Study Time

With the new school year underway, it is very fitting that our theme this month is “Pierce my heart to study Your word,” and our scripture is Romans 11:33: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” Regular Bible study is important regardless of where we are in our walk with Christ. Maybe you’ve been coming to church your entire life and know a lot about the Bible; maybe you’ve only been coming for a short while; or maybe you just stumbled across this magazine and haven’t really given God a second thought. It doesn’t matter where you were in your Christian walk yesterday; what matters is that you choose to start today to move forward.

When we become comfortable in where we are, Satan jumps on that opportunity and uses it to try to make us fall (Proverbs 16:18). I’ve been going to church my entire life, so I’ve always thought I know a lot about the Bible, but the more I study His word, the more I realize that I actually know very little! I have so much left to learn that it’s not a matter of knowing everything; it’s a matter of learning everything I can learn so that I can share with others as much as I know.

Those of you that have only recently begun attending church are probably absorbing everything you hear, trying to figure out the Truth. The best way to learn the Truth is to read the Bible! If you don’t have a Bible, you can go to Bible Gateway and read on-line for free, or you could ask the church you’re attending for a Bible––they will surely supply one for free. Visit the Daily Bible Reading section of Pierce My Heart to follow a reading plan.

Maybe you have only been to church a few times in your life, if ever. You might feel totally lost when people talk about the Bible or God or what Jesus has done for us. I encourage you to get a Bible and read it. Ask someone who is a biblicallysound believer to help you with questions you might have. Even though it was written so long ago, the Bible can apply to our lives right now. Pierce My Heart articles give practical suggestions about how to use the Bible to change our lives today.

Now that you’ve hopefully obtained a Bible, where should you begin reading? I suggest Luke. Luke was a physician, and in just 24 chapters he encompasses the life of Christ, from the womb through His death, burial, and resurrection. Luke focuses on the compassion of Christ and portrays Christ as a human who was tempted and tried just as we are today. Luke also focuses on important women such as Jesus’ mother, Mary, His aunt Elizabeth, and the women who were at the tomb after He was raised from the dead. Due to the love and compassion in this book, Luke is often a favorite gospel among girls and women.

Please keep in mind that when you begin reading, the Bible might seem a little boring or outdated, but it’s definitely not! After getting in to it, you’ll find that you will probably get excited to dig into God’s word, and won’t want to wait to read more. Just stick through those first few days; you’ll be glad you did!

Dear God,
Please help my heart to be pierced for You as I study Your word. Help me to see, know, and love the Truth, and please give me boldness to share the Truth with others. Thank You for preserving Your word so that I may have the opportunity to read it. Please help me to be the kind of person that You want me to be so I may be a living example to others.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Read through Luke in four weeks:

Day 1 (Luke 1:1-38)
Day 2 (Luke 1:39-80)
Day 3 (Luke 2:1-52)
Day 4 (Luke 3:1-38)
Day 5 (Luke 4:1-44)
Day 6 (Luke 5:1-39)
Day 7 (Luke 6:1-49)
Day 8 (Luke 7:1-50)
Day 9 (Luke 8:1-56)
Day 10 (Luke 9:1-36)
Day 11 (Luke 9:37-62)
Day 12 (Luke 10:1-42)
Day 13 (Luke 11:1-54)
Day 14 (Luke 12:1-34)
Day 15 (Luke 12:35-59)
Day 16 (Luke 13:1-35)
Day 17 (Luke 14:1-35)
Day 18 (Luke 15:1-32)
Day 19 (Luke 16:1-31)
Day 20 (Luke 17:1-37)
Day 21 (Luke 18:1-43)
Day 22 (Luke 19:1-48)
Day 23 (Luke 20:1-47)
Day 24 (Luke 21:1-38)
Day 25 (Luke 22:1-38)
Day 26 (Luke 22:39-71)
Day 27 (Luke 23:1-56)
Day 28 (Luke 24:1-53)

By Davonne Parks

Comments

  1. I love this book! After reading your article, I decided to read through Luke to begin my daily Bible study. I’m halfway though it! This is a great starting place; thanks for the recommendation and the information. I’ve been using my computer every morning to come to this page and click on the day I need to read. That is such an easy way to keep track of where I’m at, and I love the version you’ve chosen to use for this.

  2. We Christians are often acussed of haivng a blind faith, but Luke wants us to know in verses 1-4 our faith rests on the facts of history as given by eyewitness testimony, (see also John 21:24, 1John 1:1-4) so that we might know the certainty of the things you have been taught (1:4) ,this therefore gives me reassurance of my belief that God really did step into history in the person of Jesus and offer salvation.

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