by: Glen Bowman
Third & Kilgore Church of Christ
Some things in life we may take for granted. For example, we probably know that we should read the Bible, but maybe it’s not our highest priority or joy. Of course, our views and attitudes drive much of how we feel about things and how we react to them. So how do you feel about Bible study? How important is it to you?
The Bible describes itself as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). How can we deal with the battles that we face in this life without having something to defend ourselves and to use in combatting the devil’s schemes? God told Joshua to meditate on God’s word “day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8b). Do you want to be prosperous and have good success? Then spend more time studying and thinking about God’s message to us!
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, it says that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Apparently, we can’t be equipped or complete without it, which is why we need to meditate on it more! Second Timothy 2:15 says to “do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” It’s important not only to know what’s in the instruction manual of life, but also how to apply it accurately!
By storing up God’s word in our hearts, it can prevent us from sinning against Him (Psalm 119:11) and His word provides a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). We can both avoid sin by soaking up God’s word and see clearly to make wise decisions in life. Also, this process shouldn’t be burdensome (1 John 5:3), but become how Jeremiah describes it: “your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). We should delight in Bible study!
In addition, we should ask God to help us understand His word better. In Psalm 119:18, the writer prays, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.” God’s word is deep, so we should pray in connection with our studies. We should study both in group settings and in private, just like the Bereans. They’re described as follows in Acts 17:11: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” We need to study on our own and not just take someone’s word for it!
By faith we know that the words that Jesus spoke to us are spirit and life (John 6:63), so we should want ample study for our daily nourishment. If we don’t go a day without eating and we need to live on this spiritual food to survive (Matthew 4:4), why wouldn’t we prioritize our spiritual food at least as much as our physical food? We should be like Ezra, who “set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Let’s feast on God’s word, follow it consistently, and share it with others. “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17).
