STUDY YOUR BIBLE
I remember when I was much younger, we would usually sing this song:
Read your bible, Pray every day,
Pray every day, pray every day
Read your bible, Pray every day,
If you want to grow…
This was a mantra for us at Sunday school class. We would joyfully sing it and rejoice but it never really hit us deeply. Wish we had taken this more seriously.
Knowledge is very important in shaping a man’s life. The quality of life a man will express is dependent on the kind of knowledge he has fed himself with. As believers, we need to understand that the Bible is God’s written expression to us. It does not only tell us about God but contains God. It is God-inspired. (Ref: 2 Tim 3:15)
A believer cannot grow in Christ if he does not cherish the bible and its instructions. The word of God empowers us to live right and by God’s standards. It does this by arming us with instructions on what to do, correcting us when we err, supplying strength to take us in the right direction and leading us into the path of Godliness.
To succeed as a student, you need to study the notes, texts and other supporting materials given to you by your course lecturers. So also, it is for a believer, God desires that we make progress in every area of life. Therefore, we must study the word of God with a desire to understand it. We can’t spend all our time reading the latest fashion magazines, keeping up with the latest tech news or consuming all the junk on social media. Why? The contents of this world were not designed to prosper you as a believer. You cannot afford to spend your time on garbage.
Many people do not realize that the bible is very instructive and teaches us how to deal with matters that pertain to life and Godliness. There are instructions on how to relate with family, parents, money, health, friends, employers, acquaintances, etc. By reading the bible, you will know how to do life accurately. It is not God’s desire to hide the things of the kingdom from you as a believer. However, those who take the time to dig into the scriptures will gather its treasures.
Joshua mentioned that:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
- Joshua 1:8 KJV
Here we see a man who rose to become a great leader sharing his secret on how he became successful in all that he did. He was a man that had taken the time to stay with God’s word. This implies that every believer ought to spend quality time with God’s word by studying it and applying the lessons therein to every of their life activities.
Why would you choose not to study God’s word? Do not outsource your growth only to things you hear from preachers, YouTubers and all. I mean, this post is not even enough for you to grow, it in no way substitutes the bible. It is only to guide you and fuel your hunger for the things of God. You should be able to go to the source where the wisdom flows (The Bible). We must learn something from the Berean Christians. They were people taught by Paul the Apostle. Yet, they did not just take what Paul said alone, they went ahead to confirm daily from the scriptures that what he had said was accurate.
See: Acts 17:11 KJV
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Beautifully, we now have mobile bibles in several translations. We have more options now but yet a lot of believers still do not cherish this Holy book so much. We can read it anywhere at any time.
We should also learn from Job and David.
Job said:
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. — Job 23:12 KJV
Job loved God’s word more than just eating jollof rice and grills. Probably this was the reason he was able to endure so great affliction.
David voiced out:
O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. — Psalm 119:97 KJV
This made David exceedingly successful, and wiser than his enemies.
As a believer, you must LOVE God’s WORD.
We do not study the bible just because we want to show off that we know a lot of scriptures or win a quiz and all. We do so because we are workmen that cannot function without it. God approves of us when we desire His word. The Bible is the most functional book present on the surface of the earth.
As a pastor, lawyer, teacher, doctor, sportsman, etc. you need to know that you are first a believer before anything else. Don’t join the group of people that think the bible is “not all that necessary,” don’t just live off 1-minute Instagram clips of preachers. Earnestly desire to be taught of God until His word becomes your life. I remember a famous preacher once mentioned, Get God’s word so much inside of you such that at any time you are shaken, what comes out of you is God’s word.
The apostles in Acts 6 mentioned that the two instruments of functionality they treasured for their assignments are Word and Prayer. Effective bible study leads to effective prayer life. It helps to guide you in prayers. One of the most effective ways to pray is by praying according to the will of God via the written word.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. — Acts 6:4 KJV
The study of God’s word is also important in giving us direction and making us live righteously.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. — Psalm 119:105 KJV
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. — Psalm 119:11 KJV
Also, it is important to know that God wants us to study ALL parts of scripture. Not some, not just the New Testament or Old Testament but every testament. This is how a believer will be spiritually balanced and effective.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. — 2 Timothy 3: 16–17 KJV
In Conclusion:
Just a chapter of the word a day will keep sin and slavery away! No Christian can truly live a victorious life without it. — Mobolaji Olorisade
I believe you have been blessed by this article. Please feel free to like, share and comment. God bless you, dear reader.
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