STUDYING GOD'S WORD TEXTUAL THOUGHTS
1. Acts 17:11 - A person of noble character is willing to examine the
words of another.
2. Matthew 4:4 - Man's life is dependent upon the word of God. 3. Deuteronomy 29:29 - God has revealed
His message, so that we can learn and follow.
4. Revelation 1:3 - We will be blessed (happy) if we listen to the
Lord.
5. 2 Corinthians 1: 13 - Basically, everything we read in the Bible
can be understood. II. MAIN THEME 1. Common Sense will help us in our study of the Bible. a.
Read the Bible. Don't just search for
details. Really, read, preferably
whole books. b.
Remember that the characters of the Bible were real people. Their thoughts are real. c.
Keep an awareness of the different time periods. The Saul of 1 Samuel lived over 1000 years before the Saul of Acts. Try not to get mixed up due to time
differences. d.
Don't be hasty in your applications.
It is difficult to make conclusions without a lot of study, prayer, and wisdom. Peter's thoughts may not always apply to
Paul's message. 2 Peter 3:14-16 e.
If it says that it is figurative language, then don't try to understand it in
a literal way.
2. Study Tools can be very helpful. a.
Concordance - useful for: finding
passages, developing topics, examining language b.
Topical Bible - useful for:
developing topics, examining language, as a dictionary c.
Study Bible - useful for:
cross-examination of a topic, finding a synonymous passage d.
Greek Lexicon & Interlinear - useful for: understanding the meaning of N.T. words
3. Meditation is a godly exercise. a.
Psalm 1:1-3 - the godly man meditates on the word of God at all times. b.
Psalm 119 (vs. 97,112) - our love for the word will keep it in our hearts and
minds c.
Meditation is deep thought involving concentration, cross-examination and
prayer.
4. Personal Character is required in order to attain a true
knowledge of the Word. a.
Genuineness - without this virtue, a person only seeks for his own advantage b.
Openness - an open heart and mind lead to truth, wisdom, and freedom c.
Humility - when we realize that we need God, then nothing else matters as
much III.
APPLICATION 1. Don't ever be ashamed to ask a
question or to say "I don't know."
This shows honesty. The
apostles asked a simple question in Matthew 24 and Jesus spoke a great
lesson.
2. If you have the ability to read - DO IT ! If you cannot read - ask someone to read to you. Reading
or listening is the best way to understanding.
3. Be more concerned with the overall theme of a book, instead of with
the individual details. Remember
Jesus said that the great themes were more important (Matthew 23:23).
4. When you have studied all you know, then study all you can. When you have studied all you
can, remember that your salvation is dependent upon God's grace, not upon your
ability to understand perfectly. No
matter how much we know, only the Lord saves! IV. MEMORY VERSE - Deuteronomy 29:29 |