Personal Study

Personal Study

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth

(2 Timothy 2:15).

Our opening scripture stresses the importance of your personal study of God’s Word. You need to learn to study God’s Word for yourself to grow in your Christian walk. If you depend only on what others tell you, without doing your own personal study, you may accept a false doctrine without knowing it.

The Bible reveals something inspiring and worthy of emulation about the Church in Berea. They had heard and received the Gospel with readiness of mind, but didn’t stop there. The Bible says they searched the scriptures daily, to find out for themselves if the things they had heard were truly so (Acts 17:10-11). How important this is! You must learn to compare scriptures with scriptures; do your personal study of the Word.

It brings to mind the story of a dear lady who narrated how she had to wait for three years to receive the Holy Spirit. She had listened to a certain preacher who said he had to “tarry” in prayer for three years to receive the Holy Spirit. So as far this dear lady was concerned every Christian ought to “tarry” in prayer to receive the Holy Spirit. She allowed someone else rob her of God’s best through a false teaching.

Jesus said “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened….If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:10-13). In other words, all you require to receive the Holy Spirit is to ask and receive NOW! If only that lady had done her personal study on the subject, she wouldn’t have waited so long to receive the Holy Spirit.

In John 5:39, Jesus said, “search the scriptures….” That means study! The Bible refers to the Bereans as more honourable because of the extra step they took to study the scripture for themselves:“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”(Act 17:11).

Prayer

Dear Father,

I thank you for showing me the benefits of personal study. Therefore, as I diligently study, meditate on, and pray your Word today, my profiting is apparent, and my path is illuminated to know and see the direction you want me to go. Thank you for positioning me through your Word in the upward and forward life,

in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY

2Timothy 2:15 AMP; Mark 12:24