Proverbs 11:15

When I first thought about doing this blog; I knew there were several things I would like to accomplish. Besides helping each of us get into God's Word daily, and soaking up His truths, one of the things that I knew I really wanted to discuss is HOW to study God's Word. Now that we have been studying for a while...it is time to learn to dig a bit deeper. Don't worry; I won't ask anything hard of you. And I won't throw too much at you at once.

So, what if you are reading along, and you come across something that you just don't understand? Many people have study Bibles to help them...and that is great. If you don't have one and would like to get one someday, I would highly recommend a John MacArthur study Bible.

There are many Bible study tools that we will discuss as time moves along but today I'd like to talk about a Bible Commentary. What is a Bible Commentary? Well, it is as it says. It 'comments on' or explains the text. If you come to something in the Bible and you just don't quite understand...then perhaps a commentary will help you. It is really nice if you can have your commentary open and read it side by side with your Bible. Just please make sure the commentary is a well-known reputable one!

Our at home library contains many theological commentaries, books, tools, etc but I am going to be honest with you-- My husband's collection almost scares me!  I am going to show you the commentary I use. Just Click HERE to go to the commentary at Bible Study Tools. com.

 (for those of you following by email, here is the same link...I know at least one of you sometimes has trouble going to links.I'll explain step by step. If you cannot click above  Just highlight this
http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/proverbs/11.html?p=4
 then right click; hit copy; then open another tab and paste the link you copied. Hope this helps!)

We are going to have a little fun today...just to teach you that commentaries are not scary and so helpful! Using the link above to Matthew Henry's commentary, here are some questions for you to answer directly from verse 15 of the commentary. You may answer them in your journal but don't post them here so that others will be encouraged to look them up.

1. We may not use our _____________________ as we will. (Meaning we cannot just do whatever we want with our possessions....from Tonya's commentary)
2. ____________________begins at home.
3. The commentary references another verse that you need to click on and look up to answer this. What comes to him who is generous and lends freely?
4. Every man must be _________ to his family, else he is not true to his ________________.
5. Back to the commentary...We must not enter rashly into suretiship because we might bring ourselves and our families into trouble by it......and we could perhaps become _____________________.
6. Our Lord Jesus was surety for us when were ______________, nay ______________and  He smarted for it. 

"He smarted for it". That is putting it mildly to say the least! (Tonya's commentary again.) Jesus did not have to become surety for our debt. He had thousands of angels to call upon that could have saved Him. Would you die for someone that owes you? How often do we say, "You owe me!"
How humbling!