The Seven Days of Man - Page 2

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The apostle Paul instructed Timothy with the following words:</div> <bR> <div> II Timothy 2:15</div> <div> Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.</div> <div> [Amplified Bible]</div> <bR> <div> I believe I was around 14-15 years old when I got my first copy of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. This book lists every English word in the KJV Bible, and it provides a link to the Hebrew, or Greek word from which it was translated. You could also look up every occurrence of a word in the Bible to do topical studies, or word comparisons. I spent hundreds of hours doing research on Bible topics, using this book, from the time I was very young.</div> <bR> <div> Today, Strong’s Concordance is also available in versions that link all the original Hebrew and Greek words to other popular Bible translations, such as the New American Standard Bible, and the New International Version of the Bible.</div> <bR> <div> With the advent of computer based Bible study programs, doing studies of God’s word has become much easier, and I have branched out to many more study tools. I use the Hebrew and Greek Interlinear Bibles that place the original word from ancient manuscripts right alongside the English word that it has been translated to. I use the Englishman’s Search to find every occurrence of a Greek or Hebrew word and to see if the Translator’s are rendering its meaning in a consistent manner. I have 9 different Bible translations that I look at regularly when I am doing studies on my computer, and I have about a half dozen more translations in hard copy. </div> <bR> <div> I have resources such as Bible Dictionaries, Bible Commentaries, Atlases and Maps, and Topical References available to me. Beyond this I have read extensively the teachings of men that the Spirit has testified are spiritual men whom He called to be teachers to the body of Christ, and I continue to do large amounts of research right from home through a myriad of resources on the World Wide Web. On my Bible program at home I can look up the meaning of every name that occurs in Scripture, and through Internet sources I can check the etymology of words and names that are not in Scripture.</div> <div> You may hear all this and think, “Well, that is not for me. God didn’t wire me that way. I am not good at book work and studies.” I concur that all men have varying abilities and talents, but I disagree that any man who desires to do so cannot become very proficient at studying God’s word and learning for themselves of the mysteries hidden in God’s words. The apostle John wrote:</div> <bR> <div> I John 2:27</div> <div> As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to 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. </div> <bR> <div> John 16:12-13</div> <div> “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth...”</div> <bR> <div> No man should think that he can come to the knowledge of the truth by study alone. A man must be led and instructed by the Spirit of God. The natural man, those not born again of the Spirit, cannot receive the thoughts of God, for they are spiritually appraised. Yet this does not mean that there is not a need for diligent study as well. We must study to show ourselves approved before God, rightly handling the word of truth.</div> <bR> <div> There are certain prerequisites to understanding truth. We must be born of the Spirit of Christ. We must love the truth. We must desire the truth. We must be faithful with the truth we have already received, otherwise, even that which we think we have received will be taken from us.</div> <bR> <div> What I want to impress upon you is that it is insufficient to merely read the words of your favorite Bible translation and think that you will thereby arrive at the truth. There is not a single Bible translation that does not include a myriad of errors, for the men who produced the translations were themselves limited in their understanding. Some of the men were not particularly spiritual. Some acted more out of political concern than spiritual integrity, and those who charged the Bible translators with the task of creating a new translation were oftentimes not spiritual either. If you investigate the history of many of our English Bibles you will be appalled at the base motives that guided many of them.</div> <bR> <div> But even if the men were acting in integrity, they often stayed with the orthodox rendering of the day, or translated according to their understanding of a matter, which was often faulty. This is why we need to study these things for ourselves, and we need to be very sensitive to the voice of the Spirit.</div> <bR> <div> Some might still say that they feel that they are poorly qualified to do in depth Bible Study for themselves. I know men who are as country as can be, who do not consider themselves to be book smart, or intellectual, yet they are masters of the topics that are appealing to them.</div> <bR> <div> I know men who can tell you everything there is to know about fishing. They can tell you where all the good fishing spots are in the lakes and rivers around them. They can tell you what fish are biting, and what bait to use. They can tell you the best lures and the proper line, and the best rods and reels. These same men can tell you about the minutiae of how weather and temperature affect the fish, as well as the effects of the lunar cycles.</div> <bR> <div> Other men are just as knowledgeable about hunting with bow, or rifle; whether hunting for turkey, or wild hog, or deer, or a multitude of other game.</div> <bR> <div> Some men know volumes about cars and engines, or motorcycles. Others have their heads crammed full of knowledge relating to sports such as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, tennis, or golf.</div> <bR> <div> The truth is that these same men could be just as expert in their knowledge of the Bible, and the truths of God’s kingdom. They could understand mysteries hidden from others, if they applied themselves to the pursuit of the things of God. We tend to apply ourselves to the things we love. If you love God, and want to know Him and His wisdom above all else, you will make yourself into a good student of the Scriptures.</div> <bR> <div> Proverbs 2:1-5</div> <div> My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of Yahweh and discover the knowledge of God.</div> <bR> <div> Do these words describe your attitude toward your pursuit of the things of God?</div> <bR> <div> Do you treasure Yahweh’s commandments?</div> <bR> <div> Have you made your ear attentive to wisdom?</div> <bR> <div> Is your heart inclined to understanding?</div> <bR> <div> Have you been crying out for discernment?</div> <bR> <div> Have you lifted your voice that God might grant you understanding?</div> <bR> <div> Have you sought for these things as silver?</div> <bR> <div> Have you searched for them as if seeking hidden treasures?</div> <bR> <div> The apostle Jacob (James) wrote, “You have not because you ask not.” What is it you are praying for? Are you asking for material things, earthly things? Are you asking God to make you wise in the things that He esteems? God will not give His most holy things to those who act indifferent to them. You must pursue them. You must apply yourself to their pursuit. You must become as a treasure hunter, knowing that the most valuable thing in this world is to understand the things of God, for the creation exists for His pleasure, and you are part of that creation.</div> <bR> <div> How did you spend your free time yesterday? How did you spend your free time last year? How much time did you give to the pursuit of God, and the understanding of His ways, and the correct understanding of His Word?</div> <bR> <div> Part of coming out of Babylon is giving up the pursuit of the idols of this world that you might pursue God with a whole heart.</div> <bR> <div> Do you find that your desire for the things of God is not as great as a desire for the vain and empty things of this world? I have seen men turn down a time of Bible Study like this in order to watch a ball game on the television. Will Yahweh say, “Well done!” to those who make such choices? Will such pursuits benefit any man in the ages to come? Will they help equip the overcomers in Christ to rule and reign during the fast approaching Millennial period?</div> <bR> <div> If your desire for the things of God is lacking, He already knows. If you want it to change, you must ask Him. You have not because you ask not.</div> <bR> <div> John 16:24</div> <div> "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”</div> <bR> <div> Will God reprove you for asking that He increase your desire for the things He esteems? Will He be displeased if He hears you confess that you want to love the vain things of the world less, and love Him more? Ask that your joy my be made full, for when your desires come in line with His desires, then you will truly be fulfilling the purpose of your creation, and you will know joy.</div> <bR> <div> Continue to <A HREF="id608.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Seven Days of Man Page 3"><U>Next Page</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>