As you read this I am in the middle of VBS week at Grace Baptist Church.
Though I don’t have a new post for you today, I would encourage you to go back through the blog and catch up on any of the post from 1 Timothy that you may have missed. Next week will be the last of the 1 Timothy series.
I have really enjoyed this study, thanks for coming along!
Earlier this year I lost one of my few faithful readers.
Talking about my loss seems trivial compared to what his family lost. His wife lost a husband, his children lost their father, his grandchildren a grandfather, and a host of friends an encourager.
To be honest I didn’t know Tom very well, definitely not as well as I would have liked. But I know a few things about him: He consistently “liked” the posts I shared from my blog on social media, and he would comment encouragement or agreement. These may have just been because Facebook algorithms made sure he saw my posts, but I don’t think so. I think Tom was an encourager.
Our world has too many of us who are focused on shouting louder so that everyone hears us. We need people who care enough to listen. To affirm us when we’re on the right track and be honest when we’re not.
I think people like Tom were on the mind and heart of the writer of Hebrews when he penned these words:
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23–25
We can apply these three thoughts:
When we have the truth and know we have it, we can be a lot more confident and helpful in our dealings with others. We can be consistent because we are looking to a changeless source of wisdom. We can be compassionate because we remember the change God’s word has made in our life. We can be “unwavering” because “he is faithful that promised”.
Hold onto the truths of God.
Being an encouragement often falls apart because we aren’t ready to do it. We can plan ahead for how to encourage people to love and prompt them to do good works. This is unnatural for humanity. We don’t naturally love as Jesus loved and serve selflessly.
Part of being an encourager may simply be modeling love and good works.
“Being where you can be an encouragement” almost seems too obvious to mention. But it’s profound. You will be able to encourage those you know and interact with. You won’t be able to encourage those you don’t know and don’t interact with.
Church meetings are the natural “place” for this encouragement, but with the right intentionality, you can be an encourager anywhere you go.
Tom was all of these things. He was confident and didn’t feel the need to put me down (though he had years of life experience that I don’t). He knew the value of a “like” or a comment, and I got the impression from his comments on others’ posts that he was free and liberal with his encouragement. And HE WAS THERE. I’m sure he had better things to do with his time than read my posts, but he chose to read them. And I am so honored that he did.
I almost lost my dad around the time Tom was struggling before his death. In that time of busyness and emotion, I stopped blogging. But now as things have started to return to “normal” I am reminded of my encourager. And I am back at my computer hoping to be that encourager to someone else… even just one person.
This world has lost Tom. But we haven’t lost you.
You can be this kind of encourager to others. Even if it’s one person: show genuine interest, give a word of encouragement, be faithful. You don’t know the difference you could make in a life.
He sees you when you're sleeping And he knows when you're awake He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake You better watch out! You better not cry You better not pout, I'm telling you why Santa Claus is coming to town
— “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie
Christmas time shows how our culture loves Santa. He has songs, movies, jokes, and lore. You learn from these of his many characteristics; he’s loving, forgiving, all-knowing, good, and wise. We love him because of what he stands for: seeing the good in people, rewarding good behavior, and giving selflessly.
Santa is an interesting character. He has some fun movies and songs. We like to see “Santa” hats around, sing songs about reindeer with glowing noses and think about masses of elves making Christmas presents. There is nothing wrong with a good story, sometimes though these stories create a substitute for what we really need.
In movies like “Miracle on 34th Street” you’re confronted by an unfortunate comparison between belief in Santa Clause and belief in God. Santa is seen as an all-knowing, all-loving, and ultimately good being. It’s presented as though all you have to do is believe in Santa and you’ll have a great Christmas.
When you examine the truths of Scripture, you find that these attributes best describe God, not Santa. Here’s a couple that the Bible attributes to God.
1 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. Psalm 139:1–2
This is great! God knows everything about you. The understanding that God sees and knows everything about us is the motivation behind the Fear of the Lord.
Being omniscient, He is the best accountability for us to do right. He is also able to be perfectly just based on His perfect knowledge.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
God is the giver of every good gift. All of the best things in life come from God. He knows the things we need and He even graciously gives us the things we want.
People seem to like Santa and not God because Santa Clause doesn’t demand any permanent, or eternal accountability. He comes around at Christmas time but is conveniently absent for the rest of the year.
The stereotype of Santa gives us what we want but God gives us what we need all the time. We need God’s perfect gifts all the time, we don’t NEED everything we WANT. We need the accountability that comes with God being all-knowing. We may want to hide things from Him, but the fact that He knows everything about us and still forgives and restores our relationships should bring us great comfort.
Have you had a time when the curtains of mystery were pulled back for just a second and you caught a glimpse of the glory of God’s word?
These moments of wonder and awe are why I love Bible study. They are the reason I have committed my life to the study and application of God’s word.
My Bible study journey has taken some interesting turns. I have notes and documents full of the findings from thousands of reading and study times. Themes in scripture start to crystalize as your experience grows and passages that were difficult become easier to understand. But I’ve also had potholes when I’ve studied and misunderstood, even preached things that weren’t there. These potential potholes are why it’s helpful to have a solid Bible Study method.
For the next several weeks we’re going to take a look at a Bible Study Method. A set of skills, tools, and processes that generations of Bible preachers and teachers have used in their search for scriptural truth.
The Bible is a collection of 66 books. These were written by various human authors under the inspiration of God. That means that the Bible was given to us by God.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God” 2 Timothy 3:16a
The Bible is composed of many types of writing including history, poetry, prophecy, and letters. While all of these had a particular purpose at the time of their writing, the Bible teaches that they are also beneficial to us.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (emphasis mine)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
The Bible is meant to be applied, and careful Bible study is how we can apply it in a right way.
There’s a great children’s song that provides a great outline for Bible Study.
As I read God's Word each day, I will ask myself three questions: What does it say? What does it mean? What is God saying to me? I will ask God's Holy Spirit- who lives in my heart, to show me the answers clearly, so I'll know God's message to me. — Helen Wunnenberg
These questions are the simplest way to summarize good Bible reading and studying.
The Bible is the authority. We must begin with the very words of scripture and not stray from what they are actually saying.
We must read THE BIBLE and study THE BIBLE. Too often, in the age of the internet and with the accessibility of helps, we are tempted to go to some Bible study guide, devotional book, or commentary. And some of these may be good, but they are no replacement for the words of God.
A lot of our method will cover knowing what it says.
To learn what it means we need to read it multiple times, look up words, and memorize it to fully comprehend it.
Pray about your study. Beginning, Middle and End seek God as you look into His word.
The Bible is meant to be applied. We could just let it sit on the shelf and treat it as an academic book. But its real power is seen as we hide it in our hearts, and as God’s Holy Spirit applies it to our lives.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
Subscribe to this Blog to get started on a Bible Study method. We’ll be going over tools and practices to get your Bible study going. Whether you’re new to Bible study or see the need for a refresher, I know the next few weeks will be great!
Start your Bible study today. Get into God’s word and start making a habit of intentional Bible study.
Comment below some of the tools, methods and habits you’ve used in Bible Study. These may be a blessing and encouragement to others.
Thanks for coming by. I have a lot to share with you in the coming weeks and years.
I’m creating this blog as a place where we learn about the Bible together, so that we can speak it to others, and live it to the glory of God.
Thank you for your patience while I work out some of the backend technologies for that sharing to begin.
While we may be waiting to start fully, you can begin the discussion in the comments section below.
What is one of your favorite things about Bible Study?
