Theme: Making Bible study personal, practical, and profitable.

INTRODUCTION

1. Bible study can seem like a daunting task (boring to others).
• For some, simply reading the Bible taxes the mind and brings about physical exhaustion.
• The sub conscience might reason: If Bible reading is this taxing stay how much harder studying it!
• Like anything else, however, you get out what you put in.
2. While studying God’s word does take time and energy, how you study and the tools you use can make the Word of Life come to life.
• Many don’t study because they don’t have the tools and those who do don’t know how to use them to help them in their study.
• Then, there is the study itself that can seem so rigid or filled with life!

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

1. Indispensible resources:
• Differing translations: literal (NASB), modern (ESV), easy reading (NIV).
• Concordance.
• Differing dictionaries: definitionalencyclopedic; original language (HebrewGreek) lexicons.
• Differing commentaries: devotional, pastoral, scholarly etc.
• Maps: public domain; modern maps (with updated information)
2. If that is too overwhelming: use a Bible software program.
• Simple but most powerful/flexible: Logos Bible Software.
• Free (quite useful): E-Sword.

MAKING IT ALL COME TOGETHER

1. Adding a “layer” of context to your study: archaeology.
• Example: Ephesians 2:14.
• Through archaeology artifacts shed light into the understanding of passages found in the Bible.
• Archaeological website: www.bib-arch.org
1. Gleaning from external sources (where/when available).
• “The Book of wars of the Lord”; “Book of Jashar”; etc. Cp. Num. 21:14; 2 Sam. 1:18
• Other ancient historians: Herodotus (cp. 2 Ki. 18-19; Isa. 36-37; Micah); Sennacherib’s prism
• As more ancient artifacts and literature are found such only confirms the validity of the Scriptures, but more important for believers: enhances our understanding of it.

CONCLUSION ~ LIFE APPLICATION

1. No study has any genuine value unless it affects you personally.
2. Only when we see the effect of Jesus’ death/resurrection for our sins…do we see a desperate need for salvation.
3. Only by connecting other passages, concepts of the Bible to God’s plan for saving us from our sins – do these studies truly come to life for each one personally.