The Bible will make us think like we have never thought before - only if we are willing to dig and dig and dig without expecting to unfold its secrets immediately. Time, effort, and desire are required - with liberal doses of the Holy Spirit - to help you understand.
This does not have to be drudgery. Scripture says to delight in God's Word and meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1:2).
The SUBJECT method of studying the Bible:
- Decide the subjects you need to learn more about (E.g. anger, faith, finances, forgiveness, patience, worry).
- Use a Bible concordance or topical Bible to find every possible verse of scripture on any given subject.
- Use various versions of the Bible.
- Print each verse on a 3" x 5" index card (this size card will fit into a pocket and is easily carried throughout the day).
- Arrange the index cards in the order of their importance to you - place the ones that mean the most to you on top.
- Take ONE card at a time and meditate on that verse of scripture throughout the day and night. Turn the verse over and over in your mind, looking at it from every angle. Meditation means to personalize a verse of scripture, to think deeply about how each particular verse applies to your life.
- Don't rush. God is not in a hurry. If you need to study a verse for a whole week that's still 52 great teachings from God for your life.
- Review the verse as you get dressed in the morning, while driving to work, during the lunch hour, etc.
- Say the verse out loud. (The word for meditate in Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2 actually means to murmur or to mutter.)
- Give it a fair chance to become part of your daily habit pattern.
From Trust God For Your Finances, (c) 1983 by Jack Hartman. Used by permission of Lamplight Publications, Dunedin, Fla., 813-733-8467. For more information on Lamplight Publications visit their website: http://www.members.aol.com/lamplightp
Jack Hartman is a self-employed businessman. Several years ago, when his business was on the verge of bankruptcy and he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, he gave his life to Jesus Christ and started studying the Bible in detail to learn what God said about solving financial and emotional problems. He put what he learned to good use. His business is growing, the Bible study which started with four people in his office has grown into a church with an average Sunday attendance of 1,000. He has authored 13 Christian books and gives seminars to Christian audiences in the United States, Canada, and South America.
