The only way to know the Bible is to study the Bible. When I first became a gave my life to Jesus Christ, I wanted to know more about this God who firmly grasped me and set me before himself. I wanted to seek out the ancient wisdom of the Bible to find out how I was to live as a new creation in Christ.
So what did I do? I went to the library and the Christian bookstore and I got stacks of books about how to be a Christian! Although those books were a helpful start, they could not take the place of reading God's word directly through Bible study.
I am grateful that God led me closer to him by his Holy Spirit continually nudging me to move beyond books about the Bible to the Bible itself.
Once I gave myself to his commands, it was amazing how the Lord provided for me! My stepmother gave me here entire Matthew Henry commentary set along with a Bible. I found a Bible dictionary, concordance and handbook at deep discount during a sale at our local Christian bookstore. I found journals to write notes in for $1. The Lord then led me to websites such as Crosswalk.com with many free Bible study tools.
I wish I could say that I never veered from my course but I did. I would become distracted and busy with other less profitable reading. Me and my family always suffered during those times.
How grateful I am for a long-suffering and patient Lord who is always willing to draw me back to himself though I surely do not deserve it. Oh wonderful, amazing grace!
Matthew Henry in his commentary on 2 Timothy 3:16 and surrounding states:
If we would know the holy Scriptures, we must read and search them daily, as the noble Bereans did, Acts 17:11. They must not lie by us neglected, and seldom or never looked into.
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11
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