Time in God's Word


    If you and I are going to live indwelt by the Word of Christ, then we must spend time intentionally engaging the Bible. I use the word “engaging” rather than studying. When you study the Bible, which is a great thing to do, you can easily dig into the details of a certain biblical passage, but fail to engage that passage on a personal level. Engaging the Bible is different than studying the Bible. When you engage the Bible you recognize the voice of God speaking to you, and through the Spirit, and  interact with God’s Word rather than simply reading it. Think of the difference between reading a note from your friend and having a conversation with them. Furthermore, engaging the Word will compel you to live out what God has told you. 
    You could find a plethora of Bible study methods, most of which will help you spend time in the Scripture. I am not suggesting that my method is superior to any other method you can find, but as I have spent time in the word it has helped me move from just reading and studying for meaning, to engaging and living out the truth God speaks to us in His Word. 
    The method is built around the simple acrostic READ.
    R - Read
    E - Examine
    A - Apply
    D - Devote.
   
    Read - God’s Word is a written document, so to begin engaging God through His Word, you must read it. But as you read, keep in mind that what you are reading is far different than anything you will ever read. In a supernatural way, you are hearing God’s voice. As you read the Bible, prayerfully listening, God is speaking to your heart through the Spirit. 
    At this point you are just reading, resist the urge to make notes, just read and listen. Allow God to begin stirring your heart as His voice speaks to you through His Word. Remember, Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (ESV). 

    Examine - Now that you have read through the passage, it is time to begin the search for meaning. I call this step examine, what we often refer to as Bible study. From my previous statements you could get the impression that studying Scripture for meaning is not important, this could not be further from the truth. Meaning is of chief importance. Discovering what a passage means is the difference between orthodoxy and heresy, right belief and wrong belief, right practice and wrong practice, worship and idolatry. 
    It is time to take notes and do a little research. This is the intimidating step for beginners, but the more you examine the Scripture, the more you will grow in your ability to discover meaning. 
    As you work through the text, ask yourself questions like these:
  1. What is the background of the passage, who wrote it and to whom?
  2. What key biblical concepts are present in the passage (i.e. repentance, sanctification, prayer, salvation)?
  3. What is the main point of the passage, and what does the passage say about it?
  4. What have other people said the passage you are studying?
    There will be no end to the research you can perform, your examination of any given passage will never be complete. To begin examining passage for meaning, I suggest a good study Bible (ESV Study Bible, Christian Standard Study Bible, for example), this will help you develop the craft of examining passages by reading what others have said about them. 

    Apply - Now that you have examined the passage and discovered it meaning, how does this truth impact you on a personal level? This is the step we often refer to as application, and is the major difference between studying for meaning and engaging the Bible. Think of the different ways people reacted to Jesus’ teaching. Some accepted what He said, leaving everything to follow Him, and some rejected His teaching, continuing to reject Him as Lord. Application is the moment when you realize that God is speaking specific truth. Truth for you. Truth meant to impact and change your life. 
    Ask yourself questions like these:
  1. Is God calling me to change a belief, or is He confirming one?
  2. Is God confronting a sin in my life and calling me to repentance?
  3. Is God comforting me in a time of need?
  4. Is God challenging me to step into a new act of service? 
You could never exhaust application questions, but beginning to ask questions like these will help you see how God is impacting your life through engaging Scripture. 

    Devote - By devote, I mean an ongoing, intentional living out of the passage. Eugene Peterson said, “In order to read the Scriptures adequately and accurately, it is necessary at the same time to live them.”  It will most likely begin with a prayer in the end asking God to help you be a doer of the Word. Bt it cannot end there. Devote is an ongoing step in the method, daily seeking to live out the truths that God is placing in your heart through engaging His Word. Remember, the Bible is an implanted, indwelling, Word, and as so it becomes part of who we are. Devoting yourself to a moment by moment living out of this truth is a major component in a dynamic walk with Jesus Christ. 

    This has been an overview of the READ method. I have posted a longer explanation of each step here. 

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