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How
to Study Bible
Bible
Study of
The only way to keep a broken vessel full is by keeping the faucet turned
on. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
Consider the difference between a strong and a weak cup of tea. The same
ingredients—water and tea—are used for both. The difference is that the strong
cup of tea results form ‘the tea leaves’ immersion in the water longer
allowing the water more time to get into the tea and the tea into the water.
The longer the steeping process
the stronger the cup of tea.
In
the same way
the length of time we spend in God’s Word determines how deeply
we get into it and it gets into us. Just like the tea
the longer we are in the
Word
the “stronger” we become. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
There is a basic difference between an explorer and a tourist. The tourist
travels quickly
stopping only to observe the highly noticeable or publicized
points of interest. The explorer
on the other hand
take his time to search
out all that he can find.
Too
many of us read the Bible like a tourist and then complain that our devotional
times are fruitless. It is necessary that we take time to explore the Bible.
Notable nooks and crannies will appear as we get beneath the surface. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
Mortimer J. Adler
in 《How to Read a Book》
has observed that the one time people read for all they
are worth is when they are in love and are reading a love letter. They read
every word three ways. They read between the lines and in the margins. They
read the whole in terms of the parts
and each part in terms of the whole. They
grow sensitive to context and ambiguity
to insinuation and implication. They
perceive the color of words
the order of phrases
and the weight of sentences.
They may even take the punctuation into account. Then
if never before or
after
they read carefully and in depth.
So
shout believers read the “love letter” that the Eternal Lover of our souls has
given to us so that we may better know him and his purposes. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
“Don’t keep forever on the public road
going only where others have gone.
Leave the beaten track occasionally and drive into the woods. You will be
certain to see something you have never seen before. It will be a little thing
but do not ignore it. Follow it up
explore all around. One discovery will lead
to another and
before you know it
you will have something worth thinking
about” ―― Alexander Graham Bell
Bible
Study of
In an interview
Billy Graham was asked this question: “If you had to live
your life over again
what would you do differently?”
His answer: “One of my great regrets
is that I have not studied enough. I wish I had studied more and preached less.
People have pressured me into speaking to groups when I should have been
studying and preparing. Donald Barnhouse said that if he knew the Lord was
coming three years
he would spend two of them studying and one preaching. I’m
trying to make it up.” ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
A story is told of a devout father whose son was studying for the
ministry. The son decided to go to Europe for an advanced degree
and the
father worried that his simple faith would be spoiled by sophisticated
unbelieving professors. “Don’t let them take Jonah away from you
” he
admonished
figuring the swallowed-by-a-great-fish story might be the first
part of the Bible to go.
Two oyears later when the son
returned
the father asked
“Do you still have Jonah in your Bible?”
The son laughed. “Jonah! That story
isn’t even in your Bible!”
The father replied
“It certainly is!
What do you mean?”
Again the son laughed and insisted
“It’s not in your Bible. Go ahead
show it to me.”
The old man fumbled through his Bible
looking for the Book of Jonah
but he couldn’t find it. At last he checked the
table of contents for the proper page. When he turned there
he discovered the
three pages comprising Jonah had been carefully cut from his Bible.
“I did it before I went away
” said
the son. “What’s the difference whether I lose the Book of Jonah through
studying under non-believers or you lose it through neglect?” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
In one of his lust-So Stories
Rudyard Kipling pulled together all of the
interrogative pronouns of the English language in a bit of poetic doggerel
and
these probing pronouns will open up any subject thoroughly:
I
keep six hones serving men
(They
taught me all I knew);
Their
names are What and Why and When
And
How and Where and Who.
──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Bible
Study of
There are only two ways you can study the Bible:
1.
Studying it with your mind made up.
2.
Studying it to let it make up your mind.
── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Bible
Study of
Have you ever seen a straight river? Canals are straight
but all rivers seem to be crooked. We call it “meandering.” Why are rivers
crooked? Because the natural tendency of a river is to take the easiest way
around any obstacle. So rivers are always crooked
and they always run
downhill.
Some
people are like rivers. They are too lazy and immature to put forth much effort
into walking with God. For them it’s easier to watch T.V. than to pray and
easier to read their newspaper than their Bible.
Bible
Study of
The only way to keep a broken vessel full is by keeping
the faucet turned on.
Bible
Study of
Consider the difference between a strong and a weak cup
of tea. The same ingredients—water and tea—are used for both. The difference is
that the strong cup of tea results form ‘the tea leaves’ immersion in the water
longer
allowing the water more time to get into the tea and the tea into the
water. The longer the steeping process
the stronger the cup of tea.
In
the same way
the length of time we spend in God’s Word determines how deeply
we get into it and it gets into us. Just like the tea
the longer we are in the
Word
the “stronger” we become.
Bible
Study of
The Bible is so deep that theologians can never touch the
bottom
yet so shallow that babes cannot drown.
Bible
Study of
There are only two ways you can study the Bible:
1.
Studying it with your mind made up.
2.
Studying it to let it make up your mind.
Bible
Study of
There is a basic difference between an explorer and a
tourist. The tourist travels quickly
stopping only to observe the highly
noticeable or publicized points of interest. The explorer
on the other hand
take his time to search out all that he can find.
Too
many of us read the Bible like a tourist and then complain that our devotional
times are fruitless. It is necessary that we take time to explore the Bible.
Notable nooks and crannies will appear as we get beneath the surface.
Bible
Study of
A U.S. Army officer told of the contrast in his pupils
during two different eras of teaching at the artillery training school at Fort
Sill
Oklahoma. In 1958-60 the attitude was so lax that the instructors had a
problem getting the men to stay awake to listen. During the 1965-67 classes
however
the men
hearing the same basic lectures
were alert and took copious
notes. The reason: these men knew that in less than six weeks they would be
facing the enemy in
One
reason that Bible study seems to be irrelevant to many Christians is that they
have no interaction with non-Christians
no vital ministry to growing
believers
and no personal and internal struggle for godliness
all of which
are factors that bring the truths of the Bible to apply to life.
Bible
Study of
There is a story about a teenage boy who was deeply
interested in scientific subjects
especially astronomy. So his father bought
him a very expensive telescope. Since the young fellow had studied the
principles of optics
he found the instrument to be most intriguing. He took it
apart
examined the lenses
and made detailed calculations on the distance of
its point of focus. The youth became so absorbed in gaining a technical
knowledge of the telescope itself that he never got around to looking at the
stars. He knew a lot about that fine instrument
but he missed seeing the
wonders of the heavens.
As
Christians
to know all the facts and figures contained in the Bible is not the
end for which God has given us this Book. The purpose is that we might see God
and know him.
Bible
Study of
The story is told of a small fishing village where
for
many years
a flock of sea gulls fed on the scraps the fishermen left. All was
fine and good for the sea gulls did not follow the fishermen and--because they
had lived off the scraps of the fishermen and had never learned to feed
themselves--the entire flock of birds died.
Believers
who feed only on what others teach them are like these foolish sea gulls?
Bible
Study of
Mortimer J. Adler
in 《How t Read a Book》
has
observed that the one time people read for all they are worth is when they are
in love and are reading a love letter. They read every word three ways. They
read between the lines and in the margins. They read the whole in terms of the
parts
and each part in terms of the whole. They grow sensitive to context and
ambiguity
to insinuation and implication. They perceive the color of words
the order of phrases
and the weight of sentences. They may even take the
punctuation into account. Then
if never before or after
they read carefully
and in depth.
So
shout believers read the “love letter” that the Eternal Lover of our souls has
given to us so that we may better know him and his purposes.
Bible
Study of
“Don’t keep forever on the public road
going only where
others have gone. Leave the beaten track occasionally and drive into the woods.
You will be certain to see something you have never seen before. It will be a
little thing
but do not ignore it. Follow it up
explore all around. One
discovery will lead to another and
before you know it
you will have something
worth thinking about” ―― Alexander Graham Bell
Bible
Study of
In an interview
Billy Graham was asked this question:
“If you had to live your life over again
what would you do differently?”
His
answer: “One of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough. I wish I
had studied more and preached less. People have pressured me into speaking to
groups when I should have been studying and preparing. Donald Barnhouse said
that if he knew the Lord was coming three years
he would spend two of them
studying and one preaching. I’m trying to make it up.”
Bible
Study of
A story is told of a devout father whose son was studying
for the ministry. The son decided to go to Europe for an advanced degree
and
the father worried that his simple faith would be spoiled by sophisticated
unbelieving professors. “Don’t let them take Jonah away from you
” he
admonished
figuring the swallowed-by-a-great-fish story might be the first
part of the Bible to go.
Two
oyears later when the son returned
the father asked
“Do you still have Jonah
in your Bible?”
The
son laughed. “Jonah! That story isn’t even in your Bible!”
The
father replied
“It certainly is! What do you mean?”
Again
the son laughed and insisted
“It’s not in your Bible. Go ahead
show it to
me.”
The
old man fumbled through his Bible
looking for the Book of Jonah
but he
couldn’t find it. At last he checked the table of contents for the proper page.
When he turned there
he discovered the three pages comprising Jonah had been
carefully cut from his Bible.
“I
did it before I went away
” said the son. “What’s the difference whether I lose
the Book of Jonah through studying under non-believers or you lose it through
neglect?”
Bible
Study of
In one of his lust-So Stories
Rudyard Kipling pulled
together all of the interrogative pronouns of the English language in a bit of
poetic doggerel
and these probing pronouns will open up any subject
thoroughly:
I
keep six hones serving men
(They
taught me all I knew);
Their
names are What and Why and When
And
How and Where and Who.
Prayer and Bible Study
Little of the Word with Little prayer is death to the spiritual life. Much
of the Word with little prayer gives a sickly life. Much prayer with little of
the Word gives emotional life. But a full measure of both the Word and prayer
each day gives a healthy and powerful life.—Andrew Murray