Real wisdom

October 4, 2007

By Paul Veliquette

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV).

I loved my years as a college student, all six of them! It took me some time to finally find my niche, what I really loved and wanted to do the rest of my life. Education was a challenge that stimulated my desire to explore, probe and deepen my understanding of life. There were instances when I asked timeless questions like, “Why do I have to learn long division when I can just use a calculator?”

The culmination came in May 1971 as I walked proudly across the stage at Bethany Bible College to receive my degree! I was done — no more books, no more tests, no more note-taking, no more long term papers to write, and no more learning. It was finished.

NOT! Learning is a lifetime endeavor. There is always something more to learn to help us mature and negotiate the twists and turns of life. The greatest source of learning is the Book — the special God-breathed Book called the Bible. The more you read, study and dig into God’s Word the more you learn about yourself, about God, and about His church.

If you rely on a once-a-week shot at Scripture study you could remain weak and ineffective in your walk with God. To experience steady spiritual growth calls for daily searching, meditating and digesting this wonderful source of all wisdom.

What can you do to improve your understanding of the Word?

1. Get a good study Bible.
2. Before you begin to read, pray the Holy Spirit will illuminate the Word to you.
3. Don’t focus on how much you can read, but on how deeply you can study.
4. Always ask yourself what is the one take-away? What one thing that could be applied to your walk with Christ?
5. It may be best for you to spend a month or maybe two on one book, reading it over and over again to gain a deep understanding of what it says, what it means, and what it means to you.

Paul Veliquette is pastor of Windsor (Colo.) Assembly of God.