I’ve Read The Bible…Now What?
This is a five-part series on How To Read Your Bible. These steps include Prayer, Translation, Genre, Context, and Costly Obedience. The hope is that whether you’ve been reading the Bible for many years now or don’t know where to start, this will be a helpful resource for you and the people around you to explore and dive deeper into God’s Word!
WHAT
What does it mean that the Bible is the Living Word of God? Oftentimes, people read the Bible for information, rather than transformation. However, the information of the Bible is meant to lead to transformation in you. Costly obedience is responding to what you hear from God’s Word in a tangible and costly way, steps taken toward a transformed life!
Costly obedience is the practice to help you discern his voice and live a life shaped by him. There are many times where a clear command is given, such as, “forgive one another.” Other times, while the Bible isn’t as clear on an exact command to obey, trust that God is always inviting you to become more and more like him.
Costly obedience helps you become the kind of person who does something with the good God gives to you through his Word. In other words, discover, do, and share what God says.
WHY
John 14:15 says, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” Jesus gave his commandments as a way to tangibly express his love and invite his people to experience his love alongside others! Costly obedience is how people partner with what God is doing in the world, and to experience him in new and meaningful ways along the way!
HOW
Read Matthew 6:5-15 or any passage of Scripture, and explore the following questions:
What does this passage say about God and his people?
What is the S.P.E.C.?
Sin to confess or avoid
Promise to hold onto
Example to follow
Command to obey
How do I respond to him in a costly and tangible way?
A command is tangible when you know whether you did it or not by a certain time
A command is costly when it is above and beyond what you are already doing
Who can you invite to partner with you through prayerful support?
When there is not an obvious command to obey from a passage,
Meditate on the passage and prayerfully ask God to reveal his invitation to transformation in your life.
Reflect by keeping a journal, writing what you sense God speaking to you as you read his Word. At the end of each week, take time to reflect and commit to one thing you want to put into practice (make it tangible, make it costly).
Create S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals!
RESOURCES
Learn more about Discover Bible Study (DBS) here!