“How Do I Find God? Read the Word

Basil Marotta Jericho Ministries

Session Outline:

“You will never rely upon someone you do not trust...and you will never trust someone you do not know.” Getting to know God by reading His Word.

We are mandated to read the Word:

Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

(2 Tim 3:16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Some principles in interpreting Scripture:

·  The primary rule is that Scripture interprets Scripture. No part of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture. This principle is anchored in the belief that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Therefore, it is free from contradiction. If you interpret a passage in a way that is contrary to another part of Scripture, your interpretation is wrong.

·  Passages in the Bible that are clear must be used to interpret unclear passages about the same subject.

A useful guide of things to consider or steps to take to effectively read the Word:

1.  Pray:

2.  Read the passage

3.  Ask Questions:

1: What does it say?

2: What does it mean?

3: What does it teach me about God?

4: What does it tell me to do? (command)

5: Is there a promise to believe and claim?

6: What does it mean to me as a man? A Husband?….A father?…A man at church?…at work?….in the community?

7: Is there one thought I can extract from it to think about during the day?

4: Write the answers in a notebook or journal.

5: Pray some more.

6: Commit to make what you learned part of your life.

Let’s apply these steps to a Scripture…

(Ephesians 6:5-9) Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. {6} Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. {7} Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, {8} because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. {9} And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Life Implication:
To discover the God who is you must be willing to spend time in His Word. Personal Bible reading and study must become a lifestyle, if any man wants to get to know and trust God and develop a vibrant personal relationship with Jesus.

Question:
Which of the steps above can I use or improve on to make my reading of the Word more effective? How can they help me find the God who is?