THE LAWS OF BIBLE STUDY
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(By Pastor Larry Burkholder)
Psalm 119:18
"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
When I read this verse, I get the idea that the Psalmist is really interested in what the Lord might have for him when he reads God's Word. He has a genuine desire to know what the Lord has for him on this and any given day he reads His Word. I believe it would behoove each of us to pray that same prayer each time we open God's Word whether it be for our personal time with Him, before each Sunday school class we attend, or each message we might hear from our local church pastor. I suggest very heartily that if we do not have the correct attitude or desire when we sit before His Word, we are missing a great opportunity for God to speak to us about what is important to Him as well as what is needed for my life.
This was first impressed on my heart as a freshman in Bible Institute training many years ago. From what our instructor told us in a class called "Bible Study Methods" we were left with a strong suggestion that we should pray this same prayer or one similar each time we open His Word in our personal time as well as our preparation time for a message and/or lesson. Without fail, God has proven Himself true to me for all these years I've been ministering in a local church. Him speaking to my heart impresses on me the importance of Him speaking to the hearts of those in the congregation.
A simple illustration that comes to my mind may resonate with your mind also. As I was preparing to leave with my sister to catch the bus to go off to school, Mom would gently place her first finger under our chins and request: "Look at me and hear me out. Make me proud of you today." Interpreted: "Be careful to behave as you are a reflection on me, your mother."
As a child of God, it should be a great concern that we hear and heed His Word not necessarily to make Him proud; but to honor and glorify Him by our demeanor and deportment.
A member of my current church, who is now with the Lord, quoted this verse quite often when giving a testimony or perhaps instructing a Bible study class. And I might add, that he earnestly desired to honor the Lord in every aspect of his life.
I read this quote in an article I read one day: "One might think that the earnest desire to study God's Word would be a natural outcome in the life of the individual who is "in Christ" as suggested in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Studying properly the Word of God is perhaps the main way to becoming a "new creature" as is suggested in that verse. Just reading the Word of God without the purpose stated by the psalmist in 119:18 is simply becoming familiar with God's Word, not intimate with His Word.
It may surprise us how many Christians "read" God's Word without any intention of hearing His voice and heeding His counsel. The study of God's Word is not without great effort put forth. We're to use diligent study so as to comprehend and apprehend all the truth of Scripture just to show ourselves to Him unashamedly His worker - one who is approved unto God as indicated in 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."
We also need to remember that we as the children of God have the illuminating Holy Spirit within us to give divine insight into His Word. Apart from this work of the Holy Spirit we may not or would not understand what we read properly. Not having His proper understanding might do several things: (1) Lead us astray, (2) Stymie our spiritual growth, and, (3) cause more confusion which can lead to consternation.
Remember before your salvation how that the Word of God had not real significance in your minds and hearts. But when we were born again, the Holy Spirit who lives within us began to give us a desire for the things of God and the Word of God. Church looked inviting, Bible study was relevant, fellowshipping with God's people is pure joy, and prayer became more than an exercise as it became an umbilical cord to the heart of God.
The people of this world have no real understanding of God's Word and therefore no appreciation of it. I remember well what I thought when I was a part of that crowd. It is a sealed book to them, hard to be understood, and not practical at all. Once we are born again, it becomes an unsealed book due to the working illumination of the Holy Spirit of God in our hearts and minds.
A man of God by the name of Stanton W. Gavitt put to words what I am trying to get across to us in a chorus I used to sing a lot when a teen and in Bible Institute training. It is titled: "Things Are Different Now". It reads:
Things are diff'rent now,
Something happened to me
When I gave my heart to Jesus.
Things are diff'rent now -
I was chang'd, it must be,
When I gave my heart to Him.
Things I loved before have passed away,
Things I love far more have come to stay;
Things are different now,
Something happened that day
When I gave my heart to Him.
It is so wonderful to be able to open the Word of God and hear His voice speak to me with each word I read.
When my wife and I were falling in love as sweethearts, we would write notes/letters when separated by miles. Each time I read what she would write, I tried to hear her voice as I read each word. Why? Because we were separated by many miles. Each letter became to me as if she were right beside me conversing.
Now, with the Lord it is a bit different because He is always with us in the person of the Holy Spirit abiding in us. But when we read the Word after praying: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." It is the working of the Holy Spirit that causes us to "HEAR" His voice as if He was sitting right next to or before us.
Is that your experience when reading God's Word? It should and can be if you are born again!
Before I bring this to a close, I want to do so with this three-pronged word of advice: "Get and keep your nose in His Word, your knees bent in prayer and your eyes on the eastern sky … He is coming again real soon!
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