My Most Life Changing Experience
My most life changing experience aside from my personal salvation…Read on to Find Out!
All humans experience life change through various experiences: marriage, child birth, the death of a loved one. And yes, experiencing the saving grace of Jesus Christ was totally the pinnacle of life changing experiences for me.
However, nothing has TRANSFORMED me any more than learning how to study God’s Holy scripture – the Bible. This has been the MOST life changing experience for me! I have been a Christian since I was 12 – but I didn’t start STUDYING until I was 40!
How have I been transformed, you ask? Since I have been truly studying the Bible for the past 5 or 6 years, here are some things that have changed dramatically!
- Studying the Bible has made me a better wife, mother, and friend. In the scripture, I find principles that guide my actions toward my family and friends.
- My thinking is lined up with truth – not my emotions, circumstances, or my moods.
- I know the God of this universe more intimately. He reveals Himself through His written Word. Because of this – I KNOW that I am loved beyond all measure.
- The scripture provides comforting words & words of counsel to those in need. When I counsel with hurting people, the Holy Spirit will bring to mind what I have studied to share with them (Luke 12:12). Nothing is more healing or more wise than the counsel of God’s Word.
- Scripture corrects my behaviors when I am not “walking worthy of my calling”. (2 Timothy 3:16)
Last spring I took a quick electronic survey of 70 people. The question: What is your greatest difficulty in Bible study? Here are the top 3 answers:
- Finding Time
- It’s too hard
- I just can’t get into it
- Finding Time: You make time for what you want to make time for 😉 Just think about how much time you spend watching TV, facebooking, or whatever…
- It’s too hard: A couple things…
- You have to turn on the light before you can see to read, right? Well, when it comes to Bible study, the Holy Spirit is your light – so pray first, then read.
- A few simple Bible study strategies will start untangling the Bible. For example, when a passage starts to list anything (like a list of sins or a list of fruit of the spirit), jot the list down in a notebook or Bible margin. Mark key words in distinctive ways. For example, anytime I see the word love, I mark it with a red heart. For more Bible study tips, see Precepts for Life.
- I just can’t get into it: When you can’t “get into it”, shut down the distractions (put the electronics away, find a quiet place, shut off the TV). Too many things will try to steal our time and attention away from the things that matter most!
How do you get into the Scriptures? Please leave a comment and share your favorite Bible study tip!
I get into the Scriptures by using The New Inductive Study Bible. A friend introduced me into the world of Inductive Bible study. Thanks Shelly! 😉 That totally changed how I get into the Word. Thanks for sharing with me . . . it has made such a huge difference in my life. 🙂
Getting into the Word will make a huge difference in our lives! Keep on studying Vicki – who knows how God will use you as you dig into the Bible!