HOW TO STUDY EFFECTIVELY INTRODUCTION: A. (Ecclesiastes 12:9-12) And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. {10} The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. {11} The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. {12} And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. B. IF WE DON'T LEARN TO STUDY WE MAY BE LIKE THOSE IN 2 TIMOTHY 3:6-7 WHO NEVER LEARN THE TRUTH. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, {7} Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. L.S. - WHEN STUDYING I NEED . . . I. THE RIGHT TOOLS. A. TOOLS THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY. B. TOOLS THAT ARE HELPFUL. C. EXAMPLES OF GOOD TOOLS. 1. GOOD TRANSLATION - ACCURATE, READABLE 2. PAPER AND PEN, OR COMPUTER 3. EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE 4. GOOD BIBLE DICTIONARY / DICTIONARY 5. GOOD COMMENTARY II. TO FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND. A. MAKE IT A PRIVATE MEETING. B. DISTRACTIONS ARE TOOLS OF SATAN. C. FIND AN APPROPRIATE PLACE AND TIME III. TO TAKE GOOD NOTES. A. WRITE DOWN NEW INSIGHTS GAINED. B. WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS UNCOVERED. IV. TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. A. QUESTIONS THAT HELP MY UNDERSTANDING. B. QUESTIONS THAT HELP ME DIG DEEPER. C. EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS & WHY THEY ARE GOOD. 1. WHO IS SPEAKING TO WHOM? Genesis 6:14-16 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. Genesis 37:31-35 So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, "We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?" 33 And he recognized it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces." 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him. 2. WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECT MEANING? Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. Deuteronomy 13:6-10 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; 8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 3. IS IT LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE? Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 4. IS THIS ALL THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT IT? Mark 14:47 47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Matthew 26:51-52 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Luke 22:49-51 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him. John 18:10-11 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?" 5. IS IT TAUGHT MORE CLEARLY ELSEWHERE? Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 6. DOES MY IDEA OF THE MEANING VIOLATE ANOTHER PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE? 1 Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 7. AM I WILLING TO CHANGE MYSELF? Isaiah 1:18-20 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword"; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. V. TO KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HELP. A. WITHOUT BEING JUDGED. B. TO UNDERSTAND SCRIPTURES NOT OPINIONS. CONCLUSION: A. SUMMARY B. INVITATION HOW TO ______________ EFFECTIVELY INTRODUCTION: A. ECCLESIASTES ____:9-12 B. IF WE DON'T LEARN TO STUDY WE MAY BE LIKE THOSE IN 2 TIMOTHY 3:__-__ WHO NEVER LEARN THE TRUTH. L.S. - WHEN STUDYING I NEED . . . I. THE RIGHT _________. A. TOOLS THAT ARE ______________________. B. TOOLS THAT ARE ________________. C. EXAMPLES OF GOOD ___________. 1. GOOD ______________ - ACCURATE, READABLE 2. PAPER AND PEN, OR ________________ 3. EXHAUSTIVE CON________________ 4. GOOD __________ DICTIONARY / DICTIONARY 5. GOOD COM________________ II. TO ___________ ON THE TASK AT HAND. A. MAKE IT A _______________ MEETING. B. ______________________ ARE TOOLS OF SATAN. C. FIND AN APPROPRIATE ___________ AND __________ III. TO TAKE GOOD ________. A. WRITE DOWN NEW _______________ GAINED. B. WRITE DOWN _________________ UNCOVERED. IV. TO __________ THE ____________ QUESTIONS. A. QUESTIONS THAT HELP MY ___________________. B. QUESTIONS THAT HELP ME ______ ____________. C. EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS & WHY THEY ARE ______. 1. WHO IS SPEAKING TO WHOM? ___________________________________________________ 2. WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECT MEANING? ___________________________________________________ 3. IS IT LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE? ___________________________________________________ 4. IS THIS ALL THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT IT? ___________________________________________________ 5. IS IT TAUGHT MORE CLEARLY ELSEWHERE? ___________________________________________________ 6. DOES MY IDEA OF THE MEANING VIOLATE ANOTHER PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE? ___________________________________________________ 7. AM I WILLING TO CHANGE MYSELF? ___________________________________________________ V. TO KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR __________. A. WITHOUT BEING ______________. B. TO UNDERSTAND _______________ NOT ____________. CONCLUSION: A. SUMMARY B. INVITATION HOW TO STUDY EFFECTIVELY INTRODUCTION: A. ECCLESIASTES 12:9-12 B. IF WE DON'T LEARN TO STUDY WE MAY BE LIKE THOSE IN 2 TIMOTHY 3:6-7 WHO NEVER LEARN THE TRUTH. L.S. - WHEN STUDYING I NEED . . . I. THE RIGHT TOOLS. A. TOOLS THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY. B. TOOLS THAT ARE HELPFUL. C. EXAMPLES OF GOOD TOOLS. 1. GOOD TRANSLATION - ACCURATE, READABLE 2. PAPER AND PEN, OR COMPUTER 3. EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE 4. GOOD BIBLE DICTIONARY / DICTIONARY 5. GOOD COMMENTARY II. TO FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND. A. MAKE IT A PRIVATE MEETING. B. DISTRACTIONS ARE TOOLS OF SATAN. C. FIND AN APPROPRIATE PLACE AND TIME III. TO TAKE GOOD NOTES. A. WRITE DOWN NEW INSIGHTS GAINED. B. WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS UNCOVERED.