20 Jun '09 15:19>2 edits
It is more like this. You start to read someting in the Bible with a prayerful attitude. (That is very important).
Let's say you are reading something about Noah's flood. You ask yourself "I wonder if this flood was over the whole planet or just local."
But the Holy Spirit impresses you with this instead "You know the way you spoke to your wife yesterday was not kind. You should go and apologize."
But you ignore the thought because you are more occupied with some scientific information about Noah's flood. Now if you ignore that prompting you will make no progress spiritually no matter how much you study about Noah's flood.
If on the other hand you say "Just maybe that was God speaking to me." And you go and apologize to your wife. Victory, progress, PEACE, advancement, more God has been dispensed into your being.
And with that more understanding of the Bible. You learn to focus on the things that the Holy Spirit teaches you to focus on. This kind of person will grow to have deeper and deeper insight into the Bible.
It is a book of life.
Now you can also be curious and study other things. But the burden of the Spirit of God is primarily how to transform your life. That is transform you more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.
From Genesis to Revelation the Bible is a book of life, of spiritual life.
Let's say you are reading something about Noah's flood. You ask yourself "I wonder if this flood was over the whole planet or just local."
But the Holy Spirit impresses you with this instead "You know the way you spoke to your wife yesterday was not kind. You should go and apologize."
But you ignore the thought because you are more occupied with some scientific information about Noah's flood. Now if you ignore that prompting you will make no progress spiritually no matter how much you study about Noah's flood.
If on the other hand you say "Just maybe that was God speaking to me." And you go and apologize to your wife. Victory, progress, PEACE, advancement, more God has been dispensed into your being.
And with that more understanding of the Bible. You learn to focus on the things that the Holy Spirit teaches you to focus on. This kind of person will grow to have deeper and deeper insight into the Bible.
It is a book of life.
Now you can also be curious and study other things. But the burden of the Spirit of God is primarily how to transform your life. That is transform you more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.
From Genesis to Revelation the Bible is a book of life, of spiritual life.