Why Study the Bible? ~ Christine Malkemes

Why Study the Bible?

The Bible is sacred, and unlike any other book, you will ever find: The Author is present when you read it.

All Scripture is God-breathed (given by divine inspiration) and is profitable for instruction, for conviction (of sin), for correction (of error and restoration to obedience) for training in righteousness (learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately – behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage); so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

II Tim 3:16-17 (AMP)

When you speak God’s Word, you breathe the breath of God and release the creative power of His Word. Your spirit, soul, and mind are open to it.

His words are infused with awe and delight. They are correct, pure, and right, and it is joy and pleasure to know them. Through these words, God gives us eternal life. Merely whispering God’s words every day will nourish your inner being and refresh your soul.

God watches over His Word to accomplish it.

Once you engage wholeheartedly in Holy Script, you will discover simplicity, beauty, and dignity of expression. You will find the Holy One on each silken page. You will be delightfully surprised as He reveals Himself in each passage and chapter. He shows Himself faithful in each sacred text.

Prayerfully and humbly, reading the Word will change your life.

So, breathe the breath of God and allow the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to teach you. The adventure begins when we humbly read His Word and move in harmony with His will.

In prayer, we reach out to God and through His Word, God, in Christ Jesus, reaches out to us. This two-way communication is intimate and the key to our heartfelt relationship. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.

We study God’s Word alone and step into the journey to the heart of God.

But why study the Bible in the community?

Some people are good at seeing the big picture, while others are better at analyzing a verse or paragraph. Then there are those gifted at seeing how it applies to our lives. In the community, we are enriched and able to gain more from God’s Word. Studying the Bible in the community allows us to fellowship and learn from one another. To engage with the Bible is to engage with the Holy One who leads us into all truth.

Warning! Allow no one to dominate the learning process as if they, and they alone, have all the answers. Such is the germ of deception and the wind of false doctrine. Always double check sources and ideas addressed in community.

Central to the book of James is a call to a deep, sincere, and consistent faithfulness to God. I am looking forward to studying the book of James with other faithful followers of Christ.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Word. Thank You for how You use it to show us Your way and Your thoughts. Thank You that we are instructed, encouraged, informed, and transformed by reading it. Please be with us as we examine the book of James. Help us glean the truth and nothing but the truth. Open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our minds clear to know You. Move, Holy Spirit, move on our souls to lean in to learn from You. We are oh so grateful for You. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.

This prayer is a good prayer to pray before you study or read any book of the Bible. I look forward to seeing you this week as we study the book of James together in the community.

If you would like to add to the conversation please comment below.

Blessings,