Five Rules for Prosperous Bible Study

Study the Bible Prayerfully.  Before a person ever opens his Bible, he should fall down on his knees and ask for God’s blessings.  Paul reminds us of this principle as he prays for the Christians at Collosae. “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9). 

Study the Bible Carefully.  One must never study the Bible with a flippant and irreverent view of God and His Word.  Paul taught Timothy to, “Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). 

Study the Bible Practically.  For the Word of God to do us any good in this life, we must apply its’ teachings to our daily life.  Paul reminded the Christians in Phillipi of this when he said, “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:9).

Study the Bible Impartially.  To study God’s word correctly a person must put aside all prejudice, bias and preconceived notions of God and His Will.  We must have the attitude of Samuel who said, “Speak Lord, for your servant hears” (1 Sam. 3:10).  We must remember the words of the Proverbs writer; “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death (Prov. 16:25).

Study the Bible Expectantly.  For a person to receive the full blessings of Bible study, he must study it expecting several things.  For example, we should study the Bible expecting to understand it (Eph. 3:4).  We should study the Bible expecting its principles to bless us as they are applied to our life (Ps. 1:1-3).  We should study the Bible expecting to learn how to be set free from sin (John 8:32).  We should study the Bible expecting to learn how to be saved (Acts 2:38).
May each of us give due diligence to be the best Bible students we can!


                      --Ben Bailey