The Heart of the Bible Student

The heart of the Bible student must be the opposite of what is found in those Bible scholars Jesus was talking to in John 5:39:

Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me.

The Scriptures testify of Christ, but it is possible to study, to search the Scriptures thoroughly, and still not hear them "bear witness concerning" the Lord Jesus. You can study the Bible for a wrong reason or with a corrupt heart, and you will miss the very purpose of all Scripture—they testify of Christ.

Our heart in studying is just the opposite. We are searching the Scriptures still, but it is to find Christ and gain all through Him. We have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and now we crave the milk of the word of God (1 Peter 2:2). Studying extra is the craving of the word.

This heart of the Bible student is the desire "to know Him," as Paul said in Philippians 3 though he obviously knew Christ already.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a thing" (Proverbs 25:2). In this relationship with the Bible student and the Teacher, there is a searching-out that happens. The Lord has hidden many bits of himself in His word. It is a glory to search them out and discover the Lord's treasures!

At the end of Paul's life, he requested Timothy to especially bring his parchments—the books that were most likely Scriptures. He already knew that he had the crown and had finished his race, yet he still wanted to study the word of God to find more of Him.

When we study the Bible, and especially as we set ourselves to study more thoroughly, we aim to discover more of Christ. This is the heart of a student of the Bible.

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Crave the word

So glad for this verse today: as newborn babes desire earnestly [crave] the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation - 1 Peter 2:2 Try reading 10 chapters by the choice of craving and then read some more by the reactive desire of it. How often are my 5 or 10 second moments spent checking some other happiness than Christ? In 5 seconds I can check notifications or I can chew on my manna for the day. In 10 seconds I can check for new emails or rehearse that verse I've been trying to memorize. I can spend just 5 minutes listening to the news or I can spend it finishing a daily Bible reading portion. Mother's milk is the best thing for the newborn baby. The milk of the word is the best source of joy all through the day. "crave ... the word ... if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is good."

Salvation by tossing a man overboard

Jonah 1:14-16 Then they cried out to the Lord, 'Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.' Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. This is deliverance by casting the stubborn prophet overboard. It’s that part of your heart, deep asleep in the depths of the boat, that is running from the Lord. He is not innocent. He is not to be kept on the ship. Release him to the Lord’s monster-fish to be brought near to Sheol. If he dies, it was the Lord who let him die. If he is brought to land, your old stubbornness against the Lord’s will may become your new resoluteness to accomplish the Lord’s mission. Oh Lord, I cast away this stubborn ‘man’ inside of me and release him to Your storms. Judge and do as You please. As for me, I will no

God Has Spoken Series

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