
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
One of the most important questions that you can be asked is the following: "What are you currently studying in the Bible, and what is the Lord speaking to you through this?"
Unfortunately, we are a society that is so caught up in this fast paced microwave generation, that we have forgotten how to study. No, I am not talking about cramming before a test, or attempting to rapidly know a new product or service offered through your employer. I am talking about the slow methodical ability to pick-up the Bible and STUDY it. Notice I didn't say Read it.
Have you ever sat down and read a Readers Digest or maybe your favorite novel, and walked away thinking, HUH? I can't tell you how many times I have sat down to read a book and at the end of the page, I have to start all over because I didn't remember a thing I had just read. This can happen to us when we read the Bible as well. It is not because the Bible is not interesting, or because it is too complex to understand. Rather, it is because our minds are so cluttered with busyness that we have forgotten how to focus. In this fast paced lifestyle it is absolutely imperative that we focus on Christ, and not give him second best. In order to accomplish this, we must STUDY His Word, rather than just Read it.
There is no set time of the day that is dictated that you have to read the Bible and Pray. There is nowhere that says you have to do it everyday, or for 30+ minutes per day. I have found that personally at the end of the day, my mind is all cluttered up, and I don't do my best focusing. I like to take time throughout the day to study His Word. It might only be 5 minutes here and there, but He is continually on my Heart.
If you are a frequent computer user, try using www.biblegateway.com It is a great online Bible resource where you will find several versions of the Bible. Instead of putting a Readers Digest in your restroom at home, try placing a Bible there. Keep one in your glove box in the car, so that if you have some time to drive to a park for lunch, you can have some one-on-one time with the Lord.
I used to think that I studied the Bible, but over the last couple of years I have realized that in the past I just read it. Since I have taken the time to really dig in, the Word of God has become so REAL to me. It is an action packed, war story, romance novel, geographical history study, foreign journey, shipwrecked, earth swallowing, viper biting, fire consuming, grace-riddled, mercy bestowing, salvation for all man kind, compilation of work. For somebody that says that it is boring, I just respond that they haven't been reading my Bible. The one that I read keeps me on the edge of my seat daily, and is the foundation of what makes this ball that we live on spin.
Remember, the question posed at the beginning of this blog is not really the important part. THE ANSWER IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO MANIFEST YOUR CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST!