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Effective Ways to Learn The Word of God. Pastor Scotty Cole, Instructor The Firehouse Church. Dedicate Time to the Word of God. Set aside a specific amount of time to study the word of God every day. If you're serious about learning the word of God then be serious about studying it.
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Effective Ways to Learn The Word of God Pastor Scotty Cole, Instructor The Firehouse Church
Dedicate Time to the Word of God • Set aside a specific amount of time to study the word of God every day. If you're serious about learning the word of God then be serious about studying it. • Joshua 1:8
Pray to Understand the Word of God • Prayer and the word of God go hand in hand, they are both necessary to come unto Christ. Prayer is how we communicate with our Father, and reading His written words is often how He communicates with us. What a magnificent blessing that we can communicate with God, our beloved Father! • Prov 24:3-4
Put Forth Real Effort • "Developing spirituality and attuning ourselves to the highest influences of godliness is not an easy matter. It takes time and frequently involves a struggle. It will not happen by chance, but is accomplished only through deliberate effort and by calling upon God and keeping his commandments" ("Developing Spirituality," Ensign, May 1979, 24).
Have a Purpose • When you begin to study the word of God select a purpose or topic to study. What do you want/need to learn? What are you struggling with? What gospel principle could you improve upon? Pray for help in selecting a purpose and the Lord will guide you. You can use the scripture's study helps, like the topical guide, to aid you in your search for direction. • Romans 8:28
Use a Spiritual Journal • Keeping a spiritual journal is a priceless tool to help you focus as you search the word of God. All you need is a little notebook and a pencil or pen to get you started. I like to write the date and that day's purpose (see previous tip) and then jot down any scriptures, thoughts, impressions, or questions I have as I study. Writing down all or part of a verse of scripture can help you to more fully ponder its meaning and how you can apply it in your life
Invite the Spirit with Good Music • Listening to hymns or other beautiful music (that is not distracting) will more easily bring The Spirit into your efforts to learn the word of God. You can even start your study by singing a hymn or two. As you do, focus on the words that you sing: what are they saying; how do you feel about them; do you believe the words? • 1 Sam 16:23
Humble Yourself Before the Lord • Our natural man (fallen self) doesn't want to work and put forth effort- we want life to be easy. But to be able to understand the word of God we must humble ourselves before the Lord. God's will for us is to obey His commandments and to seek his word and one of the many ways we can become humble is by fasting. We can also fast for help with our efforts to search the word of God and for guidance in understanding his doctrines. • James 4;10
Line Upon Line, Precept Upon Precept • "But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept... line upon line... here a little, and there a little..." (Isaiah 28:13). • The word precept means, "a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct" (dictionary.com). Not only do we learn a step at a time, but we must faithfully live each precept, or commandment, of God. If we haven't kept his basic commandments we won't be ready or able to keep His more advanced ones. This means having patience with oneself but also knowing that we must do our part if we expect to understand the word of God.
Personally Apply the Word of God • "You should care more about the amount of time you spend in the scriptures than about the amount you read in that time.
Be Diligent and Don't Give Up • Finally, as you daily study the word of God don't give up- be diligent! We must persistently seek the Lord. To come unto Him we must study His words: • The word of God is a priceless gift that we either accept or reject. • Proverbs 21:5