October 1, 2001

Lessons for October 14

FAMILY BIBLE STUDY:
Bible should have a prominent place in the heart
___ 2 Timothy 3:14-16___
___By Christine Hockin-Boyd
___Texas WMU, Dallas
___The Bible--what is it? Answers may vary depending on whom you talk to--Christian, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness. As Christians, believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we believe the Bible is God's inspired word. Merriam-Webster's definition of the Bible is "the sacred Scriptures of Christians comprising the Old Testament and the New Testament or the sacred scriptures of some other religion (as Judaism)."
___The Holman Student Bible Dictionary defines Bible as "the inspired word of God; the 66 books that make up Holy Scripture."
___"Biblia" is the Greek word for books; it is plural. But the books came to be known as one book--the Bible.
___The Bible, God's word, also should serve as the family's source of instruction and guidance for what we should believe and how we should behave. Just as the Bible is written for all, there are various translations of the Bible. We have more translations than ever before to better help individuals read and understand the Bible. How many Bibles do you have in your home? How many different translations? Do you have any Bible reference books to help you interpret and understand what you are reading? Do your children have a Bible translation that is appropriate for their reading level and comprehension? How do they perceive the relevance of the Bible for instruction, guidance and behavior?
___What source of authority do your children turn to when needing help or advice? Is it the Bible or someone else's philosophy of religion, peer pressure or other religions? As believers, we should recognize the Bible as God's authoritative word that shapes belief and behavior according to God's pattern. The Bible is the primary source of moral and religious instruction for our families.
___What role does the Bible play in your family? Unfortunately, there are families in our world who may not have a Bible in the home, while others may only read it on special occasions. Nonetheless, there are Christians who read and study the Bible inconsistently, and others who devour the word daily as if eating chocolate brownies or ice cream.
___History reveals Christian martyrs who died for their belief of God's word. Again, the question: What role does the Bible play in your family?
___As you study this week's lesson, let me urge you to personally evaluate your love and respect for God's word. Conduct a self-evaluation of the importance it plays in your daily living, at home, work and play.
___What kind of reading would one see regarding the emphasis or importance of the Bible as your family's resource of instruction and guidance? Observe your own family members for several days and see when, where and how often the Bible is used to obtain information for instruction, guidance and wisdom for daily living. Also note what and how many conversations take place between parent and child.
___You may encounter a familiar and popular character, Timothy, while reading the passages of Acts 16:1-5, 2 Timothy 1:3-7 and 3:10-4:5. Read and study the passages. List the family members by name and make note of what role the family member played in the upbringing of Timothy. Meditate on these Bible verses, and imagine the influence and urgency a mother and grandmother had on Timothy. Discover the role Paul had in Timothy's life.
___I will not take time to comment on these passages, but I feel impressed to encourage you as parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts as spiritual leaders, teachers and role models for children.
___In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we read, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." If that is true and what we believe, then why do the majority of Christian families not teach God's word in the home on a regular basis?
___How many hours a week do your children spend in school? Extra curriculum activities? Playing with friends? Watching television? Now, how many hours a week do you and your children sit and study God's word? OK, how many minutes? Not easy to answer is it?
___Be careful when studying this lesson. Learn, share and discover together how to equip family members with God's instruction for guidance and behavior. Make suggestions for ideas and ways to be accountable for teaching one's own family. Use God's commandments, principles and parables when teachable moments and problems or questions come up. Read the stories, and teach modern-day application to your children.
___After careful self-evaluation, observation of your own family members and studying about Timothy, I hope you are ready to share the importance of the Bible as the main resource for instruction on guidance and behavior. May the Father's words convict, encourage, challenge and motivate you to place the Bible in a more prominent place in your family's heart.

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