Part 2, If Jesus’ Second Coming was in one month, what would you do differently?
This is part 2 of a 5-part series in asking the Question what would you do differently if you knew that Jesus was coming again in one month?
In part one, I described what we would do if we knew that Jesus was returning in less than a month and that is we would pray more. Pew Research recent poll stated that the more wealth you have, the less you pray. Those making less than $30,000, 37% of those pray on a regular basis. Whereas those making $100,000 or more, only 15% pray on a regular basis. King David once said, “Lord don’t allow me to be so poor that I would be tempted to steal, nor so rich that I would not need You.” We as believers even if we have all our needs met, we need to pray more, especially if Jesus is coming back soon.
Now let’s turn to another area that we need to improve on if we knew Jesus was coming, and that is to be in His word daily. Jesus said in John 8:31, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciple.” Those who take a half-hearted approach to reading, studying, and memorizing God’s word, will experience an apathy towards the Lord and feel at times as if God is a million miles away. Paul told Timothy in Second Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God… a worker who is not ashamed, rightly handling the word of Truth.” The meaning of a disciple is a student who is on a life-long commitment to become like his teacher. Jesus said in Luke 6:40, “A disciple (student) is not above his teacher, but when he is fully trained becomes like His teacher.” The only way to be fully trained is to be in the Living Word of God daily.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that the Bible “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Why do we need the word of God? Because our hearts are wicked as Jeremiah states in Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV “The heart is deceitful above all things, and is desperately wicked; Who can know it?” We must renew or minds, which tames our hearts, if we are to become like Christ, Romans 12:12, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” Therefore, we must be in His word daily or we will end up no different than non-believers in this world, and that is a dangerous place to be. First John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or the things in this world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is Not in him.” I believe one reason the Bible is referred to as a sharp two-edged sword is because one edge penetrates the heart producing guilt, while the other edge, after sin is confessed, cuts the guilt away, one sword, two purposes.
How to begin your personal study of the Bible. First, purchase a good Study Bible, the Reformation Study Bible is a great one to get. Secondly, read it from cover to cover, nothing will be more shameful than to stand before Jesus and for Him to ask you, “Do you believe the Bible is God’s word?” You reply, “yes” and then Jesus responds, “then why didn’t you read every word?” You are not going to look at Him and say, “Because parts are boring,” are you? It’s true that some words are difficult to pronounce, so skip over those and keep reading. Why? Because the Bible says of itself, that every word is inspired, meaning “God breathed.” There are many Bible reading plans that take you through the entire bible in one year, find one of those and follow it. Also, purchase a good book on, How to Study the Bible. Reading is good, but studying is better. Here are some titles of good books to help you study, How to Study the Bible, by John MacArthur. How to Study the Bible, by Richard Mayhue and in the back of the Reformation Study Bible are sections on Christian growth, like, How to Study the Bible. Find one of these and begin your life-long commitment to Study the living Word of God!
Over the years I have counseled many men to help them become more like Christ. Some are shocked to discover that I still study the Bible on a daily basis. One said, “But you went to seminary, why do you need to keep studying?” I told him what Jesus said, “if you continue in My word then you are truly My disciple.”
Prayer and Bible study go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly, you cannot do one without the other, if you pray, but don’t study you will begin to pray to a god of your imagination. If you study without praying, you will be full of head knowledge and arrogant. You need to balance both, praying and studying.
Next session will be number 3 in our series, and it will help us become more and more like Christ Himself.
