Simple Bible Study

Some steps to getting started or digging a little deeper

1. Pray! Thank God for His Word, ask for His blessing on your time of study, and for His Spirit to

teach you.

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it… Ezra 7:10

2. Where to start? At the beginning! Genesis 1:1…

a) If you have some time, read an entire book (all of Genesis, for example) in a few sittings. Look, in a general sense, for how God expresses Himself, and how He accepts our worship of Him.

b) Or, try reading the same section (start with a chapter or two) in several different translations. You might want to compare the English Standard Version (ESV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the Amplified Version (AMP) to begin. You can find these online at www.biblegateway.com or find book copies at a second hand store (or look in your church library).

Then, if you want to dig deeper, look up the passage online at a site like http://bible.cc/

Use the Interlinear translation (the Hebrew/English) for Old Testament readings, and the Apostolic Polyglot (Greek/English) for New Testament readings. Remember Hebrew is read right to left, don’t let it confuse you! Instead, use this step mostly for clicking on specific words you’d like more information on, and searching out the expanded meanings. Then, with a fuller understanding, read the Bible section again.

c) After you’ve read a book, for example, Genesis, go back and study the lives of the godly people in it. In Genesis that would include Enoch, Noah, Shem and Abraham. Look up their names on a site like www.biblegateway.com on a word search, then study all the verses/passages that apply. Look for what pleased God in the lives of these people. How was their faith and trust in God lived out in their lives?

The fear (reverence, awe) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

3. Once you’ve read through a section, you can use a ‘chain’ bible or an online website like www.biblegateway.com to study cross referenced verses in any sections you’d like more

information on.

4. Depending on how much depth or organization you are comfortable with, you might want to keep

a simple notebook as you read. Use one page to write down questions that come up. Leave room to note passages or insights as you continue study. You could use another page to keep track of

the date and what you’ve read.

5. This is the most important step: as you learn what pleases God…think and pray about how

best to live that out in a way that honours HIM. Then...do it!

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

And his commandments are not burdensome.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.

And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:3-4)

6. If you find it difficult to read and comprehend, if it is easier to listen instead of read, use software or CD’s of the Bible. If you feel most comfortable with a teacher, download lessons from a site like www.torahclass.com. These are excellent lessons which teach the Bible from the Bible, and you will hear a lot of Scripture read in each lesson.

WHAT EXACTLY IS 'THE EMERGING CHURCH'?

The 'emerging' or 'emergent' church, in general, is a response to a postmodern-thinking generation that likes to believe as each one sees fit. 

There is no single authourity recognized, each defines "God" in his own way, according to his own needs or desires. 

As Rob Bell (an emergent preacher) puts it, "I need a God who's now." You can see from that statement (among many he makes) that the emphasis is on 'me' and God accommodating Himself to 'my' needs, not the other way around. 

There is little talk of repentance in the emergent church, though much about our perceived needs that are not being met. 

It has a veneer of respectability, but its message is often subversive, with emphasis on subjective interpretation. 

It is, however, very appealing to many people who feel that 'church' isn't working for them, and who want something new (2 Timothy 4:3-4). 

It's not new of course. It was also the religion of choice in the time before Samuel (Judges 21:25) when there was no one authourity, but 'each man did what was right in his own eyes.' We are in that time again. We know from Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11 that the examples recorded in the Scriptures (Old Testament) were given for US who live in these last days. We also see from these examples in the Old Testament that a king (Saul) would rise up and be welcomed by the people, after their heart, and then a king (David) after the heart of God would replace him. 

This is a pattern for what is coming. The emergent church movement is working in, and together with the world, to demand that first king after the heart of the people. 

Rick Warren (authour of Purpose Driven books, the global P.E.A.C.E. plan, he is also a spiritual adviser to U.S. President Obama) is working hard on his global peace initiative, along with many other very influential people. 

We don't know who the people's 'king' is, only that the beginnings are happening. We are told in Matthew 24 that the end (return of Messiah) will not come until many will come and deceive many people in the name of world peace. We know from the Bible that we cannot have true world peace without Messiah's return, but that is not the message being preached now. A message preached today says that we can establish peace FOR Messiah, and so hasten His return, to our benefit! 

Read the Word...study to be approved to God...learn to wield the weapon of Truth correctly. 'See that no one leads you astray'. Matthew 24:4

ON PRAYER

Recently we’ve seen a huge increase in teachers and teachings on prayer. These teachings have been around a while, but only now is it coming into mainstream churches in force.

You know, there are few specifics on how to pray that are taught in Scripture. The disciples asked Yahshua how to pray, and He gave them the most basic of instructions as well a model for prayer that was astounding (some might have found it insulting) in its simplicity. Also interesting is that He taught a 'one-way’ prayer that did not assume or expect God to speak back! The instructions were to pray simply, directly and privately to our Father, in confidence, faith and trust that He hears. That kind of faith is not necessary if it is expected that our answers will be received in prayer.

In questioning the many different teachings on prayer, and wondering how it was that God wanted us to pray, I turned to the Bible. In reading through the gospels, I did not find any instances where Yahshua prayed to the Father, and the Father answered back! Even and most notably in His longest recorded prayer in John 17, there is NO recorded response from the Father! Is that not something to bear in mind? Popular teaching claims that if we, at our initiation, clear our minds of distractions and make solitude our physical presence, that WE will hear the voice of God, that He will speak as we desire? If Yahshua did not pray in order to hear this voice should we be entering into this?

Are we meant to go beyond what is clearly taught in Scripture in this way? Or to spiritualize and reinterpret the literal meanings of Scripture verses, taking them out of their intended context to fit a teaching? Does this please God, or make us feel more connected to Him (or what we think is Him)?

I searched the Scriptures to find instances of a person praying in certain ways, and listening, and God responding in the stillness of that prayer, and did not find any. I also looked up any Scripture verses given in these teachings on prayer, and found the vast majority of them were spiritualized often completely out of context. There is great warning here, these are not clean’ things.

An obedient life and a washed clean pure heart coupled with knowledge of spiritual light and darkness, the understanding that comes from diligent study, the wisdom that comes from above, and a heart yielded to His will, will enable and equip us with power to test everything we hear, and to come into a right prayer relationship with Him. And to rest in confidence in that. While it is definitely true (biblical) that the Spirit of God will counsel, guide and direct us, nowhere are we told that God requires our stillness or silence in order for this counsel to be ‘heard’.

He is God, He will be heard.