The reason we are doing this now in CCF, this is one of our greatest failures. Many do not know, many rely on the bible study on Wednesday night or the preaching on Sunday and they keep writing on their notebooks and the notebooks keeps learning but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday morning, Thursday, Friday, Saturday pagbasa niya ng word kunting-kunti ang nakukuha niya. What happens to people like those? I will guarantee you they’ll fall away. They’re easy prey to the devil, easy prey for the devil. Think of it, pag kumakain ka ba, do you like to feed yourself or you like somebody to feed you? I know when you’re newly married you like somebody to feed you, they cut the cake and they feed each other. Hopefully that will not be a life long habit.

If you do not know how to effectively study God’s word what happens to you? You become an invalid, you become a retard and that’s not good. So this evening we want to do this.

Why do people not take time to study the bible? Okay, ang hirap intindihin, time, sometimes it doesn’t seem effective, it’s not relevant. People think the bible is ancient, its out of date, there are many questions it does not answer, that’s where you’re wrong. As a businessman, as a husband, as a wife, as a parent, the bible will answer the most important questions in any part of your life because if you don’t believe that obviously it will not be very relevant to you. What does it mean when people say, "wala akong oras." Okay it’s not important so I don’t have much time for it. When people say I don’t have time the bible study is like 20^th on their list then it just says, it is not their priority and that means the devil has won. If you have not made bible study one of your highest priorities that means the devil has won. God gave an invitation in Psalm 37, Come taste and see that the Lord is good, that’s an invitation to study God’s word.

How many of you would like to learn how to effectively study the word of God on your own? I’ve learned that to motivate people, people need to understand why they are doing something, if they don’t understand it, if they don’t agree with it they will never do it on a standard basis.

Why should we study God’s word? Let’s go to 1 Peter 1:22-25

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, [23] for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. [24] For,

"ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,

AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.

THE GRASS WITHERS,

AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

[25] BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER."

And this is the word which was preached to you.

So, dito you see the order of things.

1. purified your souls (v.22)

1 Peter 2:1-3

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, [2] like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, [3] if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Let me summarize this. Many people they know about God, they know the theory about God that God created the world and they have a soul and so forth and so on but they don’t know God. They have never tasted the kindness of God. What does it mean to taste the kindness of God? How can people taste the kindness of God? notice when God helps you, when God increases your business, when God gives you a wife, taste the kindness of God but you know those are not when you study the bible in context you read it in v. 2 by it you may grow in respect to salvation. The kindness of God is first tasted in our salvation. Lahat tayo sinners, we don’t deserve heaven, we deserve death in hell. The kindness of God came through Jesus Christ His only son who died for our sins and then He rose again from the dead, that’s the word that was preach you, it’s called the gospel, the good news that’s the kindness of God. Even if you did not deserve it and yet Jesus Christ died for you, He died for me that’s called grace, kindness, God was kind to us, if God was not kind we’ll all go to hell because one sin brings you to hell. So sabi dito, once you’ve tasted that good news, the kindness of God, tinanggap mo yun, you’re born again, you are not born again by going to church, you are born again through the word of God and so when you accept that then your soul becomes alive, your spirit becomes alive. It is called saved.

So dito sa 1Peter we see the third reason why it is important, essential to study God’s word. In v. 2, what is it? It is essential for what? Growth and the major essence of growth is what? What is needed for somebody to grow? For a baby? What’s needed? Like a baby needs milk than you born again person needs to study God’s word.

What’s the goal of bible study? Sabi dito, that you may grow in respect to your salvation. Why is it that the bible is the lasting we want? And no wonder we are not living abundant life.

Transform into what? Turn to 2 Cor. 3:17-18. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. [18] But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. In other words lahat daw tayo, will we be transform or we are already being transformed? Sabi dito, we are all being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. Now how does that take place, is that automatic, is that the zapped does God do that? no it doesn’t happen, even the baby the transformation is not automatic. Transformation can only occur spiritual transformation can only occur where? Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. To be transformed means we are change into the image of Christ but you are not going to be change into the image of Christ by just sitting on your ass, you’ve got to renew your mind, you’ve got to feed your mind starting today with milk, your mind needs to process God’s word. So it is not merely to know things but to do something what we know. So it can only happen with the renewal of your mind. You groove God’s word into it. Why will it take God’s word to transform into an image like Christ? Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

What’s the major benefit of personally studying the bible? You will get to know God.