What I found intriguing about the Bereans is that they just didn’t accept everything they heard, but they searched God’s word thoroughly each day, made it a constant part of their lives and really seek to understand and discern if what they heard daily in their lives, was align with what God’s word had to say.
As you probrably figure by now, reading the Bible is a HUGE thing in my life and not only something that I’m a strong advocate about but something that, toward the end of 2009, I really committed myself to be like the Bereans to make a permanent part of everyday of my life.
It’s exciting to have my husband joining me and a few others in our group in reading through the bible and this in itself is a blessing and part of the conviction our Father laid in our hearts and through a powerful set of sermons that our pastor has been giving since, well really October and all the more stronger with the new year that our lives is about choices.
God does what He is doing, not out of obligation or have it His way, but love.
He LOVES us so much that He wants us to be guided to the right way and not the wrong way, but we can’t assume what that right way is, so it leaves to the importance of really reading His word to understand what He wants for each of us.
The bible study group we are hosting, is taking a new direction as we find ourselves as individuals and as a group, wanting to really be more in His word and in addition to thinking of just challenging ourselves to read through the bible, the majority of us, have been not only committing but have made it a daily habit of working in our Life Journals (you can found out more what that is about at lifejournal.cc) and using what is called the “S.O.A.P.” method.
in order that you might grow. Please note, it is not that you may know. Certainly you can?’t grow without knowing. But you can know and not grow. The Bible was written not to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ?’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life."-from Living by the Book: by Dr Howard Hendricks.
To print the above image, just click on the image and then either "right click" and "save as" or just print straight to your printer.
To help my fellow brothers and sisters and to share with you as well, I created a very simple bookmark for them and for you to print out and laminate to keep in your bible to help you remember, for yourself, a really great way to read His word and bring it just a deeper level and not just skimming the surface.
From the MHC:
The noble conduct of the Bereans.
The Jews in Berea applied seriously to the study of the word preached unto them.
They not only heard Paul preach on the sabbath, but daily searched the Scriptures, and compared what they read with the facts related to them. The doctrine of Christ does not fear inquiry; advocates for his cause desire no more than that people will fully and fairly examine whether things are so or not. Those are truly noble, and likely to be more and more so, who make the Scriptures their rule, and consult them accordingly.
Notice what the MHC had to say?
They not only heard Paul preach on the sabbath, but daily searched the Scriptures, and compared what they read with the facts related to them. The doctrine of Christ does not fear inquiry; advocates for his cause desire no more than that people will fully and fairly examine whether things are so or not.
They didn’t just follow what someone else was doing or relied,JUST, on someone else word, but they searched for themselves, God’s word and sought His word daily, on their own and then, compared.
This is why reading the Bible is so important to me.
It’s not just about what someone else has to say, or their opinion, but comparing it always with the firm foundation and truth of our Heavenly Father’s word first and foremost too.
Not just because someone else said, this is the better way-I check to see if they are talking their way, or God’s way.
Not just because someone said this is the only way, because I make sure they are talking that they mean it’s only by God’s way…not theirs.
Reading the bible has become so important and so vital these days that I can’t see or feel anything else can go above that and reading the bible isn’t about a personal marker or achievement, because the truth is that we can never get enough of His word and there is no measurement that works with His measurement.
Though I plan on reading through the bible this year, this is a never-ending desire, not a quest to complete by set time, but the truth is that I may not complete it in 90 days day, or in one year, because this is not about personal achievement and shouldn’t be, it’s about being like the Bereans and gaining better understanding, no matter what I do, to fully understand and be enriched in and through His word.
As I read Acts 17:10-12 (NKJV), it’s a constant reminder that their first reaction wasn’t of “oh okay, whatever you said”, but immediately turning to His word and going, “Lord, what do YOU have to say?”.
Prayers that we be like the Bereans who seek His word each day and not strive to fast pace all areas of our life including our spiritual growth.
Be it via one reading plan or another, or just picking up the bible, there is no reason not to spend time everyday with His word and use it as first counsel no matter what the circumstances because it is relevant about everything in our life and popular culture and thought will come and go, but never, God’s Word.
I seek Him still through my Life Journal daily bible readings with my church and going over Sunday’s sermons and letting deeper reflection of what our Father has to say, but I want to be like the Bereans where it’s not enough and keep seeking His word, every single day and my bible gets a little bit more battered looking and more marked up, because as the saying goes, “A worn up bible is a sign of a well fed soul”.
A pastor for Moody Bible Church by the name of Alan Redpah actually is said to advised believers to “wreck” their bible every 10 years.
I look at mine and it’s barely 2 years old and it’s well worn, pages highlighted, notes written in a majority of the bible and already falling apart. Prayers that is a good thing there!
I tell those who asked me what happen and I tell them, “I take my bible everywhere and I mean everywhere”. It’s carried in my purse (which is why I look for a compact size that fits in a purse), when we vacation, that’s the first thing I pack, I carry it to church, I’ve spent staying up some nights reading from it, studying from it, with bible studies and even with bible studies that actually don’t call for the bible, I still use it and bring it with me.
That is my first and will be my only reference and source before everything.
So let’s strive to be like the Bereans and keep this quote from J.L. Packer in mind,”If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible.“.
To find out more about WFW or how to participate, drop by Amydeanne’s “The 160 Acre Woods”.
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published: February 16th 2010 by Thomas Nelson (first published 2010)
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