Study To Shew Thyself Approved Unto God

Does anyone remember this children's Bible song?  "Hey my friends have you seen II Timothy 2:15?  I Thessalonians 5:22 will you tell you what you must do.  Study the word.  Study the word.  Study the word.  You study the word.  I'll study the word.  Study the word.  Study the word.  Study the word."  I may have missed a word or two, but the essence of the song rings out.  Study the Word.  But how many do that today?

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.'-  II Timothy 2:25

The word of God can not be studied like a school text book.  It is not written that way.  Becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ is necessary to start the journey to understanding the Bible.  John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God."  To know the God that manifested Himself in the flesh (Jesus Christ), was crucified on the cross, pierced in the side, gave up the ghost, was buried in a borrowed tomb and rose from the grave on the third day with all power takes Bible study.  Bible study leads to the desire to repent of ones sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of the repented sins and getting filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues and the Spirit gives utterance.  Hence, born again.  Study.  Go somewhere where the Bible is taught under the unction of the Holy Ghost.

Studying the Bible as a book of history or religion will not bring conviction to repent of sin.  When the Bible is studied as a history book or a religious book it becomes a book of fact finding.  Or as the Bible puts it, the letter.  Reading the Bible as a book of facts about Jesus Christ and His church will not save the soul.  There is more to it than that.

Before the disciples in the New Testament were used of  the the Lord, they followed Him everywhere He went, except the judgment halls of Pilot and Herod.  And only one that followed Jesus and heard His teaching betrayed Him and that was Judas Iscariot.    Eleven followed and heard.  One followed and walked by his own heart.  Judas did not hear what Jesus was teaching.  And this is one way a person will follow false doctrine/teaching; they don't hear the word.  They follow their own thoughts and mind.  Those that followed, heard and obeyed were found in the upper room when the Holy Ghost fell as promised by Jesus Christ.  That power needed to do the work of the Lord fell on the obedient.  From that point forward, the disciples went forth preaching Jesus Christ with authority and power.  They were met with much opposition.  Their lives were threatened, but they did not deny the Lord Jesus Christ any more.  They did not hide any more.  They did not run from him any more.

Study.  Go to a church that teaches the doctrine of Jesus Christ like it is written.  You may not like what you hear at first if you are not use the the straight, quick, sharp word of God.  But keep going.  The word of God is designed to get the word off a persons heart and mind.

When someone says Bible stories, that is incorrect.  All that is in the Bible is not stories.  All that is in the Bible testifies of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The spirit behind the word 'stories' will assist in a person being misled.  Study.

In these last days, it is getting more contentious when it comes to the Bible.  Every man wants to do what is right in their own eyes.  Study.  It takes humility to set under the quick, sharp word of God.  For no matter how a person is used of the Lord, he or she still has to hear the word of God preached and taught.  No one is above this.  Study.

The holiness the Bible teaches can not be changed.  The word of God is clear on what sin is....ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.  Sin keeps a person from knowing the God that paid the price for salvation for mankind.  The God that said to repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin (Acts 2:38).  The God that said 'Marvel not, you must be born again.  That which is flesh is flesh and that which is Spirit is Spirit.  Marvel not, you must be born again."- John 3:1-7.

The Bible tells us that in the last days perilous times would come.  Those times are here.  Study.

The last thought to be left today is church attendance.  It is required by God.  It is not an option (Hebrews 10:25).

Don't try and change Gods truth to fit the world or a culture.  God said what he meant and meant what He said.  Study.  Study.  Study.  Study.  Study.  Study.