Welcome to a new adventure for the Hillsdale Baptist Iron Men ministry! Our church's strength is determined in large part by the spriritual strength of our men. We need to be capable men of God, prepared to handle and minister God's Word in our families, church and community. Taking time to meet together for concentrated Bible study can be an important part of your being sure that you are a prepared man of God, rightly dividing the Word (2 Timothy 2:15).1. We need to have a passion and thirst for God’s Word
Spend some time meditating on these passages that express the grandeur and depth of God's Word...
- Psalm 19:7-11 – The Law of the Lord is perfect ...in keeping them there is great reward
- Psalm 119:103 – how sweet are Your words
- Colossians 3:15-17 – let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
2. We need to recognize our responsibility for honoring God's Word
- Joshua 1:8 – meditate day & night in the Word, and be careful to do what it says, take it seriously!
- 2 Timothy 2:15 – rightly dividing the word of truth, examining as well as possible, sorting things out and coming to the best conclusion
- Philippians 2:16 – holding forth the Word, proclaiming the Word to a needy world, and ministering it faithfully in our family and church
- Psalm 1 is a wonderful expression of the godly believer living a responsible life before God. Note that the delight of his heart is the Word of God, and as a result, he has strong, deep roots, fed from the living water of God.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is a major passage on the doctrine of God's Word. How did we get it? God breathed His very essence into each word - it is truly the living Word. Why do we have it? Teaching, reproof, correction, and righteousness -- all of that should be happening in our life regularly. What is the result? A biblical man of God, walking in Christlikeness and ministering the Word of God in every facet of his life.
4. We need to establish these 4 keys to faithful Bible Study:
- Heart – we must have a passion for God's Word, never satisfied, always thirsting for more!
- Method – we need to have some method to our study, not just wandering in the breeze, making use of tools
- Effort – diligence and discipline must become a natural part of our daily life
- Prayer – we must always be careful to surround our time in Bible study with time on our knees humbly seeking God's face about what we are learning
5. Here is a model we will use for our Plumbline Bible Study sessions:
- Facilitated but interactive – while the leader will have prepared material and notesheets, the plan will be that the group works together to move through the material
- Notes and preparation – keep your pen in your hand, write things down, and review a few days later; look for the ideas in the notes for things to be studying in preparation for the next sesssion
- Methods and discipline – we will seek to work on the basics of Bible study methods, making sure that we all are covering the practical matters of knowing God's Word
- Growing and mentoring – as the group grows, we will find many opportunities to minister to one another, sharing personally with how God is working in our lives
There is a passion for Christ which it has been given to a very few to possess, but which has set those who have it apart forever from their fellow men. . . . Amid the terrific onrush of the apostasy, amid the swirl of pleasure which is engulfing the majority of those who call themselves Christians, God has His own. . . . They are men and women whose faith and zeal burn brighter as the world's darkness deepens. They are ready to die at Jerusalem, or anywhere, for their Lord. They are valiant for the truth, and wield the sword lustily on God's behalf. Nevertheless, few have that passion for Christ which Paul expressed in the words, "To me to live is Christ." There is reward for the obedient disciples, there is power and authority for the faithful disciples, there is glory of achievement for the zealous disciple . . . but there is the whisper of God's love, there is the joy of His presence, and the shining of His face for those who love Him for Himself alone. A true heart for God will motivate us to seek him diligently in His book.
(Quoted from “Quiet Time”, IVP)
