2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Our lesson today is titled “Approved Unto God, Part 2”
We saw last week that the first thing we must do in order to become workmen approved unto God is to gain a working knowledge of the Bible. We must read it, meditate on it, and obey it.
Begin reading God’s Word today. Start with the Gospel of John. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it. Mark the verses that seem to speak especially to your heart.
In the Gospel of John you will find that Jesus is the Word of God; He is the Lamb of God; He is the living Bread which came down from Heaven; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; He is the Good Shepherd; He is the Resurrection and the Life; He is the true Vine; He is the One who died for our sins; and He is the living, resurrected Christ.
After you have read the Gospel of John, read the book of Acts. This book tells about the early days of the Church. Then begin with Matthew and read the entire New Testament; and finally, read the Old Testament. This will take time, but it will be time well spent.
As you read the Bible, do not be unduly concerned about things that you do not fully understand. Someone has said that reading the Bible is like eating fish. When you are eating fish, you come across bones occasionally. What do you do when you come across a bone? You simply lay it aside and keep on eating the fish. You don’t throw the fish away just because you find a bone. Likewise, when you come across something in the Bible that you do not understand, just say, “There is a bone—something I don’t understand. I will lay it aside for now and keep on reading God’s Word.”
Do not allow your faith to be shaken by those who claim to find errors and contradictions in the Bible. For hundreds of years unbelieving men have tried to discredit the Bible, yet it still stands today as the infallible Word of God.
The quickest and most effective way to gain a working knowledge of the Bible is to memorize portions of it. Or hide it in your heart. Often we have wanted to witness to others, but we did not know what to say. If you have memorized Scripture, you can say, “Here is what God says,” and you can say it with confidence because it is the Word of God. Always remember that it is not our words, but the Word of God which the Holy Spirit uses in the salvation of others. First Peter 1:23 says, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Every time you memorize a portion of God’s Word, you are equipping yourself with another tool to use in serving God.
The best and simplest way to memorize verses is through the use of cards. The secret of memorizing is repetition. If you say something over and over enough times, you will memorize it. Purchase some 3×5 index cards. On one side of a card write the verse you want to learn; on the other side write the reference. Be sure to copy the verses correctly.
Carry the cards with you and go through them as often as you can during the day. Look at the reference on each card and see if you can quote the verse. Then check yourself by turning the card over and reading it correctly. Do this over and over again. Don’t be satisfied until you can quote the verses perfectly. Soon you will find that you have memorized these verses, and then you can add more verses.
***To remember what you have learned, you must review often. You can add new verses each week, but be sure to review the ones you have already learned.
You can memorize Scripture. Don’t excuse yourself by saying that you have a poor memory until you have honestly tried. The verses you memorize are the tools you will use as a servant of God, so begin now memorizing Scripture.
Most of all, remember to obey the Word of God. Obedience to God’s Word will show that you truly believe it. Obedience to God’s Word shows that it is truly taking root in your heart and mind.
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If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Bible also says in Romans 10:9 and 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…. For **whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and I want to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Until next time, May the Lord Bless You!
The Gospel Light Minute X 