Why Study the Bible (part tre)

The third (and certainly not FINAL, but our last) reason is...

Bible study is essential to spiritual effectiveness.

Last night, one of my college roommates was in town visiting. It was great to see her. We talked for almost five hours straight--non stop. One thing she was lamenting over was about a pretty big decision she had coming up. She quoted some author (maybe you know who it is) saying, "You know Hanna--there are two worst things in the Christian life. One--to jump into something that you have not been prepared for by God. Two--to not jump into something that you have been prepared for by God." I think she's right.

But how do we get prepared for those things? By studying the Bible. Being properly prepared for the ups and downs life has in store is spiritual effectiveness.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. -2 Timothy 3:16-17

According to that passage, the Word is good for:

• Teaching- "It will structure your thinking...which determines how you behave."
• Reproof (or rebuke)- "It will tell you when you're out of bounds."
• Correction- it helps you "clean out sin and learn to conform to God's will"
• Training- "God uses it to show you how to live."

And that last phrase tells us that the overall goal of the Scripture is to equip you for every good work. Hendricks says, "The reason God can't use you more than He wants to may well be that you're not prepared." I think that's similar to what my college roommate was saying. At the end of the day, to be spiritually effective--to be ready for what life holds, ready to be used by God--we've got to be prepared. And the only way to do that is to be spending time in the Word, studying the Scriptures.

This Word was given to us so that God could communicate with you. He wants to grow you, mature you, and make you spiritually effective, but it's up to YOU to pick up that Bible, get to know God, and let him prepare you.