Mentoring Men for the Master

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BIBLE

“If we would know God and be Godly, we must know the Word of God – intimately.”

Permit me to ask a few questions:

  1. Do you own a Bible?
  2. Do you own more than one Bible?
  3. Do you read your Bible daily?
  4. Have you read through the Bible?
  5. Does Jesus expect us to read through the Bible?  Absolutely, for He says in Matthew 4:4, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Surely at the very least He intended us to read “every Word.”
  6. Can you quote the 10 Commandments?
  7. Can you quote the 10 Commandments in order?
    1. Do you know the 11th Commandment?
  8. Can you quote the Beatitudes?
    1. Do you know the 9th Beatitude?
  9. Can you quote them in order?

Illus.:  Supposed you were hiring a math teacher who was supposed to know his stuff mathematically.  So before employing him you asked him a few questions, and you asked him, “Do you know the multiplication tables?”  And he replied, “Oh, I have heard of them, but I never bothered to memorize them.”  Would you employ that person?  Of course not.  You would say, “That guy is no mathematician.”  Well, suppose you asked the average Christian, “Can you quote the 10 Commandments – the moral law of God- and he doesn’t know them at all, though he claims to  be a great Christian.  Unthinkable and yet few Christians can quote the 1- Commandments in order.

But God doesn’t just want us to read the Bible, God commands that we “internalize it.”  Now the Bible commands us to do 11 important things with the Bible:

  • Read it (1 Timothy 4:13).
  • Study it (2 Timothy 2:15).
  • Search it (Acts 17:11).
  • Desire it (1 Peter 2:2).
  • Love it (Psalm 119:97).
  • Hide it (Psalm 119:11).
  • Cherish it (Job 23:12).
  • Obey it (Luke 11:28).
  • Preach it (2 Timothy 4:1).
  • Teach it (Matt. 28:20).
  • Meditate on it (Josh 1:8).

But the Bible says more – it says we are to “Internalize the Word,” that is, do what it takes to get it on the inside of you until  your mind is so saturated with it that  you think like God and live like God.  God uses 2 metaphors to explain this:

  • Eat the Word – Ezek. 3:1. Ezekiel was commanded to eat the Word.  10:9, John was commanded to eat the scroll.
  • Jesus used the strongest word of all, He commanded His followers to abide in His Word. John 15:4, “Abide in me and I will abide in you.”  John 8:31-32, “If  you abide in my Word, then (and not until then) then you  are my disciples indeed, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free from sin.”

I am sure many of you are now asking, just what steps must I take to “Internalize” the Word?  There are 4 steps.  They are stated in the Pledge I use in mentoring men.  Listen to that pledge:

This is my Bible. It is God’s inerrant word. It is my most valuable earthly possession. I will, therefore, make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and I will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.

The Bible is God talking to me personally. I will, therefore listen to it carefully and obey it fully. And I will endeavor to internalize it in my life by doing four things:
• I will know it in my head by   diligent study,
• I will stow it in my heart by  memorization and meditation,
• I will show it in my life by  obeying its teachings, and
• I will sow it in my world by  witnessing.

Hereafter I will never be the same, never, never, never! In the name of Jesus, for his honor and glory, both now and forever more, Amen.”

Notice the 4 steps :

Step #1 – I will know the verse in my head by diligent study.

Step #2 – I will stow it in my heart by memorization and meditation.

Step #3 – I will show it in my life by obeying its teachings.

Step #4 – I will sow it in my world by my witness.

Permit me to show how this approach works on definite Scripture.  Take the first commandment of the 10, which says “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

  • First, we memorize this commandment.
  • Then we meditate on it.
  • We live it out in our daily living.
  • Then we use it every way we can in our witness, whether it be soul-winning, teaching, preaching, praying, worshipping, singing, etc.
  1. We read the first commandment.
  2. We memorize it.
  3. We meditate on it and ask, “What does it say in simple terms”: You will put God first in every area of your life.
  4. Then using First as an Acrostic, say

F – first in finances

I – first in interests

R – first in your relationships

S – first in your schedule

T – first in your time.

Now what do we get out of this?  What are our rewards?  Joshua says it brings success and progress to our lives.  Joshua 1:8; the same is stated in Psalm 1.  What are the two rewards?

  • Your fellowship with Jesus is wonderful – John 14:21
  • Your consciousness of His presence is glorious – Psalm 16:11
  • You get your prayers answered – John 15:7.
  • You are filled with overflowing joy – John 15:11
  • You defeat the devil – James 4:7.
  • Your faith grows and grows and grows – Romans 10:17.
  • Men who have been Christians for years are changed from passive husbands to be head of their homes, from worthless fathers to powerful examples, from no good deacons to powerful leaders, etc.

Illus:  A promising young man came to me on the campus of SEBTS saying, “I am having to leave the seminary, my wife is about to divorce me, I don’t know what to do.  Can you help me?  I explained to him about internalizing the Word and began to meet with him to encourage him to do so.  This man was turned around 180 degrees.  He returned to the seminary and now pastors a dynamic church in this city.  Recently he said to me, “Dr. Bennett, had I not met you and internalized the Word of God, today I would be divorced, out of the seminary, out of the ministry and selling insurance.

Would you like to get more out of your Bible?

Would you start reading it regularly if you have not been doing so?

Would you begin to memorize verses and start meditating on them?

Would you obey them in your daily walk?

Would you share them in soul-winning, praying, etc.

  • Jesus will become real in your life – John 14:21.
  • You’ll get your prayers answered – Jer. 15:7.
  • You’ll overflow with joy of Jesus.
  • You’ll be a soul winner, or missionary.
  • Passive husbands will become head of their homes.
  • Worthless fathers will begin teaching their children.
  • You’ll be too anointed to be disappointed, etc.

In closing, you must first be born again of the Word – 1 Peter 1:23.