 This is going to be a great sister-to-sister. We have a question that goes like this. How do you study the Bible beyond just reading it? Oh, and here's a good one. Someone said, I have sin in my life. I know it's wrong, but I don't want to stop. Oh, I'd say study the Bible. Stay tuned. Hello and welcome to Sister to Sister. This is an exciting show with five women of God and we bring the answers to your questions. But I want you to see someone today. This Angela Madden is with us. Angela is one of our new hosts on Hope Today here on CTVN. I hope you get something. I hope you can get a word in, that's what I mean. Because the girls, you know the sisters. This question you sent, I love it. How do you study the Bible beyond just reading it? So I have to go to Amy because she brought stuff. I'm such a nerd with this kind of stuff. Because we have a huge problem called Bible illiteracy. I mean, they're like, I'm bored with it. I don't know where to start. I don't, I'm not getting anything down. It's like excuse after excuse, like stop the excuses. I'm gonna bring some examples of what to do. Okay, I love, love, love my passion translation. You open it up. Halfway down are like references in the original Greek Hebrew to reference what you are reading. Great way to study the Bible. Also every day I do the one year Bible. So every day, I love it almost more than my plain Bible because every day I read Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. So you could read through the Bible year after year. Also, Rick Renner sparkling gems. This is pure gold. Rick Renner's one of our programs on Cornerstone. You get in depth teaching and studying into the word of God in the original Greek. And then I love this company so much. You have to get this right now. It's called, it's the company is the daily grace company. So like the Bible handbook, it tells you where the book of the Bible's taking place. Who wrote it? What was the geography? What did it look like? And it just unpacks the Bible for you. So that is how you study the Bible. Does anybody else have like a littler answer? Well, that's nine more than she does. She's always heavy. It's all that was in for you. The word nerf. She makes the Bible so exciting and the Lord so exciting. I just want to mention one app that I use. I don't know, are we allowed? Where's our producer? Sure, yes. We love that. When God, like I'm listening to a song and it's say like song 90, song 45, first Corinthians, it'll be in the song when you watch it. Many times there'll be a scripture reference where the pastor will be speaking. And so I go to what's called the Bible Hub or Bible Gateway. It gives you about 10 to 20 different translations of the Bible, of that verse you like. It gives a commentary. It gives a context. It gives it in Greek. It's simple. Go to it, pick a scripture. Psalm 23, verse one. Psalm one, verse one. Don't sit with the ungodly and see the insight that God will open up to. When we seek him, he says we will find him. Scriptures, complex but not complicated because God's mind is bigger than ours but we can have the mind of Christ. So just start with one scripture that you've heard somewhere and start there and try the Bible Hub, Bible Gateway or get one of Amy's books that she's sent. I will jump on that too though. I think sometimes people do limit themselves to like one verse and the Bible is so much more than like one verse. It's like you need to put verses into context and when you start to read that the Bible is like super exciting. It's got like poetry in it. It's got all these different genres in it. It's, you know, there's so much in the Bible and sometimes I think people limit themselves to the New Testament. There's all this context of the Old Testament that you cannot have the New Testament without the Old Testament. And so I just think people are, they get overwhelmed. They don't know where to start. And I get that it's difficult. Find a version that, you know, is more understandable for you. Join a Bible study, you know, talk to others, bounce your questions off people, write your questions down. Talk to somebody that has, you know, been studying the word longer than you. Ask your pastor, send in your question to hard questions. Send in your question to sister to sister. Ask people, other people. It, you know, it's, you have to commit yourself to it. You know, and it's exciting. It is exciting. You have to want to it. And whoever sent us this question wants to. You want to know the character of God. Well, he's in the word. What do you have for us, Angela? How do you study without just reading it? I think the first step is always inviting him into the experience. You know, it's not to be a dead letter, you know, written on paper, but to be filled by the word himself. And so in any time I'm studying the scriptures, I invite him first. And I just say, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God, reveal yourself to me, make yourself real, make these words, the living word, consume me. And when we do that, we give him space to reveal things beyond the written word, you know. Oh my gosh, that's so good. But while I've got your attention, I'm going to ask you this question. And your husband is a pastor, so you're a church girl. Why do so many of my prayers go unanswered? And you wrote that to us. Yes. So, you know, I've always heard he never doesn't answer, right? Like you seek him, you find him. You knock the doors open. And so it's either a yes, no or wait, you know? And I think a lot of times where we find ourselves with our prayers, when we're looking and God answer this, do this. We want a very specific answer, you know? And so when we don't see that immediately, we think, oh, God doesn't hear us. You know, but over and over in scriptures, the Lord responds and says, I heard you the first time. You know, keep seeking, keep knocking and he is faithful to answer. He is literally his name, the answer. Okay? That's right, that's right. Why do our prayers go unanswered sometimes? I think we have to remember that God is not bound by time and God's plan is not always our plan. I mean, I can attest to the fact that I would not be sitting here, likely would not be sitting here on sister to sister today if he had answered one of my prayers years ago. Which was? We were living temporarily in Virginia Beach and I was praying, praying, praying. I wanted to stay there. I wanted to live there. Tim had a temporary assignment there and I wanted to live there and prayed, prayed, prayed and every door kept getting shut, shut, shut. And I was like, no God, this is where we're supposed to be. You know? And it wasn't where we were supposed to be. And we ended up back here in Pittsburgh. And you know, this is where God meant for us to be. But it wasn't unanswered. He gave you the answer. He did. But there's people. But we think it's not getting answered because it's not the answer we want. Exactly. James says sometimes we pray because we ask a miss. Yes. What does a miss mean? He says it. We ask for our own selfish gain. Now, Corey might not have been selfish in her request but she wanted to be by the beach or whatever else. So yes. So sometimes we ask a miss but the obligation isn't God's answer. It's what we need to do. What does first Thessalonians say? Pray without ceasing. Right. And with thanksgiving and the peace of God that passes understanding, will fill your hearts and minds. It doesn't say God's gonna answer you. Or say yes to everything. You have to turn the obligation back to yourself and not dump on God. You didn't answer me. No, he says pray without ceasing and my peace will fill you that you won't need my answer yet. Regardless, so many people have this question. Amy, what do you say? This is a really good one. It's hard. I thought about Mark 11, 24 that whatever things you ask for, when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them. So when I'm asking God for something, according to his word, my God shall supply all of my needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. So I know that God wants to supply all of my needs. He is Jehovah Jireh. He's my provider. He is a good father. He wants to lavish. He doesn't want me suffering barely. He wants my cup overflowing. So I believe that I received it before I even see it. That's faith. That's right. That's faith. It takes faith. It does. And this next question goes into this too because sometimes when God doesn't answer right away, you might think he's not hearing, but he is. And you have to have faith and trust. Regardless of what you see, that's the key. And this question kind of goes right with that. What does it mean to really, really depend and trust God? Roxy. Yeah, I've got two scriptures. Come on. And first is Ephesians six. Having done all. Stand. Yep. Don't fall. Exactly. Don't weep. You could weep whatever, but stand firm in God's promises. And what else is there? Put on the armor of God. Protect yourself. The breastplate of righteousness. The belt of faith. The shield of faith. Read those scriptures and then understand one thing in Romans eight. That's Corey's and my dad's favorite chapter. All things work together for good to those who love God. To those who are called according to his purpose. Remember, have your faith rely on that scripture that all things are gonna work together for good. Maybe not how you want it, but for the purposes of God. Oh, that's good. Maybe not the good that you asked or expected, but it is working for your good. Yes, that is your favorite, right? Yeah, absolutely. Whole chapter. Love your dad, love your mom. So what do you have, what do you have, Corey? What does it mean to really, really depend on God? Well, first I wanted to look up what's the definition of trust? To firmly believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of something. And so I think to look at what does it mean to put your trust in God is, what are the things you're not putting your trust in? I think that's important because we shouldn't be putting our trust or our faith in money and government. And even in ourselves. We need, that is showing that we are putting our trust in our faith in God and we're not putting our faith in those things. And the verses I came up with for that are, John 15, five, I'm the very nearer the branches in that end part. Apart from me, you can do nothing, but then the flip side of that coin, because he gives us the flip side, is the Philippians 4, 13, I can do all things through Christ to strengthen me. That's my damn right there, right there. What do you have, girl? I would come at this to like, how can I really depend and trust somebody that I don't think loves me? Or that you don't know. Good. See, or that you don't know. So in the Amplified, if you were studying your Bible, in Ephesians 3, it says that you may really come to know practically through experience for yourselves the love that God has for you. I can really depend on him and really trust him because I have really come to know and experience for myself the love of Christ and that he has for me. Apart from that, I don't know how you can trust or rely on or depend on him. And you think about this when you have a problem and you're worried and you have so much fear, you're not trusting God. So you're not having faith. So there's fear or there's faith. So what do you want? What do you have? And what do you have? It reminds me of that scripture that says, God did show his great love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Where was that? If we focus on, oh, somebody grabbed that scripture for me, it comes up in my head. You're a far just, you just have scripture. I think it's in first joint that we know the love of God because Christ died for us while we were in our sin. Angela mentioned that on another show. Yeah, yeah. And it's that perfect love that casts out fear. So when we're not depending on God, we can recognize if we have fear, there's not a reliance on God somewhere. That's right. We're not depending on him. Depending on God looks like putting all my weight on him. So if I feel a weight on me, I need to cast it off onto him because I'm not depending on him. If I have a weight on someone else and they're not meeting my expectations, I've cast my weight on them. Depending on God is to cast all my weight on him. But guess what? It goes right along with Roxanne saying the Ephesians prayer. Like how about when you're worried and it's the fiery darts that Satan is giving you into your mind, your mind, your mind. Your heart has Jesus, but your mind is getting this stuff. If you don't put on that Ephesians prayer, then you can't do what you just said. That's right. Perfect peace is he whose mind is stayed on thee. So if you keep your mind on him, mixed on him, depending on him, peace will be the result. That's right. And I love Roxanne. Yeah, see, when we were talking about studying the Bible, I had asked Roxanne, how do you know all this scripture? How do you remember it all? Here's what she does. She looks it up in one version, reads it, looks it up in another version, reads it, and guess what? It goes not just in her mind, but right in her heart. We'll be right back right after this. Oh, come on back. Come on back to the table. Roxanne's still trying to figure out where that scripture was. But I have another question that you sent in for us. This is so good, this one. Cory, you alluded to it in the tease. I'm going to give this to you. How do I break a certain sin pattern in my life? I know it's wrong, but if I was honest, I don't really even want to stop. I don't even know. I know it's sin, but I don't want to stop. I don't even, I know it's sin, but I don't want to stop. I mean, I don't know. I think we can all say we've been there at some point or another. Yes, yes, still there. I think that, you know, you have to think about how it grieves the Lord and how it may grieve others. You know, the Lord's prayer says, lead us not into temptation, I think prayer. But I do think this has become much more common with the younger generation. I think, I call it like reality show Christianity. Like you'll see like a lot of times on these reality shows because I kind of like to watch some reality shows. And a lot of times you'll see like there's like the token Christian on like some of the reality shows. And like there'll be nothing different about that person other than the fact that they're like, they say they're a Christian. And I'm not saying that about everybody, but and like I just think it's, it's this whole like view. It's like I can act any way I want, like six days a week. And then like on Sunday, I'll have this emotional experience and like God forgives me. And yes, God is a God of love and forgiveness. But forgiveness, we need to remember forgiveness comes, came with a price. Like Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins. And I think that like we forget that, you know? This isn't about like I can go and sleep around and party it up and live any way I want. And then everything's washed over by the blood of Jesus. Okay? And I just think that there is just this pervasiveness in society right now. And yes, God is love and he forgives. But you need to have a changed life and a changed heart, okay? Because there is a price for forgiveness and Jesus paid that price. And you need to let that penetrate your heart. Oh, come on, preach it, preach it, preach it, somebody. I'm gonna give a scripture that follows up what she says, besides being accountable, confess your sins to one another that you may be healed. There is a scripture in Hebrews 10 that's tough to take, but God hardens the heart for if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sins. That's what she's talking about. You can't keep deliberately when God faces you with something, it may take a while to work that sin out of your life. And this reader, this person realizes that there is something wrong in the life. But I'm gonna tell you that there is a place where the conscious, the Bible says, is seared. When we go keep on deliberately sinning it says there is no more sacrifice. Jesus did it once, repent, hold yourself accountable with somebody else and work on those steps but a fearful expectation of judgment. There is a fear of God and the love of God that go hand in hand because there is judgment because he is fair, he is righteous. He must judge sin. Wow, this is a good question. We're to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I mean, John Bavir has a new book out that you have to get. I'm recommending it to everybody, the awe of God walking in the fear of the Lord. And a big part of that is not only humility and obedience and reverence and awe but what about that old fashioned word repentance? So like, okay, in the Amplify, you know, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent, think differently, change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct. Right, that's it. Nobody else does that for you. Like you have to own it. Like Jaco would say the Navy Seals own it. Extreme ownership, it's your life, it's your walk with God, you've got one shot, like let's repent, be obedient, submit to Christ, resist the devil and he'll flee. That's good, that's good. I'm gonna go to the next question though because I wanna get this in and it's really good because you wrote it, I appreciate this. I came to know the Lord later in my life. How do I share my faith with my unbelieving family? They don't understand the change in me. Such a good question, many of you might have. Roxy. You know, two scriptures come to mind John says that by our love, they'll know we're Christians. Right. And then the other scriptures and Ephesians, I love this scripture, I don't know why, but I do. Paul says you are a living epistle, you are a living proof of God's love, written on our hearts, not with ink, but the Holy Spirit. Allow the Holy Spirit to use you to bring his love. You don't have to preach, you don't have to condemn, you have to bring his love to your family. That's right. What do you have? I think that's the biggest testimony of our lives. That is the gospel message, is living before our family, our friends and strangers, the love of Christ, being those epistles, read of men, that when they look at my life, they notice there's something distinctly different and I want what she has. And then it says that all men will be drawn by his spirit. So let Holy Spirit do his work, you keep praying, you keep showing up and shining your light, and when they ask for an answer, give it, tell them that it's Jesus who transforms you and changes you. Right, right, Corey. Well, my parents got saved when they were adults and my dad got saved and my mom literally thought he was having an affair because his life was so transformed. She was like, what is happening too? And then she immediately gave up smoking, like literally cold turkey because God changed her life so much and their friends immediately, like they lost a lot of friends because their lives changed so dramatically, it goes hand in hand with that other question, their sin just changed in their lives because God transformed their lives and they didn't have to do a whole lot of talking because their lives did the talking and they gave the credit to Jesus but it wasn't like they had to beat people over the heads with it because their lives did the talking. And you know what? A lot of their friends and family didn't come to know the Lord but they knew they knew the Lord and so they know to come to them for prayer, they know to come to them, they know where they stand. What do you do? What are you saying? I would say you can't force a horse to drink but you can put salt in his oats and make him thirsty. What? Be salty, like be something that people are longing. Like what is different about you? I mean, if you didn't have joy, maybe have some joy. I don't know. You didn't have peace? Maybe present peace, the peace of God. You were so angry before and bitter but now you're not. You let things go, you get over it, you trust the Lord and you make people thirsty for what you have. Well how about living with integrity? Yes. I mean, this is the thing like, you know, you're doing your taxes and you're thinking, well, I could deduct this. Can you tell I'm doing this right now? I could deduct this and so I call the accountant and I say, well how much would I save giving the government if I do this and then he said, well, did you do business when you rented that car or when you took those people to dinner? And I said, no. So he said, well, okay then. Now he would have done it. So living as a person with integrity and honesty and also modesty in how we dress and how we act and how we speak, there's a lot of ways that you can be Jesus for them. We're so grateful you're here. We're gonna wrap it up. Each show we end with a scripture and today's scripture is from Psalm 28 verse seven. The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy and with my song, I praise him. The Lord revealed himself to me at an early age. I remember very vividly the night that my mom asked me if I was a Christian. I knew the right answer was yes, but I had no idea what that meant. And my mom explained to me what it meant and that I could ask Jesus into my heart and that he could be my savior. And I knew that he could be my strength and my shield. And so that night I did accept him and my life changed that night at a young age. What is the song your heart sings? Maybe you asked Jesus into your heart at a young age or maybe it was later in life or maybe you don't know that feeling, that emotion, that joy, that true change of your heart being given to the Lord as your savior. You can know that. Don't just make Christian be a title or a ticket. Let it be a true change in your life that he can be your help. He can be your strength and your shield. Call the number on the screen today and know Jesus as your savior. Well, at the end of the show, we always do a scripture, but I wonder, how did you like it? I love it. Okay, we have Angela with us, Angela. Here's what I say at the end. As iron sharpens iron, that's a scripture that says that's how a man sharpens the other or a woman or a girl or a sister. You see, listening to them, learning from them makes me a much better Kathy. So we're so glad that you're with us here on Sister Sister and glad that you're here too. See you next time.