Bible Intake

INTRO

We want to train ourselves in godliness and spiritual growth 1 Tim 4:7-8. Nutrition a key part of training

Ps 119:130 “The entrance of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple.”

If we are to train in godliness, we will discipline ourselves in the consumption of God’s Word

DISCUSSION

Hearing God’s Word

Scripture emphasizes hearing God’s Word

Lk 11:28 “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

Rom 10:17

1 Tim 4:13 “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”—pay close attention to the public reading

Jesus on hearing

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Mt 11:15; 13:9, 43)

Careful what we hear (Mk 4:24 “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.”)

How we hear (Lk 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” )

Train ourselves in godliness by engaging in the following hearing exercises:

Paying close attention to the public reading—open my Bible to the passage; read along with the reading (Neh 8:3, 5)

Being an active listener to the preached Word (2 Tim 4:2); following along in the Bible, writing down the preacher’s main points at least and any questions about what is said

Listening to sermons online or podcasts; GBN, radio program

Reading God’s Word

A 1990 poll showed only 11 percent of Americans read the Bible daily; a majority read less than once a month or not at all. Just 18 percent of those who claim to be Christians read daily; 1 in 4 don’t read at all (Spiritual Disciplines 32); Barna’s 2021 report—still just 11 percent of Americans read daily; although other numbers have improved—Covid seemed to spike interest in the Word of God as more people engaged in Bible reading on their own

Scripture emphasizes reading God’s Word

Blessing in reading—Rev 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

It’s food (Mt 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” ) If it’s food, are you a clean plater? Have you read every Word of the Bible?

Have you not read? (Mt 12:3, 5; Mt 19:4)?

Train ourselves in godliness by engaging in the following reading exercises:

Find a physical Bible you enjoy reading from and use that for your daily reading—easy on the eyes, lays flat

Read every day—you face temptations and trials every day, so read every day.

Find a Bible reading plan—no verse says you have to read through the Bible in the year

Find one nugget, one word, or phrase, or verse to meditate on and pray over

Studying God’s Word

Reading is like cruising a lake in a motorboat; studying is like using a glass-bottomed boat; you see what’s beneath the surface.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Studying God’s Word

As author Jerry Bridges put it, “Reading gives us breadth, but study gives us depth.”

Scripture emphasizes studying God’s Word

Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”

Investigate—John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

2 Tim 4:13 “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.”

Train ourselves in godliness by engaging in the following study exercises:

Write down observations and questions about the text

Look up cross-references

Select a key word and look up the references to that word in the concordance

Outline a chapter; identify a key word

EXHORTATION

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (More Application)

Do not expect to master the Bible in a day, or a month, or a year. Rather expect often to be puzzled by its contents. It is not all equally clear. Great men of God often feel like absolute novices when they read the Word. The apostle Peter said that there were some things hard to understand in the epistles of Paul (2 Peter 3:16). I am glad he wrote those words because I have felt that often. So do not expect always to get an emotional charge or a feeling of quiet peace when you read the Bible. By the grace of God you may expect that to be a frequent experience, but often you will get no emotional response at all. Let the Word break over your heart and mind again and again as the years go by, and imperceptibly there will come great changes in your attitude and outlook and conduct. You will probably be the last to recognize these. Often you will feel very, very small, because increasingly the God of the Bible will become to you wonderfully great. So go on reading it until you can read no longer, and then you will not need the Bible any more, because when your eyes close for the last time in death, and never again read the Word of God in Scripture you will open them to the Word of God in the flesh, that same Jesus of the Bible whom you have known for so long, standing before you to take you for ever to His eternal home.

What is one thing you can do to improve your spiritual nutrition?