“AWARENESS OF BIBLE STUDY”

The full benefit of Bible study is stated in 2 Tim. 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

There is simply no other way to obtain the knowledge of God’s will, than by a commitment to Bible study. The Hebrew writer closed with the exhortation to, “bear with the word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22). The apostle Paul told Timothy, “…when thou comest, bring with thee the books, but especially the parchments” (2 Tim. 4:13).

Kevin Rhodes observed: Finding time to study your Bible is not about whittling away a little bit at a time from everything else you are doing; it begins when we make a commitment to study our Bibles, follow through on it, and then let other, less important things go undone, until we finally realize that we do not really miss them at all.

For whatever reason, Christians grow tired of personal Bible study and come to expect a sermon here and there and a couple of Bible classes each week to provide sufficient nourishment spiritually to get them through life. However, this itself shows how shortsighted we can become. Shortcuts in Bible study lead to short circuits in life. Our goal should never be simply to get through life; it should be to get to heaven.

Bible study will draw you away from the things of the world. That is exactly its purpose: to separate us from the things of the world which draw us away from God. Bible study is addictive. That is by God’s design. (cf. Heb. 10:22-24).

“AWARE SERVANTS”

The concept of awareness suggests, among other things, cognizance. As this relates to discipleship, awareness is having spiritual wisdom—the ability to discern God’s will, and to foresee danger. The Bible speaks of having eyes to see, which is not only knowing God’s will, but also recognizing how to prepare our hearts to do God’s will.

Jesus often made mention of the need for eyes that see and ears that hear. Jesus was speaking of the need for perception and understanding of His word. Matt. 13:15 – “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn again, and I should heal them.” The absence of spiritual wisdom was the underlying reason for which Jesus was crucified. (1 Cor. 2:6-8).

Spiritual awareness involves the exercise of our senses to discern good from evil (Heb. 5:14). Spiritual awareness involves foresight. For example, we might have the wisdom and knowledge to get ourselves out of a hole, but do we know how to recognize the hole and avoid falling in? That’s foresight. Satan’s traps are disguised. “A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.” (Prov. 22:3).

It is always wise to leave an environment ripe for temptation. This requires both awareness and resolve. These environments are always hard to turn from. Lust will always conquer a person who has not crucified himself to the world (Gal. 5:24; 6:14). The saying that “where there’s a will there’s a way” applies to the fulfillment of lust as well as to overcoming lust.