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Oct 26, 2021 08:00am

The Discipline of Bible Study

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Obviously, Bible study is an important spiritual discipline for many reasons, including for the purpose of defending one’s faith in this era of ever-shifting personal truth and moral relativism. But I digress . . .

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says,

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

“But wait a minute,” you may think, “there was no Bible back then, so how could they study it?” Well, God’s Word has actually been around since God created the universe and Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden as he taught them who he was and what their responsibilities were.

Thousands of years after the fall of man, God’s Word is often the leather-bound version, but the same command is true: Inspired by God, Moses said to teach it to your children and family wherever you are in the morning and at night, even proclaiming it publically.

How are you doing with that?

Are you a consumer of God’s Word? This often begins under the teaching of others and at church as it lays a foundation upon which you must build your own Bible study.

But Christians must not remain consumers. We must continue in God’s Word. It is easier to start than it is to continue Bible study. In the same way that DEstruction is easier than CONstruction, we should grow from being merely a consumer to a being a conduit that continues on as part of the discipleship process.

Each one reach one, and it multiplies.

That begins with me and with you . . .

Have you begun consuming/studying the Bible?

Are you currently studying regularly?

Have you graduated from personal Bible study to teaching it to others?

On a scale of 1-10 how would you score yourself on the following statement: “I spend quality time with God daily by reading and meditating on His Word.”

A Lifeway study reveals that of people who regularly attend church, approximately 20% read their Bible daily and regularly.

Why?

Not a priority (27%)
Don’t have enough time (15%)
I know enough already (13%)
Don’t like to read (9%)
Don’t think it is that important or don’t see its relevance (9%)
Don’t have a copy (6%)

Sound familiar? If you’re not routinely studying your Bible, it’s probably due to one of those reasons, but 2 Timothy 3 explains why it is such a crucial spiritual discipline:

. . . from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

It strengthens our relationship with Christ
It is a compass to guide our lives and our decisions
It helps us overcome sin and moves us to repentance
It is spiritual fuel that leads to growth, obedience, and fruit in the life of a Christian
It prepares us for the struggles of life
It enhances our witness and enables us to invest in the spiritual development of others

So how do you begin Bible study in a way that keeps you going so you can be equipped for every good work? Have a plan and a routine. I cannot express the importance of a routine. You will fail without one.

Be Prepared: Have a good study Bible, follow a study plan, and have a pen, highlighter, and computer. The more you study, you will want to invest in good commentaries and other support materials.
Be Engaged: Read, write, type, memorize – This helps overcome distractions and encourages retention.
Be Consistent: Daily consistency will lead to a lifelong habit. Pray before and after your study time that you will continue on the path of knowing God through studying his Word.

Your personal quiet time with God will become such a crucial part of your day that you will crave and prioritize it because, as Psalm 119:105 says, it is “a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Be a conduit instead of a consumer of the Bible, even if it’s for no other reason than sharing that “lamp light” and the life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus with an unbeliever.