‘I have rejoiced in your decrees as much as in riches.’ Psalm 119:14 NLT
Spend time in prayer before you study the Bible. Ask the Lord to cleanse you from all known sin and fill you with the Holy Spirit so that you’ll be in fellowship with Him during your study time. Again, the purpose of Bible study isn’t to get new revelations and new rules; it’s to build a relationship with the Author of the Bible. The Psalmist said, ‘How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed [of] Your Word.’ (Psalm 119:9 NKJV) Sin doesn’t cancel your relationship with Christ, but it hinders your fellowship with Him. You have to be in fellowship with Him to understand and apply His Word. So before you search the Scriptures, ask God to search your heart. Paul says, ‘A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit… He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them. “Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can teach Him?” However, we have the mind of Christ.’ (1 Corinthians 2:14–16 GWT) It’s possible to read the same portion of Scripture many times, yet fail to see what God wants you to see until He ‘opens’ your eyes. Once that happens, your attitude toward Bible study will be transformed. Like a hungry person at a table overflowing with good food, you’ll relish God’s Word and your faith will grow. As Paul said: ‘…“No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But God has shown us these things through the Spirit.’ (1 Corinthians 2:9–10 NCV)
SoulFood: Jer 28-30, Luke 23:13-25, Ps 72:12-20, Prov 9:7-9
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2015
