Another school year has ended. It was a busy one full of challenges, new ways of doing things, fun times building relationships, and preparing students for life beyond high school. Remember those days? Graduation once again was a bittersweet time to say goodbye and best wishes to many who I won’t see in the future. I know the Capstone career readiness project will help them as they continue to figure out who they are, where they are going, and how they will get there. But Capstone falls short of fundamentally helping students experience true, abundant life. Only God can provide that. For life isn’t really about who do I want to become and what do I want to do, but rather real, abundant life is found in discovering who does God want me to be and what does God want me to do. I will continue to pray for several students that they can grow in this discovery. I want the same for you.
Studying the Bible, God’s word, will improve your life. Some people settle for hearing about God secondhand from a pastor, radio host, parent, relative, or friend. There is a need for learning from others, but it should not take the place of coming to know God directly. It’s like the difference between discussing childbirth and giving birth, or reading about parenting and raising a child. God has revealed himself through Jesus, who is the living word (John 1:1-4). We learn about Jesus by walking with him and studying what he said and did. God has given us the Bible as a love letter describing Jesus and how he created us, loves us, and wants to save us to be with him, to be like him, and to do what he does. If we don’t trust and obey God through Jesus we miss true life and will die. So studying the Bible is vital to living. In Psalm 1 David puts it this way,
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”
David understood the value of God’s word as did many others who wrote of it. The Bible is not just words on a page like other books; it is living and active helping us judge thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12). It is like a sword allowing us to attack and withstand evil (Ephesians 6:10-17). It is a light to show us God’s path and a lamp to guide each of our steps (Psalm 119:105; Joshua 1:7-8). Finally it helps us glorify, obey, and keep close to God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:11).
No other literature compares to the Bible. It has over 40 authors, written in three continents and three languages across 1500 years yet with one unified message of God’s love and salvation in Jesus. It specifically foretells the future, is read by billions of people–more people than any other book, and contains no errors in the original manuscripts. That’s because it isn’t written by people, but rather it is written by God who inspired people to pen his words on parchment (2 Peter 1:20-21). This short video further explains how we know the Bible is the Word of God.
The Bible is worth studying, but how should someone do that? There are various ways to study the Bible. I’ll share one simple, yet effective way that involves five steps.
- Pray. Ask God for wisdom and rely on his Holy Spirit to help you understand.
- Read. Choose a book of the Bible and then read a chapter a day (a good book of the Bible to start with is the book of John or Acts). Even read the chapter twice if you can.
- Question. Observe: What is going on? Ask who, what, when, where, and why. Look for repetition, comparisons, contrasts, key words, and themes.
Interpret: What does it mean? Ask what is being claimed or commanded, what is the significance, what is the context (like what comes 20 verses before and 20 verses after), what do others passages of scripture say about this.
Apply: What does it matter to me? What is God telling me personally to do, to not do, or to change? - Write. Keep a journal of key thoughts, main points, and questions you have. Seek answers.
- Share. Tell others what you are learning. God reveals truth to you in order to change you. Then he encourages you to pass it on to help others.
In praying to God the Father before his crucifixion and resurrection Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). We can know God and thus experience true life by studying his word. Have you come to see the truth in this? Do you read or study the Bible? Let me know if this has been helpful or if you have any questions. I hope you are doing well.
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