“Mommy, How Old Is God?”

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Wayne Davies

One of the best questions a child can ask is, “Who made God?”

Or how about this one:
“Where did God come from?”

Or “How old is God?”

 

These are great questions that a person of any age can ask, don’t you think?

Fortunately, the Bible provides an answer that theologians call the self-existence of God.

The wonder of God’s greatness is beyond the limits of our finite minds. Yet God wants us to know Him to the extent we are able. He desires that we “Be still, and know that I am God “(Psalm 46:10). This is why the Bible is filled with profound statements that tell us who God is and what He is like. So let’s take a closer look at one of my favorite truths about God: His eternal self-existence.

The Reality of God’s Self-Existence
God has always existed. He is eternal, and His eternality extends into the past as well as the future. I think we have an easier time thinking about the never-ending future existence of God, mainly because “God has given us eternal life” (1 John 5:11). We will live with God forever because God lives forever. Of course, even this future aspect of eternal life is mind-boggling and way beyond our mental ability to comprehend. But even more difficult to grasp is the truth that God has always existed in the past.

Please join me in this brain-bending exercise: meditate on the fact that God has no beginning. He is uncreated. No one or no thing made God because God always was. We don’t have a category for this. Everything and everyone in the world has a beginning, a point in time when it came into existence. But not God. He has always been.

A.W. Tozer comments on the mystery of God’s eternality and the challenge we face in our attempt to understand it: “To think steadily of that to which the idea of origin cannot apply is not easy, if indeed it is possible at all . . . The human mind, being created, has an understandable uneasiness about the Uncreated. We do not find it comfortable to allow for the presence of One who is wholly outside of the circle of our familiar knowledge. We tend to be disquieted by the thought of One who does not account to us for His being, who is responsible to no one, who is self-existent, self-dependent and self-sufficient” (The Knowledge of the Holy).

We know God has no origin because this is what Scripture teaches. Moses begins Psalm 90 with these words:

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

It’s that last part of verse 2 that makes our heads spin. “From everlasting” God has been God. The Common English Bible translates this as “from forever in the past to forever in the future, you are God.” Psalm 93:2 is equally clear: “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” Or as the NIV puts it, “you are from all eternity.”

The Reason for God’s Self-Existence
God has always existed because God is life. This amazing truth is also revealed in the Bible. When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush He told him, “I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:9-10).

Moses’ response to God’s command was less than enthusiastic, so he said, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13).

God then said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:14-15).

The Hebrew word for “LORD” (in all capital letters) is Yahweh, and it means “I am.” This is the most common word for God in the Bible, used over 6,800 times in the Old Testament! We must not miss the significance of this – God has a name (just like you have a name), and His name is based on the truth of His eternal self-existence. Every time we read the word “LORD” in the Old Testament, we should be reminded that our God is the source and fountain of life because He is life itself. He is the only self-sufficient, self-sustaining being in the universe, dependent on no one else and therefore the only truly independent Person.

The Gospel of John makes this truth about God’s self-existence abundantly clear:
In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (1:4);
For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself (5:26);
I am the resurrection and the life (11:25);
I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6).

The Overflow of God’s Self-Existence
The implications of God’s self-existence should humble us. The only reason we exist is because God exists. He is life itself and has chosen to give life to us. Every breath we take and every move we make is because of His sustaining power. We would not be here if God had not brought us into being. And we would not continue to live another second were it not for the grace of God.

He made us, and He upholds us. God is the only reason we are alive today. And only because of His mercy will you wake up again tomorrow. Let the goodness of God, as manifested in the provision of our daily existence, take your breath away. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Our Response to God’s Self-Existence
In light of this amazing truth, how do we then live? What effect should the self-existence of God have on us? It should bring us to our knees in worship of the living God. This is the only appropriate response!

John had a vision of God on His throne in heaven. Angels are worshipping Him, and this is what they are proclaiming day and night: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8). God was. He “was” in the sense that He always was. There has never been a time when God was not God. This should evoke endless praise and adoration of the great I AM.

While these angelic beings “give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever,” the 24 elders, representative of God’s people, join the celebration and “fall down before Him . . . and worship Him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say, ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being’” (Revelation 4:9-11).

Looking for a reason to glorify God today? Look no further than the beating heart in your chest. If you are alive and can read these words, you have every reason to worship King Jesus, “the author of life” (Acts 3:15) and the lover of your soul.

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What the Bible Says about God’s Goodness

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Here’s one of my favorite verses about the goodness of God:

“How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.”
Psalm 31:19

David says that God’s goodness is “great” (NIV 1978) or “abundant” (ESV). God’s goodness is of such magnitude that he stores it up for us. I like the King James rendering: God’s goodness has been “laid up” for us. Or, as The Message paraphrases it, “What a stack of blessings you have piled up for those who worship you.”

Think about this today and let it take your breath away! God has so much goodness to shower upon you, he chooses to stockpile it in his divine warehouse. Every day he takes some of that goodness and delivers it to you as only he can.

A few years ago I made a list of some of God’s good gifts. First, in the material realm:

— food, clothing, shelter
— people to love and be loved by
— parents and children
— husbands and wives
— brothers and sisters
— music and art and poetry and prose

So many gifts, so much goodness!

And then when we move to the spiritual realm, the goodness of God becomes even more amazing:

— the Holy Scriptures
— the Holy Spirit
— the Holy One of Israel – the Christ
— the provision of forgiveness through the death and resurrection of King Jesus
— the granting of godly sorrow, genuine repentance, and saving faith
— entrance into his kingdom both in this life and the next
— the awesome majesty and sweet intimacy of his presence

All these spiritual blessings, so we can be reconciled to the One we betrayed with a kiss!

All these manifestations of the goodness of God come to us daily. Oh, may we never take them for granted! May we rise up with grateful hearts to give thanks to the King of glory, for surely He pursues us with goodness all the days of our lives.

Take time today to meditate on the two lists above and reflect on how God has been good to you over the years. What else can you add to these lists? How do you respond to God’s goodness? Do you ever get overwhelmed by it? Why not express your gratitude to him by writing out a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for his goodness.

And feel free to share your thoughts below on God’s goodness. I’d love to rejoice with you.

NOTE: The above comments are an excerpt from my book, How to Pray Like David (Volume 1): A Bible Study on Psalms 1-41. Click here to get your free copy:
https://payhip.com/b/3iQfu

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The Power of the Gospel Behind Bars

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Wayne Davies


I have good news about my ebook, Why Bad People Go to Heaven and Good People Go to Hell (Part 1). It has been purchased by several jails and prisons throughout the U.S., including:

Florida Correctional Facilities
Utah Correctional Facilities
New York Correctional Facilities
Illinois State Correctional Facilities
Larimer County Jail (Colorado)
Weld County Correctional Jail (Colorado)

This means that inmates have access to the ebook on electronic devices (such as tablets). The availability of ebooks and other educational resources varies from state to state, but organizations such as ViaPath Technologies have been active in this arena for the past 30 years.

Finding out about this fills my heart with great joy! I’m excited to know that incarcerated men and women can read this book and hear the gospel.

Would you join me in asking God to bring people to Christ when they read this ebook? Before you go to bed tonight, please say a prayer that incarcerated individuals will understand the gospel and respond with saving faith and genuine repentance.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

Thank you!

Why Bad People Go to Heaven and Good People Go to Hell (Part 1) is available for free in Kindle format here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLLJPS3X

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8 Reasons to Think about Jesus and His Word

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Wayne Davies

God has much to say about our minds. What we think about matters to Him.

Therefore, we don’t have to go very far to sin, do we?

Iniquity is just a thought away.

 

I’ve been, well, thinking about this a lot lately. I want to live a holy life. And the older I get, the more I realize that the foundation of a God-pleasing life is a God-pleasing mind. Easier said than done.

To that end, here’s a verse I’ve been meditating on this week:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8

This is a straightforward teaching from the Apostle Paul on how to have holy thoughts. If I think about things that fall into any of these eight categories, I’m on the right track.

Here’s another way to look at it. Who or What can I think about that will always meet the criteria spelled out in this verse? Answer: The Word.

Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, is perfectly true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

Likewise, the Bible, the written Word of God, is perfectly true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

If I’m filling my mind with thoughts about Jesus and His Word, I’m much less likely to entertain a sinful thought or an ungodly attitude. And I’m also much more likely to express myself with words and behaviors that align with these God-honoring thoughts.

Thank you for letting me share these thoughts with you. If anything you just read makes sense, please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Posted in Bible reading, Bible study, Jesus Christ, Thoughts About God | Tagged | Leave a comment

How to Feed Your Soul with God’s Wisdom

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Wayne Davies

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I’ve been reading The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Modern World, by Brett McCracken.

(See below for a link to get your free copy.)

Here’s how it starts:

“Our world has more and more information, but less and less wisdom. More data; less clarity. More stimulation; less synthesis. More distraction; less stillness. More pontificating; less pondering. More opinion; less research. More speaking; less listening. More to look at; less to see. More amusements, less joy.

“There is more, but we are less. And we all feel it.

“We have vertigo from the barrage coming at us from every direction, every day. We are nauseous from the Tilt-a-Whirl nature of a constantly changing, always unstable world described in (often contradictory and whiplash-inducing) feeds of fragmented and partisan news. Our ears are bleeding from the screeching multitudes who daily assault our senses. Everyone has a megaphone, but no one has a filter.

“Our eyes are strained, brains overstimulated, and souls weary. It’s hard to know if anything can be reliably known. We are resigned to a new normal where the choice seems to be: trust everything or trust nothing. Or maybe the choice is: trust nothing or trust only in yourself . . .

“How can one flourish in a world like this? How can one fortify one’s immunity and be healthy amidst a contagion of foolishness whose spread shows no sign of stopping? How can Christians become storehouses of wisdom in this era when more and more sickly people will be looking for a cure?

This description of our world and the challenges we face certainly resonates with me. Fortunately, the author also provides a solution to the problem:

“We need a better diet of knowledge and better habits of information intake . . . we need to be more discerning about what we consume. We need a diet comprised of lasting, reliable sources of wisdom rather than the fleeting, untrustworthy information that bombards us today; a diet heaven on what fosters wisdom and low on what fosters folly.”

So, if you feel yourself becoming more foolish the more time you spend scrolling on social media, this book is for you. If you ever get the sense that “smartphones” are actually making us dumb, you’re not alone. Addictive algorithms make huge money for Silicon Valley, but they make huge fools of us.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With intentionality and the discipline to cultivate healthier media consumption habits, we can resist the foolishness of the age and instead become wise and spiritually mature. In this book, Brett McCracken offers a rubric (inspired by the food pyramid) for what it might look like to build a “diet” of intakes conducive to spiritual health and wisdom rather than spiritual sickness and foolishness.

The Gospel Coalition is offering this book to you for FREE as an ebook. Click below to get instant access to this timely tool for growing in wisdom in our post-truth digital age.
https://pages.thegospelcoalition.org/the-wisdom-pyramid

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Does God Ever Change?

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Wayne Davies

NOTE: This post is written by Heather Erdmann, author and Bible teacher. For more info about her ministry, visit www.GoodPortionPromises.com.

Is the Old Testament God the same as the New Testament Jesus?

Have you ever heard people say that the God of the Old Testament is “the angry God” and Jesus in the New Testament is “the nice God”? 

As I interact with unbelievers through my writing and online ministry, I have heard this sentiment in some form or other many times. On occasion, even believers seem to feel this way and may shy away from spending time in the Old Testament. But that got me thinking, that if those people actually understood the Bible in context and in its entirety, their opinion would change.

You may already know this, but the Bible is actually made up of 66 smaller books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament), compiling the one complete book we know today. Amazingly, all of these come together to tell one cohesive story, namely God’s plan of salvation for us through Jesus Christ! Every smaller book of the Bible points to Him in some way. Knowing this can make your time in God’s Word even more productive and precious.

SO, does the Bible portray two different sides of God? The “angry” and “wrathful” OT version, and the forgiving and gentle NT Jesus? Let’s see what His Word says:

Malachi 3:6 (Old Testament)
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

Hebrews 13:8 (New Testament)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

God is one God, in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We mainly see the Father revealing Himself throughout the OT, yet the entire Old Testament is filled with types, shadows, and actual pre-incarnate appearances of our Lord Jesus. In fact the entire Bible tells the story of God’s plan to rescue us through the promised Messiah, and the OT points to that promise. God the Father is the same God we see in Jesus, who is the Word made flesh, and who appeared on earth in human form-fully God and fully man-to accomplish the plan the Father set forth before time even began! That loving Father made a way for us to be saved and sent His own willing Son to do just that! 

See, God never changes, so the God of the OT is still the God of the NT! Jesus even stated, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father,” and “I and the Father are One.”

This is KEY: 

The parts of the OT people consider “angry” parts or show “the angry God” are basically a result of showing us the bad news first of all, that leads us to the good news of the New Testament and Gospel of Christ. The Bible is not primarily a rule book of do’s and don’ts (as many people believe), but it’s more like a mirror that shows us ourselves and how far we fall short of God’s laws every day. That’s because time and time again throughout the OT we see how we can’t keep all of God’s laws, no matter how hard we try. It is a cycle of man’s rebellion and God’s redirection (and occasional punishment), but always pointing forward to our rescue by the only One who DID perfectly keep the law on our behalf, and who died and rose again to take away our sins and give us eternal life with Him, free from sin, death, and the power of the devil forever!! It’s not meant to condemn us, but to convict us to admit our sin, confess it, and cry out for God’s mercy which He gives us freely in Christ!

So the OT “anger” you see (along with a ton of God’s patience, grace, and efforts to call His people back to Him through the Prophets) is just the bad news (that we are hopelessly lost without Him) which points us to the NT Good News that our Rescuer has come, and we are saved by faith through His finished work on the cross on our behalf. All of those OT sacrifices were just a shadow to point to the one, final, perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!! THAT’S the main message of the Bible, and that is truly Good News!!

Editor’s note:
To access Heather’s free “5-Day Bible Study Tools VIDEO Challenge,” visit:
https://subscribepage.io/biblestudytoolsvideochallenge

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How to Spend More Time Reading the Bible

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Here’s an easy way to spend more time reading the Bible:

Read the Bible by listening to the Bible.

“Reading by listening” offers this advantage . . .

You can listen to the Word while doing “mindless” activities such as taking a walk, jogging on a treadmill, driving a car, traveling on public transportation, or folding the laundry. During a typical day, you may have 30 or 60 minutes (or more) of available time that could be spent hearing God’s voice.

BibleGateway.com has a free app for this  — the Bible Audio App.
https://www.biblegateway.com/bible-audio-app

Here are some of the features:
— 5 different translations, including NIV, KJV, and NKJV
— 10 narrations available; choose from dramatized or voice-only productions
— Set chapters or verses to repeat
— Adjust the narration speed
— Choose whatever passage you want, or use a Bible reading plan, such as New Testament in Year

Here’s another suggestion for how to listen to the Bible — listen to one book of the Bible in its entirety in one session, i.e. listen to the whole book. And do this repeatedly (at least 5 or 10 times) for a particular book over a period of time (say one or two weeks).

Start with the smallest New Testament books such as Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude. These are only one chapter each and it will only take 5 or 10 minutes to listen to these.

Utilize the power of repetition to immerse yourself in God’s Word, one book at a time.

After listening to these one chapter books, move on to the other shorter New Testament books: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, as well as 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, James, 1 & 2 Peter, and 1 John. All these books are 3-6 chapters each and listening to them will typically take about 20-30 minutes.

It is amazing what you’ll learn by listening to one book of the Bible — in its entirety, repeatedly.

This is what I call The Forgotten Bible Reading Method  — you can learn more about it here:

Bible Reading Tips – What Is The Most Forgotten Bible Reading Method? (Start Doing This Today)

Perhaps you’re already doing this. If not, why not give it a try!

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How to Know and Do God’s Will for Your Life

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Wayne Davies


I am thanking God today for this simple fact:
He has made known His will for us.

The will of God has been revealed in the Word of God:
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

“Sanctification” means “holiness.” And what is holiness? A life separated and set apart from sin unto God. A holy life is characterized by an increasing measure of godliness, obedience, and Christlikeness. Other synonyms include moral purity and righteous living.

Make no mistake, “God expects every Christian to live a holy life” (Gerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness). He commands that we “be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Yes, sanctification is the divine mandate for all God’s people.

The problem, of course, is that while striving for holiness, we continue to sin. This is why the Christian life can be harder (yet better) than the non-Christian life. We are fighting a never-ending battle against our flesh.

This is why I freely confess that “I am a serial sinner.”

(For more on that, check out this blog post):

Confessions of a Serial Sinner (Thoughts on Psalm 53:1)

I also thank God today for another profound truth: in the believer’s lifelong struggle against sin, we have hope! An obedient and holy life is within our reach because God has provided a solution to our sin problem, and that solution is found in the power of His Word.

Would God tell us to be holy and not supply the means to joyfully fulfill this command? I think not.

The key that unlocks the door to holy living is the holy Bible.

Paul said so in 2 Timothy 3:15-17. Note the indispensable role of Scripture in the quest for both salvation and righteousness:

“You have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

What Paul told this young pastor applies to every believer. We have the resources needed to overcome our sins and live a life pleasing to God. Through knowledge of the Scriptures, we can live a life of godliness and obedience. We will not attain perfection this side of heaven, but by the grace and power of God, increasing Christlikeness can be the direction of our lives.

I find much comfort in this! How about you?

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Am I Really A Christian? (Part 2)

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Have you ever wondered whether you are really a Christian?

If so, you are not alone.

Christians have struggled with the assurance of their salvation for centuries. That’s why Thomas Boston (1676-1732) wrote Am I Really A Christian? Eight Doubts Answered. In this short booklet, he addresses eight of the most common reasons believers may doubt the genuineness of their conversion.

Here is DOUBT #3:

“Heart in more turmoil.”

“I find that my heart has been in more turmoil after I became a Christian than it was before. Is this consistent with someone who is supposed to have been changed by Christ?

“Answer: Corruption can be stirred up in a Christian even more strongly than it was before he became a Christian. It might appear to you that all the forces of hell have been raised to try to recapture you as an escaped fugitive. Such stirrings may indeed occur in those truly changed by Christ. When restraining grace comes up against the corruption in a new believer, it is no wonder that corruption tries to fight back, “warring against the law of my mind” (Romans 7:23). Sin will resist all the harder when it knows this new principle is seeking to cast it out. When the sun shines through a window, we see all the dust in the house that we did not see before. So when the light of grace shines in our lives, we see the corruption inside us that we had not noticed before. Sin is not quite dead in the believer’s soul. It is dying a lingering death. It is being crucified. No wonder it begins to fight so hard—it knows it is about to die, so it struggles to live!

“Besides all this, the Christian might be faced with more numerous and stronger temptations after his conversion. Satan has to work harder to try to bring back one who has escaped, than he does to guard one who is still a captive. The author of Hebrews says, “But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings” (Hebrews 10:32). He then adds, “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward” (v. 35). Remember, God’s grace is sufficient for you, and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Remember how Pharaoh and the Egyptians had the Israelites cornered at the Red Sea, but then God intervened and overthrew them (Exodus 14)?

“Do not let this doubt destroy the foundation of your trust. Empty yourself of doubting. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and you will be victorious.”

The above paragraphs are packed with sound biblical teaching. I find this comment especially helpful:

“The Christian might be faced with more numerous and stronger temptations after his conversion. Satan has to work harder to try to bring back one who has escaped, than he does to guard one who is still a captive.”

The Bible is clear that believers will continue to face temptation. It is to be expected. This is normal, because “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Words of comfort indeed!

To get a free downloadable copy of this 16-page booklet, visit:
https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/aira/am-i-really-a-christian-bostonthomas

NOTE: This booklet contains selected sections from Human Nature in Its Fourfold State, by Thomas Boston, modernized for easier understanding by today’s reader. Jeffrey T. Riddle, pastor of Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, provided the abstraction and modernization. Copyright 2015 Chapel Library. www.ChapelLibrary.org

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3 Simple Steps to Understand the Bible Better

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Wayne Davies

What does it take to understand Scripture?

Here’s a word picture that provides an answer: “Raking is easy, but you get only leaves; digging is hard, but you might find diamonds” (John Piper, Future Grace).

The same can be said about finding gems of truth in the Bible. It requires time and effort – digging rather than raking. Yes, some passages are self-explanatory, but others can be difficult to comprehend. It often necessitates disciplined study rather than superficial skimming to understand the Word.

This should not surprise us. Rather, it’s to be expected. Note how Peter describes Paul’s writings: “His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16).

I take much comfort in this verse. If Peter says that Paul’s letters can be hard to understand, then it is likely that I may not “get” everything Paul (or any Bible writer) says immediately. It may take multiple readings and some serious study time. And that’s OK.

In light of Peter’s comments, the need to study the Word is self-evident. This raises the question: “How do we do that?” What does it take to not only read the Word but examine it more closely, to better understand it?

To that end, here’s a simple 3-step Bible study method:
1. Ask questions of the text.
2. Write down your answers to these questions.
3. Pray throughout your time in the Word.

STEP ONE
The following two questions can facilitate intimate, life-changing interaction with God and His Word.

Question #1: “What does this passage teach about God?”
What do you learn about who God is — His character and attributes? Look for His promises, His law (His “training in righteousness,” per 2 Timothy 3:16), and His sovereignty. We start with God because first and foremost, “The Bible is a book about God” (Jen Wilkin, Women of the Word). Jesus said so in John 5:39 – “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” In other words, the Bible is God’s autobiography. “In any biblical narrative, God is the ultimate character, the supreme hero of the story” (Gordon Fee, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth). By “God” we mean God the Father, God the Son, and/or God the Holy Spirit.

Question #2: “In light of this teaching about God, what is my response?”
According to this passage, what does God require of people? Or, as Francis Schaeffer wrote, “How should we then live?” These divine expectations come in many forms: a command to obey, a promise to believe, an attitude to cultivate, an example to follow, a blunder to avoid, a sin to confess and forsake, a reason to worship, a truth about God for which praise and thanks are warranted.

This second question leads us to an essential component of God-honoring Bible study: self-examination. Be sure to ask yourself, “What is God teaching me about my attitudes and actions? In light of this passage, how do I need to change to become more like Christ?”

STEP TWO
It is beneficial that you write down your answers in a paper journal or electronic device. This exercise will enable you to articulate what you’ve learned and further impress God’s Word on your heart and mind. A year or two from now (or a decade), having a written record allows you to look back at what God has taught you – yet another source of joy.

Write as little or as much as you like, however you like. Grammar and punctuation do not matter. Write from your heart to the Lover of your soul. He would be delighted to read what you’ve learned about Him and how you are responding.

STEP THREE
Bathe the entire process in prayer – before, during, and after. Ask for His enlightenment: “Open my eyes and teach me, Lord! Give me understanding!” (Psalm 119:18, 26, 27). Plead for His transforming power: “Change me, Lord! Renew my mind and sanctify me! (Romans 12:2, John 17:17). Offer praise and gratitude to Him for His infallible Word and the lessons you glean from it: “Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your truth! (Psalm 119:62).

This is one way to better understand any passage, regardless of its genre. Don’t just read it. Ask probing questions; write down your answers; pray continuously — and you’ll go deeper into the meaning of God’s incomparable Word.

NOTE: The above comments are adapted from my book, 7 Deadly Sins of Bible Reading: Common Bible Reading Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, available on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Sins-Bible-Reading-Mistakes-ebook/dp/B09KZGV1XY

Or for a free PDF of this book, visit:
https://payhip.com/b/9CetT

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