How do you usually do bible study? Do you just read through the bible as it is? Do you make use of commentaries? I usually just read through the bible as it is, but want to go deeper in depth with my bible study. Will appreciate all helps I can get!
How do you do bible study?
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Welcome to Christianity Boards.
I study more than one way. Sometimes I read the Word and if the Spirit prompts me to a verse,word or topic, I then follow his leading.
Sometimes someone may address a topic so again I put it before the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to guide me through its meaning.
It must always be verified by the whole word, not just picking from a tree one verse and establishing it to mean " this " or " that ". Context is important to understanding. Who is talking, to whom is it addressed, and is it applicable to myself today as a practice in my discipleship.
Always by prayer must the Word be studied and not as in a hurry or a means to an end such as" oh I read 10 chapters
today". The Word is our life force for Jesus is the vine and we produce through his nourishment.
Praying your question will be truly answered by the Spirit.
I study more than one way. Sometimes I read the Word and if the Spirit prompts me to a verse,word or topic, I then follow his leading.
Sometimes someone may address a topic so again I put it before the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to guide me through its meaning.
It must always be verified by the whole word, not just picking from a tree one verse and establishing it to mean " this " or " that ". Context is important to understanding. Who is talking, to whom is it addressed, and is it applicable to myself today as a practice in my discipleship.
Always by prayer must the Word be studied and not as in a hurry or a means to an end such as" oh I read 10 chapters
today". The Word is our life force for Jesus is the vine and we produce through his nourishment.
Praying your question will be truly answered by the Spirit.
Ps. I do not use commentaries or others studies nor sermons. History is a must as well as definition in your language. I do not read Greek nor Hebrew.
The Spirit is sufficient to teach as he is God and speaks to the open heart what he knows.
The Spirit is sufficient to teach as he is God and speaks to the open heart what he knows.
I study in many different ways as well. Sometimes I will take a theme or subject and flow it through scripture to give an overall view. I have always used a Study Bible as it shows verses that link to other verses. Or a concordance will list all the verses on certain people or words.
I also like to consider the culture at the time, to understand more of the meaning as this gives more understanding on it relevance to our culture today.
Sometimes a just take a verse and think about what each word in the verse means, but I guess that’s more meditating than study !! Rita
I also like to consider the culture at the time, to understand more of the meaning as this gives more understanding on it relevance to our culture today.
Sometimes a just take a verse and think about what each word in the verse means, but I guess that’s more meditating than study !! Rita
Taken
Well-Known Member
Ditto ~ Also Study Different Ways.
* Particular Words, revealed in numerous verses.
* Particular Topics, applicable to me, family, etc.
* Particular Topics, applicable to Israel, to Gentiles.
* Topics brought up in Forum Threads.
* Break down, Who, What, When, Why, Where, as it Applies IN verse Context;
Applicable to individuals; Israel, Gentile, both.
Applicable to God; His Word, His Will, His Power.
* Statutes...Written Laws...Applicability...Intent/context
* Common Laws...Applicability...Intent/context
* Commands...Applicability...Intent/context
* Precepts...(behaviors among and between men)...Applicability...
...Intent/context.
Sin ~ For those Under the Mosaic Law, according to Mosaic Law.
Sin ~ Under the Law, forgivable between men (Israel).
Sin ~ Applicable to all, Is Disbelief In God, In Christ Jesus.
Sin ~ Applicable to all, Only forgiven by the Lord God Himself.
Trespasses ~ Applicable to all men, All men can forgive Trespasses.
Trespasses ~ As well, God forgives men of “their” Trespasses, WHO, such men forgive other’s of Trespasses, committed against them.
Always keeping in mind; The Lord God Almighty IS Supreme, Creator AND Maker, Always True, Always Right, regardless IF we have not Yet come into the Understanding of the mysteries of His Knowledge.
His Knowledge...IS openly revealed.
His Understanding of His Knowledge...IS mysterious, and IS reserved AND Given TO THOSE, electing TO Have a Forever Relationship WiTH the Lord God Almighty....and once the Relationship IS Established....
(By, Through, Of Christ the Lord Jesus)...ALL asking FOR HIS Understanding, of His Knowledge; has no restrictions.
Study the topic of your interest Diligently, then ASK, ASK, ASK...
Expect to be, out of the blue, revealed the Answer.
God Bless you Chong, and Welcome to the Forum,
Taken
* Particular Words, revealed in numerous verses.
* Particular Topics, applicable to me, family, etc.
* Particular Topics, applicable to Israel, to Gentiles.
* Topics brought up in Forum Threads.
* Break down, Who, What, When, Why, Where, as it Applies IN verse Context;
Applicable to individuals; Israel, Gentile, both.
Applicable to God; His Word, His Will, His Power.
* Statutes...Written Laws...Applicability...Intent/context
* Common Laws...Applicability...Intent/context
* Commands...Applicability...Intent/context
* Precepts...(behaviors among and between men)...Applicability...
...Intent/context.
Sin ~ For those Under the Mosaic Law, according to Mosaic Law.
Sin ~ Under the Law, forgivable between men (Israel).
Sin ~ Applicable to all, Is Disbelief In God, In Christ Jesus.
Sin ~ Applicable to all, Only forgiven by the Lord God Himself.
Trespasses ~ Applicable to all men, All men can forgive Trespasses.
Trespasses ~ As well, God forgives men of “their” Trespasses, WHO, such men forgive other’s of Trespasses, committed against them.
Always keeping in mind; The Lord God Almighty IS Supreme, Creator AND Maker, Always True, Always Right, regardless IF we have not Yet come into the Understanding of the mysteries of His Knowledge.
His Knowledge...IS openly revealed.
His Understanding of His Knowledge...IS mysterious, and IS reserved AND Given TO THOSE, electing TO Have a Forever Relationship WiTH the Lord God Almighty....and once the Relationship IS Established....
(By, Through, Of Christ the Lord Jesus)...ALL asking FOR HIS Understanding, of His Knowledge; has no restrictions.
Study the topic of your interest Diligently, then ASK, ASK, ASK...
Expect to be, out of the blue, revealed the Answer.
God Bless you Chong, and Welcome to the Forum,
Taken
Taken
Well-Known Member
Commentaries use?
Those are typically Opinions of Individuals conclusions.
No, I do not rely on mens Opinions of “their” understanding.
However Commentaries CAN be useful, for particular Topics, Because Often the Commentaries Reveal Scriptural Text References to consider reading.
Do suggest, WHEN a particular VERSE is being discussed, to read the Whole of the Chapter, to get the Perspective and Applicability...
of Who, what, when, why, where.
Glory to God,
Taken
Deborah_
Well-Known Member
I use commentaries a lot. They give you useful background information (history, geography, cultural differences). This is very important because without this knowledge you can jump to the wrong conclusions about what a passage means. Also, the good ones will point out where Christians differ in their interpretation of a passage or verse, and give you the pros and cons of each viewpoint.
Ideally, I like to read two different commentaries to get different angles on a passage. Matthew Henry's commentary is available to read free online and is often very useful (although you have to bear in mind that it's a few hundred years old and there's a lot of background information that he simply didn't have access to at the time he was writing - also it's based on the KJV, which I don't use). For modern English commentaries you can't go far wrong with the "Bible Speaks Today" series (although to collect all of them would end up being quite expensive as there are separate ones for each book of the Bible)
Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
I think everybody should read through the entire Bible, beginning to end. You can always join in a church Bible study. I like Bible introduction books - they can be very interesting.
Precious friend, A Very Warm Welcome to the Board. Hope these links are
helpful, as you prayerfully And Carefully study God's Word Of Truth:
Bible study Rules.
Please Be Very RICHLY Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, And Edified In
The LORD JESUS CHRIST, And In His Word Of Truth, Rightly Divided!
Grace, Peace, And JOY!...
Behold
Well-Known Member
Chong Shipei,
"study to show yourself approved unto God".....
Let me show you how you can become, quickly, a real student of the word, and God will give you revelation, that is the Light of the knowledge of the word.
Here is the thing..
A baby has to crawl, before it walks, before it runs, before it rides a bike.
A babe in Christ, has to do this also, in the word of God, in a very specific way.
Now, im going to assume you are born again, and not water baptized and religious.
Ok.?
So, as born again, you have the Spirit of God in you, who is "Christ in you the hope of Glory"..., and He is the revealer of the word of God to us.
That makes perfect sense, right?
So, inside you, is a born again "inner man".... a "new creation in Christ".. .and this inner man, learns by.. "your spiritual understanding that is your spiritual eyes, getting more LIGHT of revelation....=being opened".
Light, is REVELATION. The Light of Revelation, is the spiritual knowledge that you gain from studying the word, as Christ in you reveals to you, "all the treasures of wisdom and Knowledge" as He is THAT..........
He will open the eyes of your inner understanding to receive the Light of Revelation, from the word of God, as you study it.
Now to block this from ever happening, can be done.
How?
Its very simple...
God layers revelation knowledge, building your spiritual understanding..... brick by brick, layer by layer..
So, if you get the foundation wrong, if you get the fundamentals of the FAITH wrong... then God will build nothing as your Spiritual Knowledge, and you'll end up a heretic. Hebrews 13:9.
You'll be swept away by cunning liars, who speak Christianese, and will twist you into a theological "circular reasoning" mental knot.
They'll have you in their cult, theologically.
So, you have to not become the person who is led away from the Truth by "doctrines of devils" who will teach you their deception, and say its "bible".
Now read Hebrews 13:9, and notice what it says you must DO.....all your life.
It says, you must establish your HEART, your BELIEF SYSTEM, ...with GRACE...
GRACE.
What is that exactly?
Its The perfect understanding that God saved you, and God keeps you saved, always, based on the Cross of Christ.
Philippians 1:6
That is the understanding that is the Heart of real faith, established by God's GRACE..
You have to learn to understand that so deeply that it can't be stolen from you or twisted in you, into something else.
If you will do this, then you have created the firm foundation that allows Christ in you to begin to show you more and more revelation from the word of God.
As you do this, you then need to study and learn... Romans 3:21-28
And you need to understand why the Cross of Christ is the "GIFT of Salvation" and the "GIFT of Righteousness".
Also...
The bible is THE sword of the Spirit. This means its a spiritual book that can harm you as well as help you.
There are a couple of epistles in the Holy Bible , New Testament, that can harm your theological understanding, UNTIL you are "grounded in Grace".
Hebrews 13:9
So, until you are grounded and have a strong faith in Jesus as the only way to heaven, and that "not by works"...,then do not read Hebrews, James, or Matthew, as these epistles have verses in them that can harm you, until you are very strong in your understanding of God's Grace as: "the Gift of Salvation", and "the Gift of Righteousness". and have a true understanding of what it means to have become born again as a: "new creation IN Christ". "one with God"..."Seated in heavenly places".
One final thing..... Paul The Apostle said..."be a follower of ME, as i follow Christ'".
This means, He is your Theology Teacher. He is your Doctrine of the Bible Teacher., and you are his lifelong student.
So, as you get going, and study the word, you have to live in Paul's Epistles most of all, as a STUDENT of the word, as its Paul =most of all, who is going to become to you the means by which Christ in you, takes you deeper into the Light of the Word.
Chong, i have a pm box.
Feel free anytime to ask a question.
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It has change over my time with the Lord.
The first words He told me were, "Read Your Bible" - so I started at the beginning and read a bit everyday until I got to the end.
At that time I didn't understand about hearing from Him everyday because He was with me everyday. It took me nine months to finish the Bible, and a few months later before I figured out that since He was always with me I could always hear from Him.
Then I opened up the Bible daily and tried to hear something from Him about what I was reading. I also got a key word Bible to help me check out meanings of particular words and I did a little study on some of them.
Yet all that was about 20 years ago, and it wasn't long after I came to know Him (about three years) that He asked me to open up a Christian bookstore for Him. It was extremely slow but I had lots of things to look at and was coming to know Him better and better. He had me also selling used Christian books, and I would up being able to get lots of interesting used books, like multiple translations and multiply translations in the same Bible. I got a hold of interlinear Bibles. I was flooded with material, and I had to get familiar with all of it to run the store. He also would be giving me parables, teachings, and lots of teachings every day. He set it all up for me, and He was my teacher, putting together everything to help me learn more.
It was probably best represented by this little saying He gave me:
WHAT TEACHER DOESN’T PUT A BOOK IN FRONT OF HIS STUDENTS TODAY; YET NOT JUST A BOOK BUT OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES, VISUALS, AND OTHER MATERIAL? FOR I TELL YOU TRULY, IF THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO ME THEY ARE NOT MY PUPIL, THEY ARE NOT MY STUDENT; I TELL YOU TRULY, THEY ARE NOT MY DISCIPLE UNLESS THEY ARE HEARING FROM ME. SO DON’T TELL THEM TO READ THE BOOK, THEM TO TAKE THE CLASS!”
The thing is - even the question in the OP shows some ignorance about how things are, because the question focuses on the Book and not the Teacher!! Yes - He has a book and will ask us to study - but like any teacher it is Him who gives the assignments to study, if indeed we are taking His class. And it is not so much about the homework but the class, which is important. Many people buy the textbook but don't take the class which He teaches, and that simply does not work!! They wind up preaching the Book as the Word of God instead of preaching Him as the Word of God - thereby replacing God with a book.
Would not a better question be something like "What has the Lord Jesus Christ taught you today?"
He is always teaching me! Yesterday He was talking to me about relationships with Him and specifically about Jacob and Esau. He didn't have me open my Bible for that teaching, because I already knew the Bible story. But He covers how people get upset with Him because of the things that happen in this world. Jacob was fighting to get out of the womb first, but didn't make it. So, Jacob fought to get the birthright, and did get it. He worked hard to get the bride of his choice and didn't get her. So he again worked hard again to get the bride of his choice. Then when it seemed like he had to fight his brother and might lose everything he spent all night fighting with God. Yet he wanted God! Jacob wanted God, the things of God like the birthright. He was fighter, even if a frustrated fighter.
Where as, his brother just seem to get things given to him. Yet Esau didn't care about God and the things of God. So it was the Jacob, the man who fought with God but would not let go, was made a prince in God eyes, and thus a son of the King of kings. The Lord appreciates those who won't let go of Him, even if they fight with Him and get mad at Him for the things they go through.
And did you notice that the Lord gave prophecy about Jacob even before he was born. It was all planned by the Lord to develop character in one who was going to be called a prince, thus a son of the King on kings.
Yeah - I read the Bible, but not yesterday. The above was a teaching from the Teacher, given to me. So I don't make it about reading the Bible, but I try to make it about doing what my Lord askes! Which at first was "Read Your Bible" but it is really the message the Father had on the mountain, - This is My Son in whom I am well-pleased, Listen to Him!
The first words He told me were, "Read Your Bible" - so I started at the beginning and read a bit everyday until I got to the end.
At that time I didn't understand about hearing from Him everyday because He was with me everyday. It took me nine months to finish the Bible, and a few months later before I figured out that since He was always with me I could always hear from Him.
Then I opened up the Bible daily and tried to hear something from Him about what I was reading. I also got a key word Bible to help me check out meanings of particular words and I did a little study on some of them.
Yet all that was about 20 years ago, and it wasn't long after I came to know Him (about three years) that He asked me to open up a Christian bookstore for Him. It was extremely slow but I had lots of things to look at and was coming to know Him better and better. He had me also selling used Christian books, and I would up being able to get lots of interesting used books, like multiple translations and multiply translations in the same Bible. I got a hold of interlinear Bibles. I was flooded with material, and I had to get familiar with all of it to run the store. He also would be giving me parables, teachings, and lots of teachings every day. He set it all up for me, and He was my teacher, putting together everything to help me learn more.
It was probably best represented by this little saying He gave me:
WHAT TEACHER DOESN’T PUT A BOOK IN FRONT OF HIS STUDENTS TODAY; YET NOT JUST A BOOK BUT OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES, VISUALS, AND OTHER MATERIAL? FOR I TELL YOU TRULY, IF THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO ME THEY ARE NOT MY PUPIL, THEY ARE NOT MY STUDENT; I TELL YOU TRULY, THEY ARE NOT MY DISCIPLE UNLESS THEY ARE HEARING FROM ME. SO DON’T TELL THEM TO READ THE BOOK, THEM TO TAKE THE CLASS!”
The thing is - even the question in the OP shows some ignorance about how things are, because the question focuses on the Book and not the Teacher!! Yes - He has a book and will ask us to study - but like any teacher it is Him who gives the assignments to study, if indeed we are taking His class. And it is not so much about the homework but the class, which is important. Many people buy the textbook but don't take the class which He teaches, and that simply does not work!! They wind up preaching the Book as the Word of God instead of preaching Him as the Word of God - thereby replacing God with a book.
Would not a better question be something like "What has the Lord Jesus Christ taught you today?"
He is always teaching me! Yesterday He was talking to me about relationships with Him and specifically about Jacob and Esau. He didn't have me open my Bible for that teaching, because I already knew the Bible story. But He covers how people get upset with Him because of the things that happen in this world. Jacob was fighting to get out of the womb first, but didn't make it. So, Jacob fought to get the birthright, and did get it. He worked hard to get the bride of his choice and didn't get her. So he again worked hard again to get the bride of his choice. Then when it seemed like he had to fight his brother and might lose everything he spent all night fighting with God. Yet he wanted God! Jacob wanted God, the things of God like the birthright. He was fighter, even if a frustrated fighter.
Where as, his brother just seem to get things given to him. Yet Esau didn't care about God and the things of God. So it was the Jacob, the man who fought with God but would not let go, was made a prince in God eyes, and thus a son of the King of kings. The Lord appreciates those who won't let go of Him, even if they fight with Him and get mad at Him for the things they go through.
And did you notice that the Lord gave prophecy about Jacob even before he was born. It was all planned by the Lord to develop character in one who was going to be called a prince, thus a son of the King on kings.
Yeah - I read the Bible, but not yesterday. The above was a teaching from the Teacher, given to me. So I don't make it about reading the Bible, but I try to make it about doing what my Lord askes! Which at first was "Read Your Bible" but it is really the message the Father had on the mountain, - This is My Son in whom I am well-pleased, Listen to Him!
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
Well, here are ways one can study the bible:
1. Simple reading
2. topical studies- like say what does the bible say on marriage
3. Doctrinal studies- like salvation or the end times.
4. devotional studies- what are these passages trying to teach me?
5. Book studies- going through a book of Scripture.
The best tools to have are:
1. Language commentaries (Greek and Hebrew)
2. Concordance
3. Historical studies (like the life of Christ from a Jewish perspective)
4. Manners and customs of the times
Commentaries are OK- but just remember every commentary is written by men and is slanted towards the theology the person has studied under.
I would not recommend many here for no matter what one recommends, somebody else will write about the faults of that commentary. I have read many over my 49 years as a believer and now usually restrict my self to language and very few teachers.
I would also recommend on topics that are surrounded with controversy, like predestination or free will say, you study both sides of the argument and see which one most closely matches Scripture and which uses more "philosophy".
Well that is my two cents.
Commentaries should be a last resort. While some are very helpful others are actually a hindrance to Bible truth. It depends on the theology of the commentator.
Hi @Chong Shipei Welcome to CyB. Lovely to have you join us. I've read the bible through a number of times and back in the day, I used to study with friends. We would come up with a question that relates to every day walk with God as believers and then discuss our findings at a later date.
I also recall being assigned specific subjects and chapters to study by our home group leader from church. The following week, we would discuss what we have found based on our own personal walk and how that has affected our lives today. Growing in Grace was another program we studied as newbies to the church as well. Sometimes it can be easier and more fun if you study along with others. If you have opportunity in your church, I encourage you to join in
Is 29:13,14 Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read.”
Then the Lord said,
“Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,
There is a problem covered by Isaiah. The problem as seen above, is that His people often draw near with their words and they honor the Lord with their lip service, but their hearts are actually far from Him. Because of that their reverence for Him actually consists of tradition and learning by some routine.
I think "Bible studies" as a group get together is a good idea, but we are really learning from hearing the voice of our Teacher, Jesus Christ, right???
I can certainly see value in discussing what we hear from Him. It is written that we all know in part, so it would be good to get together at some place (even on a Christian forum) and go over what we actually did hear Him teach us. I mean, He is the Teacher and He then did actually go over teh Bible and give you teachings, right? And since we preach "The Word of God" to mean He is near us and was can hear from Him because His Holy Spirit brings words to our spirit, which we can find in our hearts and sometimes coming out ort mouths, because that is how we find out what is in our spirit.
For example, He once went over His grace with me. He talked to me about how His grace is His favor which we cannot do anything worthy enough to demand it, but He gladly gives His unmerited favor to those who seek His face - meaning they come to Him to find out what He has to say to them. In fact, He had me do a little study in the Bible in which I found out that His grace or favor, depending on the Bible translation you are using, in found in direct connection with seeking His face in what I remember was the first 13 or so times it is mentioned in the Bible. I didn't get that information from a bible study or from another person, but direct from having conversations with my Lord and Teacher, Jesus Christ!
So why are we so into studying with people instead of our Teacher??? If we truly are reverent of Him, wouldn't of first concern be to find out what He has to say??? It seems that would be the case to me, unless we are just giving lip service when honoring Him.
Believing in Him means believing that He is there with you as your Teacher to both explain the Bible to you and even tell you what He wants to cover today!!
So "our own personal walk" means we got teachings from Him (The Word of God) personally, and that would mean you could write down those things in words, as we remember Him telling us. And learning from Him, does not only mean studying your Bible. He created all things, and if indeed He loves you, didn't He think to make things, even things other than the Bible, to teach you with??
Isn't it written that God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son? And isn't it written, "this is Me beloved Son with whom I am well-please, Listen to Him"? So God gave us our Teacher, but our we listening to Him or just giving Him lip service?
Frankly speaking, I hear from Him. Because I hear from Him I can't even imagine going to other people first to find out things in the Bible. Now because I hear from Him I know He often takes me to hear what other people have to say about Him. And I know other people can and many do even hear from Him a lot more and a lot better than I do. But those people surely have a desire to get others to also listen to Him, simply because they truly know what it means to them.
Isaiah wrote to the people because he truly wanted the people to actually seek the Lord and listen to Him!! So He wrote down things He heard from Him. And Isaiah explained the problem the people were having, in that they were giving lip service to knowing and honoring the Lord. If you honor Him - your Teacher - then did you not study with your Teacher who said He would never leave you? Did you not get your study assignments from you Teacher? And if you went to the bible study with others, was it not because you Teacher told you to get together with that group? And when you did get together with the group of the study, did not your Teacher give you a teaching to add to the group? Perhaps it was about how we all need to listen to our Teacher, and especially when it comes to studying the Bible?
Then the Lord said,
“Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,
There is a problem covered by Isaiah. The problem as seen above, is that His people often draw near with their words and they honor the Lord with their lip service, but their hearts are actually far from Him. Because of that their reverence for Him actually consists of tradition and learning by some routine.
I think "Bible studies" as a group get together is a good idea, but we are really learning from hearing the voice of our Teacher, Jesus Christ, right???
I can certainly see value in discussing what we hear from Him. It is written that we all know in part, so it would be good to get together at some place (even on a Christian forum) and go over what we actually did hear Him teach us. I mean, He is the Teacher and He then did actually go over teh Bible and give you teachings, right? And since we preach "The Word of God" to mean He is near us and was can hear from Him because His Holy Spirit brings words to our spirit, which we can find in our hearts and sometimes coming out ort mouths, because that is how we find out what is in our spirit.
For example, He once went over His grace with me. He talked to me about how His grace is His favor which we cannot do anything worthy enough to demand it, but He gladly gives His unmerited favor to those who seek His face - meaning they come to Him to find out what He has to say to them. In fact, He had me do a little study in the Bible in which I found out that His grace or favor, depending on the Bible translation you are using, in found in direct connection with seeking His face in what I remember was the first 13 or so times it is mentioned in the Bible. I didn't get that information from a bible study or from another person, but direct from having conversations with my Lord and Teacher, Jesus Christ!
So why are we so into studying with people instead of our Teacher??? If we truly are reverent of Him, wouldn't of first concern be to find out what He has to say??? It seems that would be the case to me, unless we are just giving lip service when honoring Him.
Believing in Him means believing that He is there with you as your Teacher to both explain the Bible to you and even tell you what He wants to cover today!!
So "our own personal walk" means we got teachings from Him (The Word of God) personally, and that would mean you could write down those things in words, as we remember Him telling us. And learning from Him, does not only mean studying your Bible. He created all things, and if indeed He loves you, didn't He think to make things, even things other than the Bible, to teach you with??
Isn't it written that God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son? And isn't it written, "this is Me beloved Son with whom I am well-please, Listen to Him"? So God gave us our Teacher, but our we listening to Him or just giving Him lip service?
Frankly speaking, I hear from Him. Because I hear from Him I can't even imagine going to other people first to find out things in the Bible. Now because I hear from Him I know He often takes me to hear what other people have to say about Him. And I know other people can and many do even hear from Him a lot more and a lot better than I do. But those people surely have a desire to get others to also listen to Him, simply because they truly know what it means to them.
Isaiah wrote to the people because he truly wanted the people to actually seek the Lord and listen to Him!! So He wrote down things He heard from Him. And Isaiah explained the problem the people were having, in that they were giving lip service to knowing and honoring the Lord. If you honor Him - your Teacher - then did you not study with your Teacher who said He would never leave you? Did you not get your study assignments from you Teacher? And if you went to the bible study with others, was it not because you Teacher told you to get together with that group? And when you did get together with the group of the study, did not your Teacher give you a teaching to add to the group? Perhaps it was about how we all need to listen to our Teacher, and especially when it comes to studying the Bible?
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
Yes - but what are we talking about when we say "Pray first"????
It is like mentioned with "Wrangler, post: 1431793,:
"The most important commandment is this: “Hear, O Israel, the Eternal One is our God, and the Eternal One is the only God.,
32 he is one, and that there is no other besides him"
Prayer is a conversation with the Lord our God (Jesus Christ) And since we are talking to God, then the most important part of prayer (the conversation) is our listening to Him!!! After all He is all knowing, so He knows how we feel and what we need. Thus our telling Him how we feel is for us to understand how we feel, not for Him to understand how we feel. Nor is our telling Him what we think we need or want for that He will know, but rather so we can know what we think we need and want. So again our hearing from Him is the important part of real prayer - thus the commandment from God "Hear, O Isreal".
And we don't hear a book, we read a book! So we don't listen to the Bible speak to us, because writings are not alive. But the word of God - He is alive and active! Jesus Christ is the Word of God who is alive and active. He is able to divide good and evil. He is the Teacher we His sheep hear from. So do we hear from Him?
If so then the only logical thing, concerning how we study the Bible, is to comment on how He instructs, advises, and Teaches us, and He does so with our study of the Bible - and as with other things in our lives.
He once told me:
WHAT TEACHER DOESN’T PUT A BOOK IN FRONT OF HIS STUDENTS TODAY; YET NOT JUST A BOOK BUT OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES, VISUALS, AND OTHER MATERIAL? FOR I TELL YOU TRULY, IF THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO ME THEY ARE NOT MY PUPIL, THEY ARE NOT MY STUDENT; I TELL YOU TRULY, THEY ARE NOT MY DISCIPLE UNLESS THEY ARE HEARING FROM ME. SO DON’T TELL THEM TO READ THE BOOK, THEM TO TAKE THE CLASS!”
So from what He has told me, we are not preaching (proclaiming, telling, making it about) the Scriptures (the Bible) but rather we are preaching the Word of God, and in case someone is not listening to Him so they think the Bible is the Word of God as opposed to Jesus Christ, let me just reprove them on that point, because the Scriptures are good for reproof.
Rev 19:13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
So where you read in the Bible to preach the Word - that means we are telling people about Jesus Christ and how He speaks to us via His Holy Spirit. He said He is always with us, so believe that and talk to Him (pray)
And don't make the mistake the Jews were making when Jesus Christ was in the flesh in front of them. He had to point our to them:
Jn 5: 39- 41 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. “I do not receive glory from men;
Searching and studying the Scriptures (the Bible) is not the same thing as going to Him. And getting together with a bunch of men is not how He receive glory. The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus Christ!! He does so by bringing you the words of God which belong to Jesus Christ. That is to say, the Holy Spirit gives you life and the words of God which are belong to Jesus Christ (along with all else the Father has)
Jn 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
Jn 16: 13-15 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
So it is that the Word of God we preach is always near us, even when our Bible is not. We find the words of God we hear in our hearts and mouths, because that is where we find what is given to our spirit, from His Holy Spirit. That is where I found the quote I heard from Him I put above; about how we don't tell them to read the book but rather we tell them to take the class which the Teacher teaches. Of course, that mean His sheep, disciples, pupils, students, do actually hear the Teacher! They keep the commandment "Hear, O Israel!"
So if asked, "How do you study the Bible?" Surely their answer will include something like, "with my Teacher".
Behold
Well-Known Member
Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
The Apostle Paul is our literal NT Teacher, along with the Holy Spirit. They work in Tandem.
God does give "teachers" to the body of Christ for the perfecting of your Faith, and the perfecting of the Saints.
The walk of Faith, following initial faith being accepted by God to SAVE YOU...... has to be perfected, and until it is, a deceiver can break it and have you believing you have lost your salvation, or can lose it.
Hebrews 13:9 has to be a core understanding, so that you can avoid the cults, the liars, the fakirs, and the "fallen from Grace" who will all try to get you to believe that you are responsible for your Salvation, as if you died for yourself on the Cross.
They will have you up on your on self righteous Cross, if you dont get your faith grounded in God's Grace.....the correct understanding.
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
Oy vey!
Jesus is our lord, not our God. Our only God is the Father. See 1 COR 8:6
Jesus did not teach us to pray to him. So, why are you? He taught us to pray to God, to our Father.
Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Gospel of John starts off explaining that Jesus Christ is the Word of God and that He is God!!
This actually should be obvious to anyone who really does listen to Him, and gets to know Jesus Christ personally! He is the One who talks to His sheep! So He is our Sheppard! He is our Teacher! He is the Word of God because He has the words of God! Of course Jesus said He did and said only what the Father told Him. So the Father gives all things to the Son, which include the words of God. Then the Holy Spirit takes those words of God which belong to the Son and gives them to our spirit, like it is explain (Jn 16) that the Spirit does not speak on His own but as He hears He speaks. So the Holy Spirit makes it possible to personally get to know Jesus Christ, but acting something like a phone line to Jesus Christ. The Christ is thus the Word of God who is on the other end of the Holy Spirit whom we hear from. And so even as we talk to Jesus Christ and get His words for us personally, we are still in fact getting words that first came from the Father to the Son, thru the Spirit to our spirit.
That is how God is One God, but the One glorified is Jesus Christ, because He is the One, our Lord and God, whom we personally get to know, even though know body really knows Him, because He still says and does only what the Father tells Him. Yet thinking He is not God, God the Son, is not understanding how God is One God.
Here is another verse that should be considered:
Is 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Of course, that child born to us is the One we should personally know, and Christianity knows as Jessu Christ!!
See how He is called "Mighty God, and Eternal Father!!!
So yeah, 'God is the Father, but do we know that child born to us as Might God, and Eternal Father - as well as "Wonderful Counselor"??
We hear Him personally give us counsel, do we not? So we should know He who we hear from is "Might God" and also our "Eternal Father", right?
Often I hear Him personally call me "son"! It is a wonderful thing to hear, and as His son it is not surprising that He gives me wonderful counsel and also teaches me. My relationship with Him is like what is actually written in the Bible!
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