The Words of God are more than simply letters on a page. The Scriptures are "alive and active." They have been "God-breathed" and useful for ensuring that the believer is "thoroughly equipped for every good work" and "mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Why is God's Word so important for the believer? It judges the "thoughts and attitudes of the heart." It penetrates into our deepest being and divides what is of the soul (flesh) and what is of the Spirit (God). The soul of man consist of his thoughts (mind), his decisions (will), and his emotions (heart). When you hide the Word of God in your mind and heart the Holy Spirit uses it to teach, rebuke, correct, and train you in righteousness and wisdom.
What happens to the believer who does not "continue in the (my) word?" He will not know truth. He will regularly succumb to the sinful desires of his soul. He will not grow in wisdom. He will not be equipped for every good work. He will be lacking in many things. He will live a carnal life outside of God's purpose and will. He will be "double-minded and unstable in all he does."
We must make personal Bible study a part of our daily lives. It is "the Sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). Just as we would never consider going into battle without an offensive weapon for protection (gun, sword, etc.), we can not expect to survive the spiritual battlefield without the Word of God (the Sword of the Spirit).
Thanks to Bishop Stephen Langton (Archbishop of Canterbury), the Bible was conveniently divided into chapters in A.D. 1228. Today we introduced the Chapter Summary Method. This method helps us gain a general understanding of the contents of a chapter of the Bible. In today's slides you will find an example of what the completed Chapter Summary Form would look like for Luke 15.
Below is an image that breaks down the entire Bible. Pick a chapter from one of these books this week and use the Chapter Summary Method.
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