Why Bible Study?

I have been mightily blessed in past years, as now, to be free to participate with a group of women in studying God's Word. The faces and locations have changed, but the purpose and subject have not. Oh, I have studied many subjects within the Bible, but ultimately the subject is God and His Son, Jesus.

What, however, is the purpose? Am I studying in order to benefit myself; to grow in maturity and knowledge, (Romans 12:2)? Perhaps. Or am I studying in order to be a wiser, more well-rounded Christian, better fit to serve my family, church and community, (1 Peter 4:10)?

Study for my own or another's benefit are not the purpose toward which I am aiming. For if I seek only to benefit myself, then that of course leads to pride- "Look what I have learned". A desire to serve others through and by what I learn in Scripture surely can't be harmful... Yet if those others are taken away, what have I left?

My purpose and goal in studying Scripture must always and ever be God Himself.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
-Psalm 73:25

God has graciously revealed Himself to us in a fashion to which we can return again and again. The written words of the Bible provide us with the gateway to knowing the very Creator of the universe. As we read through the Scriptures of the Bible, the Holy Spirit gently teaches us, revealing truth unchanged from before time. And a truth which absolutely blows my mind is that, as I study Scripture, not only do I learn more about Him, thus to grow in knowledge of and relationship with Him, but as I grow in this knowledge, God is glorified!

Paul prayed for the Philippian church, that their "...love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11) Elsewhere Paul records his prayer that the people of Colossae, "...may be filled with the knowledge of (God's) will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:9-10)

The goal, therefore, for myself and those with whom I study, is to bring glory and praise to God, and to be fully pleasing to Him in the manner of life we live as result of the study of, meditation upon, and thereby the transforming power of His Word. Knowledge of Him and a life of service to others are merely the residual effects of reaching for this goal. May we keep our eyes fixed on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

First Bible Study

This morning was the first day of the Bible Study that I, with fear and trembling, will be leading at our church. Leading a study written by a Southern Baptist back in the 60's for a group of Northern Presbyterian women in the year 2008 means there will be some translation of terms involved, but it will be worth it. Our aim is to deepen and enrich our prayer lives; and who doesn't need that?

Unfortunately, in His Providence, God saw fit to have only two of the ten women come this morning, the rest being down with illness or sidetracked by other commitments. Feeling awkward speaking to women in a group until I know them better, I think the email that I sent to our absentees was probably a better explanation of what to expect from the weeks ahead than what I stuttered through this morning! I am more comfortable at my keyboard than looking into the eyes of people I don't know well- yet- and explaining things. In fact, I think that I may be the youngest person at the study,... gulp. (Did I mention fear and trembling?)

Yet, it is ultimately not I who teach this study, but the Holy Spirit who will illumine the texts and work in our hearts as we continue in the study of the Word.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of the darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. -2 Corinthians 4:6

Too Cute

I have to post this since we keep going back to it so often. This is just precious!

Psalm 23

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Meanwhile Isaac is home again, this time with a bellyache. I think we're just going to run through every possible illness in this grading period and get it out of the way. Poor sweetie. He is plastered into the big comfy chair listening to "The Philadelphia Chickens", a fun musical cd loaned to us by a friend. Once that's finished we'll put on Jungle Jams. I'd rather he not spend time home glued to the television, but rather exercise his brain by listening to these cute radio programs instead.