Untitled Sermon (35)

Bible Study is a must to Spiritually Survive

Christian families are dying out: In the 40’s and 50’s Christians were known as “walking Bibles.” Now days, must Christians don’t even know how to defend basic Bible facts.

Google “Biblical illiteracy statistics.” You will find shocking studies. In the US Country, “only 20 percent of Americans say they’ve read the entire Bible at least once. And only 22 percent say they systematically read through a section of the Bible a little each day. A third of Americans never read the Bible on their own.” (Source: https://factsandtrends.net/2017/07/10/discipling-in-an-age-ofbiblical-illiteracy)

The Bible commands us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord,” (2 Peter 3:18). Yet most Christians refrain from maturing in Christ, through actively studying the Word. Many 50-year-old Christians, who've been to church most of their lives...cannot quote a Bible passage, (other than John 3:16). Most Christians tend to just reserve reading the Bible, to Sunday sermons and Wednesday night Bible studies. If such Christians bother to attend faithfully, to study the Word, they will get on average, less than 3 hrs of Bible study, a week. Which is not much.

Many Christians eat more meals, sleep more, watch more TV, do more hygiene, do more recreation, etc, then they tend to their souls. How messed up is that. Most Christians can't defend the convictions they hold with scripture, not even if they have a Bible in hand. Many families are losing their children to the world, in their teenage years. Parents fail to study regularly with their families. Many parents tend to reserve such Bible training to the church. Grounding our kids, in the Word must include our personal accountability to teach them.

Reasons to Study:

We need to study to better discern what is right and wrong. Many saints have been in the church for years, yet don’t know enough to teach others the truth. Such people don’t know the deep truths. They need to continue in the basic’s, due to lack of progressive/regular study.

Hebrews 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

Self-analysis: Am I doing what I should in Bible study? When people go to church, to hear a sermon or engage in a Bible study, they partake of 2-4 Bible teachings a week, if that. Which is not a lot. Let me ask you a question. Do you only eat two to four times a week in meals? No, of course not! You'd get frail and slowly die! You’d starve to death. Would you only feed your kids 2-4 meals a week? No, you’d have child care come knocking at your door. In the Bible we read that His truth is necessary as spiritual milk for us to grow by. We need to crave its nutrients as babies crave a mother’s milk.

1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” We will read passages, that say the Bible is compared to food. God says we need to depend not only on bread but on the Word for our wellbeing. If we need to eat daily to thrive physically, should we not expect our spirits of needing regular spiritual nourishment, as well? We must feed the mind.

Deuteronomy 8:3 “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” God calls His Word food. What do the following verses say about how our response should be to His Word?

Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”

Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” We should enjoy partaking in His spiritual food. It should be sweet to our spiritual tastes. His truth should be our delight and joy. God's Word should be treasured. We should value His truth more than anything in this world. The Bible is said to be more valued then food, as Job says.

Job 23:12 "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” The Bible says its message, is more important than food. Food, (like oxygen and water), is necessary for our physical survival. As with food, God says we need His spiritual Word, for our spiritual survival. Spiritual famine God punished the Israelites for repeatedly rejecting Him and the Word. He refused to give them the truth. The very thing they had refused to accept.

Hosea 8:11“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.12 People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. 13“In that day “the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst.” Many people are starving themselves to death, spiritually. How can a spouse or a parent willingly bring about a famine in his/her household? Yet many families are starving to death. Complete diet People may hear the truth, but still get an incomplete spiritual diet. If we don’t read our Bibles and are sitting at the feet of inept teachers and preachers, we are not getting the whole council/message of God. People need all of the Bible food groups. If you ate only bread, would that be healthy? If you ate only nuts would that be healthy? You get the point. We need a well balance diet.

We need all of the teachings of truth, not sectioned out parts.

Here are scriptures that talk on this point: Acts 20:27 “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” Jeremiah 26:2 “Thus said the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Acts 5:20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” By offering half a message, (instead of the whole truth) we get a watered down message. Such teachings contribute to the dumbing down of a local church. When such saints become weak due to poor congregational sources of education, they lose strength (of conviction) in their beliefs. Weak beliefs create weak lifestyle practices from the Word. With time such people stop coming to church all together. Those that are largely dependent on others for Bible teaching, will die spiritually. Allowing ourselves to become emaciated on a poor spiritual diet, only leads to death. We must not allow ourselves to starve to death.

We need to be holding onto the Word and know what is sound in doctrine (complete truth) and what is error, (watered down, distorted truth).

Titus 1:9 says “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” We need to know the Bible, to know what truth is and what is a distorted half message. If we only listen to others and depend solely on them, we are in danger of being led astray. How to rectify this? When it comes to families, we must daily teach our kids. Don’t put it all on the preacher and Bible class teachers. 44 Teach your families Timothy was raised in a home of faith, (2 Timothy 1:5). He was trained in the Word from childhood. 2 Timothy 3:14 “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Training children was commanded of the Israelites… Deuteronomy 6:6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Abraham was picked of God to train his family. This was required of the Patriarch, for receiving the promises of the Lord. Genesis 18:18 “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” Christians are told to instruct their families in the Word. Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” But how can we train our families, if we don’t first train ourselves? We need to impress the message of truth on our hearts and minds. We can’t 45 do that without regular Bible study. We should know the Word so well, that it’s as if we are literally carrying the truth on us. Only when we know the truth can we teach it to our children. Deuteronomy 11:18 “You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 19 You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Personal review: Am I studying the Bible like I should? To grow in the Word, we need to make study a priority. This behavior is a must for our spiritual growth in life. Let us read the Bible daily. Notice, the mark of the wise man. He avoids evil influences and delights in God’s truth. Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” People who are always in the Word will be people who talk about the Word to those they love, (spouse, family, etc). People who read the Word, will be strengthened to observe what is written therein. We become what we feed our minds. Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” 46 Have the Word to overcome the Devil In order to know God, we need to know His words. We need to have His Word abide in us to overcome Satan’s influence. 1 John 2:14 “I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Consistent Bible study is a must! We need to do regular Bible study to watch closely our doctrine and lifestyle practices. This is essential for our salvation and for the salvation of those we love. 1 Timothy 4:15 “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.” To look at God’s truth intently and to avoid forgetting His words, we need to make Bible study a regular priority. Such people who are intent on the Word, will find blessing within the Word. James 1:23 “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” Bible study is a must to know Jesus’ truth and His precious promises. We must know His Word to live a godly life. We must know what God teaches to escape the evils of this world by living that godly life. 2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and 47 goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Knowledge is part of our spiritual growth In 2 Peter 1:5-11 you will read… We must study to grow in the aspects of Bible character, (self-control, perseveres, etc. vs 5-7). We must study to grow, to be effective in the truth on the Word, (vs 8). We must study to grow, to avoid atrophy. Study and maturity will help us to not forget what God has done for us, (vs 9). When we study to grow, to better ensure our calling, (vs 10-11). 2 Peter 1:5 “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self- control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We need to place the truth within us, through study the Bible, to avoid the pitfalls of slipping into sin. Palms 37:31 “The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.” Psalms 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” 48 If we are to retain our families in the faith, through teaching them the Word, we must first have the habits of study installed in our own lives. It is not only important for our children but is fundamentally essential for our own wellbeing. ____________________________________________________________ Bible study idea’s for personal growth: 1. Mark up your Bible with scriptures. Find a page in the Bible that talks on Baptism for salvation, for example, then find other passages and write them all in that page location. Mark that page with a sticky “post it” color flag. Turning to such a page, makes facts related to a specific topic, easy to reference. You can quickly learn the passages through studying such a page. It helps to have a journaling Bible. They have a lot of page writing spaces for recording Bible truths. But this is optional. 2. Read your Bible daily at least an hour. Make it applicable and pray on what you read. Try to create a desire and longing for the Word, through maxims. Focus on your desire. Try to stoke it. Write a maxim and put it on the mirror in the bathroom or bedroom to read daily. Try to read the maxim and stir up your desire daily. Pray to God daily to help you with these issues. 3. Memorize a passage each week. I write a memory verse on paper. I carry the paper with me and look at the verse throughout the day, while watching tv, walking, sitting at the stop light, sitting in a doctor’s waiting room, etc. Find out what ways work best for you. 4. Further down the road, when ready, pick a theme and try to write a short article from the Bible passages on that theme, this will require a lot of study and research. Such work will cause in-depth Bible study learning. When comfortable with that, try to write a longer article or sermon on a specific Bible theme. Make this a monthly routine, then with time a weekly routine. 5. Regularly teach a Bible class, either a new convert class, a kid’s class, a lady’s class, a church class or a home study group class, if possible. There is no better way to learn then through this method. 49 6. The more you read the more you will want to read. For the more you read the more you will grow spiritually. This will create stronger Bible convictions and principles that will help you to cherish the Bible above anything else this world can offer. Fan this desire, feed it, love it, and nurture it.

There is a saying, “Give a person a fish, you feed him for a day, teach a person to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” But does it apply to literal fishing alone? Jesus said to those He called, to “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 Our Lord taught them a soul saving skill that could be used for a lifetime. Jesus spent His ministry preparing His disciples to teach. (Matthew 11:1-5 ) And the last words Christ said, before His Ascension was this… “Go into all the world, preach the Gospel...teaching them all I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:18-20 But notice He said, “teaching all I have commanded you, after He said “Go, preach, gospel”. World evangelism, does mean funding preachers overseas, or using methods you know like sharing the Bible on Facebook and other means, but chiefly it is about equipping church members and new converts, by teaching them to teach! AS Christ prepared the Apostles and Disciples in His day, we are expected to share/ entrust/teach to reliable people, who will teach others. “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

2 Timothy 2:2 NASB95

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

We need to seek such opportunities. And pray to the Lord. Luke 10:2 “He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” The church grew in that day, after it’s establishment, because the followers of Christ, followed Christ. Which was His chief desire and aim to save the lost. (John 4:354-35). If we are to grow the church as members of Christ’s Body, we must follow the same NT pattern given us. Self accountability and responsibility is a absolute in embracing this concept.

What saved the Apostle Paul? Saul who became the Apostle Paul, when a sinner (1 Timothy 1:15), was religiously learned and was religious in action (Acts 22:3), and in this mindset killed Christians, (1 Corinthians 15:9) in all good conscious (Acts 23:1). While traveling to hurt more of God’s people, (Acts 22:5) God appeared to Saul, (Acts 9:3-4) and Saul believed and confessed (Acts 20:8- 10), obeyed God’s commanded to go to Damascus to learn His Will, (Acts 9:6-8). When Saul arrived at this city, he was repentant, for Saul in sorrow of what he did, neither ate food nor drank for 3 days, (Acts 9:9). When Saul had the miracle of Jesus appear before Him in glory, he was blinded, (Acts 9:8) and later had another miracle happen when God restored his sight, (Acts 22:13). Yet did any of these things wash his sins away and save him? Continue reading. When Saul was in sin, fasting, he prayed as a sinner a sinners prayer, (Acts 9:11), yet was not saved. Only when a man, named Ananias sent from God (Acts 22:12-16) came to Saul and told him to do the following was Saul's sins washed away. Acts 22:16 quote: “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized (Greek word Baptizo/immersion) and wash your sins away, calling on His name.”