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Category: YOUTH CAMP

Published: Wednesday, 12 August 2009 19:46

Written by Mark Neddeau

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When I think of studying I often think of school, and the tedious burden of preparing for a test, or a pop quiz (I used to hate those!).  Yet, we are often urged to "study" the bible.  Well, let me ask if you truly understand what that means, and how to go about it in the first place?  I know when I was a young man in God, no one told me anything.  I struggled to understand concepts and words, and it wasn't until I was a little older, around 26 or so, that someone graced me with my first Strong's Concordance of the Bible.  But, I am getting ahead of myself.

The bible is a book just like any other in the fact that it can be easily read, once you know how to break it down.  It has a beginning, a middle, and an end.  It has passages that stand alone, and passages that must be read with others for them to be effective in your life.  It promises things, promotes ideas, and lays blame.  It is a war novel, a love story, and a spy book, all wrapped in one.  But, more than anything else, the bible is the only way we have on this earth to truly understand our Creator, our past, and our future.  To study the bible means to break it down into it's component parts, digest the information, and apply it in our lives (which is the greatest test of all).  I want to give you just a few tips on how to effectively study the bible in a meaningful way in your life.  Hopefully, I will be able to give you some keys to unlocking the great and wonderful mysteries that lie in wait for you.

First, as with any studying, you must make sure you will not be distracted.  Find a quiet place you can call your own, where your attention will not be swayed.  Once you have done that, PRAY.  Pray for God's guidance and blessings.  Ask God to reveal to you a secret; a personal message that will make a difference in your life, and make you more effective for him. 

Now that you are ready to study, here are some basic tools you should have. 

• A pen, pencil, or other writing tool
• Paper, whether a pad or individual sheets, or even a computer.  Anything to jot down your thoughts and information
• A Strong's exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Ask your parents for one for your birthday - it would make them proud, and save you money!)
• A parallel bible (King James/New International Version)  This can be so useful in getting through some of the THOU's and THINE's that fill the bible, and can make reading it hard.
• Patience.  Take your time and read ALL the references provided.  Learn to break every scripture down into it's basic parts, and read as many of the other scriptures that apply to it as possible.  This will provide you with the understanding of what the writer was really aiming at, and possibly give you a broader sense of what the message really is.

Be sure to discuss what you discover with someone you can trust, someone who has lived this walk for some time and who has spiritual insight.  You will begin to discover a whole new world if you take the time to really study the bible!  Don't just read the words, learn what each word means, where it came from, and how it is being used and you will grow strong in the spirit realm.  I wish you good hunting and growth in your studies!  May God richly bless you as your lean not unto your own understanding, but begin to acknowledge God through the indepth study of His WORD.

In Love,

Elder Mark S. Neddeau

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