would like to, but I am definitely working on it.

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