How to Study the Bible

Do you ever find it difficult to study the Bible? I mean really study. Reading a devotional or merely meditating on a particular passage is not the same as studying. All are good, but when you study God's Word (read, meditate, interpret, apply), that's when you really get into the meat of the Word. It does take time, and I confess that I don't do it often enough. God's Word is so rich and contains everything that pertains to life. Maybe you don't know where to start or are fearful of "messing it up." I've included this article by John MarArthur for you to read. I also have a small book entitled "How to Study the Bible" by him as well and it's a lot more in depth, but this will get you started.



Simple Steps to Solid Study John MacArthur


From the moment I sensed the call of God into full-time ministry, the driving passion of my life has been simply to understand God's Word and then make it understandable to others. I have never aspired to be known as either an academic theologian or a distinguished clergyman. I simply want to know what the Word of God means and to make it known to others. All my pastoral energies--my preaching, shepherding, teaching, writing, and even visitation--are focused on that one goal.It is my conviction that the Bible is not difficult for the believing heart to understand. And the more I understand, the more unshakable is my conviction that the Bible is the living, authoritative, inerrant Word of God. It has this remarkable effect on me: the more I study it, the more I hunger to know. So God's Word not only satisfies my appetite, but also arouses an even deeper hunger for more. I want you to experience that hunger too. I want you to live in the joy of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ that comes only through knowing the meaning of Scripture. Here's a simple process to get you started.


Step 1 - Reading. Begin by developing a plan on how you will approach reading through the Bible. Just by reading the Bible you become familiar with its themes, history, and contexts. There is simply no replacement for Bible reading. Unlike most books, you will probably not read it straight through from cover to cover. There are many good Bible reading plans available (like The MacArthur Daily Bible). Here is what I recommend: Read through the Old Testament at least once a year. As you read, note in the margins any truths you particularly want to remember, and write down separately anything you do not immediately understand. Often as you read you will find that many questions are answered by the text itself. The questions to which you cannot find answers become the starting points for more in-depth study using commentaries or other reference tools. Follow a different plan for reading the New Testament. Read one book at a time repetitiously for a month or more. That will help you retain the New Testament so you will not always have to depend on a concordance to find things. If you want to try that, begin with a short book, such as 1 John, and read it through in one sitting every day for thirty days. At the end of that time, you will know the book. Write on index cards the major theme of each chapter. By referring to the cards as you do your daily reading, you will begin to remember the content of each chapter. In fact, you will develop a perception of the book with your mind's eye. When you come to longer books, divide them into short sections and read each section daily for thirty days. For example, the gospel of John contains twenty-one chapters. Divide it into three sections of seven chapters. At the end of ninety days, you will finish John. For variety, alternate short and long books, and in less than three years you will have finished the entire New Testament--and you will really know it!



Step 2 - Interpreting. In Acts 8:30, Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch, "Do you understand what you are reading?" Or put another way, "What does the Bible mean by what it says?" It is not enough to read the text and jump directly to the application--you must first determine what it means, otherwise the application may be incorrect. As you read Scripture, always keep one simple question in mind: "What does this mean?" To answer that question requires the use of the most basic principle of interpretation called the analogy of faith--interpret the Bible with the Bible. Letting the Holy Spirit be your teacher (1 John 2:27), search the Scripture He has authored, using cross references, comparative passages, concordances, indexes, and other helps. For passages that remain unclear, consult your pastor or godly men who have written on the issues involved.



Step 3 - Evaluating. You have been reading and asking the question, "What does the Bible say?" Then you have been interpreting, asking the question, "What does the Bible mean?" Now it's time to consult others to ensure that you have the proper interpretation. Remember, the Bible will never contradict itself. Read Bible introductions, commentaries, and background books that will enrich your thinking. As you evaluate, be a true seeker. Be one who accepts the truth of God's Word even though it may cause you to change what you have always believed, or alter your life pattern.



Step 4 - Applying. Jesus made this promise to those who carry their personal Bible study through to this point: "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:17). Having read and interpreted the Bible, you should have a basic understanding of what the Bible says, and what it means by what it says. But studying the Bible does not stop there. The ultimate goal should be to let it speak to you and enable you to grow spiritually. That requires personal application. You must let God's truth penetrate and change your life. Studying Scripture without allowing it to penetrate to the depths of your soul would be like preparing a banquet without eating it. The bottom-line question to ask is, "How do the divine truths and principles contained in any passage apply to me in terms of my attitude and actions?" If there is a command to be obeyed, obey it. If there is a promise to be embraced, claim it. If there is a warning to be followed, heed it. This is the ultimate step: submit to Scripture and let it transform your life. Step 5 - CorrelatingThis last stage connects the doctrine you have learned in a particular passage or book with divine truths and principles taught elsewhere in the Bible to form the big picture. Always keep in mind that the Bible is one book in sixty-six parts, so its truths and principles are taught over and over again in a variety of ways and circumstances. By correlating and cross-referencing, you will begin to build a sound doctrinal foundation on which to live.



Now, get to work! As you dig in to God's Word using those five simple steps, you'll be amazed at the rich treasure your study yields. My prayer is that the Lord will use this plan to revitalize your Bible study, increase your appetite for knowing and understanding His Word, and further conform you to the image of His beloved Son.





Adapted from "How to Study the Bible" in The MacArthur Study Bible. Copyright 1997, Grace to You. All rights reserved.

One Week Already

My, I can't believe it's already been one week since Libby's surgery. This time last Thursday I was anxious, yet at peace. I knew the only way I could be doing that well was through the prayers of God's people going up on our behalf. I knew in my flesh I would be a nervous wreck! Yes, I was concerned, but I knew she would be ok because the Great Physician was in the OR! I knew He was holding her when I couldn't.

As I reflect over the last seven months of our journey, I am awed and amazed and overcome at God's provision and His faithfulness to us. He orchestrated the timing, the right doctors, the right hospital, and the right "everything." I didn't always have the right spirit, but God in His mercy loved me anyway right where I was at. I would go to Him with my questions, my concerns, my doubts, my fears, and yes at times, my anger. "Why us O Lord?" I felt like He was somehow picking on us and dragging us through yet another trial. But instead of saying, "Why me?" I started saying, "Why not us?" Why do I think I'm so special that God wouldn't allow us to walk through suffering with Him. Isn't it through the fires of adversity that we grow? It's not through the sunny days of life when all is well that we become more like Christ.

Has He not called us to a life of suffering? The Christian walk is all about life yes, but it's also about death. We are called daily to take up our cross and follow Him and to crucify ourselves with Christ. If we are to become like Him in this life then we are to become like Him in His death. Oh, I'm not saying it's easy. Believe me it's not easy. I want it to be sometimes...ok, well all the time, but let's face it, it's not reality if we are followers of Christ.

All of us experience negative circumstances; some of you are even walking through fiery trials right now. They may not seem huge compared to someone's elses, but we all have our issues. My prayer is now, "God, don't let my pain be wasted. Use it to conform me to Your image. Use it to teach me how to be content." Let the Lord be the Blessed Controller. Surrender. Accept His timing. Accept His ways. Accept His outcome. We have a choice to make. Will we make the choices that honor Christ. Though no one sees how difficult they are, He does. O God, help us to be more like You in living and yes, even in dying.

Meditations

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure." Psalm 16:5

I started reading Calm my Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow since I have been in the hospital. I actually have some time to read so I have been meditating on this particular passage she quotes in the book. I would like to include her commentarty she makes on this verse. It convicted my heart and helped to renew my focus. It does get off from time to time, so I have to regroup and get my eyes back on the Lord.

"God has lovingly assigned each of us to be a uniquely special teacup. Perhaps we're an antique cup, painted with dainty roses set in gold. Maybe we see ourselves as an everyday cup-useful, but a little chipped around the edges. Or we could be a heavy duty mug-rugged, unbreakable, and able to hold much. (Not me at the moment).

Then God fills our cup with our portion, what He determines best. Our portion is our physical and emotional being, our abilities, circumstances, roles, and relationships.

Sometimes we don't like what's been poured into our cup. Remember the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane? When He saw the suffering He was about to endure, He pleaded, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me (I have prayed that too!); yet not my will, but yours be done." Christ grasped the handle of His cup and lifted it to God and said, "I accept my portion. Infuse me with Your strength that I may drink."

Every cup-whether dainty china or rough-hewn pottery-has a handle. God has placed our portion in our cup. We either choose to grasp it by the handle and lift it to Him saying, "I accept my portion; I accept this cup," or we choose to smash our cup to pieces, saying, "God, I refuse my portion. This cup is not the right size for me and I don't like what You've put into it. I'll control my life myself."

Wow, what an eye-opener for me. Hope this encourages your heart today. With God's help I want to be here, accepting my lot and my portion and in the words of J.I. Packer, "Contentment is essentially a matter of accepting from God's hand what He sends because we know that He is good and therefor it is good."

Read this book...it will bless you, but unless you want to be under heavy conviction, don't read!

Ponderings of my heart

I woke up at 5:50 a.m. this morning. Unable to go back to sleep, I got up to spend some much needed time with the Lord this morning. He sent me directly to Psalm 71. It's what I needed for the moment to carry me through this day. I will type portions of it that spoke to my heart and what the Lord was showing me through it.

"Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; For you are my rock and my fortress. For you are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth. By you I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall continually be of You. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with your glory all the day. Do not forsake me when my strength fails. O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make hast to help me! But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And your salvation all the day! I will go in the strength of the Lord God. O God who is like You? You who have shown me great and sever trouble, Shall revive me again. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side." Psalm 71:3,5-6,7-8,9,12,14-17,19-21 (NKJV)

God spoke mighty things to my heart through this passage. He is my strong tower that I can run to any time. He is my firm rock; steady, unchanging, never-ending in His love. I can trust Him with Libby, for by Him she has been upheld from birth and He will be there when I can't. He is trustworthy. I will praise Him in the good and in the bad. I will tell of His excellency all the days, even while we are at the hospital. When my strength fails, I will go in His strength. Who is like the Lord our God? He will comfort me on every side. He is my rear guard and the lifter of my head. He has everthing covered.

As I prayed, this moring, I poured out my heart to the Lord and told Him I was going in His strength today because mine had run out...right where He wants us anyways, right? He answered prayer...His strength was sufficient. He is trustworthy, mighty, the deliverer, the lifter of my head, and my strong tower. I will praise Him for today and trust Him for tomorrow!

Lessons from the life of Jonah

This will be a long post I'm afraid as I'm a little long winded tonight, so bear with me. If you're like me, it takes a few hard knocks on the head to learn my lesson and even then I'm not guaranteeing anything. Do you ever feel like you just pray and pray and never receive victory over those areas in your life that are a struggle? When I was reading through the book of Jonah yesterday, I had one of those "light bulb" moments. I am still learning. God had commanded Jonah to go to Ninevah and preach repentance to the Ninevites, but he instead decided on his own to go by ship to Tarshish. Somehow he thought God would be ok with that I guess. While en route, God appointed a storm and Jonah was thrown overboard. In His mercy, God appointed a fish to swallow Jonah to protect him from the raging seas and commanded the fish to spew him onto dry land. If that didn't get his attention, I don't know what did. While in the desert on his way to Ninevah, he was a little overheated so he stopped to rest under a branch. Again, the Scriptures say that God again appointed a plant to shade him. Jonah, hating the plant, complained to God so God appointed a worm to eat the plant so it would die. Although Jonah reluctantly obeyed and went to Ninevah, God allowed over 600,000 people to be saved that day because of Jonah's obedience. Then Jonah got mad because God had mercy on the people and spared their lives. I wanted to say, "Um, Jonah did not God also have mercy and spared your life?...then why are you complaining?"

I thought of my own life and how reluctantly I have obeyed the Lord walking through this trial with Libby's surgery. I haven't always followed willingly, but God in His mercy is still pushing me along at times. I am walking a bit slow, but still holding on. I am trusting the Lord to do a mighty work through this situation, much like He did with Jonah. If people get saved, then it's all worth it. I am also encouraged by God's mighty power over his creation. He appointed a storm, a fish, a plant, and a worm to accomplish His purposes in Jonah's life. If God is that sovereign over creation how much more sovereign is He in my life and your life? He can use anything to accomplish His good will. I am excited about what He is going to do in us and through us in regards to this trial we must face, should He choose not to heal. Maybe there is something God is calling/asking you to do and you are reluctantly/dragging your feet. You might as well just go ahead and give in because you will sooner or later. It's not always fun, but He doedesire obedience rather than sacrifice. I am thinking of this precious hymn as I type this: "Jesus, Jesus how I trust you. How I've proved you ore and ore. Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus. Oh for grace to trust you more." I have proven Him...and found Him to ALWAYS be faithful!