To Find God’s Promises
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. – Proverbs 25:2
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. – Deuteronomy 29:29
Whatever knowledge God chooses to keep from us is beyond our ability to obtain and understand. Nevertheless, he has revealed to us everything that we need to know. Gods Holy Word contains all that we and our children need in order to understand, trust and obey him.
To Learn About What Jesus Did For Us
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. – John 3:16-17 NIV
God the father gave his one and only son as a substitute for sinful human beings. He would die on our place bearing our sins. When you trust in Jesus alone as your personal sin-bearer, judgment is removed and eternal life is freely given.
To Defeat Sin
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. – Psalms 119:9-11
Everywhere we look we can find temptation to lead impure lives. We can find strength and wisdom by reading Gods word and doing what it says. By treasuring the principles of scripture in our hearts we train ourselves to love Gods ways and it is a deterrent to sin. This is a very important step for new believers and young Christians. Memorization of scripture is very important but when you memorize and put Gods Word to work in your life it becomes very powerful.
To Renew Your Mind
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2
Notice that we aren’t conforming or transforming our minds. Someone else is. When God had all of us, and when the world has none of us, God does the work of renewing our confused minds. He brings our thoughts in line with his own so that we think like Him. God has a goal in this. Renewal allows him to merge his thoughts with ours so that he can bring his plans into our lives. His plans can come into our lives when we have a fully surrendered life.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[a]—is not from the Father but is from the world. – 1 John 2:15-16
When John talks about not living the world he’s talking about an organized system headed by satan that draws us away from Gods will and love. This is why we need not to love the world or it’s ways or it will govern your choices and pull you away from God.
To Learn About What to Expect in the Future
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. – Revelations 1:1-3
The revelation of Jesus Christ refers to his second coming to the earth. The book of Revelations is a good book that should be studied in a small group with someone who really understands scriptures. Revelations is a book about the future and it offers hope to all believers, especially those who have suffered for their faith in Christ. As you read and study Revelations, don’t focus so much on the timetable of events or the imagery that John uses but focus on the infinite love grace and power of Jesus our Lord.
To Help Us Make Better Decisions
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path – Psalm 119:105
The word of God is a source of light to guide the believer through life. It’s a lamp directing our feet in a dark world. It does this by giving us a decision making framework to live by.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
The Hebrew word for “trust” means to lie down on or to put your entire weight on something. Know that God is able to direct you regardless of the circumstances.
To Build Faith
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Romans 10:17
This verse says that faith is built by hearing the word of God. Reading about the miracles that God was able to do in the lives of his people will give us faith that God is able to come through in our lives.
To Learn More About God’s Character
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. – Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV
The Bible shows us God’s character and provides us God’s revelation of himself to his people. In each section of the Bible, we see God’s holy, unchanging, faithful, gracious and loving character.