articlesforchristians

How to Interact with God’s Word:

• Listen to the Word of God.
  • Hear others read, teach, and preach the Word of God.
  • Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
  • Nehemiah 8:3 And he (Ezra) read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
  • Luke 24:25-27 Then he (Jesus) said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
• Study the Word of God.
  • Many tools are available to help us study the Bible. There are many Study Bibles, commentaries, and Bible Dictionaries.
  • Here is an article about Effective Bible Study Methods for Spiritual Growth.
  • Psalms 119 mentions three steps of Basic Bible Study
    • Observe: We are to observe the Word of God by looking at it and reading it.
      • Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
    • Understand/ interpret: This is where we are to carefully and prayerfully ask what it means.
      • Psalm 119:27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
    • Application: This is where we apply the Word of God to our lives.
      • Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
• Memorize the Word of God.
  • This is where we store the Word of God in our hearts. As you try to memorize the Holy Ghost will help you.
    • John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
    • Psalms 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
• Meditate on the Word of God.
  • Think about the Word of God often. Thinking about the Word of God will help you remember and apply it to our life so that you don’t fall into temptation and sin.
    • Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
    • Psalm 1:1-2  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. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
• Talk about the Word of God.
  • Whatever is in your heart will come out in what you talk about. We are commanded in the Bible to talk to ourselves in psalms.
    • Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
    • Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
• Teach the World of God.
  • The Best way to learn anything is to try to teach it. In order to teach something, you must know it very well.
    • Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
• Pray the Word of God.
  • This is where you turn scripture into prayers. It could be praise of petition.
  • Here is an article on How to pray the word of God.
  • There are many different prayers in the Bible.
    • Ephesians 1:15-23 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
    • Ephesians 3:14-21  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
    • Here is an article on Examples of Iconic Prayers in the Bible.
• Sing the Word of God.
  • Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
  • The Psalms were orginally written to be sung.
  • Here is an article on Music.
• Live the Word of God
  • God gave us His word so that by reading, hearing, meditating, and praying the Word, we would become more like Him.
    • Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
  • Remember, simply hearing something without taking action accomplishes nothing.
    • James 1:22-24 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.