The Bible: Read it! Believe It! Practice it! Then live it! 

The Bible is the “Inspired Word of God.” (2 Timothy 3:16). Many people think, The Bible was written by men, so how can it be from God?’ The Bible answers: “Men spoke from God as they were moved or, guided by Holy Spirit”(2 Peter 1:21). This is like an employer telling his secretary to write a letter. Who is the real author of the letter? It is the employer, not the secretary. In the same way, the scriptures shows that the Author of the Bible is God, not the men he used to write it. God guided them to write His thoughts as an instructional gift for/to His Children; who live upon this earth where God gave men dominion. The Bible tells God’s children who God is, who we are and how everything began and where we are heading.   

Bible Study Steps – Let’s Get Started

Putting time aside to study the word of God is very vital for every Believer. We learn from Pastor Steven that God speaks 7 different ways. However, the word of God is the number way that God speaks to us. Below we have provided you with some instructions of how to study the word of God. Follow these steps to learn more about God

Steps for Study
  1. Get rid of all distractions and open the bible – keeping it close will not help you.
  2. Stick to the time you set aside to study (plan your study) 
  3. Study the Bible with an attitude of prayer…
  4. Ask God to Help you to understand His words
  5. Focus first on Proverbs, Psalm, and then The New Testament
  6. Use References / That is check others scriptures in The Bible (this will help with understanding)
  7. Discipline and time – must be your bottom line

Get Rid of All Distractions 

Turn off your telephone, television or computer unless using for the study. Try to to find a quiet place where you have a table to read and take notes. This is alone time between you and God.

Plan Your Study 

Set aside a time and place to study. Develop a plan of what you want to read daily. 

Study the Bible With An Attitude of Prayer

This should be the first step in understanding the Bible. Bible study should be approached with a prayerful desire to learn. Just as we desire physical food to sustain our bodies and without it we will die. The Bible is our spiritual food to feed our spirit man and without God’s word our spirit man will die. The bible is our spiritual food.

Ask God to Help You Understand His Words

Before you even begin, ask God to help you to understand His words (In Ephesians 1:16-23) there is a prayer for the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that Paul prayed for us to know who Jesus is – you can also pray this scripture as a prayer for yourself. Also, in Ephesians 3:14-21 there is also a prayer for Spiritual Maturity that Paul prayed for the Church, and that you can pray for yourself  as well.  Don’t try to interpret the Bible. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20-21) That’s where misunderstandings come from.

Focus on the Psalms, Proverbs and New Testament first. 

The Psalms found in the Old Testament comprised the ancient hymnal of God’s people. The poetry was often sent to musicians—but not always. The psalms express the emotion of the individual poet to God or about God. The book of Psalms expresses worship. Throughout its many pages, Psalms encourages its readers to praise God for who He is and what He has done. The Psalms illuminate the greatness of our God, affirm His faithfulness to us in times of trouble, and remind us of the absolute centrality of His Word. As the Psalms present a clear picture of God lovingly guiding His people with His love and mercy that endures forever.

Proverbs

accomplishes something no other biblical book does: it simply compiles numerous short instructions for living an effective life on earth each day. Proverbs tells us not just how to be as God’s Servant, but how we must be towards our fellow men. While other books articulate profound theological truths, lengthy narratives of triumph and failure, or prophetic preaching to a disobedient people, Proverbs concerns itself completely with instructing people in the path of wisdom. The writers of the book recognized the varied circumstances of a person’s life and provided principles to apply in a variety of situations rather than instructions to follow in only a few specific instances. Proverbs states its theme explicitly very early in the book: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”(Proverbs 1:7). The fear of the Lord refers to our viewing God with the Reverence, He deserves. It means living our lives in obedience to His words; holding God in the highest estimation, and depending on Him with humble trust. In so doing, we live our lives under the authority and direction of God, as we acknowledge Him in all our ways. 

The New Testament

compliments the Old, and the Old compliments the New, it is better to read the New Testament first as a new beginner. The Old Testament will make better sense if you read the New Testament first. 

Discipline & Time

God’s Word’s deserves respect and through godly wisdom we gain knowledge, understanding, as we  practiced and apply to our lives each day. The goal in studying the Bible is to understand the message in the correct context and whatever you do not understand you ask Pastor for the explanation. Always, remember that although you come to bible study you must spend time at home daily to read the bible for yourself.  Try to read anywhere from two to four chapters a day, which may work out to about  20-25 chapters a week. This means that you will spend from 15-60 minutes each day in the Bible. The Bottom Line – It’s all about discipline and time. 

A Caution from Pastor to you

It is of the most importance for your Christian walk to set aside time each day to spend time with God. If you already set aside time daily to spend with God and not just read but read with understanding and applying to your life then such will be evidence in your life because of the fruit of your life.However, if you do not change that beginning today – no Believer can walk or live this Christian life successful without also having personal time with God by themselves.Make the word of God a priority in your life.

If reading God’s Word daily is a priority for you, then you will make time in your day for it to happen. Don’t try to find time in your day. Make time in your day. By struggling to find time each day to read the Bible, you are, in essence, saying that reading it is not a priority. Make it a priority and then give to Our Heavenly Father who gave us all time; time in each day that He gave and experience this wonderful journey through the Bible – the Word of God. 

The Bible is Divided into Two Major Sections: The Old Testament and The New Testament?

Why is the Bible divided into to parts call the Old and the New Testament. The Bible was written in two parts, the Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books) because the Old Testament described the history of the people that God chose to be the ones through whom the Jesus would come.  The Old Testament also contains the history of God’s people (the Jews) and also includes prophecies of the coming of Jesus as well as types and shadows of Jesus. The New Testament was written as a demonstration of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus as well as letters written to various churches and individuals informing them of proper Christian conduct and behavior.  

The Books of The Bible

The Books of the bible are outlined from Genesis to Revelation and it explains what they groups of books are called: 

Old Testament

The First Five Books of the Law, also known as The Pentateuch

  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy

The Historical Books. These are the books containing a detailed History of Israel and they are the next twelve Old Testament books, namely:

  • Joshua
  • Judges
  • Ruth
  • First Samuel
  • Second Samuel
  • First Kings
  • Second Kings
  • First Chronicles
  • Second Chronicles
  • Ezra
  • Nehemiah
  • Esther

The Wisdom Books. These are known as the Books of Everyday Wisdom or The Writings.  They are the next five books, namely:

  • Job
  • Psalms
  • Proverbs
  • Ecclesiastes
  • Song of Solomon

Books of the Prophets.  These are divided into two, 5 Major and 12 Minor Prophets, which end the Old Testament, namely:      The Major Prophets

  • Isaiah
  • Jeremiah
  • Lamentations
  • Ezekiel
  • Daniel

The Minor Prophets

  • Hosea
  • Joel
  • Amos
  • Obadiah
  • Jonah
  • Micah
  • Nahum
  • Habakkuk
  • Zephaniah
  • Haggai
  • Zechariah
  • Malachi

The New Testament

The Gospels. Consisting of four books, named after the writers who had been with Jesus.

  • Matthew
  • Mark
  • Luke
  • John

The History of the Early Church, also known as the Acts of the Apostles, namely:

  • Acts

The Epistles. These are Letters which are divided into two, namely:

Paul’s Epistles. Letters written by Paul the Apostle to specified Churches.

  • Romans
  • First Corinthians
  • Second Corinthians
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
  • Philippians
  • Colossians
  • First Thessalonians
  • Second Thessalonians
  • First Timothy
  • Second Timothy
  • Titus
  • Philemon

The General Epistles. Letters written to Christians generally, named after the writers.

  • Hebrews
  • James
  • First Peter
  • Second Peter
  • First John
  • Second John
  • Third John
  • Jude

    The Apocalypse. This is the last book of the Bible, and of the New Testament, known as the

  • Revelation 

 

 

                      

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