Strength for Today

A New Life

 ^16-20Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

 ²¹How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God. (2 Cor. 5:14-21, The Message)

From the back of my Bible (NKJV, Thomas Nelson), Bible Study by Words. There are two profitable and helpful ways of studying great words or subjects in the Word of God. 1. Word study by Bible books. Certain words have special significance in certain Bible books. For example, after studying the Gospel of John as a book and by chapters you'll find it instructive and inspiring to trace the words believe & belief. They occur almost 100 times. 2. General word study. Here a Concordance will be a great help.  Through the study of great Bible words, you can soon become familiar with the great doctrines of the Bible. 

Bible Study by Topics. Bible prayers, promises, sermons, songs, poems, etc. The list of Bible topics is unlimited. [Nave's Topical Bible is a great tool to have. -- V. K.] 

Bible Study through Biography. The Bible is a record of God revealing Himself to men and through men. Both Testaments are rich in such biographical studies. Here are a few. The life of Noah (Gen. 5:32 - 10:32). The life of Abraham (Gen. 12-25). The life of Joseph (Gen. 37-50). Trace the person through the Bible with your Concordance. Be careful to note indirect references to the person in other portions of Scripture. [Character studies are my favorite kind in the Bible. -- V.K.] The great thrill of Bible study is discovering eternal truths for yourself and embarking on the adventure of obeying them and experiencing the blessing in your personal life.

More excerpts from the back of my Bible. Study for Bible Knowledge. One may study the Bible, as with a telescope, to see the great truths which stand out in every book. Or one may study the Bible as with a microscope to find all of the marvelous details which are in this mine of spiritual riches. The most important thing is to follow faithfully some systematic method of Bible study. 

Bible Study by Chapters. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible. In a little over three years, a person could make an intensive study of the whole Bible, taking a chapter a day. Read through the chapter carefully, seeking to find its main subject or thoughts. Read the chapter again and make a simple outline which will include its main thoughts. Using your concordance, look up the key words and find out what other portions of the Bible say about this question or problem. Compare Scripture with Scripture to find its true meaning.

Bible Study by Verses. Each verse may have only one simple meaning. But many verses are rich with many great truths which will demand more detailed study. [This is my personal favorite way to study the Bible. --V.K.]

Bible Study by Books. Read the book several times to receive the general impression of the main thoughts and purpose of the book. Reread the book again, this time asking questions: What is the central theme or emphasis of this book? What is the key verse? What does it tell me about the author and his circumstances when he wrote this book? What does this book tell me about the people to whom the book was written? By now certain words will stand out in the book. See how often they occur. For example, the word "joy" will appear many times in Philippians. As you reread a book, you'll find that you will begin to see its structure and its outline. 

In the back of my Bible (NKJV, Thomas Nelson) there is a section "How to Study the Bible" that I am sharing with you as we lead up to the New Year. Today we continue with points 5-7 under Devotional Bible Study.

5. Keep a spiritual diary. Either in your Bible study notebook or in a separate notebook entitled, "My Spiritual Diary," write down daily what God says to you through the Bible. Write down the sins that you confess or the commands you should obey.

6. Memorize passages of the Word of God. No one is ever too old to memorize the Word of God. Write verses on cards with the reference on one side and the verse on the other. Carry these cards with you and review them while you're waiting for a green light, standing, in line, washing the dishes, or going on a walk. One of the best ways is to spend a few minutes in review every night before going to sleep, in order that the subconscious mind may help you fix these passages of God's Word in your mind while you sleep (Psalm 119:11). To meditate means "to reflect, to ponder, to consider, to dwell in thought." Through meditation the Word of God will become meaningful and real to you, and the Holy Spirit will use this time to apply the Word of God to your own life and its problems.

7. Obey the Word of God. As Paul said to Timothy, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). The Bible has been given to us that we may live a holy life, well-pleasing to God. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22).

Dr. Wilbur M. Smith relates seven great things the study of the Bible will do for us.1. The Bible discovers sin and convicts us. 2. The Bible helps cleanse us from the pollutions of sin. 3. The Bible imparts strength. 4. The Bible instructs us in what we are to do. 5. The Bible provides us with a sword for victory over sin. 6. The Bible makes our lives fruitful. 7. The Bible gives us power to pray. You do not need a whole library of books to study the Bible. The Bible is its own best commentator and interpreter.

Devotional Bible Study is the most important kind of Bible study. DBS means reading and studying the Word of God in order that we may hear God's voice and that we may know how to do His will and to live a better Christian life. Dr. Howard A. Kelly said, "The very best way to study the Bible is simply to read it daily with close attention and with prayer to see the light that shines from its pages, to meditate upon it, and to continue to read it until somehow it works itself, its words, its expressions, its teachings, its habits of thought, and its presentation of God and His Christ into the very warp and woof of one's being."

For your devotional reading and study of the Bible, here are several important, practical suggestions:

1. Begin your Bible reading with prayer (Psa. 119:18; John 16:13-15). 2. Take brief notes on what you read. Keep a small notebook for your Bible study. 3. Read slowly through on chapter, or perhaps two or three chapters, or perhaps just one paragraph at a time. After reading, ask yourself what this passage means. Then reread it. 4. To find out the true meaning of a chapter or a passage, ask yourself the following questions, then write down the answers in your notebook. What is the main subject of the passage? Who are the persons revealed in this passage? Who is speaking? About whom is he speaking? What is the key verse of this passage? What does this passage teach me about Christ? Does this passage portray any sin for me to confess and forsake? Does this passage contain any command for me to obey? Is there any promise for me to claim? Is there any instruction for me to follow? Note: Not all of these questions may be answered in every passage. ~ Condensed from How to Study the Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishers, NKJV).

This week's "Strength for Today" will be devoted to "How to Study the Bible." It is hoped that it will be helpful to you as you plan a year of Bible study for 2012. The notes are taken from the back of my Bible (NKJV, Thomas Nelson Publishers).

The Bible is the greatest book ever written. In it God Himself speaks to men. It is a book of divine instruction. It offers comfort in sorrow, guidance in perplexity, advice for our problems, rebuke for our sins, and daily inspiration for our every need.

The Bible alone truly answers the greatest questions that men of all ages have asked: "Where have I come from?" "Where am I going?' "Why am I here?" "How can I know the truth?" For the Bible reveals the truth about God, explains the origin of man, points out the only way to salvation and eternal life, and explains the age-old problems of sin and suffering.

The greatest theme of the Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ and His work of redemption for mankind. The person and work of Jesus Christ are promised, prophesied, and pictured in the types and symbols of the Old Testament. In all of His truth and beauty, the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in the Gospels: and the full meanings of His life, His death, and His resurrection are explained in the Epistles. His glorious coming again to earth in the future is unmistakably foretold in the book of Revelation. The great purpose of the written Word of God, the Bible, is to reveal the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (read John 1:1-18).

The Birth of Jesus

 ^6-7While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

An Event for Everyone

 ^13-14At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: 

   Glory to God in the heavenly heights, 
   Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

 ^15-18As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

 ^19-20Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

Some of you have asked if I might repeat all of "The Letters of Christmas." So, here's my early Christmas present to you! Remember, there are hundreds of names and titles of Jesus in the Bible. These are just a few I chose from our English alphabet. You can create your own list, if so desired. (There are no words or titles, as far as I know, that correspond to Q, X or Z.) Here we go.

THE LETTERS OF CHRISTMAS

A - Alpha B - Bread of Life C - Consolation of Israel D - Desire of All Nations E - Everlasting Father F - Firstborn G - Gift of God H - Hope of Israel I - Immanuel J - JESUS K - King of kings L - Lord of lords M - Messiah N - Nazarene O - Only Begotten Son P - Prince of Peace R - Redeemer S - Savior T - Truth U - Unspeakable Gift V - Vine  W - Way Y - Young Child

"Christ Jesus . . . being found in appearance as a man . . . humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:5, 8-11).

"Fall on your knees, O hear the angels singing, O night divine, O night when Christ was born!"

There was only one name or title I could find for Jesus in "The Letters of Christmas" that starts with the letter Y and that is Young Child. This term appears several times in Matthew's gospel (KJV) and it actually brings us back full circle to the Christmas story itself. Wise Men came from the East seeking the one who was born King of the Jews. This news reached King Herod who, invited the Wise Men to a private audience with him. He told them, "Go search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring Him back to me, that I may come and worship Him also" (Matt. 2:8). No chance of that happening! The Wise Men followed  the star which they had seen in the East until it "stood over where the young Child was" (v. 9). When they entered the house (this is not the manger scene that is incorrect in most paintings), "they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him" (v. 11.) They presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and departed for their own country, wisely not going back to King Herod.

After the Wise Men's departure, an angel told Joseph, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him" (v. 14). The Greek word for "young" is paidion and means "a childling" or "a little, young child." Jesus was not an infant any longer. He may have been at least two years old because Herod sought to kill all the male children in Bethlehem and its districts who were two years old and under (v. 16). Following the death of Herod, an angel told Joseph, "Arise, take the young Child and His Mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead" (v. 21). "Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel" (v. 21). Luke adds this note of interest: "...they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him" (Luke 2:39-40). Jesus is growing up. He is not called "young" any longer (in the KJV). Two verses later we find Jesus is now twelve years old (42). The chapter ends, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (v. 52). The thing that impresses me in these young Child passages is God's divine protection over His Only Begotten Son, and how Joseph played an important role in being the protector from a human standpoint. Herod and all Hell wanted Him dead, but God had important plans for Him. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17). Thank God for the providential protection of the young Child!

I hope you have enjoyed "The Letters of Christmas" and that these devotions have drawn you closer to Christ. Tomorrow we shall do a review of "The Letters of Christmas" from A to Y.

I am torn between two choices for the letter W in "The Letters of Christmas," Since the W has a double-U sound, I will go with two! You don't mind do you? I didn't think so! The first will be Way. Jesus declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus is the way, the only way, to God. He is the way, the only way, to peace, to salvation, to happiness, to fulfillment, to true satisfaction, to eternal life. Jesus is the way. Every time I see a "One Way" sign, I am reminded of Jesus. He is the one way, the only way, to the Father. That is why we pray to God "in Jesus' name." We come to Him in prayer through Jesus. Salvation is through Christ. "God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:9). Jesus is our "Get out of Hell" ticket and our one-way ticket to Heaven. He has a monopoly on salvation.

Another W that I like is Word of Life. I like what the apostle John says in 1 John 1:1. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life." Jesus is the Word of Life. This is incarnational language. The Word was with God, the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (see John 1:1, 14). God was manifested in the flesh in the person and work of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God. John says, "We saw Him with our own eyes! We touched Him with our own hands!" Remember "Doubting Thomas?" Jesus told him, "Touch me and see!" We reach out and touch Jesus today by faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). And He is the Word of Life. Not just the Word, but the Word of LIFE! Our spiritual life and our eternal life hinges on Him. For 44 years I have had the wonderful privilege of "holding forth the word of life" (Phil. 2:16). Jesus is our life saver. Reach out by faith and grasp Him today.