How do I receive revelations from God concerning the power of the Bible?

Answer:

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15).

When Jesus walked the earth, the Pharisees would demand that Jesus give them a sign to prove that he was from God. "Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, 'Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation'" (Mark 8:11-12). If you look in the chapters before, you realize that there were no end of miracles being done in their presence. Just before this Jesus had feed 4,000 people from seven loaves of bread and a few fish. But they demanded more before they would believe.

You asked for revelations from God concerning the Bible, but it seems that looking at words from the mouth of God (II Timothy 3:16-17) isn't enough. Sure there are depths to God's word that you and I haven't yet seen. I remember my grandfather, a preacher of the Gospel for over forty years, telling me that there wasn't a day that he would open his Bible to study it and discover something he didn't know before. I expect such from a book written by God.

Yet, it doesn't mean the Bible isn't understandable. "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:17). There is much that is quite clear and simple. And as you dig into the depths of the word, you won't find the depths contradicting the easier things, you'll find greater reinforcement and new, more subtle ways to look at the same truths. If you do find what appears to be a contradiction, it usually means you misunderstood some points and need to readjust your thinking after you figure out where you made your mistake.

But from the very start, there have always been men who want to make religion mysterious and claim that perfect knowledge is limited only a chosen few. This gives these people a measure of power over others by claiming the Bible is too hard to understand so you need people knowledgeable of the mystery to explain it to you. I've seen this numerous times. Trap a false teacher in his falsehood and he'll tell you that you don't understand because you haven't been educated like he was or haven't received a gift from God like he was given to understand such mysteries. And then he'll stop right there as if that explains everything. He doesn't help you learn or show you verses you overlooked. He leaves it that he is educated (or gifted) and therefore you ignorant (or ungifted) folks will just have to take his word for it.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith"" (Romans 1:16-17).

So how do you learn of this power of God? Paul told Timothy to give diligence to it. (For a study of II Timothy 2:15, see "An Urgent Need to Study.") That is why gave it to man.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17).

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (II Peter 1:2-4).

So how do you gain an understanding of the power of God's words? You examine it and make what He has revealed a part of you through your study and understanding of it. I know, it sounds so mundane. Where's the pizzazz and the light show? "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (I Corinthians 1:20-24).

"Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way" (Psalms 119:97-104)

Open My Eyes, That I May See

by Clara H. Scott (based on Psalms 119:18)

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!