It’s kind of scary and overwhelming when you first decide to start studying the Bible. What exactly do you need? Do you need one of those yellow / red Bible dry highlighters you always see in CBD? Do you just need the Holy Spirit and thus have to pray for Him? Do you need a degree in Bible? What exactly do you need for starting your personal Bible studies?
Although Christians may read their Bible, I don’t think very many study it. It may sit from a Sunday to Sunday on a bookshelf or it may be opened every day with a little devotional from The Daily Bread. Some of us may use it to proof-texts some sermons and others may not even know where our Bibles are. But as Christians we’re still constantly told to study it—why?
“Study the Word!” is the oft-heard cry on the lips of elders, teachers, pastors and seminarians. The brows furrowed, the finger precariously raised while the glare of the projector turns said teachers horned-rimmed glasses into fiendish horns. In the quest towards anti-intellectualism, proper theology and practically applied Christianity, these pillars in our lives seek to motivate us with these serious admonishments yet they don’t often tell us how.
Inspired by the ever-popular Tim Challies, I’m hoping to start interviewing important people. Since I’m not really all that popular and really don’t know that many famous people, I figured I’d start with someone important close at hand: my son.
But before entering into the next scene I?m impressed by another problem in the midst of an amazing story. God recognizes the need for Adam not to be alone?an amazing thing in itself. It is God recognizing the need, not man, and it is God who puts into effect a plan for man to be complete and to recognize his need!