Draw Near

Week 6 - Friday

February 14, 2020 • Jen

As this study comes to a close, I pray that it has reawakened in us a desire and an excitement to dig deep into God’s Word and grow in the knowledge of our Savior. We have been blessed with access to many free tools, including books, commentaries, and sermons, that can help us in our studies. Let’s make the most of these gifts. Here are some things to remember: Always begin with your own observations. Use the questions you have learned earlier in this study to help you pull out as much information as possible from your passages. It might even be helpful to have those questions written down and tucked in your Bible so you can easily reference them until they become second nature. When it comes to studying our Bibles we need to remember that the text has one intended meaning but many applications. It is our job to find that meaning to best of our ability, which is why studying God’s word can be hard work. “I study my Bible as I gather apples. First, I shake the whole tree that the ripest may fall. Then I shake each limb, and when I have shaken each limb I shake each branch and every twig. Then I look under every leaf . . . Pause at every verse of Scripture and shake, as it were, every bough of it, that if possible some fruit at least may drop down.” - Martin Luther Once we have written down as many observations as we can, done the work of interpretation, examined a few commentaries, and discussed the meaning of the passage with other believers, we can find ways to apply what we have learned to our circumstance and our world. Studying our Bibles should not only fill us with more information, but it should also lead to our transformation. We must apply what we learn to our lives. Jerry Bridges writes, "As we search the Scriptures, we must allow them to search us, to sit in judgment upon our character and conduct." The Word of God is a treasure, but we don’t always recognize it as such. How do we change our thinking?  How can we value it more than any of our other possessions? It happens the more we engage with it. The more you read it, study it, write about it, pray it, and memorize it, the more we will value it and see it’s worth. Here are some study tools that our team has found valuable and helpful in our study of God’s Word. Some of these are free and some are available through Amazon or other booksellers. Commentaries and other resources: https://www.preceptaustin.org/ - Lots of good articles and Bible study tools Studylight -  Another great resource for commentaries and study tools Blue Letter Bible – Commentaries, translations, and Greek and Hebrew Lexicons Here are a list of articles that might be helpful in learning more about studying the Bible Bible Study Tools – Has wonderful commentaries, dictionaries, concordances and lexicons to use for free as well as other tools that can help you) Grace Bible Church – Offers free Inductive Bible Studies for download Theology For Women – Wendy Alsup Women of the Word – by Jen Wilkin Disciplines of a Godly Woman – by Barbara Hughes Treasure of David – Spurgeon’s commentary on the Psalms Most of us don’t know each other, we live all over the world, experiencing different cultures and speaking different languages, but we all have similar difficulties and struggles. We don’t know each other now, but we will someday spend eternity together. Let’s pray for each other, that we come to adore the Word of God more than any other book on earth and through, it the God of the Word. Looking to Jesus, Jen

Week 6 - Thursday

February 13, 2020

Week 6 - Wednesday

February 12, 2020 • Jen

We memorize a lot of things in our lives; recipes, song lyrics, movie lines, directions, even computer programs. We are adding more information to our minds on a regular basis. One thing many Christians seem to struggle with is memorizing Scripture. I believe the main reason for this is because we don’t see its importance. Reasons and Benefits We are called to memorize God’s Word. In Colossians 3:16 we are told to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” To dwell means to live; we are to let God’s Word live in us. In order to do this, we are required to  study it deeply and commit it to memory. Deuteronomy 6:5-6 is says, “You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength. These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind.” For something to be on our heart means we have committed it to memory. We can recall and think about it without having to look it up. It is a way of loving God with our mind. Jesus memorized Scripture. Jesus quoted Scripture all the time, showing how He took the time to memorize it. In Matthew 4 records Jesus’ temptation in the desert, during which He consistently clung to the truth of Scripture to combat the attacks of the enemy. If Jesus needed to memorize Scripture, we definitely need to memorize Scripture! Sure, we can open our Bible and read verses, but how much more battle ready would we be if we could recall verses from memory without having to look them up? In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 It changes the way we speak. “For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart”  - Matthew 12:34b What comes out of our mouths? Complaining? Anger? Pessimism? These are signs that the Word of God does not well in us richly, because what is in our heart comes out of our mouth. If our hearts are filled with God’s Word, then we will speak of Him more often. He will be in the conversations we have with our kids and with each other. He will influence the way we talk about our circumstance and the way we talk about others. There are many other reasons we could come up with that show the importance and the benefit of having God’s Word hidden in our hearts. Now that we know why, let’s look at the how. There are many ways to memorize Scripture. (I’m sure there is even an app out there that can help us.) Here is one method I have found very effective and helpful in my own life. Ron Hood, in How to Successfully Memorize and Review Scripture, recommends the following method for memorizing Scripture: “When you have selected a verse, quote it twenty-five times the first day, twenty times the second day, fifteen times the third day, ten times the fourth day, five times the fifth day, once a day for forty-five days, once a week for seven weeks, and then once a month thereafter.” It is a slow process, but this way we can be sure that it is cemented in our hearts. Sometimes I’ll tape verses to my mirror in the bathroom, saying it a few times as I get ready. I also put verses in the kitchen, on my computer, or in other areas where I work. I’ve even can even put a 3x5 card in a plastic baggie and taped it in my shower for some uninterrupted memorization time. One thing we need to remember is that, like Bible study, Bible memorization takes work and time. There are no shortcuts. That’s okay. It is worth the work. What if this year, our mission was to memorize more Scripture? What if this year, instead of memorizing verses, we memorized chapters, or even books of the Bible? Rather than being afraid of the hard, slow work it takes to memorize God’s Word, let’s embrace it, committing our lives to hiding His Word in our hearts. Looking to Jesus, Jen

Week 6 - Tuesday

February 11, 2020

Week 6 - Monday

February 10, 2020 • Jen

The Bible is the most important book in the life of a Christian. It is where we find God and through Him, eternal life. We believe that prayer is very important. It is how we communicate with God. It is through prayer that we repent of our sins, praise who He is, and approach Him with our needs. What if we faithfully used prayer and Scripture together? How would our lives be different if we used the two offensive weapons we have against the schemes of the enemy every day (Ephesians 6:17-18)? In his book God’s Prayer Book: The Power and Pleasure of Praying the Psalms, Ben Patterson describes a technique for praying through Scripture that we can use with any passage of God’s Word. Patterson explains the three uses of Scripture: rejoicing, repenting, and requesting. When you read a verse or passage, answer these questions: How can I rejoice (or give thanks or praise God) because of what this passage says? Do these verses reveal any sin in my own life that I need to repent of? What request can I make in light of this passage? Let’s use our SOAP verse for today as an example: May my words and my thoughts Be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my sheltering rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 Using the above verse let’s answer the above questions. How can I rejoice (or give thanks or praise God) because of what this passage says? I am thankful and can praise God for the fact that He is my rock. He is reliable and steadfast. I might change, but He never does. I can praise Him for being my Redeemer. He saved me even though He didn’t have to. Do these verses reveal any sin in my own life that I need to repent of? My words, and the tone in which I say them, are not always acceptable in God’s sight and for that I repentant. I also need to repent of the fact that what my heart dwells on is not always pure, right, lovely, or beneficial (Philippians 4:8). What request can I make to God in light of this passage? My request is that God would help me be more controlled with the words I use and what I to dwell on. Luke 6:45 says that my mouth speaks out of the overflow of what is in my heart and I pray that God would work in my heart to make it more like Him. After these questions have been answered, either in your head or written down, we can put them together into an actual prayer. Praying through verses or passages of scripture allows us to make sure that our prayers are shaped by God’s Word. It helps make our prayers centered around God instead of ourselves. It is easy to get into the habit of asking for things from God instead of spending time repenting and praising Him for who He is and what He does. Quick warning: Sometimes we can’t pray though only one verse. If you are reading a passage about King David you will probably have to read a lot more than one verse in order to get the meaning of the passage. We’ve seen this in the last few weeks as we’ve looked at how to properly observe and interpret passages. We want to make sure we are not taking God’s word out of context. Praying through Scripture is a step of application, meant to follow after our careful study of a passage. I hope that praying the Scriptures deepens not only your prayer life but also your love for God’s Word. Looking to Jesus, Jen Week 6 Challenge: Since we know and believe that God’s Word is living and active and changes our hearts and lives, how should we approach it? How can you apply what you have learned in this study long term? How will you approach Scripture differently this year?

Week 5 - Friday

February 7, 2020 • Jen

This week we have been taking a deeper look at the application of God’s Word. Today I want us to look even more closely at theological concepts verses practical action. There are two things a text will show you. Either it will teach you something you should know, or it will tell you something you should do. What we should know: When we think of practical application we often think, “What should I be doing?” Not all passages are about doing something. Many passages show us what we should be thinking. Our minds need to be renewed (Romans 12:2) and this is done by learning to think rightly. Our thoughts influence our speech and our actions. If we are not thinking rightly about the goodness of God, for example, it will affect the way we talk about God and our circumstances. It will affect the advice we give others in their struggles and it will affect the way we act in our particular situation. Right thinking leads to right living. Sometimes, our practical application will be all about making sure we are thinking properly about God, sin, ourselves, or the world. Here are some questions to think through: What does this passage tell me about God’s character (sovereign, good, patient, just, holy)? What does this passage tell me about God’s actions (rules, forgives, judges, hears, loves)? What does this passage tell me about sin in the world, or in myself? What hope does this passage offer? What we should do: Some books and passages will have more straight forward application for our lives than others. The book of James, for example, is a very practical book about what we should be doing and how we should be living. The books of the law (Leviticus or Deuteronomy) or some of the prophets (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc.), can be a bit more difficult. When you come across a verse that requires action ask yourself these questions: What does this passage call me to stop? What does this passage tell me to start? What lie am I believing that this passage contradicts? How should this passage inform my prayer life? How should this passage result in praise to God? How can I share the truths of this passage with others in my life? Don’t skip over the passages that don’t clearly tell you about something you should be doing. Look for truths that will help you renew your mind and love God more. As you close today, take a few minutes to answer the above questions about today’s reading from Psalm 119:9-16. Looking to Jesus, Jen

Week 5 - Thursday

February 6, 2020

Week 5 - Wednesday

February 5, 2020 • Jen

Today we continue taking a deeper look at the application process of Bible study. We are going to look at the topic of principles, what they are, and what their purpose is. What are Principles? A principle is a fundamental truth. It’s a law that should be followed or a doctrine that impacts what we believe. Principles found in Scripture are placed there by God. They are His commands that we are to live by. Purpose of God’s Principles or Commands: The commands of God are not arbitrary, they have a very specific purpose. God also did not give us principles to live by in order to take away our fun. It’s actually the opposite, all of God’s rules are for our good and His glory. While they are not always easy to follow, they will bring contentment, peace, and joy. Let’s look at a few uses of God’s law and some questions to ask along the way. The commands of God warn us of danger. When we encounter a principle in Scripture, we should ask “what is this command warning me of? How will obeying this command keep me safe?” Let’s use James 1:19-20 as an example. Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. There are a number of principles found in these verses. For now, let’s use the command to be “slow to anger.” What danger comes with uncontrolled anger? I’m sure we could come up with a long list of the danger of anger. Also ask, “How will obeying/disobeying this command impact my relationship with God?” In this particular passage we are told that “human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.” The commands of God show us our sin. We all fall short of God’s perfect law (Romans 3:23) and God’s laws show us how we fall short. Let’s continue using James 1:19. How does this command (to be slow to anger) point out my sin? This is an uncomfortable question to ask ourselves but one that is very important. Only when we see our shortcomings will we be willing to admit that we need to change and that we need help because we can’t do it on our own. The commands of God point us to Jesus. This is the beautiful part of God’s commands: they always point us to Jesus. Jesus kept every command perfectly for us. As we continue with James 1:19, we need to ask, how did Jesus keep this command? How did Jesus handle anger? How does Jesus’ life, death and resurrection impact our sin? Through Jesus’ life we not only have an example to follow, but we have been given His righteousness. Through Jesus’ death we have the forgiveness of every single sin. We do not need to be oppressed by guilt. Jesus took on that guilt Himself. We are free from condemnation forever. Through Jesus’ resurrection we have been given the power to overcome sin. This is why we can start over every day, why we can resist sin and grow in godliness. This is why, when we fail, we can get up and do better. The commands of God guide us in living. God’s commands show us that there is a better way to live. God teaches us through His principles what we should be doing in order to glorify Him and in order live a fruitful and faithful life. We need to ask, “how should I be living?” Using James 1:19, we can ask, “How can I practice controlling my anger?” and, “How would being slow to speak and quick to listen impact anger?” While we don’t always like rules and sometimes struggle to see the good in them, understanding the point of God’s laws can be really helpful. He is a good God and His commands are good and good for us. Looking to Jesus, -Jen

Week 5 - Tuesday

February 4, 2020

Week 5 - Monday

February 3, 2020 • Jen

For most of us, the application of our Bible study tends to be the favorite part of our quite time. We live in a world where we can have access to everything quickly. This mindset can creep into our Bible studies and cause us to want to skip the hard work of observation and interpretation and we move straight to “How can I apply this to my day, week, life, or circumstance?”  But as you can see, we are starting Week 5 of our study and are now starting to talk about application. God’s Word is about God; who He is, what He is like, and how He interacts with His people. It is not about you or me. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we get to know as much as possible about the God of our Bibles. It is a way of handling the Word of God rightly (2 Timothy 2:15). At the same time, God has included us in His story, making His word applicable to each one of our lives. “For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.” - Romans 15:4 Before we can apply His words to our lives, we have to make sure we have as clear of an understanding of our text as possible. That way, we know that we are applying it correctly. Remember, as we learned in interpretation, the text has only one meaning, but that one meaning can have many applications. There are two kinds of applications found in God’s Word: explicit commands and implicit commands. Explicit Commands: These are practical calls to actions based on explicit commands that we find in scripture. An example of this would be Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.” Explicit commands are usually clearly stated; we are not left wondering what God what’s us to do. Implicit Commands: Implicit commands are necessary consequences that come from a particular truth. An example of this can be found in Psalm 1:1–2, “How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers! Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night.” In these verses there are a number implied commands, one being that we need to stay away from the counsel and ways of the wicked because their lifestyle is contrary to the commands of the Lord. When we are studying a text we need to ask ourselves if we see an explicit or implicit command we should follow. Once we have found the command, we have to ask, “What is the proper way for me to respond to this truth?” It doesn't end there. Broaden your application by asking yourself some of these questions: What specific responses does this passage call for from a believer? What specific responses does this passage call for from a non-believer? What specific responses does this passage call for from the weary or discouraged? What specific responses does this passage call for from the proud and arrogant? What specific responses does this passage call for from the doubting? What specific responses does this passage call for from the faithful? Add some of your own questions to this list. Application is an important part of studying our Bibles. It is how we take what we have learned and put it into practice in our lives. We first have to be sure that we have a proper understanding of what the text is teaching so that our application is right and honoring to the Lord. As you close your time with the Lord today, answer the above questions for today’s SOAP verse, Psalm 19:12-13. Who can know all his errors? Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins; do not allow such sins to control me. Then I will be blameless, and innocent of blatant rebellion. Looking to Jesus, -Jen Week 5 Challenge: This week, find one verse that you can display in your home that reminds you to flee from sin. Make it specific to your own struggle (maybe it’s a verse about materialism that you place in your closet, a verse that reminds you that food is not your comfort on your pantry door, or a verse to remind you that God alone is your provision that you post near your pile of bills). Commit to memorizing that verse and using God’s Word as a reminder to flee from sin.

Week 4 - Friday

January 31, 2020 • Jen

Sometimes, Bible study can be a little daunting, especially when we stumble over confusing or difficult passages. Sometimes, the text isn’t as clear as we would like it to be. Sometimes, we doubt our ability to interpret the text correctly. Let me give you a few words of encouragement before we talk about some helpful Bible study tools. This is not solely up to you. If you are a believer you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is your helper. He helps you understand truth and gives you a desire to live by that truth. “It is not a giving of new revelation, but a work within us that enables us to grasp and to love the revelation that is there before us in the biblical text as heard and read, and as explained by teachers and writers.” - J.I. Packer The Bereans were commended for their faith and their practice of searching the Scriptures to make sure that what they were being taught was true. They were a strong, knowledgeable church, and all they had were their Bibles. Because you have the Holy Spirit, you are able to gain wisdom and knowledge from the Bible. This doesn’t mean that every passage and text will be easy for us to understand. It takes time, prayer, reading and re-reading, comparing verses, and asking others for help. In God’s grace and goodness, He has given some people extraordinary abilities to understand and explain the Bible. Many of these people have written books and commentaries that we can used to help us in our study. Commentaries: Commentaries can be very helpful. Some commentaries cover the entire Bible while others only cover a certain book of the Bible. For example, one of my all-time favorite pastor/theologians is Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). He wrote an in-depth commentary on the book of Psalms called The Treasury of David. (You can read it online for free.) His commentary is both explanatory and devotional. Some commentaries give a general explanation of the text while others are extremely detailed (like John Owen’s seven volume commentary set on only the book of Hebrews—wowzers!) Commentaries can be helpful in giving us an explanation of a verse that might be tripping us up. Remember, be careful not to rely too heavily on commentaries. Let those be the place you turn when you desire to dig deeply into a passage, or have a host of questions you cannot find answers to. Commentaries are most useful when we have been diligent to do our own study first. Bible Dictionaries: Another helpful tool is a Bible Dictionary. They give you definition of words, theological terms, people, places, and names. Many include the Greek or Hebrew word as well as verses where these words are found. Lexicons: You don’t have to know Greek or Hebrew to study your Bible, but sometimes, knowing the original word can give a clearer insight into your verse. A free online lexicon is available at Blue Letter Bible. Let’s take a few minutes to get comfortable using this resource with today’s SOAP verse, Colossians 3:16. Enter this verse into the search bar at Blue Letter Bible. It doesn’t matter which English translation you choose, because we will be looking at the original Greek. Next, click on the bold “Col 3:16” on the left side of the page. What pops up is the interlinear version of the verse, with the English in the left column and the Greek words in the middle. We’re going to dig into the Greek word for dwell, enoikeō. Click on the lexical identifier, G1774. On this page, we will find a lot of information about the word, including a pronunciation recording. When using a lexicon, we want to be sure we find the definition of the word that aligns with the passage we are studying, not the definition we think fits best with our interpretation or gives us a new understanding of the word. Scroll down the page and find the “Outline of Biblical Usage” section. Here we will find the ways this Greek word is used throughout the New Testament. As we continue to scroll down the page, we see that Strong’s definition of enoikeō is “to inhabit (figuratively):—dwell in.” Next, we find Thayer’s lexical definition of enoikeō. Here, there are several verse references and other definitions of the word. Find today’s verse, Colossians 3:16. What is listed directly before the verse reference? In Colossians 3:16, Paul instructs the people of Colossae to allow the word of Christ dwell (enoikeō) in them. This definition says, “in your assembly, of Christian truth.” Paul’s instruction for the Colossians is for them to allow God’s Word to dwell in their assembly. As they meet together, it was hugely important that God’s Word dwell in their assembly; their gatherings and meetings together needed to be centered around God’s Word and His truth. The rest of the verse talks more about the ways that the believers at Colossae should practically allow the word of Christ to dwell, enoikeō, in them as they met together. Do you see any other practical applications about this passage after using the lexicon? Lexicons are also handy if you want to do a word study. For example, the New Testament uses a number of different Greek words for our word “joy”. ἀγαλλίασις (agalliasis) Definition: exultation, exuberant joy Usage: wild joy, ecstatic delight, exultation, exhilaration. χαρά (chara) Definition: joy, delight Usage: joy, gladness, a source of joy. If you look at the use both chara and agalliasis throughout the New Testament, you can get a fuller picture of what joy means. To do this using Blue Letter Bible, type “joy” into the search bar. What results will be a list of all the uses of joy in English in both the Old and New Testament. You can see what Hebrew words we translate as joy and how they are used in the Old Testament and what Greed words we translate as joy and how they are use din the New Testament. Give a word study a try sometime, it could be a fun little project. Here is a sad truth: Christians today have access to more Bible study helps and tool then at any other time in history and yet, Christians today are also the most biblically illiterate Christians in history. Let’s change that by being women who are not afraid of the hard work of studying the Bible so we can know God and make Him known to the next generation. Looking to Jesus, -Jen

Week 4 - Thursday

January 30, 2020

Week 4 - Wednesday

January 29, 2020 • Jen

Each book of the Bible was written in a specific place, in a specific period of time, by a specific author, to a specific people or person who were a part of a specific culture, with a specific intention. The Bible, and everything in it, is a part of history. Understanding some of the historical background can give us a more robust and well-rounded understanding of what we are studying. Understanding the who, when, where, how, and why of a text can make a passage clear. As we read a passage of Scripture, we should always be asking these questions: Who is the author of this passage? What is known about the author? When was this book of the Bible written? What was happening to the author and the audience when the book was written? Who is the audience, and in what circumstances did they find themselves? What was the culture of the place where these people lived? Why was this book written? This can also be helpful when reading about certain people or events in Scripture. For example, when reading about the Pharisees, it would be helpful to understand more about them. Why were their rules so strict? Who came up with all their rules? Why did they hate Jesus so much? When reading about a city it would be helpful to know where this city was located, what their economy was like, and what their religious and political leanings were. When reading about a certain festival, find out how the celebration originated. Why was it important? How was it celebrated? Take a few minutes to answer the above questions about today’s reading, Matthew 4:1-4. As you answer these questions, does it help you uncover the author’s underlying theme or message? If so, what did you find? All of this background material is easily found in a good Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia. Doing a little bit of historical research will enrich your study and help you grasp the significance of certain topics or words to the original audience. It will also help you interpret the Bible correctly. When we know the intent of the author, we can determine the underlying truth they wanted to communicate to their audience. Let’s not forget how God strategically chose specific people to write the words of Scripture that we read today. He is the ultimate Author, and His truth is communicated on every page. Looking to Jesus, Jen

Week 4 - Tuesday

January 28, 2020

Week 4 - Monday

January 27, 2020 • Jen

Have you ever become discouraged with your Bible study because you have encountered some confusing passages? You are not alone. Even Peter looked at Paul’s writings and said, “Some things in these letters are hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). If you study your Bible long enough you will encounter these passages. Sometimes they are hard because of their wording, and some are so rooted in an ancient culture we find ourselves lost. At other times Scripture is hard to understand because God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Sometimes it is because we don’t like what we are reading–our pride gets in the way or we have a hard time grasping certain doctrines. We all have passages of Scripture that trip us up, but I hope that that today’s words will be an encouragement to you. Let’s begin with some words of caution. Be careful of Google. Google is not necessarily your friend when trying to understand difficult biblical passages. An internet search cannot tell you if an article or website is biblically sound. Search engines bring up what is most popular, and I think we have all learned that not everything that is popular is good. Don’t aimlessly search Google for answers to passages that stump you, especially not without referencing a trusted source afterwards. Be careful of study Bibles. I love study Bibles, but keep in mind, the notes we often reference for interpretive help have been written by people and are not inspired by God. There are some great study Bibles out there and some that have a certain theological bent. While they can be an excellent help and resource, the notes or articles included are not God’s Words. Use wisdom when choosing and using a study or devotional Bible. Those who know me know that I am a Charles Spurgeon fangirl and there is, believe it or not, a Spurgeon Study Bible. Even though I trust much of his writings, I still want to be careful that what he has written is biblically accurate. Be careful of human emotion. Don’t let your emotions or feelings dictate what is true and what is not, what God is like, what is sin, and what sin isn’t. Our feelings are often misleading. Sometimes what is true doesn’t always trigger the most positive feelings. As we seek to be faithful followers of Christ and faithful stewards of the truth of God’s Word, let’s continue to submit our feelings and emotions to God when we encounter something in Scripture that makes us angry, sad, confused, hurt, or frightened. How To Handle Hard Passages Use the Bible as your first commentary. When you encounter a difficult passage, see if there are other passages that could help shed light on what you have been reading. Allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture is what the church has done for centuries. Historically, this has been called the “analogy of faith.” When you encounter a difficult passage, don’t try to make sense of it in a way that contradicts a clear passage. If a passage is confusing or difficult to understand, look at other passages that are clear. Use clear passages to interpret difficult ones. Here is a more straightforward example: In John 1:1 it says, ““In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Who or what is this “Word”? In verse 14 we are told "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” As we continue to read in the rest of John 1 we find out that the One who came to dwell among humans was Jesus. Therefore, we can conclude that the Word referenced in verse 1 was Jesus. Use the test of time. Use extra-biblical resources that are not brand new. Some of the best sources are commentaries, creeds, or books written centuries ago. They have stood the test of time and were written by people who spent their lives pouring over their Bibles and who were gifted with the ability to understand and articulate the meaning of passages. (John Gill’s commentary on the Bible is a good example of this.) Talk it out. Hopefully you are attending a biblically solid church where you can ask your pastor, or other mature Christians, about a passage you may be struggling with. Having a conversation about a passage and hearing another person’s insight can be very helpful. As always, make sure that what you hear from others lines up with Scripture. Friends, there is no need for us to be afraid of hard passages, or to skip over them. God is knowable and so is His Word. Be willing to do the hard work so you can grow in your knowledge and faith in God. He is worth the hard work. Looking to Jesus, Jen Week 4 Challenge: How does the armor of God metaphor in Ephesians describe the Word of God? This week, how can you use God’s Word as a weapon, not to injure other people, but to fight the schemes of the enemy?