I have often been asked about the secret to my success. I tell them that I owe everything to Jesus Christ. Most scoff at that notion and say, “No, really, did you have a mentor or get further education?
I respond, “No, really, I owe all of my success to the Lord and got my education through the Bible”.
Generally they look at me like I’m some kind of nutcase and just drop it. I don’t know why people stumble on this; it seems so natural to me. There are three very important resources that God has offered to me in order to obtain success and they are as follows:
1. He talks to me through His Holy Bible
2. He gives me an audience without an appointment to talk to Him through prayer
3. He gives me an opportunity to witness to others about Jesus Christ
I told a friend of mine (who has a ministry that is leading millions to the Lord) that God was going to mightily bless him. He responded: “He gave me His Only Begotten Son, has promised to always be with me, and has assured me of a place in heaven for all of eternity. I could not think of any greater blessing!!!! Guys like us have been rewarded, are being rewarded, and will be rewarded, just because of who He is. Isn’t it all so amazing”?
Every component above is important to success and without any one of them I would have hardly survived much less thrived. I’ve wanted to share what I’ve learned for some time now and seven weeks ago I began teaching my methodology for studying the Bible prior to church services at Honey Lake Church. In this class I’ve detailed step by step how I approach my daily Bible study. I’ve been studying it now for 43 years and have learned how to make Bible study fascinating and fun.
According to surveys only 19% of Christians read the Bible every day; about 25% read it a few times a week; 14%. once a week; 22% once a month; and 18% rarely or never read their Bible.
Adam experienced God in person and after the sin and fall from grace, we were given God’s written word the Bible through which we might experience him; Jesus came and once again we experienced God face to face right up to the day we crucified Him and were once again left to experience God through the Bible.
God created us for fellowship. He wants to spend time with us and He loves us. It is important to understand that the Bible is not a model of church or a human curriculum. It’s an unleashing of the mighty power of God’s word to affect positive change in our lives!
Hebrews 4:12 states: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The Bible is alive and active and when we read it God expands our knowledge and give us supernatural understanding.
The Bible is God and John 1:1 speaks of Jesus in this fashion: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome
I believe that many people don’t read the Bible because they approach it as theology or doctrine and read it like a text book. My approach to Bible study is one of curiosity about God, and what He desires of me. I read it as though God is directly talking to me and teaching me things as His son. He teaches me about life and death and how to get by in this old fallen world and He teaches me about the glory of what is ahead (which will last throughout infinity). It’s very interesting to take my time and listen to the Spirit. It is far from being an ancient book; it is as relevant today as it was on the day it was first penned. Importantly it helps me to solve my problems and gives me hope.
This Sunday I’m teaching my approach to prayer, the second component necessary for success. I will explain my thoughts on prayer, (who/what/when/where/how to pray). We experience God and listen to his wisdom through Bible study and then we can communicate back to Him through prayer. The Bible speaks and we listen – We speak and God listens.
The final lessons will entail my method of witnessing to others and exactly how I lead someone to the Lord including the “Sinners Prayer”. Witnessing is a vital component of God’s plan for our lives and one that all Christian should fulfill.
Walking through the world is like walking into an orange grove and everywhere we look we see ripe fruit just waiting to be picked. Sadly most Christians just observe the lost and ignore their lost condition. Surveys indicate that while over 80% of the unchurched want to know more about God and over 70% say they would likely accept an invitation to church, less than 2% of all church goers invited one person to church in the last 12 months. We must change this paradigm!
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church, (or somewhere) this Sunday. And invite someone to come with you!
Matt. 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
February 21, 2014 – Click here to listen