The Bible Is Vital

The article and video below were created by Evelyn Brooks, from Chosen Explosions Ministries. The video is provided here to this post as a listening option. Enjoy!

The Bible: Where Do I Start?

Discipleship One

Lesson 3

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4:12 ESV) 

Understanding what God’s Word is to believers:

1. It is our anchor of Truth. The Bible is a Christians everything book. It has the answer to every problem we face in it. It teaches us how to live life as a child of God. How else will we understand God, His kingdom and His ways? This world is full of ideas, thoughts and opinions that may or may not be true. The Bible is our source of truth.  It never changes and it is eternal. 

When we read it for ourselves, we know firsthand God’s truth. Then when we go through things, the Holy Spirit will bring the scriptures you have read to your mind and confirm the spoken word as truth or will negate it as false based on the truth book.

2.  It is our instructional manual for living a blessed life. It is our problem solver book. Any problem you have the answer to it is found in the word of God.

3. It is God’s covenant with His people.Covenant means a contract, or a compact. It implies a binding agreement or a promise. A covenant is sealed with blood and is considered a done deal, broken only by death. The word testament means covenant. Our Bible is divided into what we call the Old and the New Testaments or covenants. Our New Testament or covenant is sealed with the blood of Jesus; therefore, it is our promise book or binding contract with God. God is willing and able to keep his covenant or promises to us. The Bible is filled with God’s promises to us as His children. Shouldn't we want to know what He has promised us? Every word in the New Testament is still in effect for today.

3. It is our spiritual milk and meat. Reading it will help us to grow strong and mature spiritually.  It will help us be more like Christ and equip us to do the work of the ministry. God expects every Christian to do His work in one way or another.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2Ti 3:16-17 ESV) But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Mat 4:4 ESV)

4. It is God’s love letter to us.  It is a love story between God and His beloved creation, with God working out a plan of redemption for man and most often man rejecting God’s plan. The entire Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the New Testament. In other words, the entire Old Testament prophesies and the New Testament fulfills those prophecies. We can learn and gain much from both Testaments. The bible is God plan of restoration of what man lost with God in the Garden of Eden. What God is restoring is our relationship and our standing with Him. God great love for us and His desire to be one with us can be seen all throughout the Bible. 

5. The Bible is full of the benefits that come along with being a child of God. 

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psa 103:2-8 ESV) 

To get your mind going and to help you begin to comprehend what the Bible is to us, let us pretend for a moment that your very wealthy uncle has purchased for you a lifetime membership in an exclusive club. This club has unbelievable benefits. You know nothing about this club or its benefits. A manual comes with the membership describing all the benefits and how you might enjoy them. You have a choice, you can let all these benefits go unused or you can pick up, read the manual, and enjoy the benefits.

When we become born again, we become an heir of God and joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17) We become the child of the creator of the universe. We were born into the richest family in the world. All the riches of this family belong to us now!

The benefits that come from our relationship with God are endless. (See psalm 68:19, Psalm 103:2 and Psalm 116:12) However, the only way we will ever receive these riches into our life is by reading and understanding our manual, the Bible. Once we know of and understand our benefits, we simply receive them by faith; which is the way we receive everything from God. We had to have faith even to become born again. 

Receiving the benefits of our covenant will help make us complete in Christ, living the good life we are expected by God to live, walking in happiness, peace, health, prosperity, taking full authority over Satan and his demons, being strong and full of the wisdom of God. 

6. The Bible teaches us how to overcome darkness. It teaches us who our enemy is, his strategies against us and how to overcome them. 

It will turn us into mighty warriors that destroys darkness just like Jesus.

Jesus said in Luke 6:40, A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40 ESV)

7. It helps us not to fall prey to temptation, so that we will not sin against God. It makes us wise,discerning, righteous and strong. It  makes us very powerful against the enemy.

I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psa 119:11 ESV) 

8. It gives us God’s wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Wisdom is extremely valuable for a successful life. It helps us to overcome every storm of life. Colossians 3:16, Romans 10:17

9. It build our faith, it gives us hope and joy.  The world is so full of gloom and doom. God’s word gives us great hope and hope brings joy. 

10. It is our guide through life.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psa 119:105 ESV) 

11. God’s word is a cleansing agent. It washes our hearts, just the same as water cleans our body when we bathe. It renews our mind. Ephesians 5:26

12. It makes us fruit bearers. It equips us to help others with truth. 

What version or translation of the Bible should I use? 

First, you must realize that no English Bible is the original Bible. All Bibles written in English are translations of the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. Some versions are written more literal word to word.Other version are more thought to thought translation, or paraphrased.Contrary to what many people think, no versions are completely literal because the sentences would make no sense if it were because of language differences. Really they are all paraphrased but to different degrees.

Some versions are trusted by many people but they were translated so long ago that the words and writing structure is very different from today making them hard to understand. Many people prefer more modern translations that more in alignment with today’s words and word usages because they are easier for them to understand. 

There are many good versions or translations. Personally, I like the English Standard Version or the New King James for memorizing and studying. I like The Living Bible for reading and comparisons. I have and use many different versions for comparison sake. 

Choose whichever translation you prefer and the one from which you can get the best understanding. The Bible is not much good to you if you do not understand it because of language barriers.

In warning, not every translation is created equal.Some are much better than others. Have a more literal translation as well as a paraphrased if you like. Do research on line to help you choose and of course ask God to guide you. 

Most popular ones: 

King James 

New King James 

English Standard Version 

New International Version 

New Living Translation 

How to get the most from God’s word:

1. Begin your Bible study time by inviting your teacher (the Holy Spirit) to come and teach you. Ask Him to help you understand what you read and how you might apply it to your life.

2. Simply read: Gather facts and learn the stories. 

3. Meditation - Carefully consider or think deeply about what you read. During this time, the Holy Spirit will talk to you, teach you and give you understanding of how you can apply God’s word to your life. Meditation gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to teach you. This is so very powerful!

4. Memorization: Scripture memorization is very important. It gets God’s word on the inside of us and equips us powerfully. If we don't memorize scriptures word for word, we need to at least become very familiar with key verses. I encourage you to discipline yourself to memorize key scriptures for the different topics that relate to your own life circumstances. If God’s word is hidden in your heart, no one can ever take it away from you. It will guide you through life safely.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:11 KJV)

5. Application: As you read and study God’s word, think of ways that you can make your life better line up with it. How can you apply it to your life? Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s work in your heart. 

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (Jas 1:22-25 ESV)

6. Study: You may do a word study, a topic study, personality study.

•  Word study: To do a word study, you conduct a search on a specific word of which you want to gain a biblical understanding for example love. One tool you can use is a complete concordance. It is similar to a dictionary. Look up the word you are studying the same way you would in a dictionary. It will give the definition of the word and it will give you the scripture reference for every instance the word is used in the bible. Studying the different ways the word is used in the Bible will give you a fuller biblical understanding of the word. 

Most people today use online programs bible tool websites or they download a bible program. Some can be found on line for free or you can purchase computer bible programs.

The bible software has all kinds of bible search tools. For example you can type any word into the Bible tool and it will pull up every scripture in the Bible using that word. You can then check that word out in the bible dictionary, the encyclopedia, the lexicon and other applications. To find an on-line bible tool, type the words “Bible tools” into your search engine.

A lexicon enable you to see the Greek or Hebrew word and its literal meaning for any word in the bible. This is a very helpful tool in word studies. 

Here are some well know online bible study tool websites: 

www.crosswalk.com

www.blueletterbible.org
www.biblegateway.com

www.biblehub.com

Here are some sites that offer free bible software downloads: 
www.e-sword.net
www.theword.net

www.olivetree.com 

Search Engines can be very helpful in finding information to give us better understanding on a word, scripture or topic of the bible. This will bring up all kinds of articles on the subject but of course we should be careful in this because many things written on line are not truth. So this should be mixed with reading the word, prayer and meditation of the word. 

•  Topic study - Study of a particular topic, for example, "the second coming of Christ". Think of key words having to do with your topic. Look those words up in a concordance, topical Bible or Bible encyclopedia. You also could use your Bible’s cross reference tools. Cross-references take you to other scriptures in your Bible that discuss the same topic.

Another way to learn more about your topic is to read other books besides the Bible that discusses it. Be sure to check the author’s information with the Bible to be sure their information is biblical. Just because something is written in a book, does not ensure that it is the truth. Even added information you find in a study Bible may not necessarily be the truth. Be discerning, always rely on the actual Bible for final authority and your teacher the Holy Spirit. If it is truth that you are seeking, truth is what you will find. God will see to it. 

•  Personality study: We can learn a lot about God and His kingdom by studying the lives of Bible characters. Use a concordance or bible study program to find every instance of their name mentioned in the bible. A Bible encyclopedia may also prove helpful.

Where do I start reading?

Because the Bible is made up of many books, with many different authors you can begin anywhere you wish to. I would suggest, if you are newly born-again begin in the New Testament. Read it straight through. Then start at Genesis and read all of the Old Testament.

Some people prefer to read a chapter out of the old and the new every day until they finish. I only suggest this if it is your second or more time through it. However, whichever way you prefer is okay. It is all good and helpful. The main thing is to be faithful to reading daily. Establish a habit of feeding your spirit daily and make sure you do in in a way that you will be able to keep up with what you have read so that eventually you will have read it all! 

Conclusion: 

We never get to the place where we know all about the Bible and can stop reading it. The Bible is multi-leveled. Every time we read it, it is fresh and new. We can always learn something new from it. We should read all of it many times in a lifetime. We also should spend time reading and meditating on parts of it all of our life. It is our food, our direction, our wisdom, our source for truth. It is our very lifeline. 

My son, if you will receive my words and hide my commandments with you, so that you attend to wisdom, you shall extend your heart to understanding; yea, if you cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding;if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you shall understand the fear of Jehovah and find the knowledge of God. (Pro 2:1-5 NKJV) 

Weekly Challenges:

Read a chapter from the bible each day.

Pray for at least 15 minutes daily.

Operation L.O.V.E. This week do a random act of kindness for a stranger. Hold open a door, offer to take the buggy back for them at the grocery store, etc. Be creative. 

Scripture memorization:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy. 3:16 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Both lesson and video are courtesy of Chosen Explosion Ministries
http://www.chosenexplosion.com/files/Lesson_3_The_Bible_Where_do_I_Start.pdf