To succeed, you must study God’s Word

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18 NIV

The key to Bible study is to do it daily, systematically, and prayerfully. The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” This involves three things: (1) God will show you the truth about Himself. You will discover His nature, His opinions, and what He values. And if you grew up with an absent or abusive parent, you will discover that your heavenly Father is entirely different—lovingly different! (2) God will show you the truth about others. You will begin to understand and appreciate their places in your life. You will also learn to recognize and anticipate their needs and the role God wants you to play in helping them. You see, when God blesses you, it’s always to make you a blessing to others (see Genesis 12:1-2). (3) God will show you the truth about yourself. You will start to grasp and appreciate how important you are to Him. Yes, He will point out your problems and weaknesses. But He will do more than that. He will show you the possibilities He sees in you and the plans He has for you (see Jeremiah 29:11). So set aside time each day to study your Bible. And spend part of it simply reading, without trying to delve into complex theological concepts. Read and absorb what God has to say, and let His Spirit speak to your heart. And here is an additional thought: since the Bible is the only book God ever wrote, and one day you’re going to stand before the author Himself, wouldn’t you like to be able to tell Him you have read His book?

Bible in a year: Numbers 32-34 and Mark 9:30-50