Some of our most difficult challenges in life are when we are belabored over an activity we are not that enthused about.  This session from the book Multiply, by Francis Chan, we are given insight to how to study the bible prayerfully and obediently.

If we are all honest with ourselves, we have gotten into a pattern in life and determined how to maneuver our way through our daily life and survive. Even if we asked ourselves the question do we prayerfully and obediently study the bible, we would all answer defensively.  We pray and we read our bible, let’s move on. And that is where we are weak.  We don’t want to face the obvious, the difficult situation we are in. Many of us frequent our bible, we have memorized certain parts of the bible, or themes, historical events and we have become more intelligent, but the objective of the Bible is so much more than a life preserver to float around with.

We are all familiar with the concept of swimming, and the analogy is very similar to our walk as Christians.  A person can go to the beach, or a lake or pool and have the intention to go swimming. There are many individuals that actually go to the swimming pool, spend hours in the deck chairs get in the water to cool off, maybe even go under for full emersion, then get out and never really swam.  Swimming actually takes a commitment and an action. Just being in a swimming pool, does not mean a person is swimming, any more than being at a ball park means they are playing ball.

Our Christian life is the same way, many frequent, but few engage. Being a Christian is more than an event, or a club. There should be impact and alteration to our lives. The ones that followed Jesus were not the same men after following Him.

We have been in this section about How to Study the Bible, and many of us deal with it the same fashion as swimming. We know the concept, we have swam before and we can get by. The difference is, the Bible and our Christian walk is a relationship, not an exercise. It may take energy, but the relationship is the most important thing in our existence, which involves eternity.

Describe your experiences with studying the Bible. What approaches have you tried? What has been effective? What has be ineffective? What have you learned in the process?

Many of us have used or been exposed to the term “devotional”, We may have a bible “devotional” we read, which tends to be a topic or category of reading. We may have purchased or engaged in a devotional such as Jesus Calling or maybe participated in a “Daily Devotional”. Generally these are “devotions” to a cadence or pace. We have little assignments to read each day.  We may have the Bible app on our phone and we may utilize some plans and devotionals in there that pop up and read sections. Which ever medium we select, it gets the same results, it creates a behavior and life change, we get used to being expected to read the Bible. But we need to challenge ourselves, are we just going to a pool or ball park and playing a game?

We tend to think of Bible study as an activity within itself. “I went to Bible study”, “What is the next Bible study”, and we miss the concept entirely. God gave us the Bible to benefit us, to engage with us and to have experience with us. Many of us have had books in our lives that we have had to read to do our job, or pass a class, but once the test is over or we learn how to do a task at work, the book has done it’s purpose. That is not the same as the Bible. The bible is a lifetime experience with God.

Have you ever thought to simply enjoy reading the Bible? We often get so caught up in life or the details of the biblical text and we forget that we should be thrilled to hear God’s word.

What does it look like to take joy in reading the Bible? Have you ver experienced this? If so, what is it like? If not, why do you think you’ve not enjoyed reading the Bible?

We can obtain wisdom, but there is a difference in human wisdom and the wisdom of God. Paul clarifies this situation in 1 Corinthians, when he addresses some very wise, dedicated people.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”

10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.– 1 Corinthians 2:9-14 NLT

What are your thoughts or your response to Paul’s insights?

The bottom line is that we need God to help us read and understand the Bible, and that help comes from the Helper. If we are honest, pressing play on a Bible app and hearing some scripture is beneficial, but it is no different than sitting on the side of the pool and dangling our feet.

Challenging Moment

Here is a practical exercise we can all do.

Think for a moment through all the commands that you know God wants us all to be doing (example: loving people around us, forgiving others, praying, etc.)

Now evaluate your life in light of these commands. If you find that the things you thought of aren’t an active part of your life, then it’s pretty evident that you need to change the way you study the Bible.

In the coming weeks we are going to learn about the Old Testament and the New Testament and it would benefit us all if we aligned our reading with God’s intention.

It has been a pure blessing to have the Holy Spirit lead us in our bible ready during the week and then bless us with “coincidence” on Sundays. Let us continue to seek interaction with the Lord this week with the following reading outline.  Try to crack open the Multiply book and just flip to (Part III: Session 3 – Study Logically) and to help out, the following Scriptures are in the reading plan.

• Romans 1 & 2
• Romans 3
• Romans 4 & 5
• Romans 6
• Romans 7
• Romans 8

This weeks supporting video…

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.