Pastor Deborah Merritt

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Study of the Bible

• Pastor Deborah Merritt

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Knowing God

• The Bible is the primary source of knowing God
• It is the Gods chosen method of speaking to man
• The Bible is Gods source to make us wise unto
  salvation
• Life must be seen and lived in light of the words
  of the guidebook, the Bible

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Created to know God

• Jn 173
• And this is life eternal
• That they may understand and know you
• the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
  has sent

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2 steps for the desire to know God

• First,
• Recognize the need to know
• Second,
• Seek and search the scriptures to know

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To know God one must believe

• He is the king, the supreme one enacting
  regulations and laws to order the affairs of the
  earth, the world and the universe and working
  them out according to his will.
• He speaks and talks to man to insure that his
  will and plan is done is the earth, the world and
  the universe.

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In Genesis 1-3 God puts 3-fold character of his
word in operation

• Law or Command
• Testimony / prohibition
• Promise
• In Genesis 1-3, we see that by his word
• God sets mans circumstances and environment
  commands obedience
• invites trust
• and opens him to His mind.

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His Law or Commandments are

• True
• Stable
• Permanent
• Shows us his plan for our lives
• Defines true humanity
• Warns against moral self destruction

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His testimony is the divine instruction of

• The facts of faith
• The principles of holiness
• The historical narration
• Theological argument
• The principles and instruction of worship
• The principles and instruction of wisdom

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His promises are true because

• Of his unfailing commitment of fulfillment
• He is a covenant keeper
• He never fails those who trust his word
• They are appropriate to appease the anxiety of
  this life

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God speaks through his word to

• To determine the environment of which we must
  live
• To engage our minds and heart so we will know him

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Proverbs 35-6

• Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and do
  not lean to thine own understanding. In all thy
  ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy
  paths.

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And he will direct thy path

• Actually means from inductive research that he
  gives personal leading to an individuals life
• The word path can be translated smooth
  course or course of your life
• The word path employed in the Psalms and
  Proverbs usually renders the idea of a general
  course or fortunes in life

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Now look at the entire context! Prov.31-10

• V.1-2 Keep my commandments and have long days and
  peace
• V.3-4 Keep kindness and truth and find favor and
  a good reputation
• V.5-6 Trust in the Lord and He will make the
  course of life successful
• V.7-8 Fear the Lord and it will bring healing to
  your body
• V.9-10 Honor the Lord with your wealth and your
  barns will be filled with plenty

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Proverbs 35-6

• Sets the pattern to be followed to experience
  true success in life.
• Sets a pattern that is based on trust and
  obedience to the word of God by following his
  directions that are located in the scriptures

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Lets consider another scripture!

• Psalms 328
• I will instruct you and teach you in the way
  which you should go I will counsel you with my
  eye upon you.

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Believed to be written by David

• After his sin with Bathsheba
• Must be understood as it relates to Ps.51
• Ps.51- a prayer of repentance and requesting
  forgiveness for this specific sin
• David made promises to God, to teach others
• Ps.32 is his response to his answered prayer
• Now lets read the entire Ps.32!

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Inductive Bible Study

• To inductively study the Bible, here are 8
  crucial steps to follow
• Step 1
• Know that the scriptures is our primary means of
  knowing God, learning his precepts, and growing
  in his grace.
• God is knowable !

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Step 2

• Read the word of God consistently every day and
  meditate with intense thought
• Step 3
• Observe it Make observation of what is
  actually being said and is actually going on
  before plans are made to take action

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Step 4

• Interpret it
• Connect it with the context, and other
  reference scriptures,
• Study the book of the Bible
• Study the writer of the scripture
• Then and only then can it be examined for the
  meaning

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Step 5

• Ask questions
• Is this all that is being said?
• Did I take into consideration the original
  language of the scripture?
• What about the culture?
• Did I overlook a word, thinking it was
  insignificant?
• Has this precept been seen in other scriptures

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Step 6

• Internalize what you are learning.
• Make it personal and determine how it can fit
  into your life
• Pray for the areas that you see in your life that
  are affected by the scripture and ask God to make
  it a part of you.

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Step 7

• Make application
• How does apply me?
• How can I allow this word change and transform
  me?
• What must I do to make this word real?

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Step 8

• Chart your own path
• Write it down.
• Keep a record of your learning experience
• Keep it as your personal word because now God
  is speaking directly to YOU!
• Keep it close to read occasionally so you can
  look back and see the work of God in your life

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Some examples of Inductive Studies

• Jeremiah 1516
• 16.Thy words were found, and I did eat them and
  thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of
  mine heart for I am called by thy name, O Lord
  God of hosts.
• Get some more scriptures about the word and food.
  
• Jn 648-52 ,Ezek.31-4, Jere.19-13, Isa.5510-11

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I believe that God is

• I will read the scriptures daily to understand
  that the word relates to food that should be
  eaten.
• Who was Jeremiah?
• Why did Jeremiah prophesy it this way?
• Where was Jeremiah?
• Why is the word to be found and eaten?
• What does it mean for a human to ingest and
  digest food?
• How can I ingest and digest the word of God?
• What should I do to get the word on the inside?
• I will write down what I have heard and what I
  have done to apply this scripture to my life.