To Do-ers List: Back to School, Study
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.”
Acts 17:10-12
“… and [they] searched the Scriptures daily …”
Study. Examine. Search. Searched in the Greek transliterates as anakrin, which means “to examine, to scrutinize, sift and question, to examine specifically in a forensic sense of a judge to hold an investigation.” What did they study? The Word of God. Why? To see if it contains the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The final verdict? God’s Word has stood the test of truth. Communism couldn’t silence it. Hitler couldn’t destroy it. Voltaire couldn’t banish it. God’s Word is eternal. No force, power, religious system, political regime or law can silence it. And God’s Word will continue to witness of His power and majesty forever and ever, amen. It’s time to go back to school and study.
Read or study?
Any serious student can tell you there is a big difference between reading and studying. We can read the Word of God and let its truths skim the surface or we can study the Word of God and plant it deep in our heart. Reading takes a little effort. Studying requires energy, perseverance, and a willingness to learn. Verse 11 lists a crucial aspect of Bible study. Readiness.
How do we become ready to study?
1) By opening our minds, 2) By not having made a prior decision the Bible is just a book of stories, 3) By being teachable. The Bereans were teachable. Eager to learn. They did not judge The Book by its cover; they judged it by what’s between the covers. They studied. The result of their open-minded study of the Bible was … many of them believed …
Salvation. Redemption. Restoration.
Study.
I cannot study in a noisy room with the television blaring. I need to set the stage for spending time with God-a quiet comfortable place a part from the busyness of the world. I have a small bedroom in my house that serves as my study place. It is furnished with a comfy chair, Bibles, commentaries, colored pencils, notebooks and (of course) electronic devices! Find a quiet place and meet consistently with God.
For today:
It’s time to get your study on. We are not talking reading the Word, but studying the Word. Follow the steps below.
- Choose a verse for today and write it on a note card. Carry it with you wherever you go and pull it out and meditate on it as often as possible.
- Study your verse at www.blueletterbible.org Click on the link to the left, view the short tutorial and invest some time in the Word of God. God will reward you richly for your study.
- Do your verse. Pray and ask God to give you the strength and opportunity to be a Doer of the Word.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your mind to the truth of God’s Word.
Resources:
To help you organize your daily study and record your experiences, please download and print the following PDF, or download the journal app to your favorite Apple device.
- To Do-ers List Study Guide PDF
- Days Lite: My Wonderful Life App free app from App Store.
Extra Resources:
- Study God’s Word: Joyce Meyer
Don’t forget to comment on your experience in the comment section below! Choose your verse/s for today and be a Doer of the Word.
School is in session. Study!
Previous Sessions of To Do-ers List, Back to School:
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My verse today: She opens her mouth with wisdom. The word opens means “to let loose, to open, to engrave.” The engrave part really catches my attention. My words are not only permanent, but they go deep also. What I say about myself, others, and my circumstances will have a lasting effect. Words are important.
That is so true Mary K! There is death and life in the power of the tongue.
I have learned that lesson! And I need to continue practicing what I preach, Stacy!
My verse is the same one I was working on the other day. “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” One of the takeaways I got from researching the verse is that the word for heart means the inner man, the mind, the will, understanding. So, I can will my will to be cheerful, hopeful, to trust God’s promises whether my outward circumstances are lining up with that yet or not.
If I let my mood and emotions be dependent on my outward circumstances, then I will be bouncing all over the place on an emotional rollercoaster. But if I let my will, emotions, and heart take its cue from the truth of God’s word, then I can be at peace and steady in even bad circumstances. That doesn’t mean I won’t feel sad or upset, especially in tragedies. It means that I can have hope and remain secure in the fact that God is working.
Wow, Jane! This verse stopped me cold today! I choose whether or not my days are wretched!I must choose to let God’s Spirit rule me, not my emotions. Thank you for sharing!