Studying God's Word, has totally changed my life. I thank God for what I know now, but it didn't come overnight. If you want to see areas of your life change, learn to truly study the Bible. Ask my friends that knew me, I was the last one they would picture reading a bible!
My marriage was falling apart and a friend pointed me to The Word.
My lifestyle was nothing that looked purified and church worthy but The Word drew me in.
My past sin caused much shame and guilt that it felt better to stuff and try to forget, the Word brought it to the surface until my heart began to heal.
My children make me worried sick but the Word has brought me promise and peace.
The word heals and restores.
WHY MAKE THIS INVESTMENT?
The Bible is no ordinary book. The WORDS within its pages are like medicine to your soul. It has the power to change your life because there is LIFE in the Word! (See Hebrews 4:12.) And when you DISCOVER the power and truth of God’s Word, you will begin to see changes in your life that only this truth can bring. The word uncovers what you hide and allows you to rediscover a new HOPE.
You will even learn how to recognize what the enemy tries to bring against you.
Just begin where you are right now and determine to stick with it! Every time you study the Bible and pay attention to what you’re reading, you’re learning something. God has a way to confirm himself to each person seeking. He created you so He knows the best way to reveal himself to you.
Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My son attend to my words…for they are life to those who find them…” The word “attend” means to pay attention to, give some time to something. To attend to the Word of God is a lot more than just reading it on sunday, it's learning to dig one step further.
Picture this: if you bought a flat of flowers and took the out of the carton and laid them on the soil how would they grow? You would enjoy the beauty for a day but then they die. When we dig a little hole and prepare a place the flower then can take hold of the soil and grow.
I love and encourage bible study groups for this reason. You can go and start to dig a little hole.
Digging helps us get into agreement with what God wants us to do in our present circumstance. It's amazing how God's word speaks to your current situation.
What Do I Study?
There’s really no wrong place to start. You can study anything that’s going to help you.
I strongly again suggest jumping into a small group or going to listen to a teacher or podcast.
Try this exercise, pick a word that relates to your circumstance. ANGER, WORRY, FEAR, HURT or whatever. Now go in the back of your Bible and pick one of the words you relate with at the time. Begin looking at all scriptures referenced with this word and read them. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you, and He’ll lead you and reveal things to you.
Being able to apply what you study is just one picture of what studying the Bible looks like.
Hopefully you understand why you should study with some ideas on what to study. Here are four steps you can take to begin digging into God’s Word now:
Four Effective Steps to Studying the Bible
1. Purposely set aside time. I make an appointment with God in the mornings, but if that doesn’t work for you, find a time that does…even if it’s not every day. Whatever you can do, that’s what you need to do. Just start somewhere and you’ll see the fruit that this time brings to your life!
2. Make preparation for your Bible study. Have a place that you enjoy being—a room in your house where you can be alone. Somewhere you are comfortable and like to be.
3. Have all your materials available. You’ll want of course your Bible, but also get a good Bible dictionary, concordance, a pen and paper. That way, you don’t have to stop every few minutes to reference something or write something down.
4. Prepare your heart. Talk to God about things you may need to confess, and enter your study time peacefully and without anything that may block you from receiving revelation during your study.
Make the time in your life to study because there is power in it to change your life and become the person God wants you to be.
If you know a person that study God's Word reach out to them and ask them questions. My mentor of many years has taught me a great deal. I would spend time asking her to teach me to dig.
I challenge you to step out and go deeper in God's word, you will be amazed at the change it brings!
Blessing,
