April 10 - Understanding.

Proverbs 2:1-6
"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."
 
Today we will visit some things that we must do in order to understand our Bible.

1. First and foremost…You must be saved.
What do we receive when we get saved? The Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit residing within us, we are just an empty vessel unable to discern the Truth of the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 2:14
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
 
 
2. You must believe the Bible to be Truth.
John 17:17
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Jesus prayed these words for us just before Judas betrayed Him and He began His journey to Calvary. He believed that God’s Word was true. Do you?
 
When you hear your Pastor preach, do you receive his message as his opinion or as a Word from God? Paul tells about the church at Thessalonica and their perspective of the Word of God.
I Thessalonians 2:13
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
 
They serve as an example for us today. We must believe our Bible to be the Truth.
 
 
3. You must ask God to help you.
In order to understand the Bible, we must pray for God to reveal Himself to us through the Scriptures.
Psalm 119:18
"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
 
Before you open your Bible, ask God to show you something through His Word. Ask for direction. Ask for help. Ask for guidance. He is sure to give you exactly what you need. Andrew Murray said "Prayer prepares your heart to receive the Word from God Himself."
 
Ask God to prepare your heart for understanding the Scriptures.
 
 
4. You must love your Bible.
 
It is no accident that the manufacturing process for a Bible is different than any other book that is produced. The Bible is not just any other book, it is the very Words of God Almighty in written form. It is inspired, preserved, and inerrant. The Bible is the only Book ever written whose Author is always present. This should allow us to develop a love for our Bible.
Psalm 119:47
“And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.”
 
 
5. You must be willing to do more than read.
 
Jesus Christ tells us that there is more than just reading our Bibles. He said we should search the Scriptures for understanding.
John 5:39
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
 
Another way to increase our understanding is by studying God’s Word so that we can rightly divide It.
2 Timothy 2:15
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
 
As we search and study, we can meditate on the Truth of God’s Word. Endeavor to spend time every day meditating on a portion of Scripture.
Psalm 1:1-2
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
 
Search. Study. Meditate.
 
What is the biggest hindrance to studying the Bible? Laziness.
If we are not willing to take the time to read, study and search the Scriptures, we will not find Its deepest treasures.
 
The more we study the Bible, the more we will love our Bible, the more we will understand our Bible.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Joshua 11-12  |  Acts 12  |  Psalm 70