Study For Yourself

We have been encouraged for the last couple of services in my church to be sure and take notes from the messages which have been preached. This is something that years ago I did very well, but have fallen off in the past years. One more of the "little foxes" that has been spoiling my vine I'm sure. Time to fix that, and chase off that fox.

As I was reading in 2 Timothy today I came across this passage in chapter 2 verse 7, take a look at it with me here: "Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things." Paul is encouraging young Timothy to think about the things that he had been instructing him, and that while he was thinking about them, the Lord would help him to understand them.

Do you study the Bible on your own? Have you even thought about doing that? Some people I know think that in order to understand the Bible you have to go to Bible School. Well not according to this passage of Scripture. Paul says if we will think about what has been said, the Lord will help us to understand it.

Taking notes at church is a great thing to do, but an even better thing is to take those notes and go over them later in the day. Begin to think about what was said, because that is when the Lord will help you understand them. I heard Pastor David Emigh say for years that the amount of thought and study you give to the Scripture is the amount of power and virtue that will come back to you. It's the principle of sowing and reaping.

We cannot expect men and women of God to feed us, and that be the only place we will find nourishment. Like a shepherd leads sheep to green pastures to eat, he doesn't get down with the sheep and put the grass in their mouths and force them to chew. No, the shepherd is in charge of getting the sheep to the food, but it is up to them to eat it. Just like that, it is not the Pastor's job to feed us, but to get us to where the food is. (His messages.) It is up to us to follow him there, and then to begin to eat. (Think about what his message says, and let the Lord help us understand these things, then apply them to our lives.)

If you are not taking notes when the Pastor is preaching, and going back over your notes later to let the Holy Spirit begin to talk with you about those things, then maybe you should consider doing so. You may be an anemic sheep, and not even realize it. Let's study to show ourselves approved to God, what's say? Strength and honor!