Part 2 The Principle of Preparation

Bible study is like most things in life - the better you are prepared for it, the greater will be your reward. Our spiritual lives, as well as our Bible study experiences, will be greatly enhanced if we pray by faith that God will prepare us in a special way for Bible study. Preparation is conditioning our hearts for the teaching of God’s Word.

When we approach the Scriptures, too often we grab our tool box of the mind—the concordance, dictionary, commentary, notebook, and pens—and neglect the essential intangibles of the spirit and heart.

Learning how to study the Bible involves more than learning a set of steps to follow while analyzing Scripture. A curious, capable mind alone cannot invade the deep spaces of this Book. An academic approach to the Scriptures may be fascinating, but it can not take us beyond the outer husk of truth. To taste the sweet fruit within we need more than gray matter. What intangibles of the spirit and heart do we need to bring to Bible study?