Best way to learn the Bible

 

 

Developing a passion for learning means learning and growing in whatever environment you find yourself.  It means making your growth dependent on you and not others.  How do you develop a passion for learning?  There are three essential mindsets.
NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU KNOW NOW.  Be careful of the "I already know this" attitude.  In your spiritual life, are you growing as a Christian or are you making that someone else's responsibility?  In your relationships with spouse, children, and with people in general, never be satisfied with what you know about them.  This is also true of your ministry as an evangelist (Eph. 4:11-16).  In every area of life, this mindset requires self-motivation and self-evaluation (Jas. 1:22-25).

RECOGNIZE THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS; LEARNING AND GROWING TAKE WORK.  People are looking for the easy way.  They want the fad diets, but the formula is still eat less and exercise more (work).  They want the get rich quick schemes, but the method is still spend less and save more (work).  The only shortcut is working hard!  Obstacles are important.  They show how determined we are to succeed.  They show how important the goal really is.  Consider Olympic record-setter Michael Phelps' workout routine.  He trains six hours a day, six days a week without fail.  Even if Christmas or Thanksgiving day falls on a training day, he does a full day of training.  He swims approximately 50 miles each week, which is over 8 miles per training day.  How determined are you?  It is not always going to come easy!!  2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Be diligent to present yourself approved of God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of God."

DO THE EXTRA WORK, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT.  If you are only motivated by the reward or the recognition, life is going to be hard.  The extra work causes you to be stronger, deeper and more committed to God.  In Galatians 1:10, Paul says, "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?  Or am I striving to please mean?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Learn to grow!  These mindsets can help you develop a lifetime passion for learning.  Remember Peter's closing words of encouragement to his readers to "grow in grace and knowledge" (2 Pet. 3:18).

 

Mike Hite

 

Tá sé mar ding de féin go roinntear na darach

"Tá sé mar ding de féin go roinntear na darach."
"It is a wedge of itself that splits the oak."

Numbers 31:1-11

Twelve thousand men went into battle, from each of the
tribes of Israel. The opponents were the Midianites, a
people who knew nothing nor cared anything about God.

By anyone's standards, it would be a risky venture, and
lives were certain to be lost. But Israel had God on
their side, and they completely defeated the Midianites
(Numbers 31:1-11).

Next came the part everyone dreaded: Counting the
fatalities from the battle. The report brought to Moses
is given in verse 49: "... Your servants have taken a
count of the men of war who are under our command, and
not a man of us is missing" (NKJV).

Not one soldier was lost in battle that day, though the
Midianites were completely routed. Again, it pointed to
the presence of God among them. They had surely been
blessed.

The officers who brought this amazing report to Moses
brought something else that day:

"Therefore we have brought an offering for
the Lord, what every man found of ornaments
of gold: .. to make atonement for ourselves
before the Lord" (Numbers 31:50).

They were impressed with God's care for them in
dangerous circumstances, and they wanted to do
something to show their appreciation.

Sometimes we realize how greatly God has blessed us. It
may follow an accident in which no one was seriously
injured, or the recovery of a loved one from illness,
or a job opportunity that somehow came along at the
right time.

People of faith don't regard such times as
"coincidences;" they see God's hand in it all. They
know they've been blessed.

And then what? What do we do when we see how richly God
has blessed us? Does life continue on as usual, or do
we take time to show God our gratitude?

Luke wrote about ten lepers who begged Jesus to cleanse
them of their awful disease. As they were going to show
themselves to the priest as Jesus had directed them,
they suddenly realized they were now clean! It had to
be the work of God, and they were undoubtedly
overwhelmed with joy.

One of them, however, stopped what he was doing to go
back to thank Jesus. Jesus then commented: "... Were
there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were
there not any found who returned to give glory to God
except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:17,18).

When we take time to count our blessings, we will see
God's hand in our lives. Once we have seen how richly
he has blessed us, will we turn back to him and thank
him? Is there any gift we can give to show how thankful
we are for his abundant grace?

by Tim Hall

Proverbs 5:1

We have had a few people upset at our congregation in the past couple of
weeks because of something they heard. It seems that they learned that my
wife and I are moving next week and following Sunday I will be preaching in
a nearby city. I know that some may be shocked to read those words; some may
even be confused, while other may be relieved.

More often than not we hear (or read) the message we want to hear, which
sometimes may differ from the actual message which someone was trying to
express. I'm sure you have experienced that sometime, especially if you are
a man! My wife has at times accused me of not listening closely enough to
her, at least that's what I think she said.

Why don't we pay closer attention to what is being said? That's not a new
question or a new problem is it? The writer of Proverbs wrote a couple of
thousand years ago: "So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my
words." (Proverbs 5:1, NLT)

The problem however, is not confined just to husbands or children, but
reaches every aspect of our world, but none is so critical as our paying
attention to the Words of God. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which
are saved it is the power of God."

There are so many people in our world who refuse to pay attention to what
God has to say. They want to trust in what someone tells them or some
philosophy taught by men and women in our colleges or some world leader.
They often look at the church and those who preach or teach with distain. To
that mindset, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:20-21: "Where is the wise man?
Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made
foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world
through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness
of what was preached to save those who believe." (NIV)

So, what do you choose to hear? Now back to my opening statement. Yes, my
wife and I are moving this week. We are moving, but it is only from one
subdivision to another in our community. And Yes, I will be preaching at a
nearby city the next Sunday. I have been invited to preach in the evening,
just to get to know our sister congregation.

You see, sometimes we hear, but we don't really listen. At times we jump to
conclusions without the full story, or refuse to listen to true wisdom, the
wisdom of God. So, listen and pay attention to the words of God. They are
the Word of Life!

Russ Lawson

Wilson Mizner

"The worst-tempered people I've ever met were the people who knew they were wrong."

Wilson Mizner, American playwright and entrepreneur (1876-1933)

 

Samuel Coleridge Water, water, everywhere

"A Thirst For Companionship"

 

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink!"  Samuel Coleridge

wrote those words at the end of the 18th century in his poem, "The

Rime Of The Ancient Mariner".  The poem is a chronicle of a long ocean

voyage filled with mysteries and danger.  At one point the ship lies

in a dead calm and drinkable water is nowhere to be found.  The thirst

of the sailors is a cruel irony as the vessel sits atop millions of

gallons of water.

 

There is another thirst within most of us, a desire to find

companionship.  One would think such a quest to be simple; there are,

after all, billions of people who inhabit this planet.  Almost all of

us live in communities where large gatherings of people can be found

easily.  Sporting events, shopping malls or department stores, or the

local park are places where other people commonly congregate.

 

We're not looking, though, for large numbers of people.  We're looking

for just a few who share common views, whose personality is compatible

with our own.  We often look upon the multitudes as the thirsty

sailors looked at the saltwater beneath them: Yes, it's there, but

it's not what I need.

 

Adam was surrounded by life in the Garden of Eden.  The Lord had made

to pass before him all of the animals He had created, but "there was

not found a helper comparable to him" (Genesis 2:20).  The need was

obvious to the Creator: "It is not good that man should be alone ..."

(Genesis 2:18).  Eve, the first woman, was the solution.  She was the

"helper comparable to him".

 

Ruth felt she had found a true companion in her mother-in-law Naomi.

Though Naomi urged the young lady to return to her own family after

the death of Naomi's son, Ruth would not hear of it: "Entreat me not

to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever

you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people

shall be my people, and your God, my God" (Ruth 1:16).  Many have felt

envy that Naomi had such a devoted companion for the rest of her life.

 

More famous than Ruth was her great-grandson David.  The one who would

become the second king of Israel found a faithful companion in

Jonathan, son of Israel's first king: "... the soul of Jonathan was

knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (1

Samuel 18:1).

 

Is it possible for us to find such trustworthy companions?  Yes, said

the wise man: "... there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother"

(Proverbs 18:24).  Where, though, do we find such friends?

 

Paul gave the answer; true and genuine companionship can be found in

Christ's body, the church.  "... holding fast to the Head, from whom

all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments,

grows with the increase that is from God" (Colossians 2:19).  In

Colossians 3:14 Paul again pointed to Christian fellowship: "But above

all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."  In

Christ's body we find the potential for the strongest relationships of

all.

 

Don't expect perfect relationships, not even in the Lord's church.

But if you're looking for people with whom you can bond, the church

has been designed for just such friendships.

 

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him

in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you'd like

to discuss these ideas further.

Timothy D. Hall.

Laurence Olivier

"Have a very good reason for everything you do."


Laurence Olivier, English actor, director, and producer (1907-1989)