Several years ago I was able to spend a month in central Africa.  A lot of stories came out of that trip.  One story I almost forgot was my run-in with a witch doctor.  An Iowa farm boy doesn’t usually run into an African witch doctor.

During one of our gospel messages this witch doctor was sitting in his house and overheard the gospel through our sound system.  God grabbed hold of his heart and led him that night to trust in Jesus alone as His Savior.  Word spread and the next day we arranged to meet with this new believer.

This man had been tormented for years as a confessed follower of Satan.  He had recently tried to murder one of his 6 kids.  Fortunately, his wife was stronger than him and was able to defend the child.  The man went on to tell us for the last several years whenever he slept at night it felt like his body was on fire.  His life was a life of torment.  When we walked into his tiny house he told us, through the help of an interpreter, he finally had peace.  The night after he first began following Jesus was the first night he slept like a baby, he was tormented no longer.  This man was overjoyed at the instant peace which came through Jesus.

Being a witch doctor was not only this man’s religion but it was also the source of his income.  It was a big day of obedience when he decided we must burn all of his evil witch doctor trinkets, potions, etc… which he previously sold to people in the village.  This man had a hard time supporting his family for a while but he could always look to that stake-in-the-ground moment when he first slept through the night resting in the power of Jesus.

Witnessing this tranformation became a stake-in-the-ground for me.  I witnessed first hand the supernatural power of God in the spiritual world.  Our God is very powerful and has no problem transforming a life.

(the picture is of us burning the witch doctor’s things…the former witch doctor is standing in the background as a joyful follower of Jesus)

That’s one of my stories…one of my stakes-in-the-ground…what’s one of your stories that needs “To Be Told”??

-Tim Kimberley

Study.

Doesn’t that word bring back bad memories from school days - all-nighters, final exams, the silent, endlessly slow ticking of the clock in study hall? Everything about the word seems to say BORING!

And I’m one who LIKES to learn.

We need to reclaim the word study from the realm of boredom and refresh it. We need to get into the same realm as excitedly reading up on how to tie a new fly, or learning a cross-over dribble, or preparing a meal that overwhelms the palate with delectable flavors….or whatever comes to mind that brings refreshment, joy, and freedom.

This is especially needed with the discipline of Bible Study. Too many of us have sat through stale, dry presentations of the Bible. What a tragedy! The Bible is a literary marvel, full of heart-thumping stories, stirring poetry, and deep wisdom. Even more importantly: the Bible contains within its covers the treasure of true freedom, the freedom we crave at the core of our being.

Sometimes the hardest part is simply getting started. If you haven’t heard my sermon, listen here. I liken Bible study to the detective work from our favorite TV show, movie, or novel, involving the practices of investigation, meditation, and memorization.

To help you get started, I thought I’d highlight some great resources. First, every Christian should own a copy of Living by the Book by Howard and William Hendricks. It is irreplaceble as an easy-to-read, thorough, understandable, helpful aid to unearthing the treasures in the Bible. Simply a must-have-and-read.

Next, our own Tim Kimberely has created some outstanding websites to help us. The first is BibleMap.org. This helpful website uses Google Maps to help us get oriented to the world in Biblical times. The second side is HeLives.com, where you can find such helpful posts as 50 Tips for Reading the Bible.

Lastly, a professor at Dallas Seminary, Dr. Thomas L. Constable, has created a comprehensive, but very readable, commentary on the Bible and made it available to all. This is a very helpful tool.

May God fill you with an insatiable desire that propels you to ever greater depths in His Word.

Shane

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be the glory forever! Amen.           Romans 11:33-36

Please CLICK HERE for the Crave: “Study” Study Guide PDF.

thanks,
Teaching Team