Ezra 7:10 presents a progression we can follow in our Bible study. It reads, "Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel." Did you catch the steps?
1. Prepare your heart- Sins dealt with. Prayers offered. Distractions removed.
2. Seek the Law- Energy and effort applied to understanding God's word.
3. Do it- Precepts practiced/ obeyed with diligence.
4. Teach it- Truth modeled and/ or proclaimed.
In most of the tips, I admit, I focus on step 2, but if we skip the preparation, we treat God's message to us as just another book. If we go no further than studying, we might as well be learning Spanish or algebra or biology. And, while God intends for us to obey His Word, if we do that as loners, without sharing what we learn, we fail to fulfill our commission.
Bible study isn't an end unto itself. It's a key component in helping us grow in our relationship with God and with others.
How do you view Bible study? A chore. An obligation. A time-waster. A privilege. A duty. A necessity. A habit.
Do you follow these steps? (They were pretty convicting to me, too.)