Growth Through Study

This is Talk #6. In this talk we talked about growth through study. This talk was by JB Mankin. This talk I am going to break into several parts. The main talk which is this one and I will have a supplement that will be added to this entry. That supplement I will break into six parts. So feel free to subscribe to my blog to keep up dated with this session and plenty more blog entries to come. This Talk comes from my Walk to Emmaus in 1998. Walk #32.

¹¹ Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

(Acts 17:11)

We should be like the Berean Jews and study the Bible. Read it every day! Read it several times a day. I have subscribed to daily Bible scriptures via e-mail and text message. Yea, I know then, those weren’t widely used. I am talking about today, I wanted to share that of what you can do now. Plenty of those resources to do that now.

The Bible shows us how we are measured and how we ought to live. When you submit prayerfully to Jesus, you will know the Words. Ask for an open heart to understand. We Grow in knowledge by studying God’s Word.

Our ultimate goal is to study so we can achieve a closer walk with Jesus.

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

(Romans 12:1-2)

Knowing God’s truth will set us free! Study is the 2nd leg of the stole. Piety was the first leg. The stole isn’t balanced yet. The third leg to this stole is action. I will have a blog post on action later down the road. So stay tuned to my blog for that post. We must have all three of these (Piety, Study & Action) to help keep us balanced.

We usually study in what we are interested in. We need to Study more into Christ. Be interested in Christ. Show a Christ like person/walk. There is more to Christianity than the religious externals. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. It is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

As I mentioned above, we grow through study. Studying God’s Word brings us discipline. Our Christian values come from Jesus and we can find those values by studying the Word of God, the Bible.

Fields of Study

1. Good News – Don’t be ashamed!
2. Scripture – Study to know God, Tell people about it. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Etc. Read surrounding chapters, verses, etc. — Context (this was a recent Discipleship Training lesson recently for me). I will also post my notes on that here in the future.
3. Yourself – Equipped with special gifts, know your strength/weaknesses, Who you are, where you been, where you are going, etc. (Testimonials)
4. Others – Love everyone!
5. Spiritual Classics – Great spiritual leaders
6. Church – Know the history of the church, your denomination, beliefs, etc.
7. History – Helps us to not make the same mistakes.
8. World – Love World as Jesus did. Jesus died for our sins. No Greater Love is that a person gives his life for another.  (John 15:13)

Come to the Bible with Eagerness and an Open Heart!

A sign of a true Christian is that everyone in Christ is a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

There are no excuses for not studying the Bible! God should be first in our lives! We owe it to God to study the Bible daily!

Some excuses we give for not studying

1. Don’t have time.
2. Don’t know what to study
3. Don’t like to read books
4. I don’t understand the Bible
5. Theology confuses me
6. (This list could go on and on and on)

Just because a book is inside a Christian Book store, doesn’t mean it is truly a Christian book. Most of us don’t understand the Words of the Bible. One reason we ask for an Open Heart so we can understand. You also have to remember, the Disciples were un educated and not trained men to do God’s will. That shows us we ALL can do God’s will.

The Bible should challenge us to read more, study more and ask questions. Asking questions will cause to go deeper and deeper into the Bible to try to find that question.

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

(Matthew 11:25)

Tips to get you to study

1. Carve out a time! (Important to set a regular time/place)
2. Choose a comfortable spot
3. Keep a reading journal/notes (share with others)
4. You devotional tracts (these usually have daily verses, a story, and more to use and go by on a daily basis)
5. Have friends to help encourage and motivate you to do this. 
6. Do it as a family (get everyone involved)
7. Pray for an Open Heart

It is not Man we please,
It is God we are to please!

The Bible on the Bible (6 Part Series …)

These are the next part of this Talk. I broke them into 6 series. It is helpful if you read these six below along with this entry you just read.

1. The Devine Inspiration of the Bible
2. The Complete Trustworthiness of the Bible
3. The Content of God’s Word is Complete
4. Jesus and the Holy Scriptures
5. Loving God’s Word as Jesus’ Follower
6. God’s Word: Read It! Study It! Memorize It!

About the Author

Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

See author's posts