Inductive Bible Study - Observation  

Inductive Bible Study - Interpretation

Inductive Bible Study - Application

Simple Study on the Power of God's Word
Authority of God's Word - study on 2Timothy 3:16-17
Ezra 7:10 - Exposition of the "Ezra 7:10 Principle"
Job's "Secret" of perseverance?  
A Primer on the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation

Memorizing God's Word - Why? How? Resource links...
Navigator's Topical Memory System (TMS)
How to Perform A Greek Word Study on the Web
Greek Tense, Voice, Mood Reference Guide
Greek Word Studies - in depth

THE THREE COMPONENTS
OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY

Do you long for a relationship with God, but feel lost when you open your Bible, not even knowing where to begin?

Or perhaps you begin each year with a resolution to read through the Bible, only to give up in frustration, wandering about somewhere in the "wilderness" of the book of Numbers?

Or do you read passages of Scripture and find that only moments later you can't even remember what you just read?

Are you frustrated that there are so many different opinions about what the Bible says on a given subject and you wonder which one is true?

Or do you doubt whether it's even possible for you to understand God's Word, since you're not a pastor, an elder or a degreed theologian?

If any or all of these questions describe you, then take heart, beloved, for you are about to embark on a journey called "Inductive Bible Study"  (IBS), one that has the potential to radically transform your life as you study God's Word in a way you heretofore never thought possible. Inductive Bible Study will expose you to an approach that can be applied to any Scripture, any time, any place, by any one. All that is required is the Holy Book, the Holy Spirit and a humble, teachable heart.

As you begin this journey, remember that the Bible will be your primary resource "for no (spoken) word from God (is) void of power (a more literal rendering of Luke 1:37 ASV then other translations) and  "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness (read that phrase again - do you believe this is true?), through the true knowledge of Him (found in His Word) Who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these (His "glory and excellence") He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them (we) might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." (2Pe 1:3,4-notes)

Beloved, if you are not convinced on the sufficiency and power of the Bible as your guidebook for abundant, supernatural life, you might consider performing a simple study on the inherent Power of God's Word. You must understand and believe that the Word of God not only is sufficient for every need but that it is a "love letter" from God, because it is! "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."  (John 3:16) Your objective is to learn to read the Bible as if God were personally speaking to you. Why? Because He is! B. B. Warfield was absolutely correct when he said

The Bible is the Word of God in such a way that when the Bible speaks, God speaks.

Allow the Author to speak directly, personally and powerfully to your mind but also to your heart. Remember that the Bible is the only book whose Author is always present when it is read.

Knowing the living Word
is the key to understanding the written Word.

Beloved, many saints are sitting under the Word today in Bible believing churches, but they are not in the Word for themselves. The psalmist writes that the blessed man or woman who flourishes like a tree by water is the one who delights not under but "in the law of the LORD, and in His law meditates (see Primer On Biblical Meditation) day and night." (Ps 1:2, 3 - see notes). The great need for most believers is to "get into" the Word for themselves. Instead many are sitting in pews growing older, but not growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2Pe 3:18-note).

Inductive Bible Study is profitable...
not just that we should know
but that we might grow!

IBS is not a method to fill our head with Biblical facts and make us "smarter sinners". The ultimate goal of all IBS is the transformation of our lives from glory to glory, daily becoming more like our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you ready to get into the Word so that the Word can get into you in a way you never previously thought possible? Then, my friend, get ready for the joy and adventure of Inductive Bible Study.
 

After observing the schematic, you still may not appreciate the basic premise of Inductive Bible Study so let's illustrate two different approaches to Bible study using the life of a frog as our subject of study.

If you wanted to learn about frogs, you could go to the library and check out a book entitled "The Life of Frogs" (or in today's web savvy world you might "Google" the term "frog's life"). But how would you know that the so-called frog expert had really given you an accurate interpretation of a frog's life? You wouldn't if you relied solely upon that one source. On the other hand you could go to a nearby pond, sit by the water's edge and begin to observe and write down what you observed about the local frogs - how they gathered food, what they liked to eat and not eat, where they liked to sit, how they mated, where, when and how they laid their eggs, what transpired when the eggs hatched, and how long it took tadpoles to grow into adult frogs. Then you could take one of the slimy green creatures back home (not to your kitchen though), dissect him and observe how he was constructed in great detail, even observing the interrelationships of the innermost parts under a dissecting microscope.

Now, let's be honest. Reading a reference by a "frog expert" is easier and more aesthetically pleasing than sitting by a pond and (heaven forbid) even touching one of the little green critters. And besides, you could glean the salient frog facts in a fraction of the time it would take you to perform your own observations of the frog's life cycle. So what's the point? In the first method, you might remember what you read for a few days, but with the second method you would likely be able to recall your observations months, even years later. And which method provides the potential for the joy of self discovery? Which method "costs" the most (in time and effort)? I'm sure you can see the clear distinctions between these two methods.

In Bible study, you can study someone's else's study or you can study the Scripture for yourself. The inductive method provides you with the skills and familiarity with the tools which make it possible for even beginning students (as well as children) to confidently study the Scriptures without being forced to depend on secondary sources.

"CUT YOUR OWN
FIREWOOD!"

As Henry Ford is reported to have said "Cut your own wood and warm yourself twice". In other words, as you chop your own firewood, you enjoy not only the heat from the logs glowing in the fireplace but you also enjoy the physical warmth produced by the exercise of chopping your own firewood. In a similar way, as you "take the ax (the "tools" of inductive study) in your hand" and begin to learn how to "chop the wood" of God's Word for yourself, you will experience a supernatural "warmth" of your soul that is beyond description and in so doing you will keep the flame of devotion alive as you provide fuel for the Spirit to renew your mind and transform you more and more into the image of God's Son. "Cutting your own firewood" so to speak will provide the fuel to let your light shine before men in such a way that they begin to see your good (God) works and glorify (give a proper opinion) of your Father, the otherwise unseen God Who is in Heaven (cp Mt 5:16-note).

A. B. Simpson famed Canadian preacher and theologian put it this way...

God has hidden every precious thing in such a way that it is a reward to the diligent, a prize to the earnest, but a disappointment to the slothful soul. All nature is arrayed against the lounger and the idler. The nut is hidden in its thorny case; the pearl is buried beneath the ocean waves; the gold is imprisoned in the rocky bosom of the mountains; the gem is found only after you crush the rock which encloses it; the very soil gives its harvest as a reward to the laboring farmer. So truth and God must be earnestly sought.

Dr Howard Hendricks eloquently sums up the differences in the two contrasting approaches to Bible study writing that

Knowledge that is self-discovered is stored in the deepest part of the mind and remains the longest in the memory. There is no jewel more precious than that which you have mined yourself.

From the frog illustration, you can easily see that the key difference in the inductive approach is personal, active involvement in the process. As someone has said...

"I hear and I forget"
"I see and I remember"
"I do and I understand"

Instead of studying resources about the Bible, inductive study focuses first upon the Bible. You need to be willing to lay aside your preconceived notions, "pet" interpretations, ready references, study notes (yes, you heard correctly - even your study Bible - at least avoid looking at the notes on the Word prior to looking at the Word yourself!), sermon tapes or mp3's, etc, coming to the Scriptures as for the first time. Your primary resource is to be God's Word, and then other secondary resources. The tendency for many Bible students at the beginning of a study is to rally secondary resources that will do the "observing" and  "interpreting" for the reader. It's quick but is it correct? How can you know if you don't make your own independent observations and arrive at your own interpretation based on those observations? And why even go to the Scriptures if you almost immediately forget what you've just read? Research show that we learn more and retain more, the more actively we are involved in the learning process.
 

The key to effective, fruitful inductive Bible study is personal involvement and learning how to carefully, prayerfully observe... not sitting by a pond, but sitting at the feet of Jesus, allowing the Spirit of Christ to lead you into all truth (cp Lk 10:38, 39, 40, 41, 42).

Give me the insight, Lord,
As I read Your Word today,
So I will truly understand
Your message and Your way. —Monroe

Inductive Bible study has as one of its major goals to give the student the knowledge and tools to allow them to "fish for themselves" so to speak. The Bible is a remarkable book. Millions of copies are bought each year. It has been the number-one bestseller for decades. But the tragic paradox is that the Bible is the least-read bestseller of all time!

J. I. Packer is surely correct when says that...

If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible. (cp "Hath God said..." Ge 3:1, cp Mk 4:15, 2Co 2:11, 4:3, 4, 1Pe 5:8)
 

We do well to remember that Satan's initial attack was to undermine the truth of the Word of God by creating doubt...

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" (Ge 3:1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

To create doubt about the value and veracity of the Word of God is still one of Satan's most effective weapons in his incessant war against God and His children. Therefore it behooves us to know the Word, lest we fall for the lie.

Alan Redpath (past pastor at Moody Bible Church) once advised believers to "wreck" their Bible every 10 years!  Do you use your Bible every day until it eventually falls apart? If you've never studied your Bible inductively, then you are about to experience that it is a wonderful "tool" by which you can wear out your Bible! Remember -- a well-worn Bible is a sign of a well-fed soul, and a Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone whose life isn't!

The treasures of the Word of God
Are great beyond compare;
But if we do not search them out,
We cannot use what's there. —Sper

Although he does not use the term, the following quote by Martin Luther appears to allude to the basic practice of inductive Bible study...
 

I study my Bible as I gather apples. First, I shake the whole tree that the ripest may fall. Then I shake each limb, and when I have shaken each limb I shake each branch and every twig. Then I look under every leaf.

The godly missionary Amy Carmichael  indirectly alluded to the value of inductive Bible study warning all saints to...
 

Never let good books take the place of the Bible. Drink from the Well, not from the streams that flow from the Well.

R A Torrey may have been exaggerating somewhat but this is some truth in his declaration that...

Ninety-nine Christians in every hundred are merely playing at Bible study; and therefore ninety-nine Christians in every hundred are merely weaklings when they might be giants.

I love how Grant Osborne introduces the second edition of his excellent text The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation...

There is no greater privilege or joy than studying the Word of God. When we realize that God loved us enough not only to send His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins, but also cared enough for us to give us His revealed truths to challenge and guide our lives, we are amazed at how little we deserve and yet how much He has done for us! There is only one set of final truths in this world, not mathematics or science (for all physical laws are invalid in a quasar or a black hole), but only the Word of God. In this the eternal principles intended to direct us through this life are truly found. Therefore it is both a privilege and a responsibility to study God’s Word as carefully as possible.

To fail as a Christian to study God’s inspired revelation is tantamount to refusing to know the laws of the country we live in and breaking those laws with impunity. It is a failure that can and will have catastrophic results, for it means we do not care about the rules we have promised to obey by virtue of being citizens of our country—whether that be the USA or Britain or heaven (cf. Php 3:20, 21-note). (Osborne, G. R. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Rev. and expanded, 2nd ed. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press. November 30, 2006) (Digital version on Logos) (Bolding added for emphasis)

May the Spirit of the Living God give all of His children a burning desire to diligently study His Living Word inductively that He might make each of us into
 

INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY
 CALLS FOR CONTINUAL DEPENDENCE

Always begin your time in God's Word with prayer...

Psalm 119:12
Blessed art Thou, O LORD.
Teach me Thy statutes.

Spurgeon's comments on this verse are relevant to inductive Bible study: Teach me thy statutes; for thus only can I learn the way to be blessed. Thou art so blessed that I am sure thou wilt delight in blessing others, and this boon I crave of Thee that. I may be instructed in Thy commands. Happy men usually rejoice to make others happy, and surely the happy God will willingly impart the holiness which is the fountain of happiness. Faith prompted this prayer and based it, not upon anything in the praying man, but solely upon the perfection of the God to Whom he made supplication.

Lord, thou art blessed,
therefore bless me by teaching me.

We need to be disciples or learners -- "teach me;" but what an honour to have God Himself for a Teacher: how bold is David to beg the blessed God to teach him! Yet the Lord put the desire into his heart when the sacred word was hidden there, and so we may be sure that he was not too bold in expressing it. Who would not wish to enter the school of such a Master to learn of Him the art of holy living? To this Instructor we must submit ourselves if we would practically keep the statutes of righteousness. The King Who ordained the statutes knows best their meaning, and as they are the outcome of His own nature He can best inspire us with their spirit. The petition commends itself to all who wish to cleanse their way, since it is most practical, and asks for teaching, not upon recondite (secret, hidden) lore, but upon statute law. If we know the Lord's statutes we have the most essential education.

Let us each one say, "Teach me Thy statutes." This is a sweet prayer for everyday use. It is a step above that of Psalms 119:10, "O let me not wander," as that was a rise beyond that of Psalms 119:8, "O forsake me not utterly." It finds its answer in Psalms 119:98, 99, 100: "Thou through Thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies," etc.: but not till it had been repeated even to the third time in the "Teach me" of Psalms 119:33,66, all of which I beg my reader to peruse. Even after this third pleading the prayer occurs again in so many words in Psalms 119:124,139, and the same longing comes out near the close of the Psalm in Psalms 119:171 -- "My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes."

To summarize, the Bible is to be our primary Source and God's Spirit is to be our primary Teacher.

John reminds us that the Spirit abides in and with us in order that we might be enabled to distinguish truth from error...

And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him (in context referring to the Holy Spirit each believer receives from the Father at the moment of initial salvation - cp 1Jn 2:20, Jn 14:17) abides in you, and you have no need to have anyone teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (our responsibility if we truly seek to hear from God's holy Word)" (1Jn 2:27).

And so the apostle John teaches that  the Spirit of God, Who lives in each believer, is readily accessible as our personal Tutor. To be sure, God has given us pastors and teachers for our edification (1Co 12:28, Ep 4:11, 12-see notes Ep 4:11; 12), but remember that they are in addition to and not a substitute for the Teacher, the Holy Spirit.  What a wonderful truth that even the humblest believer in Christ, even he or she is but a newborn babe, may be taught of God through His Word, even when human teachers are lacking.

The Lord Jesus made it abundantly clear to His disciples declaring that

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you"  (John 16:13,14).

The apostle John quoted Isaiah 54:13 recording Jesus' promise that

'THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me (Jn 6:45).

Jesus went on to add that

It is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.  (Jn 6:63)

J C Ryle (1816-1900 - short biography) wisely wrote that...

A humble and prayerful spirit will find a thousand things in the Bible which the proud, self-conceited student will utterly fail to discern.

Dear reader, may the testimony of the psalmist be your testimony as you seek to know God through His Word of Truth and Life (Jn 17:3, 2Ti 2:15-note; Jas 1:18-note; Php 2:16-note)...

I have not turned aside from Thine ordinances, for Thou Thyself hast taught me. Ps 119:102 (note)

Spurgeon commenting on this verse says: "They are well taught whom God teaches. What we learn from the Lord we never forget. God's instruction has a practical effect -- we follow his way when he teaches us; and it has an abiding effect, -- we do not depart from holiness."

The Living God teaching His Living Word - How wonderful is this truth for all of us who seek to be His students using His Scripture!

J I Packer rightly reminds us that

One of the many divine qualities of the Bible is this: that it does not yield its secrets to the irreverent and censorious.

And so, as you begin this journey, inductive Bible study may seem somewhat labor intensive or academic, but if you desire to learn how to rightly divide the Word of Truth, you will need to persevere and exert effort (click incredible illustration of desire and effort). Bob Smith in his practical book Basics of Bible Interpretation writes that...

God wants everyone to be able to understand the Bible, for its message is essentially how we can have and enjoy the greatest kind of life, free from the futility of pointlessness, free from the limitations of our human, earthly thought patterns, free from the fear of death and dying. Not everyone understands it this way. In fact, many are so convinced they can't understand the Bible that they never give it a second look. It's strange how we will study most any other subject with diligence only to have the acquired knowledge perish with us. But the words of the Bible are words of life!

You too may have approached the Bible as "snack food" out of fear that deeper study was only for the "professionals", but in inductive study you will come to learn that you too can experience a veritable feast at the King's banqueting table (because you are!).

As Oliver Wendell Holmes once said...

What you bring away from the Bible depends to some extent on what you carry to it.

And so in order to experience effective, profitable inductive Bible study we need the right attitude as emphasized by the following Scripture. The apostle Peter writes...

Therefore (term of conclusion), putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord." (See notes 1Pe 2:1; 2:2; 2:3)

Did you notice the order? Putting aside the perverse precedes practice of the positive. The Greek verb for "putting aside" was used to describe taking off one's old dirty clothes! Sin in one's life will destroy one's appetite for the Word and needs to be cast off by confession and repentance (cf 1John 1:9). So first seek a "clean slate" as did David who prayed

"Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts and see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way." (Ps 139:23-24; Spurgeon's notes v23, verse 24)

Peter uses a figure of speech ("newborn babies") to draw a poignant comparison between the appetite of a baby for its mothers milk and the appetite the believer should have for Gods Word. He commands us to long for pure milk, to desire it earnestly, to long for it greatly, to intensely crave possession of it and to have great affection for it. David wrote "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God." (Ps 42:1 - Spurgeon's note) where the word for pants is the same word translated long for in first Peter.

Spurgeon explains the idea of panting...

As after a long drought the poor fainting hind longs for the streams, or rather as the hunted hart instinctively seeks after the river to lave its smoking flanks and to escape the dogs, even so my weary, persecuted soul pants after the Lord my God. (Spurgeon)

The meaning of this word picture is obvious. Sinners bought with the precious blood and made into new babes in Christ are to crave the spiritual milk of God's Word just like babies crave the bottle.

And just as the Bible is to be our primary source in inductive study, Peter instructs us to make sure the "milk" we partake of is pure, genuine, without guile or deceit, unadulterated and not mixed with anything else. When you "eat" the Bible inductively, you want to do so without any "additives". (See related messages by John Piper - Long for the Pure Milk; Sweeter than honey;  Meditate on the Word; Open My Eyes That I May See; Thank God for an Inspired Bible; Wonderful Things From Your Word)

Why does Peter insist on a healthy diet of pure milk? What is his goal? It is nothing short of growth! Spiritual growth, which is only possible when one takes in pure milk. No intake of God's Word will result in stunted spiritual growth and the off shoot, spiritual maturity. Test yourself -- How long have you been a Christian? How would you grade your spiritual growth over the months, years? Are you growing up in Christ or simply growing older? Remember the principle - No regular intake of the Word = No spiritual growth!

Howard Hendricks adds that (1 Peter 2:1; 2:2; 2:3)
 

tells us: in order that you might grow. Please note, it is not that you may know. Certainly you can’t grow without knowing. But you can know and not grow. The Bible was written not to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life. (Ibid)

Francis Bacon once remarked that

some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.

Will H. Houghton encourages us to...

Lay hold on the Bible until the Bible lays hold on you.

When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart. (Ps 119:18, Luke 24:45, Ep 1:17, 18-notes)

Surely the Word of Truth and Life is to be "chewed and digested" so that it becomes part of our innermost being, not merely informing us but transforming us. Such was the approach of the weeping, downcast prophet Jeremiah who declared

Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16) (Read the entire chapter to see the context in which the "weeping prophet" proclaimed this powerful principle testifying to the hope and assurance found in God's Word.)

German theologian Johann Bengel (1687-1752) said,

Be like a maker of a well who brings no water to his source but allows the water he finds there to flow freely without stoppage, diversion, or defilement.

David Shepherd sums up the importance of our attitude toward Bible study by observing that you can...

Blame none but yourself if all the Bible you get is that little bit from under the calendar hurriedly snatched as a sop to conscience.

Warning: Inductive Bible study can be habit-forming. Putting the principles into practice can cause loss of anxiety, decreased appetite for lying, cheating, stealing, hating and "symptoms" of growing sensations of love, peace, joy, compassion.

Leave not off reading the Bible till you find your hearts warmed. Let it not only inform you but inflame you. -- Thomas Watson

Inductive Bible study is meant not merely to inform but to transform. (Ro 12:2-note)

Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them. - E. Paul Hovey

The old covenant is revealed in the New, and the New Covenant is veiled in the Old. - Augustine

The new is in the old contained, and the Old is in the New explained. - Graham Scroggie

The family Bible is more often used to adorn coffee tables or press flowers than it is to feed souls and discipline lives. - Charles Colson

The Old Testament altar points to the New Testament cross.

The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions. (Dt 8:3, Mt 4:4)

The Bible is the best "TV guide". (Ps 101:3) (Spurgeon on Ps 101:3)

When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart. (Ps119:18-note, Luke 24:45,  Eph 1:17, 18 -see notes Ep 1:17; 18)

If a Christian is careless in Bible reading, he will care less about Christian living.

To understand the Word of God, rely on the Spirit of God.

You can't enjoy the harmony of Scripture if you play just one note of truth. (Acts 20:27)

To hear God speak, read the Bible carefully and study it prayerfully.

Backsliders begin with dusty Bibles and end with filthy garments. Spurgeon

We cannot bear fruit without the water of God's Word. (Luke 8:15)

The highest goal of learning is to know God. (John 17:3)

When we look into the mirror of God's Word, we see ourselves more clearly. (Jas 1:23, 24, 25-note)

A text taken out of context becomes a pretext.

Let God's Word fill your mind, rule your heart, and guide your tongue. (Col 3:16-note, Ep 5:18, 19, 20-see notes)

The Bible: The more you read it, the more you love it; the more you love it, the more you read it.

The best protection against Satan's lies is to know God's truth. (Ep 6:14-note, cp Jn 17:17)

Like a compass, the Bible always points you in the right direction. (Deut 28:13, 14, Joshua 1:7, 8, 9-note)

Those who only sample the Bible never acquire a taste for it. (Jer 15:16, Job 23:12-note, Ps 19:10-note)

While other books inform, and some few reform, this one book transforms. -- A. T. Pierson

Other books were given for our information—the Bible was given for our transformation.

If you're too busy to read the Bible, you're too busy.

As A W Tozer put it...

Whatever keeps me from my Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to me.

God feeds the birds, but He doesn't throw the food into their nests.

We lose the joy of living in the present when we worry about the future. And we lose the joy of living for the future when we focus on the present.

Opening your Bible can be a real eye-opener.

A well-read Bible is a sign of a well-fed soul.

The Bible breaks hard hearts and heals broken hearts.

A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't.

Sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from sin.

It's better to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter.

The Bible: read it through, work it out, pass it on!

The jewel of the Word should not hang in our ears, but be locked up in a believing heart. -- William Jenkyn

The Word is both a glass to show us the spots of our soul and a laver to wash them away. -- Puritan Thomas Watson (Jas 1:22, 23, 24-note, Jas 1:25-note)

One proof of the inspiration of the Bible is that it has withstood so much poor preaching. - A. T. Robertson

It is impossible to practice godliness without a constant, consistent and balanced intake of the Word of God in our lives. -- Jerry Bridges (1Ti 4:7, 8, 9, 10-note)

The Bible is none other than the voice of him that sitteth upon the throne. Every book of it, every chapter of it, every syllable of it, every letter of it, is the direct utterance of the Most High. -- John William Burgon

Apply yourself to the Scriptures and the Scriptures to yourself.

The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold on me. - Martin Luther (He 4:12, 13-note)

Reading the Bible without meditating on it is like eating without chewing. (Ps 119:15-note, Ps 119:23-note, Ps 119:27-note, Ps 119:48-note, Ps 119:78-note, Ps 119:97-note, Ps 119:99-note, Ps 119:148-note)

Psalm 119:102 (note)  I have not turned aside from Thine ordinances, For Thou Thyself hast taught me.

God speaks through His Word--take time to listen. (Ps 95:7, Pr 8:6, Isa 55:3, Re 3:20-note)

If my sermons kept people from reading the Bible for themselves, I would like to see the whole stock in a blaze and burned to ashes. But if they serve as fingers pointing to the Scriptures and saying, “Read this and this and this,” then I am thankful to have printed them. - C H Spurgeon

The value of the Bible is not knowing it, but obeying it. (1Sa 15:22, Ho 6:6, Mt 5:24-note, Mt 12:22)

When you have read the Bible, you will know it is the Word of God, because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty. -- Woodrow Wilson

He that reads his Bible to find fault with it will soon discover that the Bible finds fault with him. - C H Spurgeon

It is not the Word hidden in the head but in the heart that keeps us from sin. - Vance Havner (Ps 119:9, 10, 11)

A Bible in hand is worth two on the shelf.

A Red Letter Bible is fine, but one that is Read is far better!

When the Bible becomes a part of you, you'll be less likely to come apart.

The Bible is simple enough for a child to read and too deep for a scholar to master. (1Co 2:14)

A Bible that has frayed edges usually has an owner that doesn't.

The best thing to do with the Bible is to know it in the head, stow it in the heart, sow it in the world, and show it in the life.

Devout meditation on the Word is more important to soul-health even than prayer. It is more needful for you to hear God's words than that God should hear yours, though the one will always lead to the other. -- F. B. Meyer (Ge 24:63, Josh 1:8, Ps 1:2, 3, Ps 38:12; 63:6; 77:3, 6, 12; 119:15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 148; 143:5; 145:5)

The Christian is bred by the Word and he must be fed by it. --William Gurnall

The best way for Christians to grow is to eat the Bread of Life. (Jn 6:48, 51, 58, Mt 4:4, Lk 4:4)

The Word of God is the candle without which faith cannot see to do its work. (Pr 6:23, Ps 19:8)

The true Christian church is the work of the Word communicated by every available means. -- Martin Luther

The Bible is like a compass—it always points the believer in the right direction.

The Bible is like the ocean. You can wade in it, feed from it, live on it--or drown in it. But those who take the time to learn its truths and practice them will be changed forever.

With God's Word as your map and His Spirit as your compass, you're sure to stay on course. (Pr 3:5, 6, Pr 16:9 Ps 25:8,9, 32:8 Isa 30:21, 48:17 Jer 10:23, Jas 1:5-note)

When you study the Bible "hit or miss," you MISS more than you HIT.

When the Word of God dwells in you, the love of Christ shines through you.

Beware! Error often rides to its deadly work on the back of truth! --Spurgeon (2Cor 11:13, 14, 15)

Spiritual growth requires the meat of God's Word. (He 5:14-note, 1Pe 2:2-note)

Be diligent in your study of the Word of God. Then, instead of falling into error, you will stand firmly on the truth.

God’s Word is like the wheat in the hand of the mummy, of which you have often heard. It had lain there for thousands of years, but men took it out of the hand and sowed it, and the bearded wheat, which has now become so common in our land, sprang up. So you take a divine promise, spoken thousands of years ago, and lo, it is fulfilled to you! It becomes as true to you as if God had spoken it for the first time this very day, and you were the person to whom it was addressed. - Spurgeon

Study the Bible to be wise; believe it to be safe; practise it to be holy.

The Word of the Lord is a light to guide you, a counsellor to counsel you, a comforter to comfort you, a staff to support you, a sword to defend you, and a physician to cure you. The Word is a mine to enrich you, a robe to clothe you, and a crown to crown you. - Thomas Brooks

Your life will run smoother if you go by "The Book."

Some people like to read so many chapters every day. I would not dissuade them from the practice, but I would rather lay my soul asoak in half a dozen verses all day than rinse my hand in several chapters. Oh, to be bathed in a text of Scripture, and to let it be sucked up into your very soul, till it saturates your heart! Set your heart upon God’s Word! Let your whole nature be plunged into it as cloth into a dye! - C H Spurgeon

If we want our life to run well, even through stormy situations and rough circumstances, we must take the time to study the "Owner's Manual."

Many people store the Bible on the shelf instead of in their heart.

Some people make the Bible say what they want to hear

To be a healthy Christian, don't treat the Bible as snack food.

A well-read Bible is the companion of a well-fed believer.

Remember that our Bible is a blood-stained book. The blood of martyrs is on the Bible, the blood of translators and confessors. The doctrines which we preach to you are doctrines that have been baptized in blood—swords have been drawn to slay the confessors of them. And there is not a truth which has not been sealed by them at the stake or the block, where they have been slain by hundreds. - Spurgeon (Related Resource - See one of the most incredible DVD's [about 4 hours long] you will ever watch - The Indestructible Book - How We Got our English Bible - It will make you weep!)

I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible. - D. L. Moody

We must approach God's Word as if our lives depended on it--because they do.

If your life depended on knowing the Bible, how long would you last?

We must align ourselves with the Bible, never the Bible with ourselves.

The branches of growing trees not only reach higher, but their roots grow deeper. It's impossible for a strong tree to have high branches without having deep roots. It would become top-heavy and topple over in the wind." The same is true with Christians. It's impossible for us to grow in the Lord without entwining our roots around His Word and deepening our life in His commands." - Joni Eraeckson Tada

The roots of stability come from being grounded in God's Word.

Bible study demands pondering deeply on a short passage, like a cow chewing her cud. It is better to read a little and ponder a lot than to read a lot and ponder a little."

Unless God's Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray. -- John Calvin

Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of our liberties; write its precepts on your hearts and practise them in your lives. To the influence of this book we are indebted for the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look for our guide in the future. Ulysses S. Grant

If you wish to know God, you must know his Word. If you wish to perceive his power, you must see how he works by his Word. If you wish to know his purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by his Word. - Spurgeon

There’s no better book with which to defend the Bible than the Bible itself. - D. L. Moody

The study of God’s Word brings peace to the heart. In it, we find a light for every darkness, life in death, the promise of our Lord’s return, and the assurance of everlasting glory. - D. L. Moody

A description of the Bible - This book contains: the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrine is holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be saved, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here heaven is open, and the gates of hell are disclosed. Christ is the grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, health to the soul, and a river of pleasure. It is given to you here in this life, will be opened at the judgment, and is established forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and condemn all who trifle with its contents. — Anonymous (found on the flyleaf of an old Bible)

The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope, then he sees worlds beyond: but if he looks at his telescope, then he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through, to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it; and so they see only the dead letter.” Phillips Brooks

I would rather speak five words out of this book than 50,000 words of the philosophers. If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God. If we want conversions, we must put more of God’s Word into our sermons. - Spurgeon

Reader, remember this: if thy knowledge do not now affect thy heart, it will at last, with a witness, afflict thy heart; if it do not now endear Christ to thee, it will at last provoke Christ the more against thee; if it do not make all the things of Christ to be very precious in thy eyes, it will at last make thee the more vile in Christ's eyes. -- Puritan Thomas Brooks

The Bible was not written to satisfy your curiosity, but to make you conform to Christ’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner, but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts, but to transform your life.” --Howard Hendricks in Living by the Book

If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much - Ironside

It has been said that the Bible is so deep that theologians cannot touch the bottom, yet so shallow that babes cannot drown.

J. I. Packer once said that...

If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible.

In the midst of that period of intellectual history called The Enlightenment, a philosophy known as deism was sweeping Europe. In the midst of this development, the famous skeptic, Voltaire, proclaimed that within 25 years, the Bible would be forgotten and Christianity would be a thing of the past. However, 40 years after Voltaire’s death in 1778, the Bible and other Christian literature were being printed in what had once been Voltaire’s own house!

Precious book! I would say of you what David said of Goliath’s sword: “There is none like that; give it me” (1Sa 21:9). You are marrow and fatness, honey and wine. Yes, manna of angels and water from the Rock, Christ Jesus. Of all soul medicines you are the most potent. Of all mental dainties you are the sweetest. And of all spiritual food you are the most sustaining. - Spurgeon

My rule for Christian living is this: anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it. - Dr. Wilbur Chapman

The Bible is God’s chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbor is, and how to reach it without running on rocks or bars. - Henry Ward Beecher

Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. - Samuel Smiles

Leave not off reading the Bible till you find your hearts warmed...Let it not only inform you, but inflame you. - Thomas Watson

Never let good books take the place of the Bible. Drink from the Well, not from the streams that flow from the Well .  --  Amy Carmichael

Gipsy Smith told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible although he had “gone through it several times.”
“Let it go through you once,” replied Smith, “then you will tell a different story!”

C H Spurgeon in his sermon on Hosea 2:23 exults in the authority and efficacy of God's holy Word...

To my mind, it is very instructive to notice how Paul quotes from the Prophets. The revelation of the mind of God in the Old Testament helps us to understand the gospel revealed in the New Testament. There is no authority that is so powerful over the minds of Christian men as that of the Word of God. Has God made known any truth in his Word? Then, it is invested with divine authority. Paul, being himself inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore able to write fresh revelations of the mind of God, here brings the authority of God’s Word in the olden times to back up and support what he says: “As he saith also in Osee (Hosea).”

Beloved friend, if you are seeking salvation, or if you want comfort, never rest satisfied with the mere word of man. Be not content unless you got the truth from the mouth of God. Say in your spirit, “I will not be comforted, unless God himself shall comfort me. I want chapter and verse for that which I receive as gospel.” Our Lord’s reply to Satan was, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Give me, then, but a word out of God’s mouth, and I can live upon it; but all the words out of man’s mouth, apart from divine inspiration, must be as unsatisfying food as if men tried to live on stones.

Notice, again, how Paul teaches that the very essence of the authority of the Scriptures lies in this, that God speaks through his revealed Word:

“As HE saith also in Osee (Hosea).”

It is God speaking in the Bible whom we ought to hear. The mere letter of the Word alone will hill; but when we hear God’s voice speaking in it, then it has power which it could not possess otherwise. It is a blessed thing to put your ear down to the promises of Scripture, till you hear God speaking through them to your soul. It is truly profitable to read a gospel commandment, and to listen to its voice until God himself speaks it with power to your heart. I pray you, do not regard anything that is preached here unless it agrees with what is written there in the Bible. If it is only my word, throw it away; but if it is God’s truth that I declare to you, if God Himself speaks it through my lips, you will disregard it at your peril.

I will make only one other observation by way of introduction. Is it not wonderful how God’s Word is preserved century after century? There were seven or eight hundred years between Hosea and Paul; and it is remarkable that the promise to the Gentiles should lie asleep all that time, and yet should be just as full of life and power when Paul was quoting it after all those centuries. God’s Word is like the wheat in the hand of the mummy, of which you have often heard. It had lain there for thousands of years; but men took it out of the hand, and sowed it, and there sprang up the bearded wheat which has now become so common in our land. So you take a divine promise, spoken hundreds or thousands of years ago, and lo, it is fulfilled to you! It becomes as true to you as if God had spoken it for the first time this very day, and you were the person to whom it was addressed.