Charles F. Stanley - 10 Principles for Studying Your Bible

OTHER BOOKS BY CHARLES STANLEY

Landmines in the Path of the Believer

Life Principles Bible

When the Enemy Strikes

Living the Extraordinary Life

Finding Peace

Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit

2008 by Charles F. Stanley

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE. The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATION-AL VERSION. 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stanley, Charles F.

10 principles for studying your Bible / by Charles Stanley.

p. cm.

Summary: "10 Principles for Studying the Bible teaches readers the ten most essential aspects of a rich, personal encounter with God through His Word"Provided by publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-4002-0097-9 (tradepaper)

1. BibleStudy and teaching. I. Title. II. Title: Ten principles for studying your Bible.

BS600.3.S73 2008

220.071--dc22

2007041009

Printed in the United States of America

08 07 06 05 RRD 5 4 3 2 1

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do according to all
that is written in it;
for then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have success.

Joshua 1:8

CONTENTS

BUILT ON THEROCK

When the rain stopped and the sun reemerged, the family returned home to survey the damage. It was all destroyedevery-thing from the front porch to the garage out back. The house had been built too close to the beach, and there was no way it could remain standing after taking a direct hit from a powerful hurricane, but that had not been a consideration months earlier during the homes construction. On September 15, 1999, Hurricane Floyd trained its eye on North Carolinas coast and in particular, its barrier islands. At first, weather forecasters downplayed the storms power saying it had lost strength and was only a category two.

Days earlier, this same coastline had been pounded by Hurricane Dennis that packed torrential rains and seventy-mile-per- hour winds. Ten days later, Hurricane Floyd delivered a final blow to many of the homes in its path. Up to the last moment, experts had continued to report that there was nothing to be concerned about except additional heavy rain and moderate flooding. But their estimate was wrong. In fact, it was dead wrong. After it left Florida, Floyd regained some of its original strength while crossing over the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. When it made landfall in North Carolina, it was a major category three storm and caused major flooding, loss of life, and miles of destruction that stretched inland. Homes on the barrier island were leveled to the point of being unrecognizable. It was the worst natural disaster in North Carolinas history. Two and a half months earlierin mid-Junewith the sun beaming down on the vacationers, no one saw this coming. I want to use this example to underscore a very important lesson that we find in Scripture. It is one that Jesus taught His disciples, and I believe it is crucial to living a successful Christian life.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against the house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it felland great was its fall.

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. (Matt. 7:2429)

The disciples understood the story but needed help with the lesson of the parable. Weather changes in the region were not uncommon. Palestine was known to experience sudden strong storms. Rains could be so fierce that dusty, dry gullies would become torrents sweeping away anything in their path.

The example of two people building houses on different locations is perfect for what we are about to study. The man who built his house on the sand saw it fall in destruction. No matter how great the construction, the foundation was not built on solid ground. It was constructed on sandsomething that can erode quickly when the storms of life come. Another man built his house on a rock foundation. Therefore, when the rain beat hard against it, it withstood the pressure. When a cruel and intense wind began to blow, it was not shaken. And when the flood-waters rose, it was not washed away because its foundation was anchored to the rock.

There is no question about which foundation is stronger. When we build our lives on the truth of Gods Word, we are building on an eternal foundation that cannot be destroyed. We are building on the Rockthe Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have never given their lives to Him are living on a sandy shorelineone that is sure to wash away. While physical storms may not always inflict great pain or suffering, emotional and mental storms do. However, you do not have to go through life wondering if the next storm will be the one that washes your life out to sea. God has an answer for your greatest need, and it is found in the study of His Word. This is your sure foundation. As you open the Bible, ask Him to reveal Himself to you and then to teach you more about His love every day. Your life will be changed, and you will be blessed far beyond what you can imagine because you have built your life on an unshakable foundationthe Lord Jesus Christ.

Moses lifted his eyes and saw the flames in the distance. Something was burning on the side of the mountainsomething unlike anything he had ever seen. He watched itat first with curiosity, but then with wonder. It was a consuming fire. Yet the bush that contained the flame was not destroyed. For years, he had shepherded his father-in-laws flocks and on occasion noticed fires burning in the distance, but this one was different. It was more than a campfire of a neighboring shepherd. This fire burned with intensity and contained no hint of going out. Moses stood and watched this sight. Maybe he continued to move the flock from one place to another, noting that the fire was just as powerful in the evening as it had been in the first part of the day. Finally, he could wait no longer. He said, I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, [and discover] why the bush is not burned up (Exod. 3:3).