Lesson #8. APPLYING THE BIBLE + WORD-HAND ILLUSTRATION.

KEY TRUTH: Teaching the Word-Hand illustration that reinforces the benefits and blessings of personal Bible study and Scripture Memory.

1. YOU CANNOT PLEASE GOD IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT HE WANTS:
   1. GOD HAS GONE TO GREAT PAINS TO CALL PEOPLE INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF: The Bible explains how sinners can enter into and maintain a relationship with Him for eternity. This is His guidebook for finding real life, and for living and dying with dignity.
   2. GOD HAS GONE TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS TO EXPLAIN HOW WE CAN RELATE HIM: God ‘fleshed out’ His message through Jesus (see Jn.1:14; Heb.1:1). Without the Bible we could not know or grow our relationship with Him. We would not know how to please Him.
   3. GOD STOOPED TO OUR LEVEL TO GIVE US SUFFICIENT FOR US TO KNOW THE WAY: My problem is not so much with what I do not understand in the Bible. My problem is in obeying what I understand only too well. Nevertheless, God found a way to rescue sinners.
   4. GOD PROMISES HIS CHILDREN A PATHWAY TO HEAVEN FROM START TO FINISH: The same God who has called us to be His own children has promised to complete His work in us as Paul wrote – I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil.1:6).
2. THE NEW CHRISTIAN HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A PERSONAL TEACHER:
   1. THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED SOME FORTY HUMAN WRITERS TO GIVE US THE BIBLE
      20 know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet.1:20-21).
   2. EVER SINCE WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN THE SAVIOUR, THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN US
      13 In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory (Eph.1:13-14).
   3. THE HOLY SPIRIT ALSO GAVE GIFTED PREACHERS AND TEACHERS TO EXPLAIN THE BIBLE
      19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone (Eph.2:19-20).

      11 And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph.4:11-13).

   4. JESUS PROMISED BELIEVERS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD BE SENT TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR
      14 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you (Jn.14:26). 16 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come (Jn.16:13-14).
3. THE WORD-HAND ILLUSTRATION HELPS US HOW TO GROW TO BECOME LIKE JESUS: The Word Hand illustration is an easy-to-remember tool highlighting five methods of learning from the Bible. We encourage you to use it to stimulate your own spiritual growth and to inspire others.
   1. HEAR: LISTEN TO BIBLE PREACHING TEACHING …
      Gifted Pastors and teachers open up fresh insights from the Scriptures. You can access excellent Bible teachers on the internet. However, there is much false teaching and you should check with your Disciple-Maker to ensure the speaker is speaking the truth. Taking notes of messages can improve your retention of God’s Word. The weakest finger (the ‘pinkie’) represents HEARING because we tend to only remember 5% of what we hear.
      • Remember that – faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ (Rom.10:17).
   2. READ: FOLLOWING A BIBLE PLAN HELPS …
      Reading gives us an overview of the Bible and is the foundation of a daily Quiet Time. Any plan is better than no plan. This Disciple-Making process uses the 5 Year Bible Reading Plan that provides Questions and Devotions from every book and chapter of the Bible over 5 years. As explained in the End Notes, it covers the whole Bible and a balance of Old Testament & New Testament each week.

      READING is represented by the ring finger. We may retain 15% of what we read.

      • Remember – Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near (Rev.1:3).
   3. STUDY: RESEARCH THE BIBLE FOR YOURSELF …
      Studying the Scriptures deepens your convictions. It requires greater time and effort but results in increased understanding of the Bible. Analyse, categorise, outline, and examine the Scriptures systematically. You should mark insights or promises in your Bible with colours.
      • STUDY is represented by the middle finger. People may retain about 35% of what they study.

        Follow the example of the Bereans Jews who – 11 … were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (Acts 17:11)

   4. MEMORISE: CLAIM KEY PROMISES FROM THE BIBLE …
      God’s Word is the Sword that the Spirit uses (Eph.6:17), to overcome temptations. It gives us a store of verses which are readily available for serving others. We can delve deeper by emphasizing different words to gain fuller understanding. The Disciple-Making process will take key verses from the lessons for us to memorise. The index finger, our strongest finger, represents memorization.
      • We may remember up to 90-100 % of what we memorize if we consistently review it.

        God reminded Israel – 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (Deut.6:6-7).

   5. MEDITATE: REHEARSE WHAT YOU HAVE STUDIED & MEMORISED …
      Meditation is the process that strengthens each of the other four methods of Scripture intake. Meditation is assigned to the thumb. Only the thumb can touch all the other four fingers. By meditating on God’s Word as we Hear, Read, Study, and Memorize, we discover its transforming power at work in us. Like David, we can meditate any time, and in any crisis – when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night (Ps.63:6).
      • Remember God’s promise – … 2 his delight is in the law of the LORD and on his law, he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers (Ps.1:2-3).

DISCUSSION:

Q.1. Demonstrate the benefit of holding your Bible with all your fingers rather than just one or two fingers. What does this teach us?

Q.2. Is it possible to know how to please God without the Bible?

Q.3. What different ways can you profit from the Bible? How have you benefitted from learning the Word-Hand illustration?