Faithful in Bible Study | Part 1

One of the factors we need to learn in order to be faithful to God about what we want you as a believer in Jesus Christ, and especially if you are a new Christian to learn some factors of faithfulness that will help you to stand strong to be a good Christian at home and to be a solid citizen in this world and the factor of faithfulness that comes number one is Bible study.

Welcome to the library finding featuring the real truth never changes the messages of the claimed pastor and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers today would begin a series called factors of a's. If we want to live holy lives to be sanctified and powerful in the Lord.

We need to learn how to be faithful and studying God's word.

If you have your Bible turn out a second Timothy chapter 2 will begin in verse 15 as Adrian Rogers presents part one of faithful in Bible study God's word and five second to chapter 2 and verse 15 in the moment, we will look at it I may tell you what happened to me as a teenage boy I said in the church and heard a man preach the gospel.

I was sitting by my father when invitation was given. My father went forward to give his heart to Jesus Christ.

Conviction of the Holy Spirit struck my heart. I went forward also give my heart to Jesus Christ and I was as sincere as a young man could be and when I went forward. They filled out a form and they stood me up in front of the church and I said I'd be very grateful that Adrian Rogers has come forward out tonight to give his heart to Jesus Christ and the people said a man and that was about it and I went out and endeavored to live the Christian life and I want you to know as a young man I struggled and I failed and I struggled and I failed and I wrote a spiritual roller coaster. Sometimes I was out and sometimes I was down. Sometimes I wondered if I had been saved at all, but then slowly I began to get into the word of God I began to study the Bible.

I learned some crew's and what I learned some truth. That truth became something absolutely solid but I can stand alone in my life was transformed not by resolution, not by emotion, not by determination but by proof of God's word.

Now we want you as a believer in Jesus Christ and specially if you are a new Christian to learn some factors of faithfulness that will help you to stand strong to be a good Christian at home and to be a solid citizen in this world and the factor of faithfulness that comes number one is Bible study. I want you to look at God's word and see what whole said to Timothy second Timothy chapter 2 verse 15 study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Now that is God's command to you and me through Paul and Timothy that where the study to show ourselves approved under God. They want to live a holy life. Jesus said in John chapter 17 verse 17 as he prayed for us.

He prayed Lord, sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.

You will be sanctified. You want to be holy. You want to be powerful in the Lord you want to stop riding a spiritual roller coaster you want to stop walking around on egg shells and cello you want some spiritual steel and concrete beneath your feet, then learn to be faithful in Bible study. I want to give you today, for things that I pray God the Holy Spirit will write upon your consciousness indelibly. That will help you to know, understand, live by the word of God and I were talking about faithfulness in Bible study number one.

If you would understand the Bible. If you would know the Bible. If God's word would be to you. A bright living reality, you must number one receive the saving author of the Bible that God is the author of the Bible, you must receive the author of the Bible into your heart.

Why is this because without Jesus Christ, you are spiritually blind first print this chapter 2 in verse 14 the natural man that is a naturally born man receive is not the things of the spirit of God for their foolishness on the him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If you've only been born once you are a natural man born into the natural world and blind to the spiritual world you will never truly understand the Bible Bible says in second Corinthians chapter 4 in verse four that Satan is the god of this world and he has blinded the minds of them that believe not and without Jesus Christ, the author of the Bible in your heart you will never understand the Bible to try to help an unsaved man to truly understand the Bible would be like trying to teach a dog to understand Opera. You just can know you don't have the facility you don't have the ability to understand the word of God is a classic story that I've shared with you before about a young man who went to a college class and the professor was an infidelity tried to mock those students who believe in the word of God and he let loose a diatribe against the word of God and then he ask, is there anybody here now, who says he believes the Bible is the word of God and even those Christians who were Christian same me intimidated that one young man stood up in the back of the room and said yes said I want you to know I believe the Bible is the word of God. Professor said doesn't make sense to use against certain professions that will young man I want to know.

I read the Bible and it doesn't make any sense to me and the student said Sir I don't mean any disrespect. The Bible is God's love letter to his children. If you read it and don't understand it is because you been reading someone else's mail and that through your seat. The Bible is God's letter to us, and in order to understand the Bible, you must know the God of the Bible. Now, unsaved man can read the Bible and then appreciated for beautiful literature. It is beautiful. Literature he might do. Learn the history of the Bible. He might even agree with the moral precepts of the Bible, but he will never know the deep meaning of God's word until he is born again, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Nicodemus was a master and its related as he was a brilliant man but he couldn't understand. And the reason he couldn't understand is he not been born again.

Jesus said in John 33, except a man be born again he cannot see Nicodemus was a blind man except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. He just cannot are the kingdom of God. So therefore if you would understand the Bible.

First of all, invite the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart. The saving author of the Bible, you must receive the saving author of the Bible. Have you got that now, once Christ is in your heart then you began to pray never come to Bible study without praying in Psalm 119 the three prayers that you need to pray before you begin your Bible study once you know that Jesus Christ is in your heart. Put these verses down in your margin. Psalm 119 and verse 12. Here's the first prayer. Teach me by statutes teach me thy statutes and when you pray that God begins to teach you, he becomes the teacher in your heart when you pray, Lord, teach me thy statutes. When you let your intellectual pride in the best and pray over the word of God. Now remember, the Christ must be in your heart. First of all, three things will happen when you pray, Lord, teach me thy statutes in Psalm 119 in verse 18. Your eyes will be open.

Psalm 119 verse 18, open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. That's the first thing that will happen. Your eyes will be opened. God will help you see things that you have never seen. I can tell when I'm walking in the spirit. When I'm reading the word of God.

There truth to just jump up off the Bible into my heart. Number two. Not only will your eyes be open, but your heart will be stirred put this verse down Psalm 119 verse 36 incline my heart underlie testimony God opened your eyes God inclines your heart. You see, you must see and then your heart must be moved. Your eyes will be opened as number one. Your heart will be stirred. That's number two and then your mind will be enlightened listener. Psalm 119 verse 73 give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. And so you have the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart you have received them in your heart. God gives you a new heart. God gives you new mind.

Then you come to the word of God and you say, God, teach me your statutes and when you do this you pray, Lord, open my eyes to pray Lord,*my heart to pray Lord Quicken my mind never fail to study the Bible that way. It's unthinkable to me that I would sit down for a serious study of the word of God without first of all asking the author of the word of God to teach me. I read years ago about a man who had a mentor, a Bible teacher.

He was a new Christian and the mentor was teaching this younger Christian the word of God, and that's they were doing well. They would meet for Bible study and could young neophyte Christian would have difficulty with the word of God and he would come to his teacher's name was Harry and he would say Harry, what is this mean I Harry teach me that Harry what about this and how I would explain it to them because Harry had a walk with God. A real close walk with God and he taught the younger man we need younger, older people to teach younger people, the word of God. And that's a very wonderful and legitimate thing that one time. This man could not get to Harry.

He had a problem in the word of God couldn't understand. He labored over it and he said to himself. I wish Harry were here I was somehow Harry were here because I need to understand this and went to God and said, Lord, I just somehow help me to get to Harry I need understand this, and the Lord said to him in his heart.

Why don't you ask me to explain it to you. I'm the one who taught Harry and you can ask God himself to teach you the word of God. So number one, number one, here's the first vacating. You must receive the saving author of the Bible, you must have Jesus Christ in your heart. Number two, you must recognize the sovereign authority of the Bible. Once you know the author.

You must believe the authority of the word of God. The Bible will never be a real book to you.

If you do not accept it as the sovereign authority of Almighty God. The Bible is a literary mirror put this first and second Timothy chapter 3 in verse 16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and the word inspiration that used use use only one time this one time in the Bible. It's the looseness and what it literally means is it is God breathed all Scripture is God breathed is given by inspiration of God, that Larry means that it is God breathed, not that God breathed into the Scriptures, but that God read the Scriptures themselves the same. Why would you call the Scriptures, God breathing what you're hearing right now is my breath.

My breath is a diaphragm down here their lungs and hear my diaphragm and my rib cage are pressing against my lungs and their sending air up my throat that air is passing over my alarm XMI voicebox and that air is being moved and articulated by my tongue my teeth and my lips and I making sounds and what you really hearing right now is my breath. I am breathing out my words right now. Now the Bible says that all Scripture is the breath of God. When you read the Bible you hear God speak all Scripture is given by inspiration of God that says all Scripture, not some Scripture. That's the reason we believe in the verbal play. Mary inspiration of the Bible verbal means every word, a verb is a word between Mary means full of the landlord plainness means full soul theologians call it the verbal play.

Mary inspiration of the Bible that means all of the Bible is totally inspired. There's no part of it that is not inspired as you pick up the Bible you read phrases like this the word of God came in to me. The Lord said, our God spake thus saith the Lord, you read that 3885 God said, God say, made either the Bible is the word of God. It is the biggest bundle of lies.

The world is ever known is the word of God and you need to take it that way. Jesus Christ said in Matthew chapter 44 man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

The word proceed out of the mouth of God. You say will bitten people write the Bible. Yes, they wrote, but they wrote it by divine inspiration. God himself inspired the Penman what you say if God really widen all sound alike widen the parts of it sound so different because God views different people just like our orchestra.

Suppose Kartik Brocail whose orchestra director and by the way can play a number of instruments. If Carter picks up one instrument and place it and then he picks up another one in place it in then picks up another when the plays it, you would be able to tell the characteristics of those different instruments drop, it would sound like a trumpet and a French horn like a French horn and Cornett like a cornet and oboe like a hobo or what ever. But there's one author who's playing all the instruments and you pick up this Bible and you can say yes. That's Paul, yes, let's.

Matthew yes, that's Moses. Yes, those of the different authors of the Bible, but really there's one author who's using all of those men as instruments in his hand. Not mechanical dictation. God uses the fears the desires the aspirations experiences of all those men, but over it all, and through it all is divine inspiration, so you must accept. You must accept the absolute authority of the word of God and your view of the Scripture must be the view that Jesus had. And Jesus said in John chapter 10 verse 35. The Scripture cannot be broken. That if you accept the absolute authority of the Bible.

Some will say you're guilty of worshiping the Bible. Some of the liberals will call you a bibliology that is you made an idol of the Bible may call it bibliology just worshiping the Bible pay no attention to. I'm telling you, if reading the Bible brings you closer to Jesus Christ and causes you to love Jesus Christ, unless you let the Bible stand between you and Jesus Christ just pay no attention to them. That's their problem. Love the word of God. And so the Bible interpreted by the Holy Spirit is the final authority, not reason, not human reason, not your conscience, your conscience is like a sundial. It operates according to like that shown on it so your conscience can be your guide and let God guide your concept so as not human reason, not your conscience, not tradition, not emotion, but the word of God that here's 1/3 thing. First of all, you must receive the saving author of the Bible, you must have the author of the Bible in your heart. Number two, you must believe the sovereign authority of the word of God, no stutter, no stamina apology. The Bible is the word of God number three you must resolve a serious analysis of the Bible.

The author, the authority and the analysis of the Bible is not enough to say that God is the author of the Bible is not enough therefore to say that the Bible therefore is absolute only authoritative. You must learn to study and analyze the Bible, you must bring your mind to the Bible, though you let your intellectual pride in the dust at the same time put the Scriptures down first Timothy chapter 4 verse 13 all set till I come give attendance to reading the exhortation to doctrine till I come give attendance to reading the exhortation and to doctrine and then again the Scripture that we began with second Timothy two verse 15 study to show yourself approved unto God what is that word study mean I looked it up in a number of translations.

Let me taste some of the ways that that word study is translated. One says, give diligence. Another says earnestly endeavor. Another translation says, do your best. Another says try hard. Another says let it be your care. Another says aim firms. All of these are saying that you must have a burning desire for the word of God. You must earnestly endeavor. You must study to show yourself approved to God you really want to know the Bible, could you say with the Psalmist in Psalm 119 verse seven to the law by mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver than thousands of gold and silver. I mean, had you rather know the truth of God's word or be a multimillionaire answer that question in your heart but don't answer it outline if money silver and gold means more to you in the word of God. I wonder if you even have a right to call yourself a Christian, don't tell me that you believe the Bible is the word of God unless you have a desire to understand that's contradictory. I don't want you to answer this question out loud. But I will ask you this question how many of you believe everything you read in the newspaper where you say and if I would ask Lance go up.

I doubt that any would go up but I ask your second question even more embarrassing. How many spend more time with the newspaper every day than you do the word again. That's an incriminating question you spend more time with that that you don't believe in that which you say you do believe you spend more time with the bad news that you do.

The good news you say yes I know the author of the Bible.

Yes, I believe the authority of the Bible, but I make no analysis of the Bible.

I do not study the Bible, you must friend open the Bible and do as the apostle Paul said give attendance to reading the exhortation to Dr. there's no other way to go to get we have some ways to help you to grow in Bible understanding. First of all I Bible preaching and Bible teaching when you come into this place you go to fellowship Bible classes. There is a teacher who is teaching the Bible when you come into this auditorium.

There is a preacher who is preaching the Bible and God gives to the church pastors and teachers that help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now the Bible says here in our text that we start with the jury to rightly divide the word of truth, and that word rightly divide literally means to cut straight the word of truth and what it comes from is a practice in the Old Testament when offering would be made to God unless it was the whole burnt offering say were a lamb and it would be brought to the Lord. That lamb would be divided. The priest would take it and he would divided into thirds, one third would be offered to God. One third would be given back to the person who brought the offering in one third would be given to the priest and what he would do would be to rightly divide that lamb cut it straight as it was meant to be, so that everyone would get that part that belong to him that you need to do the word of God the same way you need to learn how to rightly divide the word of God. Don't bring your ignorance to the word of God but study the Bible part two of this foundational message coming up tomorrow but maybe today you have questions about who Jesus is what he means to you how to follow him with your whole heart to discover Jesus page@lwf.org/radio you'll find resources and materials there that can answer questions you may have about placing your faith in Jesus again go to LWF.org/radio and click discover Jesus at the top of the page if you'd like to order a copy of today's message. Call 1877 love God and mention the title faithful in Bible study's message is also part of the insightful factors of faithfulness series for the complete collection all seven powerful messages: number 1877 love God or you can order online@lwf.org/radio or write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 thanks for setting with us in God's word as you continue with your day. Consider the question, are you exercising your faithfulness and studying the Bible well on that and we hope will join us for part two of this message tomorrow on the word listener wrote recently and said this, I was first introduced Pastor Adrian Rogers messages through a ministry that sent Bibles to us quarterly along with DVDs of Pastor Rogers preaching when I watch them.

It was a true blessing and encouragement. We are honored to provide messages and resources to help you grow in your faith SYS we say thank you for your gift right now. Love to send you a tapestry faith and forgiveness. Journal Adrian Rogers said, your faith is the measure of your victory and success.

This tapestry Journal reveals that only by faith, can we extend forgiveness to others, share God's truth and leave a godly legacy requested journal tapestry, faith and forgiveness.

When you call when you get 1877 love God or you can give online it LWF.org/radio again thanks for your support of love worth finding