Daily Devotional. STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15. There are 3 steps here, and all 3 must be accomplished to actually do any good. The 1st is to study. That means to read the Word, ask the Lord to clarify anything you don’t understand, patiently wait for His answer, and study some more. The more you study, the more the pieces start to fit together. How can He help you understand His Word, if you don’t even read it? The 2nd part is to study enough to be approved. Are you content to decide for yourself, “I’m pretty smart in my studies, that’s enough for now”? Or will you go further to actually have other people see your progress and tell you, “You’re pretty smart on this subject, will you teach a class on it”? Now that others are praising you, is that good enough? And way #3. Or will you go all the way and ask the Lord to show you what He wants you to study, then study hard, then study some more until the Lord tells you, “Now you understand what I’m talking about here. Now you’re ready for Me to send you forth to teach My people this thing you have faithfully studied, well done”. The 1st way is approved by you. The 2nd way is approved by man. The 3rd way is approved by God. Which of these 3 ways will be most useful to the Lord? Are you willing to put in that much effort? The more you study, the harder it gets, the greater the rewards. Are you in this for the long haul, it just an educated flash in the pan? The more you study, as the Lord directs, the more you will get to know and understand HIM. To please yourself, or to please man, goes nowhere. But to have a Heart set on pleasing the Lord, and obeying the Lord, and being rewarded by the Lord, well, it doesn’t get any better than that. That’s when you hear, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the Joy of thy Lord”. When you hear that, you’ll know you will, Be Blessed.
