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Does Bible Study REALLY Matter? (And Will It Make a Difference in My Life?) - by Jan L. Burt

 



In this post, I'd like to try and give very specific answers to the question: Does Bible study really matter? And will it make a difference in my life?

If I were sitting in a coffee shop with you and this was the topic of discussion, this is what I might share with you about personal Bible study and what it does and doesn't do for us.

~ Bible study matters in our lives because it provides us with peace of mind. 
Peace of any sort is a commodity that is in short supply as far as the non-Christian world goes. There just isn't real or lasting peace outside of the Lord Jesus. When we study the Bible, we gain peace of mind, because we learn better and better what God has to say about a whole slew of issues, and how He desires for us to live out our days. Knowing God better via knowing His word better leads to peace of mind. And if our minds are at peace, everything in our life will be improved.

~ Bible study matters in our lives because it provides us with renewed hope. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, it says in the book of Proverbs, and that is completely true. I've experienced it, and most likely you have, too. Contrast that with how we feel when our hope is renewed. The sky seems bluer, the grass greener, and our hope becomes contagious as we pass it along to others. The unique hope we gain by studying the word of God is of incalculable worth, and it will not come by any other means. We cannot obtain what the Bible holds out to us by means outside of the Bible itself. 

~ Bible study matters because it is fuel to the fire of our faith. When and where faith in the Lord increases, our outlook improves, our optimism grows, and our impact on people around us changes for the better. We pray bolder prayers, we seek the good of others and the glory of God more often and the love we have grows and stretches farther and wider than it would had we not spent time in Bible study and experienced an increase in our faith.

~ Bible study matters because it lends itself to prayer. Not just any kind of prayer, but prayer based on the word of God. Our prayer lives change when we pray based on what we read in the Bible. As we pray God's word, not only will we be bettered, but those for whom we pray and those with whom we interact regularly will also be bettered. 

~ Bible study matters because it blesses our relationships. As we are continually conformed more and more to the image of Christ, many of the relationships we have get better and better. Some relationships fade away because we realize that we cannot live in our old, pre-salvation ways and also live out our new life in Christ. Knowing what the Bible says and living out what we learn from our time spent studying the Bible has an impact on our relationships. 

~ Bible study matters because by means of studying the Bible, we are better equipped to encourage others. In case you haven't noticed, life in this world is hard. People are hurting, are broken-hearted, are in need of encouragement on a hundred different levels. And when we actively engage in the study of the Bible, we will have something tangible and life-changing to offer them. We will know Jesus better by studying the Bibel, and we will be better suited to share Jesus with people who need encouragement and life-change. 

~ Bible study matters because it reveals to us the heart of God. Want to know what the Lord cares about? Study the Bible. Curious as to what kind of character God actually has? You'll find out when you study the Bible. Wish you knew God better? You can know Him better and better each time you open the Bible and read it. 

~ Bible study matters because it changes the way that you think...and the way that you think is the way that you live. The fact of the matter is what you think and how you think determine the direction of your life. If you are continually angry in your thoughts, you most likely will lead an angry life. If you are fearful in the way that you think, you will be fearful in the way that you live. Where your time goes and where your thoughts go, there your life goes. Knowing what the Bible says and believing that what God has said in His word is the truth has a great impact on how you think. Want some life change? I recommend studying the Bible regularly.


That's my two cents worth on the question of whether or not Bible study actually matters. 
Thanks for stopping by The Prayer & Bible Study blog. I'll leave the link to my podcast, The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, which focuses on God's promises & to The Prayer Podcast with Jan L. Burt, which is pretty self-explanatory.


Lord bless!

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