“Every healthy, balanced Christian should be a student of the Bible.”

I. Introduction

The average American will work 8 hours on a given week day. Thank God for work!

And if you want to do more than that, generally speaking you can!

When I was a younger fella, I had up to three jobs at once! I wouldn’t recommend it, but it is possible!

We average 7.5 hours on media every day.

The average average is 1 hour driving each day, which goes up significantly in a big metro area like this, where many of us commute daily.

I can spend easily spend four hours and more driving, on a normal work day!

We have dishes and clothes to wash.

We have homework and study before you can finally chill each night.

Once in a while it’s movie night at the house with some box candy from walmart!

Now that’s a lot of fun, but like everything, it takes time.

And when we finally drop into bed, the average American is now doing all of that on a very slim 6 hours of sleep each night!

Now folks, I’m not saying that any of that is wrong!

I truly believe, if you are willing to listen, the Holy Spirit will help you to find your own personal equilibrium.

Work life balance they call it.

Add in all that other stuff and at times it can feel like a tightrope!

But here is my proposition for you tonight.

It is the premise for eveyrthing else I will say this evening.

And if you can buy into my proposition, I’m sure we can find a way to make it a reality!

Ok, here it is:

“Every healthy, balanced Christian should be a student of the Bible.”

It’s not really enough to just come to church once or twice a week.

It’s not enough even to listen to preaching often, but you don’t have a paper Bible that you can write in and refer to.

Can you get to heaven that way, sure I guess.

But why live beneath your priviledge?

There are countries where owning a Bible can get you and your whole family thrown in jail!

But you and I can own and read as many as we want to!

You need, I need, all of us need our daily dose of life and we should be going after that life in a direct and systematic way.

How?

Well, like any job, you simply need to use the right tools.

When you have the right tools, anything is possible!

Now let me discuss the first such tool that will make all the difference for you as you go about obeying Paul’s instructions when He said:

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV 1900

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

So, what can you get these days for $120?

You could get a really fancy new toaster or coffee machine.

You could get a pair of redwing boots, maybe.

You could get one of those pads that go on the chair and massage you when you get home.

And if you did, each of these could potentially provide some daily benefit.

Some of you are even thinking: “I can get at least two gallons of gas for that!” (LOL)

I have an even better suggestion:

Get yourself a study Bible!!!!!

Buy Yourself A Study Bible!

Now the true classic of study Bibles, in my personal opinion is the Thompson chain Bible.

Show it to them and show them how it works!

The chain will take you through consecutive verses covering a specific Bible, from front to back!

So for example: Gen 3:15. Topical reference includes “Christ’s sufferings.” The next reference in the chain is.....

Then show them a few maps.

Then read some of your written notes inside. Records of victories won.

Write down moments of spiritual insight and wisdom. prayer requests, and praise reports.

Build a record!!!

A New Thomspon chain in leather is about $50 or $60. A used one is probably $40.

Write it full of notes!!!!

Use post it’s!

Scribble away and make it yours!

If you truly use your Study Bible, the benefit is not once in a while or even daily.

The benefit of truly loving your study Bible and using it is both daily and eternal!

Don’t allow yourself to be put off by the more difficult books!

Okay, so we all know:

There are books in the Bible that do not lend themselves to the casual reader.

John Cecil Rhodes bought out miners who were discouraged by a layer of blue chalk on a massive dig that we now call the Kimberly Diamond mine in South Africa.

For pennies on the dollar, he bought them all out!

When everyone else gave up, he had a German geologist friend who told him to buy and hold.

He did, and it was under that chalk that they found the really good stuff!

By 1888, he basically had complete domination over the world diamond market!

Allow me to be your friend tonight and tell you, the best stuff in that book requires a little bit of searching and patience!

Don’t give up on the harder books!

Isaiah for example, requires that you pay attention and study notes really help!

I used to ignore that book!

It was just too confusing for me.

Then I finally invested a little more time and here’s what I found out in Haley’s Handbook on the BIble. (Show them your book.)

(Explain the shifting lenses/big screen TV’s thing.)

$20 bucks to better understand the grammatical and historical context of Scripture!

If you’re saving for a good study BIble, you could buy one of these used online for probably $10!

And then when you get your study Bible, it’s like having this and other reference Books merged into your Bible and easy to hand.

Strong’s concordance! A great tool, I used it every week!

You can access the concordance online at Blue letter BIble and other sites completely free!

You’ll get all of the information surrounding a word in the origional language!

This is almost a must have for any serious studend of the Bible!

Let me take a moment here and point out that great ministers do not teach the Bible as though they are subject matter experts.

Like any great teacher, they will introduce you to the known facts and then challenge you to work the mine yourself, for greater treasure!

That’s what I am aiming for!

Because I know:

The more time we spend in this book, the better chance we have of going in the rapture!

And that friend, it the goal!!!

Let’s all go to heaven and take a lot of other people with us!

Apostolic Study Bible.

Studying the Scripture in a systematic way, tells Jesus that you really want to know His Word!

I guarantee you, He will open your understanding and reward your hunger with revelation!

I absolutely guarantee it!

So I mentioned $120.

Where did that come from.

Well folks, it’s not the price of a gallon of gas. Not yet at least, thank God!

That is the price of an Apostolic Study Bible.

What is an Apostolic study Bible you ask?

Well, it is the same as any other KJV wrapped in leather, except for......

You guessed it: Apostolic study notes!

That mean that you can trust the study notes for insight without evaluating or editing the false doctrinal portions that are common elsewhere!

Ok, I know that a few folks have one, how many here tonight, own one?

Let me again say that this is the best $120 you will ever spend. Order it online and voila, in a few days it will be waiting on your doorstep when you get home!

Can anyone say: “Unboxing video???” LOL.

Let me show you why this is such a good thing to make part of your walk with God:

The nominal Christian world uses verses like gen 1:26 to teach that there were multiple persons in heaven before the creation of man. i.e. the trinity.

Take this as one of many examples, and let’s check it out in our Apostolic Study BIble

Read Gen 1:26 and the attending notes.

Read Rom 9:10 and attending notes.

Okay, so when I say systematic, that doesn’t mean you have to study hours each day.

You’re busy, I get it.

But there are ways to find a system that works for you!

A Bible reading plan for example.

Read the Bible in 3 months, 6 months or a year.

Something that I really like, is “Professor Grant Horner’s BIble Reading system.”

(Show and explain.)

So I was reading this week, and several connections popped out between the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels to the Epistles written by Paul.

We may not have time to hit all of it, but let me at least give you a taste:

Read Matt CH 21 and attending notes.

Conclusion.

“Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge.” I feel this is a cycle and should be in our lives!

“Study to to shew thyself approved...”

Dokimos, coin shaving.

Do it for you!

But do it for others also!

I want us all to be prepared to teach Personal BIble studies and there is not better way to prepare for that!

I want each of us to be able to facilitate a small group meeting with confidence!

When someone comes to me and they feel a call to pulpit ministry, I will help them! I want to help them, and God will expect me to!

I will show you how to pray it down, study it in and preach it out.

I will show you how to prepare your sermon and give you an opportunity to grow and bless the assembly!

But, I know who is serious.

It’s not just anybody we will trust with the spiritual wellbeing of the assembly!

It is he or she who is living in submission to the Holy Spirit and His Word.

And always it is he or she who is a systematic student of the Scriptures

Read Psalm 119 for just long enough to illustrate that the Word of God is a blessing unending.

Truth treasures are sitting there, waiting paitiently for you to search them out!