Your Amazing Bible: Understanding the Word

Today I want to talk about the accessibility of personal Bible study: anyone can understand and enjoy the Bible. It's a book for every Christian of every time period, not just for the scholar or seminary student.

Why? Because the ultimate author of the Bible is the Holy Spirit, and He lives inside of you. That doesn't mean the Bible is always a breeze to understand. But the people who wrote the Bible were simple people, and for the most part, they wrote very simply about simple subjects.

So if you can understand the Word on your own and if God wants to reveal it to you by His Spirit, why do we need human teachers to teach the Bible? I think there's a balance to be had between listening to teachers and studying on your own. You can and should learn from Bible teachers (see Ephesians 4:11-12), but the Holy Spirit can also teach you the truths of Scripture when you open the Bible on your own (see 1 John 2:27).

In short, as a child of God, you can understand the Bible. I hope the 30K 30-Day Challenge is showing you that.

Think It Through

What encouragement can you glean from David's words in Psalm 119 verses 27 and 100? Consider reading and meditating on (thinking about) all of Psalm 119.

Read Acts 17:10-11. How did the Bereans achieve a balance between listening to teachers and studying on their own?

What are the challenges you face when it comes to understanding the Bible? How will you remove these challenges?

A Word of Encouragement

Don't be content to be spoon-fed the Bible; the rewards come when you open up the Scriptures on your own and the Holy Spirit reveals something fresh to you.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the Word of God, which is not just a bunch of confusing books of people saying different things, but a seamless instrument by which You have spoken to mankind, giving us an instruction manual. Help me graciously listen to those who teach your Word and then lean on the Holy Spirit for understanding as I study it for myself.

Land and Explore

If you're interested in learning more about the Holy Spirit and His role in your life, we're excited to offer you Holy Spirit , a three-message teaching series from Pastor Skip