Thursdays Thoughts

So this week I kept thinking about what I wanted to study...and I kept having a hard time coming up with a particular topic. It has been a long time since I was studying on a regular basis so I'd come up with one and not know how to start. Then think no I'll do something else but not know where to begin. Then it hit me.... I need to ask God for help to guide me in my new endeavor in studying the Bible more. It takes time and help from Him to get you in the right mindset. That's what I think was wrong...I wasn't in the right mind frame. I looked up HELP in the concordance and this was the first verse I found.

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

I remembered a book that was given to me for my high school graduation from the church back in 2000. I had been studying it while I was pregnant with Hailey but as most things happen, once the kids came along Bible study got put on the back burner. It is called Halley's Bible Handbook. I really enjoyed studying it so I'm looking forward to using it again to assist me and getting farther along in it this time :-)

Part of the first chapter is called the Habit of Bible Reading. I reread the chapter and it meant so much more this time. Again....asking for help...you receive it. I learned that individual, direct contact with God's Word is the principal means of Christian growth. Me going to church 3x a week is not direct contact with his Word. I barely hear the sermon! How am I growing as a Christian then? I may be an "active" Christian and participate in many things with our congregation, I have many wonderful Christian relationships, and yes that does help me grow. But that is not going to be the MAIN way I grow. I have to open the BOOK!! I have to READ it myself, not just tell the kids Bible stories either :-) One part of the chapter hit me hard. It said..."if we love someone we love to read about them (and I thought yes...I love reading about all my friends that I love on their blogs...) If only we could bring ourselves to think of our Bible reading as an act of devotion to Christ, we might be inclined to treat the matter less lightly."

A lot of Christian say they don't study because the Bible is too hard to understand, but really the main teachings of the Bible are so unmistakable and simple that a child can understand them. We just have to accept the Bible as it is. It's simplicity will stand the test of time. We also have to read with an open mind. We can't read too far into the passages and ideas that are not there. We need to read the Bible thoughtfully. We need to watch ourselves and make sure our thoughts don't wander and our reading doesn't become meaningless. This is probably the hardest thing for me. I tend to have 20 things going through my head at one time and one sentence can get me thinking about something totally different. I really have to focus and get in a quite place. I'm also going to pray before and after each study to ask for HELP to clear my mind of unnecessary clutter! We need to set aside a certain time each day to read. Otherwise we are likely to neglect or forget to read the Bible. I think my time will be at night once the kids go to bed. It's very quite since Darren is at work and I think I'll be able to have the most time to devote to my study.

I also found some other scriptures on asking for HELP....

Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation n the knowledge of Him,

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"