Study,
Study, Study
If you
have teen-agers in your life, you’re probably aware this week (last week, if
you’re reading this in Sunday) is Finals Week for many of them. Just reading
that kind of gives me the willies. “Finals” means so much studying – reading
notes, reading textbooks, practicing problems – all stuff at which I was never
too great. But you have to do it. You have to be able to pass the tests.
As
Christians, we have tests we have to pass every day. Not the “What’s the
capital of Djibouti?” type exams necessarily. But, we face tests, challenges,
trials of some sort on a daily basis. How do we “pass” them? We have to study.
Our textbook, however, is different. It is a collection of God’s inspired words
to us. Do you ever think about that? The Bible you read, write notes in, and
bring to worship may be published by Nelson or Crossway or whoever; however, it
is God’s very words to us. When you think of it in that light, it stands to
reason…we ought to know it.
I
mentioned in Sunday morning class how stunned I was to find so many religious
websites which had the order of the Ten Commandments messed up. That was
stunning to me! That is one of those things we just ought to know! (Especially
if you’re putting it out for the world to see!) But, I’m not really talking
just about memorizing Bible facts. You and I need to be people who truly desire
knowing God as best we can. One of our brothers in Christ here at Linder has
been an inspiration to me lately in his pursuit of a more complete Bible
understanding. He and I have shared study tools and websites and I’d like to
share them with you. We live in an era of never-before-seen availability. You
can go online or in our church library and find a wealth of information to
assist you in studying God’s word.
In our
library, let me recommend the Truth for Today commentary series. They are
written by Christians and are very scholarly. But, they are also very readable
and practical. Also, take the time to look through the bound “Reason and
Revelation” series by Apologetics Press. They’re members of the church who
publish awesome Christian evidence material.
Online
you can find an absolute wealth of very scholarly study tools. However, please
read this DISCLAIMER: Many, if not most,
of them are produced by folks who, though they obviously have good intentions,
have very un-biblical ideas about the Plan of Salvation. So – be warned.
Let me just recommend a few sites which have amazing study tools: 1)
biblegateway.com; 2) biblesuite.com; 3) studylight.org.
There
are many others, but these are just a few I use. See, the “I can’t find Bible
study helps anywhere” excuse just went away! In Ps 119:15-16, the Psalmist
says, “I will meditate on Your precepts,
and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not
forget Your word” (NKJV). What a
great attitude! I want to be that way, don’t you? I want to be equipped to pass
the tests which are, without a doubt, going to show up in my life.
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