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Bible
Knowledge and Use

To live and work for the right reasons ...
Learn to use the Bible

Bible help and knowing where and how to find it

Hearing
Teaching and preaching of
* Pastor
* Invited speakers
* Sunday School teachers
* personal exhortation.

Rom 10:17  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Hearing the Word of God preached and taught increases our faith.

Reading
Sequential reading, overview of the entire Bible

Rev 1:3  "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."

This is Bible reading that flows in a chronological order from verse to verse, chapter to chapter and book to book.
God can work in our hearts when we read the Bible, but Bible wisdom and understanding is not complete until the reader begins to grasp what is being read.  Read the Bible as a complete story.  It is all related.

Study
Topical study , studying the Bible by topics.  Skipping around throughout the Bible picking up verses that pertain to the selected topic.  An example would be to study the topic: "Prayer."  Caution!  Bible wisdom and understanding is not complete unless all of the verses pertaining to the topic are examined.

Expository
Studying a single Bible passage at a time.  An example would be to study a Parable or a group of related verses.

Acts 17:11  "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Delving into word meaning, sentence structure, etc.

Memorizing 
Simply committing a verse or passage to memory.

Psa 119:9  "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."

Psa 119:11  "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

Tucking the Scriptures away in your heart for later recall.

Meditation
This is the constant mulling over of a verse or passage, letting it speak to you.

Psa 1:1  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

Psa 1:2  "But his delight is in the law of the LORD (BIBLE); and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

We believe this is the most rewarding method of Bible use. 
Read and reread a passage letting it sink in, allowing the words to talk to us.  This is best employed after having read through the Bible several times so a person does not jump to the wrong conclusions, being able to know what the Bible says and not come up with contrary dogma.

The next verse is the result of meditation.

Psa 1:3  "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

The above is illustrated with the statement below:
The word meditation comes from a word that means to "chew the cud."  To "chew the cud" as far as the Bible is concerned is to re-eat it again  and again, meditation.  This is another method of obtaining Bible wisdom and understanding.

Wisdom and Understanding
Actual application of the Bible context. This is where the meaning of the verse or passage has come through and real life application is made.

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How can you and I make sure we live and work for the right reasons?       10050