I received my first Study Bible when I was an early adolescent. Well, at least that's my guess. I don't know when I got it exactly, but there are stickers on the inside cover that point to sometime before my teenage years - stickers of cute little animals which are now completely adhered to the page. That NIV Study Bible opened up the Word of God to my young mind. I was hooked. I took notebooks full of notes as I would read. My dad had a Biblical Studies degree, so I would go through his books or sit down with him to pick his brain. I had so many questions, and I wanted to find their answers in the Word - I wanted to know why I believed what I believed. 

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I believe God placed that desire in my heart, and I'm so thankful He did! Not only do I have a deep longing to study God's Word, I also have an innate desire to share it. I'm not a scholar or a theologian. I am a student of the Bible, just like you. The things I will write about in this blog are things I am learning, discovering, and dealing with in my own life. And I will be honored that you join me for any part of this journey!

 

I don't know if you've been part of a Bible study before, but either way you belong here! God has given me a desire to write in a way that is clear-stated enough for those who are new to Bible study, yet deep enough for those who have been studying God's Word for years. I pray nearly every day that God leads each and every word and that He is the ultimate Articulator of what He wants to convey.

 

I believe people today are craving depth. We're not satisfied just to be told something, we want to know the "why's" and the "how's." Studying the Word of God is absolutely vital to our walk with Him. We don't study the Bible simply to know more about it. That's definitely important, but there is so much more!  

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2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)

 

Hebrews 4:12

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. (NIV)

 

Ephesians 6:17

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NIV)

 

The Word of God, the Bible, is everything. It is God-breathed - the very words of God. If we desire to truly know God, then we must dive into His Word. The Word of God reveals who God is. It rebukes and corrects us (by penetrating to the soul and spirit and judging the thoughts and attitudes of our heart). It teaches and trains and equips us for good works. 

 

Every single person on this planet was created by God, and each one with purpose.

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Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV) 

 

We were created to desire purpose because God created us for a purpose!

 

And the Word of God equips us for that purpose. Hebrews 4:12 says God’s Word is alive and active. Let’s look at the Greek word translated active here: energés.

 

Look familiar?

 

I’m sure you guessed it. This word comes from the same Greek words we get our English word energy from. It means “energized, at work, effectual, and powerful!” 

 

The Word of God is not just full of old, dead words sitting on a page. It is full of life-giving words that are at work today, effective and powerful!

 

It is a weapon to be used against our enemy - a sword of the Spirit, sharper than any physical sword. 

 

By studying God’s Word, we seek:

• to know God more

• to become equipped to do what God calls us to do

• to possess tools with which to conquer the enemy 

 

So let’s get started!