The document discusses the importance of personal Bible study. It states that the Bible is the only source of divine authority that provides direction, hope, peace, and understanding. Studying the Bible transforms people from earthly to spiritual minds so they can reflect Christ. The benefits of knowing God's word include truth, blessing, victory over sin and temptation, growth, power, and guidance. Regular Bible reading and study helps develop strong Christian character and spiritual fitness through developing the habit of daily reading, starting slow, and meditating on what is read. Personal Bible study is important lifelong work.

2. The Importance
of
Personal BibleStudy

3. Why is it important for me
to study the Bible?

4. A. THE WORD OF GOD...
The Bible, is the only source of
absolute divine authority, which
will inform you of God's mind and
will for your life

5. The word of God, as contained in the
Bible, is the source from which true
believers derive their strength. It
commends itself by providing
direction, hope, peace, and
understanding to all who are
spiritually enlightened and apply its
precepts in their lives.

6. Those who fully appreciate the importance of
studying God’s word are engaged in the process of
being changed from earthly-mindedness to spiritual-
mindedness so that their lives can more nearly reflect
the Christ-like character. Such individuals, who have
accepted the present invitation to become disciples of
Christ through self-denial and sacrifice, find their
acceptance to God manifested by an increasing ability
to "be not conformed to the world, but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2).

7. The Benefit of Knowing God's Word
• Truth: "Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17).
• God's blessing: "But He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who
hear the word of God and keep it'" (Luke 11:28).
• Victory: "...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph.
6:17). It was by the Word of God that Jesus resisted the devil - Mt 4:4,7,10 It
is by God’s Word in our hearts that we can resist sin - Ps 119:11
• Growth: "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you
may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2).
• Power: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for
the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).
• Guidance: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps.
119:105). Bible doctrine is the basis for divine guidance.

8. Bible knowledge produces sanity and
stability of mind. It is very important to
get the Word of God into the mind
before the times of pressure come. It is
not too likely that an unstable person
will respond to the Word of God. God
deals with the pressures of life using
"preventive maintenance".

9. The Bible remains the only source of
divine revelation and power that can
sustain you as a Christian in your walk
with God.

10. B. READING and STUDYING THE
WORD OF GOD
1. Develop the habit of reading the Word daily
2. Start slow; perhaps with the NT, a chapter a day
3. Progress to reading the Bible through each year
4. Read devotionally, meditating on what you read

11. -- The Word of God will help you to
grow in grace and knowledge
Engaged in daily, I believe they go a
long way to developing strong and
true Christian characters and they
will establish a good foundation of
our spiritual fitness.

12. The importance of study is
so all-encompassing, it is
our work of a lifetime.