Studying the Bible can be compared to mining for gold. It cannot be emphasized strongly enough just how important the Bible is to our lives. We can ignore it, but we do so to our own detriment, just as we would if we ignored the law of gravity. As such, it is as binding as the laws of nature. Otherwise, it is like swallowing food without chewing and then spitting it back out again-no nutritional value is gained by it. It is a book for studying so that it can be applied. The Bible is a book that is not merely for reading. For example, David, in his defeat of Goliath, teaches us that God is greater than anything He asks us to face (1 Samuel 17), while his giving in to the temptation to commit adultery with Bathsheba reveals just how long-lasting and terrible the consequences of a moment’s sinful pleasure can be (2 Samuel 11). There are so many Bible characters to learn from, some of whom can serve as both positive and negative role models at different times in their lives. It is so much better to learn from others' mistakes. Experience is a great teacher, but when it comes to learning from sin, it is a terribly hard teacher. Reading and studying the Bible helps us see beyond the attractive "bait" to the painful "hook" in sinful temptations, so that we can learn from others' mistakes rather than making them ourselves. The Bible keeps us from wasting years of our lives on that which does not matter and will not last (Matthew 7:24-27). It gives us guidance in life, making us wiser than our teachers (Psalm 32:8, 119:99 Proverbs 1:6). God’s Word helps us see sin in our lives and helps us get rid of it (Psalm 119:9, 11). Meditating on God’s Word and obeying its teachings will bring success in life (Joshua 1:8 James 1:25). It helps us know how to be saved from our sin and its ultimate consequence (2 Timothy 3:15). The Bible equips us to serve God (2 Timothy 3:17 Ephesians 6:17 Hebrews 4:12). And it is in learning this that we are drawn to love Him in return (1 John 4:19). Along this line, God’s Word shows us just how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-8 John 3:16). The Bible tells us how one truly gets to heaven, and it is not by being good or by being baptized or by anything else we do (John 14:6 Ephesians 2:1-10 Isaiah 53:6 Romans 3:10-18, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-13). We are worshiping something that He is not. To have a wrong impression of God is to worship an idol or false god. The Bible gives us the measuring stick by which we can distinguish truth from error. We should read and study the Bible because there is so much false teaching. In other words, if we want to live life to the fullest, as God intended, we must listen to and heed God’s written Word. His revealed Word, the Bible, is so important that Jesus said of it, "Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). And while mankind as a whole continues to seek love and satisfaction in all of the wrong places, God-our good and gracious Creator-tells us what will bring us lasting joy. We find, as we read the pages of biblical history, that whether we are talking about one-on-one relationships or societies, "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). While technology changes, mankind’s nature and desires do not change. We should read and study the Bible because God does not change and because mankind’s nature does not change it is as relevant for us as it was when it was written. Similarly, we are given assurance that God’s Word is true when it discusses spiritual areas that we cannot test with our senses by showing itself true in those areas that we can test, such as historical accuracy, scientific accuracy, and prophetic accuracy. Jesus once asked which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or "Rise, take up your bed and walk." Then He proved He had the ability to forgive sins (something we cannot see with our eyes) by healing the paralytic (something those around Him could test with their eyes). Those who say the Bible has errors have their ears closed to the truth. The Bible is unique among so-called "holy" books in that it does not merely give moral teaching and say, "Trust me." Rather, we have the ability to test it by checking the hundreds of detailed prophecies that it makes, by checking the historical accounts it records, and by checking the scientific facts it relates. Find out where we're studying today from our Bible Reading Schedule.We should read and study the Bible because it is totally reliable and without error. and also in our lives. You can hop on board this Bible Bus anytime. McGee tells us, this pattern illustrates common themes and glimpses of God at work through history. We alternate in our study between first an Old Testament book and then a New Testament book, then back to the Old Testament, etc. Jump on the Bible Bus every weekday and in five years, you'll have studied the entire Bible.
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