Getting More from Getting More from God’s WordGod’s Word

The Church: Stewards of the The Church: Stewards of the MysteryMystery

God’s WordGod’s Word• It takes effort…It takes effort…–Not written to entertainNot written to entertain–Personally convictingPersonally convicting–Mentally challengingMentally challenging–Not written to usNot written to us

God’s WordGod’s Word• It takes effort…It takes effort…• So I must have So I must have desiredesire……• And And abilityability..

God’s WordGod’s WordIsaiah 55:8-9Isaiah 55:8-9“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Our Goal…Our Goal…• Grow in Grow in desiredesire• Refine our Refine our abilityability• So we get more from His So we get more from His

WordWord

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–It’s It’s truetrue

Psalm 119:151Psalm 119:151You are near, O Lord, And You are near, O Lord, And all Your all Your commandments are truthcommandments are truth..

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–It’s It’s truetrue

Psalm 119:160Psalm 119:160The sum of Your word is truthThe sum of Your word is truth, And every , And every one of Your righteous ordinances is one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.everlasting.

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–It’s It’s unchangingunchanging

Isaiah 40:8Isaiah 40:8The grass withers, the flower fades,The grass withers, the flower fades, But the But the word of our God stands foreverword of our God stands forever..

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–It’s It’s unchangingunchanging

Matthew 5:18Matthew 5:18“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplishedpass from the Law until all is accomplished..

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–It’s It’s provenproven• 2.5 – 6 billion copies sold in modern 2.5 – 6 billion copies sold in modern timestimes• Whole or parts in +2400 languagesWhole or parts in +2400 languages

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–It’s It’s truetrue–It’sIt’s unchanging unchanging–It’s It’s provenproven

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• It helps make It helps make life worklife work–Relevant Relevant to our deepest needsto our deepest needs

Romans 15:4Romans 15:4For whatever was written in earlier times For whatever was written in earlier times was was written for our instructionwritten for our instruction, so that through , so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.Scriptures we might have hope.

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• It helps make It helps make life worklife work–Our greatest source ofOur greatest source of wisdom wisdom

Psalm 119:98-100Psalm 119:98-100Your commandments make me Your commandments make me wiserwiser than my enemies, For than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have they are ever mine. I have more insight more insight than all my teachers, than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts.than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts.

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• It helps make It helps make life worklife work–Source ofSource of strength strength in our in our

strugglesstrugglesPsalm 119:11Psalm 119:11Your word I have treasured in my heart, Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.That I may not sin against You.

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• It helps make It helps make life worklife work–Peace and Joy Peace and Joy in any in any

circumstancecircumstancePsalm 1:2-3Psalm 1:2-3But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted like a tree firmly planted by by streams of water, Which streams of water, Which yields its fruit yields its fruit in its season And its leaf in its season And its leaf does not witherdoes not wither; And in whatever he does, ; And in whatever he does, he prospershe prospers..

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• It helps make It helps make life worklife work–Reveals our Reveals our SaviorSavior

Luke 24:27Luke 24:27Then beginning with Moses and with all the Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

Desire: Why study it?Desire: Why study it?• I can absolutely I can absolutely dependdepend on it on it–true, unchanging, proventrue, unchanging, proven

• It helps make It helps make life worklife work–our always relevant source of our always relevant source of

wisdom, strength, peace, joy, and wisdom, strength, peace, joy, and our Saviorour Savior

Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study itGo To Go To grace-bible.orggrace-bible.org downloads downloads biblestudies biblestudies “ “Bible Study Methods Bible Study Methods

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Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study it• Step 1: PrepareStep 1: Prepare–Gather resourcesGather resources–Choose a good time and placeChoose a good time and place–PrayPray–Choose a passage: Choose a passage: 2 Timothy 2 Timothy 3:14-173:14-17

Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study it• Step 2: ObserveStep 2: Observe–Read once: List 2-3 Big ideasRead once: List 2-3 Big ideas

Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study it• Step 2: ObserveStep 2: Observe–Read once: List 2-3 Big ideasRead once: List 2-3 Big ideas–Read again:Read again:• underline underline verbsverbs• circle key wordscircle key words• box connecting wordsbox connecting words

and, but, and, but, alsoalsoso that, yet,so that, yet,therefore,therefore,however…however…

Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study it• Step 3: InterpretStep 3: Interpret– list your questionslist your questions–review the context (book & review the context (book &

passage)passage)– look up cross-referenceslook up cross-references– look up key words, names, placeslook up key words, names, places–check a commentarycheck a commentary

Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study it• Step 4: ApplyStep 4: Apply– list principles & circle your list principles & circle your

hardesthardest–when do you struggle most?when do you struggle most?–brainstorm ways to improvebrainstorm ways to improve–choose one & create a choose one & create a concreteconcrete

plan of actionplan of action

Ability: How to study itAbility: How to study itGo To Go To grace-bible.orggrace-bible.org downloads downloads biblestudies biblestudies “ “Bible Study Methods Bible Study Methods

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