The Preparation for Bible Study

1. MENTAL PREPARATION
1. A Ready Mind (Acts 17:11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
   See All...)
2. A Focused Mind
1. Moses (Exodus 3:1-4 [1] Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. [2] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. [3] And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. [4] And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
   See All...)
2. Samuel (1 Samuel 3:7-10 [7] Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. [8] And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. [9] Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. [10] And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
   See All...)
3. Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24 [21] And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: [22] And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: [23] And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: [24] And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
   See All...)
4. Paul (Galatians 1:11-17 [11] But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. [12] For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. [13] For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: [14] And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, [16] To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: [17] Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
   See All...)
2. SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
1. Salvation (1 Corinthians 2:14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
   See All...)
1. The Spirit of God is the teacher (John 14:26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
   See All...; John 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
   See All...).
2. Without the Spirit of God, a man is a natural man and cannot fully grasp the truth of the word of God.
2. Pray before Studying (Psalm 25:4-5 [4] Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. [5] Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
   See All...).
1. For open eyes (Psalm 119:18Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
   See All...; Ephesians 1:18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
   See All...)
2. For open ears
1. The phrase “ears to hear” is found 10 times and is always connected to learning truth.
2. A similar wording is used at the end of the letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3.
3. Israel could not grasp the identity of Christ because of a hearing problem (Matthew 13:15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
   See All...).
4. The Lord can open the ears of man (Job 33:14-18 [14] For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. [15] In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; [16] Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, [17] That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. [18] He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
   See All...).
5. The ears are for hearing and hearing leads to faith (Romans 10:17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
   See All...).
3. For a prepared heart
1. An unprepared heart was behind Israel’s rejection of the Messiah (Matthew 13:15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
   See All...).
2. The parable of the sower likens the soil to the heart (Mark 4:15And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
   See All...).
3. Hardening of the heart hinders knowledge (Psalm 95:7-10 [7] For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, [8] Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: [9] When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. [10] Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
   See All...; Mark 8:17And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
   See All...).
4. Hardening of the heart hinders faith (Mark 16:14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
   See All...).
5. Hardness of heart hinders hearing (Hebrews 4:7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
   See All...).
3. Receive the Lessons
1. Receive the lessons from His mouth (Job 22:22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
   See All...).
2. Receive the lessons without murmuring (Isaiah 29:24They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
   See All...).
3. The wise will receive the commandments (Proverbs 10:8The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
   See All...; Proverbs 21:11When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
   See All...).
4. Love of the Saviour (John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
   See All...)
1. Notice the triangle of events.
2. He that hath my commandments
3. He keepeth them.
4. He it is that loves the Lord.
5. The Lord will manifest Himself to that man.
6. This gives another way to consider the principle found in Luke 12:48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
   See All....
5. Obedience
1. A man’s understanding is dependant upon his obedience of what he knows (Psalm 119:100I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
   See All...).
2. Doing the will of the Father yields a knowledge of His doctrine (John 7:17If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
   See All...).
6. Praise
1. The psalmist approached the Lord with praise and asked to be taught (Psalm 119:12Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
   See All..., 68).
2. The Lord’s goodness leads Him to teach (Psalm 25:8Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
   See All...).
3. Our own humility prepares us to be taught (Psalm 25:9The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
   See All...).
7. Fear of the Lord
1. A man that fears the Lord shall be taught in the way (Psalm 25:12What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
   See All...).
2. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
   See All...).
3. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
   See All...).
4. The Lord gives attention to a man that trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
   See All...).
8. Affliction (Psalm 119:71It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
   See All...)
1. Affliction yields lessons concerning the Lord’s statutes (Psalm 119:71It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
   See All...).
2. Trials give a better revelation of Christ (Luke 8:22-25 [22] Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. [23] But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. [24] And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. [25] And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
   See All...).
1. The disciples apparently did not know that the wind and the water had to obey Jesus (Luke 8:25And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
   See All...).
2. They saw a side of Jesus they could not have seen without the storm.
3. This event proved Jesus Christ to be God (Psalm 65:5-7 [5] By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: [6] Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: [7] Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
   See All...).
9. Exercise (Hebrews 5:12-14 [12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. [13] For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. [14] But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
   See All...; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 [1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. [3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
   See All...)
10. Desire (1 Peter 2:2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
    See All...)