There are 168 hours in one week.  Approximately 56 hours are spent sleeping.  That leaves 112 hours for daily activities of work, school, etc.  Your pastor teaches the Bible every Sunday morning.  Your Sunday School teacher does, too.  That’s two whole hours of your week.  If that’s all the Bible study time you have, how can you ever expect or even hope to become the disciple that Jesus designed you to be?  A disciple of Jesus must be a student of the Word of God.  Disciple Followship requires Biblical Scholarship. 

I am convinced that a true prayer warrior did not need to take a class on prayer.  One who believes in God Who answers prayer will desire to spend time praying.  That person will not need to be led or dragged into a prayer place.  That person will realize that prayer is communicating with Someone you love Who also loves you and wants the best for you. 

Prayer is like breathing for someone who lives in relationship with Jesus.  Breathing is natural and necessary.  Prayer should be like that.  Why should Bible study be ANY different?!

Our church family has made it a priority to read the Bible through together this year.  We began in the New Testament October 1, 2022 and will complete our reading November 30, 2023. By the last day of October, we will have read all four of the gospels.  This can be life changing for our whole church family as we experience this together. 

As we continue in our unit of lessons on how to build your life on the Word of God, we have explored why we need the Word and how to hear the Word.  This lesson will grab us by the heart and shake us up and hopefully wake us up to the desperate need for making the study of Scripture a top priority. 

Paul wrote three “pastoral epistles” to Timothy and Titus, two young men he was responsible for mentoring in the first century.  These two young men would be the first generation after Jesus and Paul to carry the light of the gospel and pass it on to the next generation. It was critical for them to have clear examples of faith so that they would make a successful transfer of faith.  They would both be pastors trained by Paul.  The letters Paul wrote to them are three of the 66 books in our bible. 

Paul tells Timothy in chapter two of that second letter that the world of that first century will be filled with challenges and all kinds of creative ways to sin.  That truth is timeless.  His verses to young Timothy sound like our 21st century news today on steroids.  People never change.  Sin rules.  Be encouraged!  God never changes either!  Victory over sin is available through a relationship with Jesus. The textbook of truth is available.  We must avail ourselves to that availability!   Let’s look at 2 Timothy 2:15.

2 Timothy 2:15 The word “study” means hurry and speed and be diligent in doing this.  “Approved” means proved by being put to the test.  A “workman” is a laborer. This is not a one and done job.  A workman works every day.  This faithful worker is never put to shame.  “Accurately handling” the word of truth means to “cut it straight.”  Cut to the chase.  Study hard.  Be diligent.  You can’t live or teach what you haven’t learned.  You won’t find gold unless you dig for treasure. 

Are you working toward receiving your “AUG” degree?  Being “Approved Unto God” is my daily pursuit.  Part of that degree is spending time in God’s Word.  Read it.  Your phone apps will even read it TO you!  Write it down.  Simply copy a small passage of scripture and take it with you today.  Share it with someone.  Memorize it.  Send it to someone who might need it that day.  Look up the meanings of the words in the passage.  Pray it back to God.  Study themes.  Study characters.  Look up the names of places and people.  Many names have direct meanings that help communicate the truths. Ask for help.  Find a mentor.  Be a student of the Word. 

Every Day. Same Place.  Same Time.  Jesus will be there looking over your shoulder to point things out to you.  The Holy Spirit will be in you to teach you.  God will be smiling when He sees you being diligent.  I want to be a never graduating, always learning, eternal student of the Word of God.