Take the Challenge

 

How Studying God’s Word Will Literally Change Your Life

For more than 35 years now I have been studying the Word and it has drastically changed my life. It’s been the key to radical transformation in my perspectives and attitudes, and God has healed and restored my spirit, soul and body through the power in His Word. Even now, I’m still continually amazed by all of the benefits we have access to in God’s Word.
In many parts of the world, we are blessed in this day and age to have easy access to God’s Word and lots of opportunity to attend church. But at times I wonder why there are so many in church, yet we aren’t seeing the influence of God’s love and power in the world like we should. Think about it: 12 disciples turned the world upside down as a result of following Jesus. Is the Church at large today turning the world to Christ?


As I’ve prayed about this, I’ve come to a simple conclusion: If we don’t study God’s Word consistently and apply this truth to our lives, we will lack the power we need to mature in Christ and glorify God in the world.
Many people are intimidated by the word “study,” but studying God’s Word is actually simple to do and it’s extremely valuable for us. It’s not something we have to do to stay on God’s good side, and we aren’t doing God any favors when we study Scripture. The truth is, we’re doing ourselves a favor because we need this spiritual food to make our spirit strong.
There is life in the Word! Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word that God speaks is alive and full of power.”This verse goes on to list some amazing benefits we can get from the Word:

• It reveals God’s thoughts and renews our mind so we have the mind of Christ.
• It teaches us wisdom we can practically apply to our lives so we know how to handle every situation we face.
• It’s a book of comfort that brings healing to our lives.

The 30 30 Challenge

I really want to encourage people and help them establish a daily habit of spending time with God and studying His Word. That’s why I want to invite you to take the 30/30 Challenge. The goal is this: study the Word 30 minutes a day for 30 days.
When you sign up, you’ll find a powerful way to get the encouragement you need individually to dig deep in God’s Word and grow spiritually through the resources we’re offering on our website. It also gives you opportunities to share your progress and support others who are on this journey through interaction you can have on our Facebook page and other social media options.
To get started, you need a Bible translation you can understand; I like the Amplified Bible, but you should pick whatever works best for you. Also, some good study tools include the Vine’s Dictionary, the Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary, a concordance and a commentary.
Now, there are no “rules” you have to follow. You have freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit in finding the best approach that works for you. Here are just a few tips that will help prepare you to enjoy your study time and get the most you can out of it.

Tips to Help You Rise to the Challenge

• Begin with Prayer—ask the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and help you understand what you’re reading.
• Slow down—Remember, more isn’t necessarily better; it’s about quality, not quantity.
• Predetermine to obey what you learn—God will give you the grace to do it as you lean on Him.
• Keep a notepad handy to jot down your thoughts and things that stand out to you.
• Meditate on Scripture—mull it over in your mind throughout the day.
• Approach the Word with reverence and make it a priority. The important thing is to work your schedule around God, rather than working God into your schedule.
• You have the freedom to be flexible—first thing in the morning, lunchtime, during your commute to work, evening, before bedtime, etc. God will show you when to schedule your time if you’re struggling to figure it out.
• Consider how you will apply what you learn to your life and the steps you will take to do it.
• If you are struggling with something in your life, study scriptures that address the issue.
• If something in particular struck a chord while you were studying, take time the next day to dig in to the topic more; a concordance is helpful for this.
• Determine to be focused—if you are easily distracted, silence your phone and wait until you are finished to respond to emails and texts; jot down things on your to-do list if they come to mind so you can keep your focus.
• Be serious about your commitment and stick with it. Consistency is key. Mark 4:24 says: The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you.
Begin your journey in faith, trusting that God wants you to come to Him. He will give you His grace—His undeserved favor, power and blessing—to enable you to learn His Word and become all He created you to be.
You can do it—take the challenge!