Studying God's Word

The Bible is written so simply anyone can read and understand it yet so complex scholars will never unravel all the mysteries it contains. Anyone who reads the entire Bible with an open mind has a better than 95% chance of becoming a believer. At some point it will hit the reader like a ton of bricks that they are holding in their hands the words of Almighty God. The Holy Spirit is the teacher of spiritual truths for those whose hearts are ready for the message and we are the student. Inductive Bible study is a method of studying God’s Word that can be applied to any portion of Scripture at any time. In this method you personally explore the Scriptures to come up with your own observations and conclusions.

Then compare what you believe with what Bible scholars are saying. Personal Bible study will strengthen your convictions and deepen your faith. You will be less likely to fall for false teachings and believe in false prophets that will proliferate in the these end times. You will discover God’s purpose for your life. You will discover true happiness which can only come by obeying God. Inductive Bible study consists of observation, interpretation and application of God’s Word. Observation answers the question: What does the passage say? Interpretation answers the question: What does the passage mean? We can make use of numerous cross-references in the Bible to determine what God is saying. Let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Application answers the question: How does the meaning of this passage apply to me? What is God commanding me to do? How do I go about complying? It’s time to stop being spoon-fed Christianity by others no matter how well-intentioned they are. This is too important an issue to leave to others. They could be wrong. Your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Your rewards in heaven depend on you knowing what God expects from you and then doing it without fail. We are only here on this earth for a short time so make the most of the opportunity you have. God has a plan for your life so find it and do it to the best of your ability. That’s all God asks of you.

The Bible is God’s Word. The Bible is God’s wisdom. The Bible is a special gift from God to His children (us) so that He can speak to us and so that we can know Him and the plans He has for our lives. The Bible is the ultimate source of all the knowledge, understanding and wisdom we will ever need to live happy prosperous lives. There is a fundamental problem. Parents have stopped teaching their children from the Bible. Schools no longer provide any religious instruction whatsoever. In our increasingly secular world Christianity has been removed from the classroom and the halls of government. Our founding fathers created a country based on Judeo-Christian principles and would be appalled by our current state. We can all feel things are getting worse in our country and the world. Our society is crumbling, violence is increasing, morality is in decline and evil pervades everywhere. This all began to take shape as our society started to remove God from our lives and from the public square. We are reaping what we have sown.

We see the same thing play out in the Bible over and over. God would bless Israel, they would disobey God and move away from His law, and God would be forced to destroy Israel. We are not exempt from God’s judgement. God has blessed America above all nations but we have abandoned God and a righteous God will give us what we deserve. I don’t want to be all doom and gloom. There is a silver lining. In the Bible God told us this would happen. Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we have been given the gift of eternal life from Father God and we are instructed not to worry. God commands us to study His Word so that He can speak to us and guide us through these end times. If you don’t want to remain in the dark about the world and future events then delve into your Bible and study it as if your life depended on it, because it does!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

When you know what God says, what He means, and how to put His truths into practice, you will be equipped for every circumstance of life. Let’s begin in earnest, right now this minute, by praying for God’s help and then opening your Bible anywhere and start reading. God is always with you and the Holy spirit will help you understand what you read.

The main theme of all my blogs is studying God’s Word and witnessing for Christ. I’ve told you over and over to study your Bible without telling you how to do it. Now is the time. Bible study is more than reading your Bible and reading what someone else has said about the Bible. While these are both important components of learning about God’s kingdom, the key to knowing God’s will for you individually is for you to interact with God’s Word personally. You must absorb God’s message for yourself and let God engrave His truth on you heart and mind and life. You must seek spiritual truth for yourself. There is no shortcut. You must discern what God’s spiritual truths mean and then you must apply them to your life. This will take great effort and discipline on your part.

Daniel 11:32 – Those who do wickedly against the covenant he (the devil) shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.

Ruth 2:12 – The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.

We are in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Satan does not want you to know your Bible. The devil will attempt to convince you that Bible study is too hard to do. The evil one will say you’ll never get it done and it’s useless to even try. Do not listen to him!

John 8:44 – (Jesus speaking) – You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Revelation 2:10 – (Jesus speaking) – Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

With the recent killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of police in Minneapolis we have seen riots all across America. I can’t watch it on TV anymore. While the riots are led by anarchists bent on destroying our country the anger of the people is real. Young people no longer respect or trust our police and this incident is confirmation for them. Our education system is to blame. When a civil society is threatened with chaos they get scared and go into survival mode. When the authorities get scared they then overreact harshly to quell the violence and save the country. A lot of people could end up dying. We could have nipped this in the bud early on but let it fester and spiral out of control. As soon as the mob saw weakness they pounced. It was an excuse for looting.

The policeman who killed Mr. Floyd is in jail charged with murder. What more do the people want? People have to realize that the police are 99.9 % good people and are here to protect us. There are a few bad apples in police departments around the country as there are in any large organization. We need to weed out but by no means is there systemic racism in our police departments or in our country. Racial equality is light years ahead of where it was in the sixties. Without the police around hoodlums would slaughter thousands upon thousands of innocent people and our society would crumble before our eyes. The current situation is reminiscent of the French Revolution in 1789 when angry peasants stormed the Bastille (French prison) and overthrew the monarchy. The king could have stopped the revolution early on but in his weakness he gave in to the mob.

With nobody in control of the country innocent Frenchmen were killed by the millions before a civil society was restored. Satan had a field day back then and seeks to recreate the same situation today in America. The question before us is are we going to allow Satan to unleash “evil in our time” on a scale not seen since the French Revolution? God is absolute truth and all Christians must latch onto this anchor to hold us firm in this turbulent world. Our morality and our ethics depend on the truth of a transcendent order. We must study God’s Word to learn spiritual truths. We must obey God. The Bible tells us evil days would come in the last days so we are not surprised by the current state of world affairs. Jesus also told us not to worry about anything because He is in control. Another sign that we are in the last days is when good is called evil and evil good.

Isaiah 5:20 – Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

John 8:32 – And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

God has revealed Himself to us by creation and by God’s Word, the Holy Bible. The greatest revelation of God was the coming of Jesus Christ from heaven to the earth to redeem mankind from their sins and restore the fellowship between God and man. God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross in our place, for our sins. We know from Jewish and Roman historical records that Jesus lived and died as described in the Bible. We have eyewitness testimony that Jesus performed miracles while on earth. We have proof that Jesus died, was buried and on the third day rose from the dead. The divinity of Jesus was confirmed once and for all by His resurrection because only God can rise from the dead.

48. Luke 15:7 – (Jesus speaking) – I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

49. Ephesians 3:14-15 – For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

50. John 1:12-13 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

51. Luke 15:4 – What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

In this blog series I have written out all 51 Scriptures listed in the well-worn “Father’s Love Letter”, in the order they are listed in the letter. If you ever feel lonely and unloved go back and read all 51 verses. You’ll realize that the Creator of the universe, Almighty God, created you with His own hands and you are His beloved possession. In God’s eyes you are His masterpiece and you are priceless. You’re a prince or princess of heaven and will one day return to heaven in glory to live with God. Rejoice and praise God! We’re to persevere on this earth in faith. We’re to witness for Christ and do good works until Jesus comes again to gather us to Himself.

People who are spiritually blind lament, “Why doesn’t God make Himself known if He exists?” The Bible tells us God, the Bible and other things of God are foolishness to those who do not believe. Even if God appeared in the sky today and asked everyone to come to Him there would be many who would still reject God because they don’t want to change their lifestyle. Do you remember the Bible story of the conversation between Abraham in Paradise and Lazarus across the gulf in hell? Lazarus asked Abraham to warn his brothers about hell and Abraham said if the people did not believe Moses they would not believe him. I used to wonder why everyone in the world wasn’t a Christian when the truth is so obvious. While it’s true Satan has put blinders on unbelievers to hide the truth of God, it’s also true many people would reject the gospel of Christ even if they knew it was true.

45. Romans 8:32 – He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

46. 1 John 2:23 – Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

47. Romans 8:38-39 – For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God has revealed Himself to us by the orderly universe He has created. Intelligent design is evident everywhere in the cosmos and in all of nature so that Scripture says man is without excuse as far as knowing whether or not God exists. God has revealed Himself to us through His Word, the Holy Bible. The Bible contains God’s wisdom and gives us God’s salvation plan for man. The Bible was written over a span of 1500 years by 40 different writers as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is without error and the unity of the entire Bible is unquestioned.

40. John 17:26 – (Jesus speaking) – And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.

41. Hebrews 1:2-3 – God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

42. Romans 8:31 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

43. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 – Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed us to the word of reconciliation.

44. 1 John 4:10 – In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The Bible says God’s eyes constantly roam the earth to ensure His Word is fulfilled. Scripture also says a bird doesn’t fall from the sky without God seeing it. God doesn’t sleep and God misses nothing. God has perfect knowledge and understanding of every situation. Once you become a believer God also takes up residence inside you to be your helper and guide in your daily walk with Him. It is this Holy Spirit that carries out the sanctification process whereby we are prepared for heaven. With God nothing is impossible and God will do all his pleasure.

35. Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

36. Isaiah 40:11 – He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arms, and carry them to His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.

37. Revelation 21:3 – And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

38. Revelation 21:4 – And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

39. John 17:22-23 – (Jesus speaking) – And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in One, and that the world may know that You sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

God loves us dearly. We will find our greatest joy and fulfillment in life when we love God, in return, with all our hearts. God made us that way. What’s not to love about God? By His mercy and grace God has given us all things pertaining to life and happiness. God has given us eternal life for the asking. God has stored up riches in heaven for us that we cannot begin to comprehend until we get there. In heaven God will show us wonders we cannot begin to imagine. As sons of God we will be royalty in heaven. God will shower us with honor and glory for eternity.

29. Deuteronomy 4:29 – But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

30. Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

31. Philippians 2:13 – For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

32. Ephesians 3:20 – Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

33. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

34. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

The attributes of God define who He is. Our God is not only a God of love. God is joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and longsuffering. God made us and put us on this earth to seek His face. No matter what Satan may whisper in your ear always remember that our God never stops loving us and never stops doing good for us. The only thing we can be absolutely sure of in this world is the love of God. In these turbulent end times only God is our rock, our fortress, our refuge against the evil of this world. Put your trust in God!

21. Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

22. Jeremiah 31:3 – The Lord had appeared of old to me saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

23. Psalm 139:17-18 – How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

24. Zephaniah 3:17 – The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

25. Jeremiah 32:40 – And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

26. Exodus 19:5 – Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

27. Jeremiah 32:41 – Yes I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and all My soul.

28. Jeremiah 33:3 – Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.