Study Gods Word - #281

In this episode we continue our look at what it means to F.E.A.R. God. 

As we study Scripture, God begins renewing our minds. He starts replacing lies with truth. Fear gives way to faith. Pride gives way to humility. Selfishness begins giving way to love. Little by little, our desires begin looking more like His desires. 

Transcript

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Welcome to The Point of Purity Podcast—a weekly Bible study designed to help you pursue lasting purity, spiritual integrity, and a deeper walk with Jesus Christ. I'm Steve Etner, and I'm so glad you've joined me today. 

Over the past several weeks we've been slowly walking through Proverbs chapter 2, verses 1 through 5, discovering six intentional choices that lead us to understanding the fear of the Lord. 

We've learned to receive God's Word, treasure it, listen carefully to it, meditate on it, and most recently, we've discovered the importance of talking to the God of the Word through prayer. 

Today we come to the sixth and final choice—the one that brings all the others together. If you truly want to grow in the fear of the Lord, then God calls you to diligently search His Word as though you were searching for hidden treasure.    Let's discover what that looks like together.

As we come to the final choice in Proverbs chapter two, verse four, Solomon paints one more unforgettable picture. 

He tells us that if we truly want to understand the fear of the Lord, we must seek His wisdom "like silver" and search for it "as for hidden treasures". 

I love that picture because it immediately changes the way we think about God's Word. Think about it for a minute. Nobody accidentally discovers a rich vein of silver. Miners don't walk through the woods, trip over a rock, and suddenly become wealthy. They dig. They sweat. They study the ground. They keep digging even when the work is hard because they are convinced something incredibly valuable lies beneath the surface. 

The same is true for someone searching for buried treasure. They don't casually stroll across a field hoping to stumble onto a chest full of gold. They search. They investigate. They stay with it because they believe the treasure is worth every ounce of effort.

That's exactly the picture Solomon gives us when it comes to God's Word. 

He isn't describing someone who reads a verse for thirty seconds before rushing out the door. He's describing someone who opens the Scriptures with anticipation. Someone who slows down, asks questions, compares Scripture with Scripture, and keeps digging because they know every page reveals more of the heart of God.

Can I ask you something? When you open your Bible each day, which person best describes you? The casual reader...or the treasure hunter? There's a BIG difference. 

A casual reader is looking to finish today's reading plan.    A treasure hunter is looking to discover God.    One reads because it's on the schedule. The other reads because he simply can't wait to see what God is going to teach him next. That's the kind of heart Solomon is describing.

Notice something else about these verses. The words "seek" and "search" describe an ongoing pursuit. 

Solomon isn't talking about something you do once and then move on. He's describing a lifestyle. You keep digging. You keep searching. You keep learning. You keep coming back to God's Word because every time you open it, there is another treasure waiting to be discovered.

I've been studying God's Word for many years now, and I can honestly tell you something that still amazes me. I'll come across a passage I've read dozens—maybe hundreds—of times before, and suddenly God opens my eyes to something I'd never noticed. 

The verse hasn't changed. God hasn't changed. But He is continuing to teach me because I'm in a different season of life. 

That's one of the beautiful things about God's Word.     You'll never exhaust it. You'll never reach the point where you've learned everything God has to teach you.    Every time you open your Bible with a humble, teachable heart, you're inviting God to reveal more of Himself.

That kind of pursuit requires curiosity—a genuine desire to know what God is saying. 
 It requires diligence—a willingness to keep coming back even when life gets busy. 
 And it requires humility—the recognition that no matter how much we've learned, we still have so much more to discover. 

Because here's the goal: we're not studying the Bible simply to collect information. We're not trying to win Bible trivia contests or impress people with how much we know. We study God's Word because we want it to transform us. We want it to reshape the way we think, the choices we make, the way we treat people, and ultimately the way we walk with Christ. 

The more deeply we dig into God's Word, the more deeply God's Word begins to dig into us.

Now here's the question that naturally follows: What exactly am I searching for? 

If I'm supposed to dig into God's Word like a miner searching for silver...if I'm supposed to search the Scriptures like someone hunting for hidden treasure...what is the treasure?

Solomon answers that question in the very next verse. Verse five says, "Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God". 

Did you catch that? The treasure isn't merely biblical knowledge. The treasure is God Himself. 

That's one of the biggest misconceptions people have about studying the Bible. We sometimes think the goal is simply to learn more facts, memorize more verses, or understand more theology. Those things certainly have their place, but they're never the end goal. 

The purpose of Scripture is to introduce you to the Author. Every page is designed to reveal His heart...His character...His wisdom...His holiness...His love...His faithfulness...His goodness...His grace.

When you open your Bible each morning, you're not simply opening a book. You're sitting down with the living God who wants to reveal Himself to you. 

That's why Jesus said in John chapter five, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me." In other words, the entire Bible points us to Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one magnificent story—God rescuing sinful people through His Son.

So don't settle for simply learning information about God. Pursue a relationship with God. There's a tremendous difference. 

It's possible to know the Bible...and not really know the God of the Bible. The Pharisees knew Scripture better than almost anyone in their day. They could quote enormous portions of the Old Testament from memory. They knew the commands. They knew the ceremonies. They knew the traditions. Yet when the Messiah stood right in front of them, many of them completely missed Him. Knowledge by itself isn't enough. God desires relationship.

That's why Jeremiah nine, twenty three and twenty four records God saying, "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows Me". 

Did you hear that? Not merely that he understands My Word...but that he understands and knows Me. 

That's what Bible study is ultimately about. Every time you open God's Word, you're being invited into a deeper relationship with the God who wrote it.

Paul expressed that same longing in Philippians chapter three when he said, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." 

Notice Paul's priority. Not simply knowing more...Knowing Christ. That's the treasure. That's what Solomon is inviting us to pursue. 

And here's something I never want you to forget. The more you know God, the more you'll trust Him. The more you trust Him, the more you'll obey Him. The more you obey Him, the more you'll experience the joy, freedom, peace, and confidence that come from walking closely with Him. 

That's why studying God's Word is so much more than checking a box on your spiritual to-do list. It's about meeting with your Heavenly Father. It's about hearing His voice. It's about allowing Him to reshape your thinking until your heart begins beating in rhythm with His. 

The goal of Bible study isn't simply to finish today's reading. The goal is to leave today's reading knowing Jesus a little better than you did yesterday.

Now, maybe you're listening today and thinking, "Steve, I understand why I should study God's Word...but where do I even begin?" That's a great question. 

You don't have to be a seminary graduate to study the Bible well. You don't need shelves full of commentaries or years of theological training. You simply need a teachable heart and a willingness to spend time with God. 

Remember what we've already learned in Proverbs chapter two. First, we receive God's Word. Then we treasure God's Word. We listen carefully to God's Word. We meditate on God's Word. We talk to the God of the Word. Now, finally, we study God's Word. 

Do you see how beautifully those six choices fit together? Bible study isn't an isolated activity. It's the natural result of a heart that's already been softened by God's truth.

When you treasure something, you naturally spend time with it. When you love someone, you naturally want to know them better. The same is true with God. 

Study begins with desire. David understood that. That's why he prayed in Psalm one hundred nineteen, verse eighteen, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law". 

I love that prayer. David didn't ask God simply to help him finish his reading plan. He asked God to open his eyes. That's the prayer of someone who expects God to teach him something.

Can I encourage you to make that your prayer every single time you open your Bible? "Father, show me something today that I've never seen before." "Help me understand Your heart." "Teach me how to apply this to my life." 

I can honestly tell you that's a prayer God delights in answering. 

Then, as you read, don't rush. Slow down. Ask questions. What does this passage teach me about God? What does it reveal about His character? Is there a promise to believe? A command to obey? A warning to heed? An example to follow? A sin to confess? How should this change the way I think...the way I speak...the choices I'll make today?

You see, Bible study isn't finished when you close your Bible. Bible study isn't complete until God's truth begins changing your life. 

James chapter one reminds us not to be merely hearers of the Word who deceive themselves, but doers who put God's truth into practice. 

That's where transformation happens. Knowledge without obedience produces pride. But knowledge combined with obedience produces Christlikeness.

That's why Paul told Timothy in second Timothy two fifteen, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved...rightly handling the word of truth". 

Notice who Timothy was trying to please. God. Not people. Not a classroom. Not a Bible study group. God. 

Every time you open your Bible, you're not studying to impress someone else with how much you know. You're studying because you love the One who wrote it. And the beautiful thing is this: the more consistently you invest time in God's Word, the more God's Word begins shaping your heart. 

Your thinking changes. Your priorities change. Your desires begin changing. Your responses begin changing. You begin seeing life from God's perspective instead of your own. Before long, you're no longer asking, "What do I want to do?" You're asking, "Father, what would glorify You?"

Isn't that exactly what the fear of the Lord produces? It's a heart that loves what God loves...Hates what God hates...And longs to walk in His ways. That's why studying God's Word isn't the finish line. It's the doorway into a deeper relationship with Christ.

Now let me ask you a personal question. What do you think would happen if you invested the next twelve months faithfully studying God's Word—not simply reading a few verses to check a box, but genuinely receiving it...treasuring it...listening to it...meditating on it...talking with the God of the Word...and studying it with all your heart? 

Would anything really change? According to Scripture, absolutely everything begins to change. God's Word isn't just information to fill your mind. It's transformation that changes your life.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword." It penetrates beneath the surface. It exposes our motives. It reveals what is really going on inside our hearts. 

God's Word doesn't merely tell us what we've done wrong; it lovingly shows us where we need to become more like Christ. 

James gives us another beautiful picture. He says the Word of God is like a mirror. A mirror tells us the truth. It doesn't flatter us, and it doesn't lie to us. 

When we look into God's Word, we begin seeing ourselves the way God sees us. That's not meant to discourage us. It's meant to lead us toward change. 

Paul reminds Timothy that all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training us in righteousness so that the man or woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Did you catch that? God didn't give us His Word simply so we'd know more about Him. He gave us His Word so we'd become more like Him. 

As we study Scripture, God begins renewing our minds. He starts replacing lies with truth. Fear gives way to faith. Pride gives way to humility. Selfishness begins giving way to love. Little by little, our desires begin looking more like His desires. 

Paul says in Romans 12 that we're transformed by the renewing of our minds. That renewal doesn't happen accidentally. It happens as we continually fill our minds and hearts with God's truth. 

The psalmist understood this when he asked, "How can a young man keep his way pure?" Then he answered his own question: "By guarding it according to Your Word." 

Later in that same psalm he says, "I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." 

Do you see the connection? Victory over sin isn't primarily about having more willpower. It's about having more of God's Word dwelling richly within you. 

When temptation comes—and it will—you'll already have truth stored away in your heart. When discouragement comes, God's promises are already there. When fear creeps in, His faithfulness is already speaking louder than your circumstances. When you're unsure what to do, His wisdom begins directing your steps.

That's why David could say God's Word is "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." 

God doesn't usually illuminate your entire future all at once. Instead, through His Word, He faithfully gives enough light for your next step of obedience. 

Isn't that what walking with God is all about? Not knowing everything...But trusting the One who does. 

And the longer you study God's Word, the more you begin recognizing His voice. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." 

How do we become familiar with the Shepherd's voice? By spending time listening to Him through His Word. The more consistently you open your Bible, the easier it becomes to recognize God's truth when the world is shouting something completely different.

That, my friend, is one of the greatest blessings of studying Scripture. You develop discernment. You begin seeing life through God's eyes instead of your own. You stop asking, "What do I think?" And you begin asking, "Lord, what have You already said?" 

That's the heart of someone who fears God. That's the heart of someone who delights in His Word. And that's the kind of heart God loves to shape.

As we bring today's episode to a close, let me leave you with one simple challenge. Over the past several weeks we've talked about six choices that lead us to understanding the fear of the Lord: Receive God's Word. Treasure God's Word. Listen to God's Word. Meditate on God's Word. Talk to the God of the Word. And study God's Word. 

Now it's time to stop simply talking about those choices...and start living them. 

So, Tomorrow morning, before you check your email... before you scroll through social media... before you turn on the news... open your Bible. Invest a few quiet moments with God. Ask Him to teach you. Treasure what He shows you. Meditate on it. Talk with Him about it. Then walk out your front door determined to live it. 

Don't settle for simply reading God's Word. Study it. Let it shape your thinking, transform your heart, and direct your steps. 

Remember, the goal isn't to know more about the Bible. The goal is to know the Author of the Bible more intimately. Because the more you know Him, the more you'll love Him. And the more you love Him, the more you'll fear Him with a holy reverence that changes the way you live. 

If that's the kind of relationship with God you're longing for, I'd like to recommend a resource that I believe will really help. It's my book, Living Free: Victory through Surrender, available now on Amazon. 

This book isn't simply about overcoming sinful habits. It's about learning to surrender every area of your life to Christ through the truth of His Word. Together we'll explore how Scripture renews your mind, reshapes your desires, strengthens your walk, and leads you into the freedom that only comes through daily surrender to Jesus. 

If today's episode challenged you to become more than a casual reader of God's Word—to become a student of God's Word—I think you'll find this book to be a valuable companion for that journey. I'd encourage you to head over to Amazon today, search for Living Free: Victory through Surrender, or simply search my name, Steve Etner, and pick up your copy.

Before we go, I’d like to ask you a personal favor. If this series on the fear of God has encouraged you, challenged you, or helped deepen your walk with Christ, I'd really love to hear from you. What has God been teaching you? Which episode has impacted you the most? How has He been using His Word in your life? 

Would you take just a minute and send me an email? You can reach me at steve@thepuritycoach.com. Again, that's steve@thepuritycoach.com. It would be a genuine privilege to hear your story. It would also be an honor to pray for you.

And if you haven't already subscribed to The Point of Purity Podcast, I'd encourage you to do that today. Next week we'll continue our series on what it really means to fear God. We've completed our study of the six choices in Proverbs chapter two, but there's still so much more that God's Word has to teach us about living with a holy reverence for Him. I think you're really going to enjoy where we're headed next. 

Until then, this is Steve Etner reminding you that if you're going to glorify God in your everyday living... He must first be glorified in your every moment thinking.