Bible Study - Sabbath School Podcast

Further Thought: The purpose of Bible study is to know God and to grow in your relationship with Him, for this is what life eternal is--to be forever with the God we love (John 5:39, John 17:3).

Part of any relationship is mutual engagement. We read in Revelation 3:20 that Jesus seeks to have this with us, yet we must realize that, as created beings, we can always learn more about our Creator. Like a miner digging for precious jewels, we should be constantly searching in the Bible. There is always more to glean, no matter how many times we’ve read certain stories or Bible passages. “Whatever may be man’s intellectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that there is no need of thorough and continuous searching of the Scriptures for greater light. As a people, we are called individually to be students of prophecy.”--Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 41.

We should also not try to make the Bible fit into our own human opinions or thoughts. “How shall we search the Scriptures? Shall we drive our stakes of doctrine one after another, and then try to make all Scripture meet our established opinions? or shall we take our ideas and views to the Scriptures, and measure our theories on every side by the Scriptures of truth? Many who read and even teach the Bible, do not comprehend the precious truth they are teaching or studying.… Many give the words of Scripture a meaning that suits their own opinions.”--Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 36.

Discussion Questions:

1. What attitude do you usually come to the Bible with? Is there anything that needs to shift? Why is an attitude of humility and surrender to the Word so crucial?
2. Are there any established opinions that you might need to lay aside to allow Scripture to speak for itself? If so, how can you start praying about them right now?
3. How might originality become a stumbling block in a person’s outward relationship with God? That is, how might the desire to find something new and innovative lead someone astray, especially if they are doing it for selfish purposes?

Summary: Personal Bible study is at the heart of having a vibrant and enduring relationship with God. God’s Word speaks into our twenty-first-century lives in meaningful ways, just as it has during past centuries. In a similar way to keeping any friendship alive, we should look for ways to keep our devotional lives vivid as we abide in Jesus, trusting His promise that His Word “shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11, NKJV).

’Tis So Sweet!

Think about your favorite dessert. Is it good for your health? Perhaps you use honey as a sweetener, or you may even use Manuka honey for its purported medicinal benefits. If you’ve ever tried honeycomb, you’ll know how sweet the soft texture is as it melts onto your tongue.

In Psalm 119:103-104, the psalmist describes the Bible as a honeycomb--a metaphor for delight: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding” (NKJV).

What does it mean that “through your precepts I get understanding”? (Ps. 119:104). Why is this idea important in grasping what Bible study does for us?

Yes, God’s words are indeed sweet to our souls and unlike anything else the world offers us. Unlike many desserts, the sweetness of God’s Word is healing to our souls and life-changing for our characters. If you’ve been distant from God, you can fall on your knees, open His Word, and drink from the living water that alone will satisfy.

In Isaiah 55:1-13, the prophet expands on the message mentioned above. Spend some time reading this chapter now and then answer these questions:

• What does the Lord give to those who come to Him, to “eat” from His Word?
• What is His invitation to you here?
• What is His challenge?
• What is His promise?

God’s living and powerful Word cuts straight to our hearts, minds, and souls as it challenges us to grow in Christ. But it can do this for us only to the degree that we take the time and effort (and yes, it takes effort) to delve into the Word with an attitude of submission and humility and a willingness to follow what it teaches.

What are concrete ways you can “seek the LORD while He may be found” (Isa. 55:6, NKJV)?

A Double Blessing

There are many ways we can study our Bibles, such as the verse-by-verse method (mentioned already), a chapter study, a theme study, a word study, or a book study. We can study with a concordance and Bible dictionary, and we can read the Bible alongside the Conflict of the Ages series for additional insight. We can go for a walk outside in nature and listen to the Bible being read to us, or meet with a friend or small group to study together.

In the same way that we keep our friendships alive with variety and new adventures, we should keep our daily appointment with God fresh and vibrant by using different methods as we study your Bible. There is always more to learn!

Something that will help keep your Bible study time vibrant is sharing with others what you’ve discovered. When we explain what we’ve learned, the summarizing, synthesizing process consolidates our thoughts. This helps us retain knowledge. The double blessing is that when we share and discuss with others, the spiritual conversation will often challenge and strengthen both of you. It’s often when we share or teach others that the deepest learning occurs in our own minds.

You will also come to see that what you study each day is not only God’s message for you but a message for others.

Read Isaiah 50:4. What is this verse telling us about having a relationship with God and how it can impact our relationship with others?

Our personal Bible study time not only strengthens us but enables us to encourage others we may meet that day. It can become a double blessing.

Our spiritual lives are a marathon. Ask the Lord to keep you running your race with constancy, keeping your eyes on the goal (Phil. 3:14). Don’t feel discouraged if you’ve have gone a bit slack for a while, but make any necessary changes in your life to keep your relationship, and specifically your Bible study and prayer time, vibrant. For truly, this is eternal life, that we may know God today (John 17:3). Our daily commitment to abide in Him and in His Word is life-changing.

Read this week’s memory text and consider its meaning. What are you studying at the moment? With whom could you share this?

Deep Bible Study

Even if you don’t have to be a scholar to study the Bible, how can you study the Bible deeply?

Pray: It’s impossible to overstate the importance of prayer as bookends to (and bookmarks throughout) your Bible study time. Ellen G. White tells us that when we come to read the Bible, we are not alone. By inviting the Holy Spirit to be our guide, we reject all other distractions, and the enemy flees. “The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The Holy Spirit alone can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood, or prevent us from wrestling truths difficult of comprehension.”--The Great Controversy, pp. 599, 600.

Read and Write: It could be said that a main difference between merely reading the Bible, and studying it, comes down to one key act: writing. Writing helps us slow down our thoughts, reflect on God’s Word, and work through it at a pace where observation, interpretation, application, and commitment can occur. It also helps our initial scattered ideas work themselves out--from our head, to our pen, and then into our hearts for the day. We are also more likely to remember something that we’ve written down (Ps. 119:15-16). If you’re not able to write, try reading the Bible aloud (or listening to it), followed by your thoughts as a prayer to God.

Share: Tell someone what you’ve learned. This will solidify it in your mind and encourage someone else.

Select a short book of the Bible to begin with (such as Jonah, Mark, Philippians, or 1 John), and slowly work your way through it. Here is a simple approach you can apply to one verse (the verse-by-verse method), a passage, or an entire chapter:

• Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your mind and soften your heart as you read.
• Choose a Bible verse or passage.
• Write the passage in a journal or portions of the passage that stand out as you read.
• Prayerfully read the passage again and underline the key ideas.
• Write down what the underlined ideas tell you.
• Pray over these ideas and how they impact your relationship with God.
• Consider whom you might share this with today.

“Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty in its sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and thus it will continue to the end.”--Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, pp. 38, 39.

In what ways have you found the message in the quote above to be true for you? See also Psalm 119:105.

A Place

Jesus is our perfect example in all things, and when it comes to personal devotions, it is no different. What does Mark 1:35 tell us about Jesus’ time with God?

Although this is just one verse, we can learn so much here from Jesus’ example. Long before the sun came up, He removed Himself to a solitary place of quiet so that He could be with His Father. Can you imagine the scene--Jesus, sitting by the Sea of Galilee or on the side of a hill, praying and communing with His Father before the world around Him woke up? Although this verse describes Jesus’ commitment to prayer, we clearly see that it was a priority for Him. No doubt this time was what gave Him strength to face all that He endured. If Jesus needed this to start every day, how much more do we?

God tells us, “Seek My face,” and He hopes our response will be “Your face, LORD, I will seek” (Ps. 27:8, NKJV).

What does 1 Chronicles 16:11 say about how we should seek His face?

Do you have a place you can go each morning to be with God? Perhaps you can find a chair by a window, a quiet spot outside, or even the kitchen table, where you can come daily to sit at the feet of Jesus to learn from God’s Word. Sitting at the feet of Jesus is the best place to be (Luke 10:39-42). By forming a daily habit of going to a certain place to spend time with God, you’ll be more likely to return there each day. Don’t become discouraged when you miss a day here or there, because emergencies arise, and you may not be able to spend time with God. But try not to let too much time pass by without spending time with God. Remember that having an abiding relationship with God is a daily decision, one that you can start again, today, if you choose to.

During the past week, how much time have you spent in prayer and Bible reading? What does your answer tell you about changes you might have to make in your priorities?

Time

Have you ever set your alarm a little earlier than usual in order to wake and read your Bible? Have you ever struggled to drag yourself out of bed and then looked at the clock and thought, I have fifteen minutes before I need to begin the day. I better hurry! Have you ever gone through the motions of having a brief prayer or skimming a chapter, only to find your conscience appeased but your heart unsatisfied with the result before you rushed into the day? “There is but little benefit derived from a hasty reading of the Scriptures. One may read the whole Bible through and yet fail to see its beauty or comprehend its deep and hidden meaning.”--Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 90.

While there are indeed blessings that come from reading the Bible--like drinking from a fire hydrant (lots and fast)--it is possible to read the Bible through quickly and yet miss so much. God gave us His inspired, precious Word so that we would come to know more about Him (and, in the process, more about ourselves, too). When we take time to see the indescribable, beautiful character of God and the ways He has interacted with humanity throughout history, we can only love Him more. The record of His interactions is right there in our hands--but we must find time, and take time, to know God through reading His Word (Acts 17:11). Consider the following suggestions:

Ask God to place a desire in your heart for Him. Claim the promises in Jeremiah 29:13 and Psalm 37:4. Invite Him to wake you up earlier than usual or to free up some time in your day to do so.

Surrender your time to God. Yes, you’re busy, and there are so many urgent things to do. But time with God is invaluable. Go to a quiet place by yourself and read Psalm 46:10. Read the words or sing to God the hymn “I Surrender All.” Think about the areas of your life that may not be surrendered and offer them to God.

Spend time with God even when you may not feel like it. Just as it takes a conscious choice and an action plan to be healthy (exercise, eat well), it takes a conscious choice to have a close relationship with God. Remember that new habits can take at least 21 days to form, and we can never succeed without the Holy Spirit’s help.

Read again John 15:1-8. What is Jesus telling us about abiding in Him, and why is this so crucial to our faith?

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: John 15:1-8, Mark 1:35, 1 Chron. 16:11, Ps. 119:105, Isa. 50:4, Isaiah 55:1-13

Memory Text: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11, NKJV).

Think back to when you received your first Bible. Perhaps you were a child, and it was given to you by a Christian relative. Or perhaps you purchased it yourself as an adult. However long you’ve had your Bible for (perhaps you have more than one copy), consider the value that you place on this Book. Is it one of your most precious, treasured possessions, or do you take for granted that you have the living Word of God at your very fingertips? Do you struggle to be consistent in reading it? Have you ever wondered: Where do I start? How do I read this Book to grow closer to God?

Martin Luther said, “For a number of years I have now annually read through the Bible twice. If the Bible were a large, mighty tree and all its words were little branches, I would have tapped at all the branches, eager to know what was there and what it had to offer.”

Whether you experience a thriving, daily Bible study time, or whether your Bible sits mostly closed on a bookshelf, the reality is that we can all develop stronger Bible study times with God. This week we’ll explore some practical ways to study the Word of God better.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 2.

Further Thought: If you consider the words that you’ve spoken during the past 24 hours, how would you evaluate them? Were they loving, kind, joyful, uplifting, frustrated, tired, anxious, angry, gossipy, or malicious? The Bible says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34, NKJV). When we have junk in our hearts, it comes out in our words.

We’ve all experienced feeling frustrated, tired, or stressed, and that state of mind changes what comes out of our mouths (often words we later regret). In contrast, when our heart is bursting with love for someone, it flows through our words.

In the same way, God’s Word speaks of His heart and His intentions toward us. It’s amazing to think that these very words, straight from the heart of God, are in our possession in the Bible. It’s truly incredible to see the power God’s words have held throughout history. “It is one thing to treat the Bible as a book of good moral instruction, to be heeded so far as is consistent with the spirit of the times and our position in the world; it is another thing to regard it as it really is--the word of the living God, the word that is our life, the word that is to mold our actions, our words, and our thoughts. To hold God’s word as anything less than this is to reject it. And this rejection by those who profess to believe it, is foremost among the causes of skepticism and infidelity in the youth.”--Ellen G. White, Education, p. 260.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are all the logical and rational reasons you have for your faith? Probably a whole lot more than you realize.
2. How can you make sure that Bible study and prayer are the foundation of your relationship with God? How can you have a relationship with God without both prayer and Bible study?
3. If someone wanted to deepen their relationship with God, where would you advise them to start reading?
4. How can you live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord? (Deut. 8:3). What might that really look like in your life?
5. What do the following passages tell us about God’s words? Heb. 11:3; Ps. 33:6; Matt. 11:4-5; 1 Thess. 4:16; Eph. 6:17; James 1:21.

Summary: The Bible is living and powerful, and reading it is foundational to growing our relationship with God. Not only does it teach us about God’s wonderful character and His interactions with humanity throughout earth’s history--it also speaks to each of us today when we come to it in humility.

State of the Heart❤️‍🩹

Our ability to receive instruction from God’s Word (Job 22:22) depends largely on what the state of our heart is like when we come to the Bible. How does 1 Corinthians 2:14 explain this?

To have spiritual discernment means to have spiritual insight and understanding. It makes sense, then, that a spiritually open-minded person will have very different takeaways in reading the Bible than a spiritually closed-minded person. Someone who thinks the Bible is foolish won’t look for truth in its pages.

So, both our attitude toward the Bible and the way we approach reading it are very important when it comes to growing in a relationship with God. How does Paul explain this in 1 Thessalonians 2:13?

God’s Word works in us when we believe. When you open your Bible and believe that God has something to say to you through the words on the pages, He will indeed speak to you and work in your life. But so much depends on your faith and your expectations. The good news is that if your faith is small, God can help it to grow (Mark 9:24), even if it’s tiny like a mustard seed (Luke 17:6).

One of the great purposes of the Bible is to speak truth into our lives about the condition of our relationship with God and how to strengthen it. If your heart is open to the Holy Spirit, if you approach the Word with humility, you will always come away changed, although one might not always immediately recognize this day by day, because such change and growth is often incremental. But if we cling to our apathy and sin and are not willing to change, Bible reading can avail us little good. The Holy Spirit prompts us to move closer to Jesus Christ. Do we want to step closer? If so, we become “wise unto salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15), and we’ll see things we never even imagined.

What is the state of my heart and mind as I approach the Bible? Am I just bringing my opinions to the Bible with the goal of trying to justify them, or am I coming with an open mind and heart, ready with childlike faith to see what God wants to tell me today? Why is that answer so important?

Bible Claims

What might change in your home if you turned to the Bible when faced with a big decision, relationship problem, or challenge? What might change in your workplace or church if the words of the Bible truly became the lens through which people viewed the world and chose to live by?

The Bible authors knew how valuable the words of the Bible were. No other book can speak to your life as these words can. The words can sit on the page in your Bible, but how can you keep them in your heart?

What is David’s advice in Psalm 119:11, and how might you follow it? (See also Heb. 4:12.)

One of the claims the Bible makes about itself can be found in Hebrews 4:12. A two-edged sword is powerful and sharp, but the Bible can do what human tools cannot for the human soul. The Bible describes itself as being alive. Perhaps you’ve wondered how this could be, given that it was written thousands of years ago, but Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63, NKJV). If your heart is broken or your life is falling apart, God can speak His words into your world and change things around. The Old Testament also describes God’s words as being very active and not at all stagnant or passive (see Isa. 55:11). When David reflected on the impact of God’s words on his life, he wrote, “This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life” (Ps. 119:50, NKJV).

Perhaps you’ve experienced severe hunger at some point in your life, or maybe you’ve fasted or gone on a diet. Doesn’t food taste good after you’ve been hungry? In a spiritual sense, the Bible is food for our souls.

If your soul is empty and hungry, open the living Word. Read Jeremiah 15:16, 1 Peter 2:2, and Matthew 4:4.

God’s words taste good to the mind and heart, and when we read them, they will fill us and sustain us as promised.

The messages in God’s word, the Bible, have come from God Himself. God sent them specifically for us and for every other person who has sought Him. When we read them with a prayerful, open heart, those words won’t be wasted.

How much time do you spend daily in the Bible, and how do you spend that time? What can you do to make that time the most spiritually profitable?