Any library is stacked full of books. In fact, the British Library in London contains over 170 million items of literature. Yet the Bible stands alone as a book far different from any other. It is the best-selling book of all time, over five billion have been sold. We read in 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 that it is ‘given by inspiration of God, and is profitable’. This means literally that its words are breathed out by God Himself and are good for us. It is an amazing concept that as we open the Bible, we are actually reading God’s words to us.
God is our creator and just as the maker of a gadget would write a detailed instruction book, God’s word, the Bible, is His instruction book to us. Psalm 119 verse 105 describes God’s word as a lamp to light up the path of our lives - without God’s word we stumble our way through life.
The word of God is dynamic, it is not just a history book or good advice; it is so much more. The Bible is living and active; it has the power to penetrate our hearts, Heb. 4. 12. As we read the Bible, God speaks to us, giving us challenge and guidance for our lives. In fact, in Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 29, we are informed that when we are living outside of God’s instruction, His word can act as a hammer, breaking us in pieces; this shows us how powerful it is and how God uses it to speak directly to us.
In 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16, we are told of the great positive effects of the scriptures. They instruct or train us in righteousness. Verse 17 informs us that they equip us for every good work.
Knowing that the Bible is God-breathed should excite us. It is God’s word to us, absolutely true and carefully designed for our good. We should want to read it more.
Ephesians chapter 5 verse 26 tells us that this exercise alone does a remarkable thing. Reading God’s word purifies us; it uses the phrase, ‘washing of water by the word’.
However, since the Bible is God’s truth, we will be missing out if we don’t attend more closely to it. When we study God’s word, we will always benefit from it.
How we study God’s word is personal to everyone, and each of us must find the way that works best for us. But it won’t just happen, we need to dedicate ourselves to it and allocate a time and a place to study.
You will need to create an environment where you can concentrate, without distractions. It is essential to have a good clear copy of an accurate Bible translation, a notebook and pen so that you can jot down your thoughts. It is important that you plan for your study and that you carefully choose a book to go through. If you haven’t been saved long or are starting to study your Bible seriously for the first time, then it would be good to start with a Gospel. In fact, a wise man once told me that I shouldn’t stray far from the Gospels. So, I often return to them to learn more of my wonderful Saviour. It is always good to read and reread the whole book; this gives you a good overview and feel for the book, its places and people.
You have to learn a style of study that suits you. Sometimes it is good to go through a passage verse by verse, and some people love this method, and it enables them to look at the various phrases and understand what is meant by each of the God-breathed verses. You can look out for repeated phrases and key words to aid your understanding.
Another method is to study a passage looking for its challenges and encouragements. Some books lend themselves to this better than others. Whichever method we choose, it is always important to start by praying for help and understanding, and that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to reveal His word to us.
There are many online helps that can aid our study; it is good to take advice from someone we respect that uses these tools. We can also ask about commentaries and concordances. It is good to discuss what we have learnt with someone that we trust too.
It is important that what we learn isn’t just head knowledge and that we don’t allow it to make us proud or arrogant. It is vital that we allow the scriptures to change us to be more like Christ.
