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Are you a child of God in Christ Jesus? Do you wish to grow up spiritually, educationally and mentally? Do you also desire to increase in divine wisdom and understanding, fulfill your God-given ministry and above all please God?
Do not worry. This short article is for you. It will bless your life if you commit yourself to do three things God wants you to do with His Word.
We learn these things from the life of God’s respected servant, Ezra and others, who ensured that they had good relationship with God and had His hand upon them.
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).
In the verse above, we read about the minister of God doing three important things with the Word of God.
Study the Bible
First, he set his heart to study the Law of the LORD. To grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus so as to reach dimensions in the Spirit, you need to intentionally or habitually decide to study the Bible.
Ezra took a personal decision, purposed in his heart, made a deliberate effort or determined strongly to read and learn the Law of the LORD which is the written Word of God.
The apostle Paul told young Timothy to do similar thing when he wrote to him: “Study to show thyself approved…” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Throughout the Bible, serious-minded people who walked with God were those who applied themselves assiduously to study the scriptures. Moses, Daniel, the Ethiopian Eunuch, Paul and above all the Lord Jesus Christ are great examples.
This places a responsibility on every child of God to make time and study the Bible. In other words, we must make Bible reading a priority.
This is God’s expectation. You see, it honours God to see or hear that His children are able to expose erroneous teachings and practices because they know the scriptures.
Do the Word
The Scripture makes it clear that Ezra did not only set his heart to study the Law, but also resolved to do it. This is the second thing Ezra did, and we must learn to do same.
God’s Word should not only be known but also be done, acted upon or lived by. This is something God expects of all His children.
The apostle James adds to this when he writes: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourself…a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25).
It is difficult for a person who merely studies the Bible to be blessed. This is because the blessing of God’s Word is promised to those who do it, act it or live it.
In other words, people who read the Bible in the hope of receiving blessings without any heart decision to obey its commands deceive themselves.
Teach God’s Word
The third and final thing Ezra did for us to learn is that after studying the Word of God and doing, acting on or living it, he also taught it to people in Israel.
Christians who study the Bible and do what it commands also have a duty to teach it to others. Teaching the Word by explaining gospel truths to make people believe in Christ Jesus and know Him better must be every Christian’s duty.
The Lord Jesus Christ instructed His disciples to teach His commands for people to observe or keep them (Matthew 28:20). Teaching the commands of Jesus is teaching the Word of God.
In Luke 1:1, Luke wrote that Jesus Christ Himself taught the people Israel when He walked the earth.
There are several places and people you can teach the Word of God to. You can teach what your pastor teaches you. The more you teach the more you learn to know and grow.
So, learn to teach it in the community in which you live. Teach it wherever you find yourself. Teach it to your friends, spouse, children, colleagues or mates.
By James Quansah
