How to Do a Bible Study

Read Slowly read the passage listed. The passages are relatively short, so take time to consider each phrase. If you do not understand something, you might refer to your Bible's study notes.

Apply Ponder the brief interpretation in light of the passage. What is the biblical writer trying to say? What is the main point? Using the thought-provoking questions, seek the Spirit's guidance
regarding your own response to the passage. These are not quick fill-in-the-blank questions; they are intended to cause you to slow down and meditate on the truth God is teaching you. How does the biblical teaching apply to your life? Where do you need to grow or change? How has Christ already changed you?

Pray for a genuinely transformed life enabled to live as Christ lived. You might use this time to pray for other issues as well. Praise Christ for his goodness.

Do Daily suggestions that help drive the message in practical ways deep into your heart and life.

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Spiritual Baseball

This illustration was designed to communicate Lordship salvation to a generation that has
been taught that believing there is a God is the same as true Faith and Repentance.

Becoming a Christian can be compared to hitting a home run in the game of Baseball.
The Bible teaches that the game of life starts with the score: hell - one and heaven - zero in
regards to our salvation and how we enter this world (Rom 3:23). In the Bible, this is known
as man's "sin problem.” If you are reading this illustration or hearing it, you have an
opportunity to remedy this sin problem by hitting a spiritual home run.

In the game of baseball, we must know the rules to compete successfully and win.
This is also true with our spiritual life. Suppose a batter did not know the rules of baseball,
and after hitting the ball and reaching first base he began to shout "home run!" while standing
on first base. Everyone would think he was a fool. This is often the case in regards to our
spiritual life. For example, someone goes to church and has an emotional experience without
a basic intellectual understanding of the person and work of Christ. Nor do they truly place
faith in Christ and repent of their sin. This would be the same as the person who would stand
on first base and scream "home run!”. Though sincere, this person would not have scored a
home run and would be “sincerely wrong" in regards to their relationship with God. An
emotional experience without a basic intellectual understanding of the person and work of
Christ and a surrendered will is insufficient to enter into saving faith.

Now, let an intellectual understanding of the person of Christ represent second base.
Another might hit the ball so to speak, and cross first base, heading for second. Upon
reaching second he might again begin to stand on the bag and scream "home run!". This too
would be inaccurate because it takes more than emotions, or intellect to hit a home run
spiritually.

Let third base represent the will. A decision for Christ is required to receive Him.
Some would say or believe that to give intellectual assent to Christianity or God would be
enough to experience saving faith. Mark 1:15 teaches that we must repent and believe to
become children of God. Someone may reach third base with emotions and intellect satisfied
but still possess reluctance to place faith in Christ to be the controller of their life. This
leaves them stranded at third base without biblical grounds for true saving faith.

In Luke 18:18, we see the story of the “Rich Young Ruler.” In this story, Jesus clearly
teaches it is necessary to say to Christ "anything, anytime, anywhere." This is the heart
indication that we have truly come to Christ with a surrendered will, and therefore have
spiritually hit a "home run." Then and only then does the score actually change to
Heaven - one and Hell -zero.

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SINNER IN ADAM — WITHOUT CHRIST

The penalty of sin is upon him.
The power of sin is over him.
The presence of sin is in him.
Without Christ.
The sinner. Without hope.

THE SINNER AT THE CROSS — WITH CHRIST
The penalty of sin is removed by Christ, the Savior.
Pardon is granted.
Righteousness is imputed.
Justification.
The sinner's past. Covered

THE BELIEVER IN THE HEAVENLIES — IN CHRIST
The power of sin is broken by Christ, the Lord.
A new sphere is entered.
A new life is implanted.
A new nature is imparted.
Regeneration.
The believer's present. Assured.

THE BELIEVER ON THE EARTH — THROUGH CHRIST
The place of sin is taken by Christ, the Life.
Dead to Sin.
Dead to Self.
Alive to God.
Sanctification.
The believer's present. Secured.

THE BELIEVER IN THE AIR. LIKE CHRIST
The presence of sin is effaced by Christ, the King.
He is perfected into His likeness.
He is conformed into His image.
Glorification.
The believer's future. Transfigured.

Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace ye have been saved through faith, And that not of yourselves:
It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

 

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Would you have more Faith?

Then seek to become more acquainted with Jesus Christ. Study your blessed Saviour more and more, and strive to know more of the length and breadth and height of His love. Study Him in all His offices, as the Priest, the Physician, the Redeemer, the Advocate, the Friend, the Teacher, the Shepherd of His believing people. Study Him as one who not only died for you, but is also living for you at the right hand of God,—as one who not only shed His blood for you, but daily intercedes for you at the right hand of God,—as one who is soon coming again for you, and will stand once more on this earth. The believer who is thoroughly acquainted with the fullness of Jesus Christ, is the believer who travels from grace to glory with the greatest comfort and peace. I commend these things to your attention.

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How to Get the Most from your Christian Walk when reading the Bible.

1. Remove hindrances.
a. Remove the love of every sin.
b. Remove the distracting concerns of this world, especially covetousness Matt. 13:22
c. Don't make jokes with and out of Scripture.

2. Prepare your heart. 1 Sam. 7:3 Do this by:
a. Collecting your thoughts.
b. Purging unclean affections and desires.
c. Not coming to it rashly or carelessly.

3. Read it with reverence, considering that each line is God speaking directly to you.

4. Read the Bible faithfully each day.

5. Get a true understanding of Scripture. Ps. 119:73 This is best achieved by comparing relevant parts of Scripture with each other.

6. Read with seriousness. Deut. 32:47 The Christian life is to be taken seriously since it requires striving Luke 13:24 and not falling short Hebrews 4:1.

7. Persevere in remembering what you read. Ps. 119:52 Don't let it be stolen from you Matt. 13:4,19. If it doesn't stay in your memory it is unlikely to be much benefit to you.

8. Meditate on what you read. Ps. 119:15 The Hebrew word for meditate' means to be intense in the mind'. Meditation without reading is wrong and bound to err; reading without meditation is barren and fruitless. It means to stir the affections, to be warmed by the fire of meditation Ps.39:3.

9. Read with a humble heart. Acknowledge that you are unworthy that God should reveal himself to you James 4:6

10. Believe it all to be God's Holy Word. 2 Tim 3:16 We know that no sinner could have written it because of the way it describes sin. No saint could blaspheme God by pretending his own Word was God's. No angel could have written it for the same reason. Hebrews 4:2

11. Prize the Bible highly. Ps. 119:72 It is your lifeline; you were born by it James 1:18 you need to grow by it 1 Pet 2:2 Job 23:12.

12. Love the Bible ardently Ps. 119:159.

13. Come to read it with an honest heart. Luke 8:15 (a) Willing to know the entire and complete will of God (b) reading in order to be changed and made better by it John 17:17.

14. Apply to yourself everything that you read, take every word as spoken to yourself. Its condemnation of sins as the condemnation of your own sin; the duty that it requires as the duty God would require from you 2 Kings 22:11.

15. Pay close attention to the commands of the Word as much as the promises. Think of how you need direction just as much as you need comfort.

16. Don't get carried away with the minor details, rather make sure to pay closest attention to the great things Hosea 8:12.

17. Compare yourself with the Word. How do you compare? Is your heart something of a transcript of it, or not?

18. Pay special attention to those passages that speak to your individual, particular and present situation. examples.
(a) Affliction -- Hebrews 12:7, Isaiah 27:9, John 16:20, 2 Corinthians 4:17.
(b) Sense of Christ's presence and smile withdrawn -- Ps 119:93
(c) Let it not only inform you but also inflame you Jeremiah 23:29, Luke 24:32.

19. Put into practice what you read Ps 119:66, Ps 119:105, Deut 17:19.

20. Christ is for us Prophet, Priest and King. Make use of His office as a Prophet Rev 5:5, John 8:12, Ps 119:102-103. Get Christ not only to open the Scriptures up to you, but to open up your mind and understanding Luke 24:45.

21. Make sure to put yourself under a true ministry of the Word, faithfully and thoroughly expounding the Word be earnest and eager in waiting on it Proverbs 8:34.

22. Pray that you will profit from reading Isaiah 48:17, Ps 119:18, Nehemiah 9:20.

23. Natural obstacles You may still be able to profit from reading even though:
(a)You don't seem to profit as much as others do. Remember the different yields Matt 13:8 though the yield isn't as much as others it is still a true and fruitful yield.
(b) You may feel slow of understanding Luke 9:45, Hebrews 5:11.
(c)Your memory is bad, remember you are still able to have a good heart despite this and you may still remember the most important things even if you cannot remember everything, be encouraged by John 14:26.

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Poem

"Look up! when all around is bright,
And sunshine gilds each day;
When every earthly, sweet delight,
Is strewed along the way.

"Look up! and bless the God above,
Let gratitude arise;
Forget not Him, who in His love
Your every need supplies.

"Look up! when all is darkness round,
Your heart with grief oppressed;
When sorrow's darkest shadows drown
The joys within your breast.

"Look up! in earnest, faithful prayer
All is in mercy given;
Your every grief, your every care,
Is meted out in Heaven.

"Look up to Jesus! who has shed
His precious blood for thee;
Oh, raise your weary, drooping head,
And His salvation see!

"Look up! for strength and heavenly might
Upon your Savior wait;
And He shall make your Shadows Bright,
And crooked places straight.

"Look up! when death is hastening on
When life is almost over;
The victory then will soon be won,
And joys for evermore!

"Look up! by steadfast faith and see
The land of holy rest,
Where saints through all eternity
Shall be with Jesus blest.

"Look up! and hail your Coming Lord
He comes to call for you;
To burst your chain-to break your cord,
And set His prisoner free!"

"Until the Day breaks, and the shadows flee away,
I will get to the Mountain of Myrrh,
And to the Hill of Frankincense."

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Coming of the Lord

I used to study prophecy a good deal, and the book of the Revelation had a very prominent place
in it. But the more I studied it, the more confused I got, the more difficulties I found. It did not
get me through very far to glory. But then the Lord gave me a clue, and showed me the spiritual
principles lying behind the book of the Revelation, and I was able to apprehend that book in a
spiritual way. I do not mean that I spiritualized everything, but I was able to apprehend it in a
spiritual way. The cloud was lifted and there was life. Take this matter of the coming of the Lord seriously; and, of course, when He shall come in the clouds of glory, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints.

Are You Ready!

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…if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9).

There is one God who made the world; Jesus is God’s King, and therefore all people on earth are accountable to King Jesus. This is true whether people believe it or not. Oxygen continues to exist and keep one alive whether one believes in it or not. Only because of God do we live and breathe, and have our existence. God is not going to stop existing because some people don’t believe in Him! And the same is true with Jesus as God’s King. Whether one believes it or not, we will all stand before Jesus one day and give an account as to how we lived in His Father’s world. Ignoring this fact about the future doesn't change the future – we will all meet King Jesus.

And so we all face a choice. Will we live in God’s world like Adam in rebellion and independence from God, or will we live with Jesus as our Lord? If we choose to continue in our rebellion, then we must understand that we will face Jesus as our Judge one day. It will be a terrible judgment of eternal punishment. The Bible describes this as “hell”.

However, the good news of the Bible is that if we choose God’s way through faith in Jesus, we receive forgiveness and acceptance with God. From then on we have a right relationship with God and live in His Kingdom, under His loving rule and blessing. We become His children and followers of His Son Jesus.
We will all meet King Jesus one day. The Bible presents it as an unavoidable fact. The question is:
Will it be as JUDGE, or as SAVIOUR AND KING?

THE CHOICE IS OURS!

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DAILY CONFESSIONS

1.Jesus Christ you are Lord of my life.
2.Lord Jesus, come and sit on the throne of my heart.
3.I confess that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
4.Thank You that I am the righteousness of God, because You became sin for me.
5.I cover my spirit, soul and body with Your blood.
6.I take authority over my mind.
7.I cast down strongholds and take every thought captive and bring it to obedience to Jesus Christ.
8.I cast off all works of darkness from me.
9.I put on the armour of light and the armour of righteousness.
10.I put on the armour of strength and the power of His might.
11.The weapons of my warfare are mighty before God.
12.If God is for me, who can be against me?
13.I am a child of God and washed by His blood.
14.By His blood I am justified; just as if I have never sinned.
15.There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
16.The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me.
17.In Christ I am a new creation.
18.It is no longer I who live, but Christ Jesus the Messiah who lives in me.
19.I give my body as a living sacrifice to God.
20.I have the mind of Christ, I have His thoughts, feelings and purposes.
21. am more than a conqueror through Christ.
22. I will overcome my enemy, the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony.
23. I take up the sword of the spirit and fight in the name of the Lord.

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A Good Church

When you look for a church check to see that it has the following four things:

• 1. Sound biblical preaching that lifts up Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and God.
• 2. Humble , godly and wise leadership. ("Red flag" attitudes include: greed, pride, moral looseness, and disrespect.)
• 3. The people of the church clearly love one another.
• 4. There is holiness and clear standards of right and wrong.
  
  

Loving the Church

Once you have found a good church (there are no perfect churches) stick with it despite the ups and downs. Churches are full of people like you who make mistakes, aren't quite perfect and say things they do not really mean. One day someone may say or do something that really hurts you. Stick with it then - don't get bitter towards all Christians because of a foolish one or two. Remember some people who attend church are not really born again. Some are still searching, some are pretending, but the vast majority are really nice people. Here are three things you should take to church each Sunday.

• 1. Your heart to be filled with the Spirit. Go with an open and expectant attitude and you will receive.
• 2. Your eyes and your hands - to watch for the needs of the people of God and meet them in practical ways.
• 3. Your mind - to hear, understand and think about God's word. Some Christians think that faith and their minds cannot mix. That is wrong. It is true that faith and a puffed up and arrogant mind cannot mix. But faith and an inquiring mind go hand in hand and create wisdom, knowledge grace and truth.
• If you need help in finding a caring local Church we are glad to help here.
  

The more time you make for God- the less there will be for sin and self-defeat.
In particular pray for these things :

• Grace- God to be kind toward you and give you many undeserved favors and the power to resist sin.
• Mercy - for God to deliver you from the messes you get yourself into especially when we are ignorant and foolish.
• Peace - the integration of your life under the blessings of God so that sin has no foothold in you.
• Understanding - of what God has done for in Christ and the power over sin that is within you.
• Wisdom & Discernment - so you can apply your understanding to real life situations.
• To Be Filled With The Love of God - which takes over our hearts and makes thinking spiritual thoughts easy.

To Be Filled With The Spirit - and able to see and perceive the things of God so that we are bold and joyful.

If you are unsure about a church then talk to some wise Christians that you know and ask their opinion of it. Or contact us here, I will not favor one particular denomination over another but seek to give you sound principles and advice.

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You are in One of Two Groups

The Bible says, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). I have written this web site to help you taste those words as sweet instead of bitter or boring.

You are in one of two groups: Either you are a Christian, or God is now calling you to be one. You would not have come to this site, if God were not at work in your life.

If you are a Christian, you are not your own. Christ has bought you at the price of his own death. You now belong doubly to God: He made you, and he bought you. That means your life is not your own. It is God’s. Therefore, the Bible says, “Glorify God in your body.” God made you for this. He bought you for this. This is the meaning of your life.

If you are not yet a Christian, that is what Jesus Christ offers: doubly belonging to God, and being able to do what you were made for. That may not sound exciting. Glorifying God may mean nothing to you. That’s why I created this web site and our sister website www.questionsgod.com for Non Christians and Christians. For someone that is not a Christian we have many pages for those searching for God's Truth. We recommend these pages Know God here and Searching for More in Life here.

Now I see that millions of people waste their lives because they think these paths are two and not one. There is a warning. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” In other words, it is better to lose your life than to waste it.

If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full. This is not a site about how to avoid a wounded life, but how to avoid a wasted life.
Please know that I am praying for you, whether you are a student dreaming something radical for your life, or whether you are retired and hoping not to waste the final years.

That is my prayer.
For now, I thank God for you. My joy grows with every soul that seeks the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Remember, you have one life. That’s all. You were made for God. Don’t waste it.

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WHAT SHALL I DO?

Be Available – Abandon yourself to God and to His call on your life. Tell Him you will go
anywhere and do anything that He shows you as His will for you.

Be Informed – Don’t hide behind ignorance. Gather all the information you can so you
can pray and seek the Lord intelligently. Subscribe to missions publications and make
it a priority to know what’s going on in the world. If you know where the needs are,
it will be easier for you to meet some of them.

Be Inspired – Checkout our ebooks and get hold of some inspiring biographies of
Christian missionaries here. You will find out that most “missionary greats” are just common
people who decided to let their love for God and their love for the lost overrule their
own desires in life – allowing God to use them in bold and wonderful ways.

Expect An Open Door – Expect God to give you an opportunity to fully serve Him
through this new information you are exposing yourself to. Then when He opens the
door – walk through it.

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I have heard it calculated, that if every believer in the world were to bring one soul to Christ each year, the whole human race would be converted in less than twenty years. Whether such a thing might be or not, one thing is sure, that many more souls would be converted to God, if Christians were more zealous to do good.

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How to Read the Bible

To really read the Bible to find out what it means, you need to read with the following questions in mind:

1. What does the text say? (observation)
2. What does it mean? (interpretation)
3. How does it apply to me? (application)

The following guidelines are helpful in proper Bible reading:

1. Scripture interprets Scripture. If an idea you get from one verse is out of line with the rest of what the Bible says, you need to reevaluate what you thought that verse said. "Let everything be established by 2 or 3 witnesses" before you make a doctrine of something.
2. Literal where possible -- what it says, it means.
3. Consider the form of the writing in each section (i. e. historical, narrative, parable, poetry, teaching, prediction of the future, etc.).
4. Consider grammar and history. This means understanding how natural languages work in general, and at least something of how the original languages of the Bible work. It also means that it is helpful to understand the history, culture, geography, etc., of the original audience.

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Principles of Biblical Interpretation

The Importance and Value of Proper Bible Study

1. Get absolutely right with God yourself by the absolute surrender of your will to Him.

2. Be determined to find out just what God intended to teach and not what you wish Him to teach.

3. Get the most accurate text.

4. Find the most exact and literal meaning of the text.

5. Note the exact force of each word used.

6. Interpret the words used in any verse according to Bible usage.

7. Interpret the words of each author in the Bible with a regard to the particular usage of that author.

8. Interpret individual verses with a regard to the context.

9. Interpret individual passages in the light of parallel or related passages.

10. Interpret obscure passages in the light of passages that are perfectly plain.

11. Interpret any passage in the Bible as those who were addressed would have understood it.

12. Interpret what belongs to the Christian as belonging to the Christian; what belongs to the Jew, as belonging to the Jew, and what belongs to the Gentiles, as belonging to the Gentiles.

13. Interpret each writer with a view to the opinions the writer opposed.

14. Interpret poetry as poetry and interpret prose as prose.

15. The Holy Spirit is the best interpreter of the Bible.

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A Bible Reading Method You Can Use

The following is a bible reading method . It is very simple: Pray, Read, Think, Pray.

Pray:
Ask God to open up His Word to you. "Lord open my eyes that I may see wonders from your Word".

Read:
Read a short passage of Scripture about ten to fifteen verses or a chapter. Start with the New Testament first and read it in order from Matthew to Revelation.

Think:
Think about what you have just read and ask some of the following questions:

1. What does the passage say about God? What does it say about the Father, about the Son and about the Holy Spirit?
2. What does the passage say about life? Does it teach some important principles? Is there a command to obey, a warning to heed, some wise advice for living?
3. What does the passage say about your daily situation? Is there something you should be doing? Does it shed light on your professional life, family life or church participation?
4. Has Jesus spoken to you in a special way through the Bible today? If so what did He say to you?
   
   Pray:
   Write out a prayer to God based on what you have learned from your Bible reading. Something like "Lord help me to love my neighbor as myself." or whatever lesson you have learned that day.
   
   Where To Start
   Where should you start when reading the Scriptures? With the material about Jesus. That is the New Testament and especially the gospels. We recommend on study guide on the Gospel of John here.
6. 
   Read the New Testament in order, starting with Matthew and going book by book until you reach the last chapter of Revelation. This will give you a good idea bout Jesus, the Church and Christian living. We highly recommend our 70 Bible Reading plans on our sister website here.

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FREE BIBLE STUDY GUIDES

Bible Study Guides that are relevant, engaging and life-changing —- making your life better now, and giving you a real, solid hope for your future. Use these study guides to improve your understanding of the Bible and strengthen your faith Each Bible reading plan is different in type and length. They are as varied as each individual so you have many to choose from. Consider the following options, but remember to choose one. Regular reading in God's Word is not optional. It's a necessity!

Request any of our free Study Guides here.

1. God’s Simple Plan of Salvation – Searching for Answers – 3 week guide here.
2. New Christian Study Guide – New To Christianity – 3 week study guide here.
3. Steps to Spiritual Maturity Guide – Nurturing Resources – 3 week guide here.
4. The Gospel of John – Knowing God Better – Personal book study - 3 weeks here.
5. Inspirational Daily Devotionals – Encouraging Spiritual Reflections – daily here.
6. Monthly Newsletter – Christ Centered Information – once a month here.
7. Personal Evangelism Training – Share the Gospel – fun creative way here.
8. Bible Studies – Instructive Resources – connecting you nearer to God here.

Free Study Guides
FREE STUDY GUIDES MORE INFORMATION HERE

If you are looking for a Bible we have a list of excellent Bibles that you can order online depending in what country you live in for under $15.00 USD here.

Biblesnet.com exists to make ready a people prepared to meet the Lord (Luke 1:17).  Prepared people must know and understand God's Word.  They must know God's Will so they can do God's Will in their lives and not be foolish (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 5:17).  They can walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects and build Godly character.

Jesus came that you may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).  If this is not true in your life now, it can be. Want to know more here

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