Study

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
God wants the youth to become men of earnest mind, to be prepared for action in His noble work, and fitted to bear responsibilities. God calls for young men with hearts uncorrupted, strong and brave, and determined to fight manfully in the struggle before them, that they may glorify God, and bless humanity. If the youth would but make the Bible their study, would but calm their impetuous desires, and listen to the voice of their Creator and Redeemer, they would not only be at peace with God, but would find themselves ennobled and elevated.

It will be for your eternal interest, my young friend, to give heed to the instructions in the word of God, for they are of inestimable importance to you. {MYP 21.1)

Beware how you neglect secret prayer and a study of God’s word. These are your weapons against him who is striving to hinder your progress heavenward. The first neglect of prayer and Bible study makes easier the second neglect. The first resistance to the Spirit’s pleading prepares the way for the second resistance. Thus the heart is hardened, and the conscience seared. {MYP96.2}

We must study every day to be able to stand up to the attacks of Satan. The Bible is our weapon with which to combat his attacks.
Every Victory makes the next one easy. Whereas every time we give in to temptation it becomes harder to stop the next time. It is like being tied up with thin string, it is easy to break just one strand of it, but wrap many strands together, and it becomes nearly impossible to break.

The Old and the New Testament Scriptures need to be studied daily. The knowledge of God and the wisdom of God come to the student who is a constant learner of His ways and works. The Bible is to be our light, our educator. When the youth learn to believe that God sends the dew, the rain, and the sunshine from heaven, causing vegetation to flourish; when they realize that all blessings come from Him, and that thanksgiving and praise are due to Him, they will be led to acknowledge God in all their ways, and discharge with fidelity their duties day by day; God will be in all their thoughts…. {MYP 189.2}

There was a farmer that was on his deathbed, who called his sons together and said to them, “There is a treasure buried in my fields. It is a great treasure, very valuable. If you look very carefully you will find it” Soon after this the man died, and his sons thought about how he had said, ‘There is a treasure buried in the fields’. So they decided to get to work. They got out their shovels and hoes and started to work. They dug every inch of that field to a depth deeper than it had ever been dug. But they did not find anything. Of course the sons were all very disappointed and wondered what their father had meant. Because they had dug the field over they thought they might as well sow it with wheat. When it came to harvest time they reaped the grain, but they couldn’t believe their eyes. There was more grain than there ever was in any other harvest on this field. The ground had brought forth a hundred fold. The grain when sold was worth more than any treasure they might have found in the field was worth. This was the treasure their father had been talking about. They had dug that field looking for some gold, or coins or other treasure, but instead they had a bountiful harvest. So it is with us. The deeper we search into the Bible, the more we will reap in the day of harvest.

Open the Bible to our youth, draw their attention to its hidden treasures, teach them to search for its jewels of . truth, and they will gain a strength of intellect such as the study of all that philosophy embraces could not impart. The grand subjects upon which the Bible treats, the dignified simplicity of its inspired utterances, the elevated themes which it presents to the mind, the light, sharp and clear, from the throne of God, enlightening the understanding, will develop the powers of the mind to an extent that can scarcely be comprehended, and never fully explained. {MYP254.2}

The disciples of Jesus slept instead of watching and praying with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. As a result they were not firmly planted on the solid rock of truth and were swept away by the storm. Let us not make the same mistake but let us study, and pray, and make sure we know what we believe and can prove it by the Bible. Satan knows exactly what points we are weak in and will make his strongest attack there. Therefore we should strengthen the weak links and remember — a chain is only as strong as its weakest link! AMEN