Do you really believe God’s Word has the power to set you free? I know so many people who are struggling with different issues: broken marriages, obstacles in the workplace, family relationships, battles with sin, anxiety, and fear. Honestly, the list goes on and on.
And many of these people sit in church week after week but with powerless lives.
I used to be one. I used to go to church every time the doors were open, yet I struggled in my marriage, relationships, and my personal battle with sin. I’ve shared over the last two weeks How to Bring Real Change to Your Life through seeking God daily and Three Ways to Have a Consistent Quiet Time (because, honestly, that is the secret to real change).
Today, I want to share with you the actual tools to make this change happen. I want to see you set free, because Jesus came to save, heal, and deliver. If He can’t change our lives, then we are all without hope, but that is not the testimony of Scripture. We are given the keys to the Kingdom, and they begin with the Word of God.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, NIV).
We have to not only hear God’s Words, but put them into practice. We can’t put into practice what we don’t understand. We can’t understand what we don’t study.
I know. Most of us don’t like to think of studying for several reasons. We don’t know where to start. We don’t think we have time. We are bored by the idea of it (as opposed to television or social media or other hobbies). We don’t think we have the capacity to understand. We get enough by going to church and/or Sunday school.
All of these reasons are why I am excited to share something with you today that can turn all of that around. My life changed when I was given the tools to not just read but study, understand, and apply God’s Word to my life. Where are you in your pursuit of God and His Word?
Let me take this thought one step further. After many years now of studying the Bible, I’ll admit that I sometimes get bored with the same methods. So, what I’m about to share with you has brought new life and passion into my daily time with the Lord. I’m not talking about just going through a Bible study someone has written (although I do that as well). I’m talking about having the tools to study God’s Word for yourself and uncover truths that can radically change your life.
Bible Study Methods: 7 Ways in 7 Days
Arabah Joy is a Christian living blogger I have come to know and love. She has such a sincere heart and passion for the Lord and His Word that come across in all that she writes. Arabah recently released a course called Bible Study Methods: 7 Ways in 7 Days. AJ has served in ministry for twenty years and shared these methods with believers all over the world. I went through the course and explored all seven Bible study methods that she teaches. I can’t begin to tell you the depth of understanding and insight into Scripture that I found using these methods. I was renewed with the passion and desire to really dig into God’s Word.
7 Ways in 7 Days contains seven videos in which Arabah teaches a different Bible study method in a very easy-to-understand format. She also provides a downloadable workbook to go with the series. I love that you can take your time and work at your own pace with this course. The seven videos cover seven methods:
- verse mapping
- chapter analysis
- TASTE method
- word study
- APPLE method
- topical study
- Lectio Divina
Some of these I had done before, but most were fresh and new. Arabah’s ideas and instructions are so easy to implement, yet because each method encourages personal application, we are able to go beyond merely reading or listening and let God’s Word change us.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do” (James 1:22-25).
Sitting in church, listening to messages, while never studying the Word for ourselves will bring little change to our lives. We won’t apply what we didn’t hunger for. But when we become desperate and hungry for God to change us, we will seek out and live out His Word, and that’s when we will be set free!
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:32).
That phrase “hold to my teaching” is translated from the Greek meno, meaning “to abide, continue in, or tarry; to remain beside, continue near, still longer” (Strong’s G3306). In other words, Jesus didn’t say if you read or listen to the truth it will set you free. He basically said if you dig into, stay in, and apply my truth, it will set you free. Honestly, I believe this subtle difference is what marks the lives of those who experience true freedom in Christ.
How about you? Do you need to dig deeper into God’s Word and learn how to apply His truths to your everyday life? Do you need the tools to be able to study God’s Word on your own and grow in your relationship with the Lord? Do you need freedom in any area of your life?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, let me encourage you to sign up for this course today! Please don’t think I am just trying to sell you something. I bought this course myself to support AJ and her ministry and because I wanted to learn these seven methods. The course is $29. I’ve paid more than that for a movie and popcorn. This course is an investment in your spiritual life, so trust me, it’s worth it.
Listen to what others have said about 7 Ways in 7 Days.
Bonus:
So, here’s the deal: I believe God can use this course to literally set some people free, because that’s what happens when we dig into God’s Word and apply it to our lives. If you decide to grab AJ’s course by Sunday, March 26, (midnight, eastern time), she is going to include a bonus study of Ephesians, using the seven methods outlined in her course. You really can’t lose with this deal. 🙂
Click here to grab AJ’s course, Bible Study Methods: 7 Ways in 7 Days
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