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| Josh and me at the park |
“For
this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on
earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his
Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith. And I pray that you, being rooted
and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy
people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:14-18
The Apostle Paul prayed often and
was greatly burdened by the responsibility of not only winning souls to Christ,
but teaching followers about Christ. He spent hours in the
temple and teaching halls, once preaching so long a parishioner fell asleep and
tumbled out of a window (Acts 20:7-12).
Paul’s prayers emphasize the
urgency with which he wanted new Christians to be “rooted and established” in
the love and knowledge of Christ. He knew firsthand how difficult the road of
the cross is and what it took to be strengthened for the journey.
One way we can do this is to read
our Bibles and pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance for discernment. I’ve heard
many people say they don’t understand or wish they had a better grasp of the
historical setting of the Bible or a deeper intellectual understanding of the
basis of the Bible. Or they don’t know how to follow a particular topic thread through
several books of the Bible. They yearn for answers, yet sadly, some Christians
aren’t taught directly from the Bible in the churches they attend. Even when
they are, time constraints of worship services don’t always allow for in-depth
study to answer all of our questions.
“But
in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15a
While Peter’s admonition mainly
refers to a Christian’s testimony, being able to have a dialogue with a
non-believer or fellow Christian about the Bible’s origin or history or answer
questions about our faith is imperative. We live in difficult times, as have
most believers, and being saturated in God’s Word and having a clear
understanding of it is not optional, if our faith is challenged. It also leads to a deeper relationship with
God.
I’d like to share two reliable,
time proven resources I’ve utilized in Bible study. These will take you deeper than many
contemporary Bible studies. Think of these like having access to a Bible
seminary on your computer.
J. Vernon McGee was a leading
authority on the Bible during the mid to late 20th century. His
program “Thru The Bible” is still heard worldwide and can be accessed through
their website. The program methodically goes through the entire Bible in five
years. That will give you an indication as to the depth of his teaching. Tons
of free
downloads including Bible book notes and outlines, study guides, and audio
programs are available. All of his materials are designed in such a way that you
can go through them on your own or along with his radio broadcasts. For years,
I’ve listened to Dr. McGee, and his passion for Christ shines through all his
teaching. His program can still be heard on some Christian radio stations
including the Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) out of Charlotte, NC. And
speaking of BBN…
It’s my other recommended
resource. Several years ago, this nationwide radio network added a Bible
Institute to their website. Click here to access, then click "browse courses." I’ve taken a few of their
courses after consulting my pastor as to their credibility. (I really had no
doubt, but his endorsement made me feel better.) Whether it’s studying
individual books, Bible characters, doctrine, end times, discipleship,
relationships, leadership, etc., BBN Bible Institute has dozens of free
classes to choose from, and you work at your own pace.
Please let me know if you decide
to use one of these resources to deepen your Bible knowledge and how you liked
it.
What Bible study have you
participated in that you would recommend to others?
While you’re here, if you have a prayer
request, I’d love to pray for you. Leave a comment or e-mail me confidential
requests. There’s also a prayer list at the top of the blog if you’d like to
join me in prayer for these needs.
God bless,
Laura
© Laura Hodges Poole
Bible image courtesy of Arvind
Balaraman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
