I’ve started reading Living by the Book by Howard and William Hendricks (available on Amazon). “The adventure of your life awaits!” Although I’ve read through the Bible nearly 100 times from cover to cover, I still crave the Word. This book is helping me develop better ways to observe, read, hear, interpret, and apply the Word to my everyday life. Professor Hendricks presents three benefits of Bible Study — growth, obedience (maturity), and effectiveness. And it’s available for anyone! No special skills required. Dr. Hendricks says, “If you can read, you can glean important insight from Scripture.”
If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:4,5 NKJV
TIME
One of the most significant objections to studying the Bible is time. Everyone is busy, although we make time for what is essential. Time spent in God’s Word is never wasted! Bible Study is vital to spiritual development. Unlike a crying child that needs and receives immediate attention, God’s Word often sits silently on the end table waiting to be picked up and embraced. Until the cover opens and the words travel into the heart of the reader, it lies there as an unmined diamond, a pearl of high price, a buried treasure.
PSALM 119
Considering the importance of Bible study. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, fixates on the treasure of God’s every word written for us. Blessings want to leap off the page if we open the cover and quarry the gems there. Bountiful blessings await those who thirst for it as a deer panting for water.
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—
they do no wrong but follow his ways. Psalm 119:1-3
God’s Word gives knowledge and good judgment. It brings confidence that I’m loved. My heart turns to God and trains me to say “no” to sin. It removes guilt. I right relationships. God leads. God speaks!
Every verse of Psalm 119 is God declaring, loving us, calling us to come and eat at the banquet table of life.
Consider the significance of the longest chapter of Scripture, Psalm 119. The Divine Author has unquestionably placed this longest chapter in the Bible to emphasize the importance of the Word of God. Every verse focuses on the necessity of reading and studying the Word – every verse! So, why not hunger for it as we hunger for food? Why not cultivate and digest it as it nourishes holiness? Why not apply the essentials of growth, obedience, and effectiveness each day?
ESSENTIALS
Dr. Hendricks gives three benefits of Bible Study:
1) Bible study is essential to growth
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.
Just as a baby cries for food every four hours, to grow, we need to feed on God’s Word regularly, daily. When my boys were little, I would get up in the night (though not convenient, and tired) to feed them because I loved them more than my own needs. Learning God’s Word is not about convenience or having time. It is passionate for more of God; more than stuff, more than time, more than sleep, more than work., and because I love God. Time in God’s Word delivers wise choices, develops the right relationships, and determines maturing faith. Spiritual fruits blossom. Passion for loving God escalates. Growth happens.
2) Bible study is essential to spiritual maturity
Hebrews 5:13-14 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Jesus repeatedly said, “If you have ears to hear, hear.” We are often “dull” in our understanding of spiritual principles. Studying develops knowledge. I don’t expect my toddler to understand math or history, but by high school, he will. Comparatively, daily study of scripture will build understanding and the ability to stay within the guardrails that keep life sweet.
Bible study isn’t only for pastors, preachers, missionaries, or ministers. It’s for every person who loves the Lord. Maturity results in obedience.
The opposite of ignorance is not knowledge but obedience. Dr. Hendricks
3) Bible study is essential to spiritual effectiveness.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Time and energy invested in training conferences and mentoring are part of being useful in one’s work and career. A successful CEO rises to that position through sacrifice, training, study, and goal setting. A devoted follower of Jesus involves more than church attendance or singing songs of worship. Bible study is essential for growing maturity and effectiveness. 2 Timothy 3:16 says all scripture trains and equips each reader to be profitable for:
- doctrine/teaching us (right thinking about God/life/others),
- rebuke (behavior and attitudes),
- correction (purity),
- training in righteousness (learning what pleases God).
I’m always amazed and joyful that the Word is alive (Hebrews 4:12), reaching to the depth of me, drawing out those things that offend God, encouraging me in the right ways, and giving guidance. All scripture is God-breathed. God inspired every verse, every word, every phrase, every paragraph, every book. And each verse, word, phrase, paragraph, and book is useful and essential to my spiritual growth and development.
God’s word links us to eternity while becoming God-honoring in thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes.
God loves it when we love His word! It’s my prayer that you will read and make this a daily “training for righteousness” as you spend time in God’s presence and with the life-giving Word!
FOLLOW UP
Read Psalm 119 and notice the repetition regarding the indispensability of and the multitude of blessings waiting to be poured out on the reader.
Schedule time in the Word. Make-it-happen. Commit to daily reading. Reading three to four pages a day (10 minutes) you can read through your Bible in a year. Reading 10 pages (15-20 minutes) per day you can read through twice a year! I recommend it. Out of 24 hours daily, a few minutes each day in God’s Word will change your life! It’s essential!
I’m praying for you to crave God’s Word.
Prayer: God, help me take the time to listen, learn, and love your Word, Amen.