Study to Retain.

 We need to comprehend, and retain truth. Little good does it do if we learn something only to go about our day to day lives and forget all about what we've learned. It's fine if the things you are learning have little value to your eternal life, but when they have great value towards your eternal life, shouldn't we make a great effort to study and retain what we've studied?  We go to schools to learn and our education is supposed to prepare of for our future life. We learn reading, writing, mathematical skills. We learn history, and science, and we are taught physical education as well. These are just a few of the things we teach.  We put great stock in our school learning, and then we lament later the struggles to learn only to never need half the stuff we were forced to try and learn. 

Do you remember studying for tests? Come on, even those of you who really didn't have to study much because your ability to retain information is higher than the norm, you had to study a time or two, right? 

I remember studying for tests. I remember the flash cards with the times table, and spelling words, and state capitals and so on and so forth. I remember practicing, reciting over and over, I remember a lot of hoping I knew enough to pass the tests. Some of that practicing and studying paid off-  I know how to write, I know how to read, I can do basic math. These were all important things to learn and I use them daily. 

God tells us this-- 2Ti_2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Study. Why? To show yourself approved unto God. 

We study the word of God in order to learn of God, and the endless life lessons He has for us to learn. We study the word of God because it is the message of Salvation and that is our eternal life, all of our eternal lives.

We need to study deeply. Here is a blurb from a newsletter that has to do with the excerpt included later here- 

'There are two "times" in Daniel 11:45: 1) "He shall plant" and 2) "He shall come to his end." The book of Revelation would indicate that the first of these two "times" is the signal that the close of probation has arrived. The "he" again would be "the abomination of desolation" standing in what the Jews would consider "the holy place." Those who have been unable to discern the warning signal in the close of probation for corporate bodies (Luke 21:24) will be ill prepared to discern the final sign in the rapidity of the closing events of human history.'

From <http://www.adventistlaymen.org/WWN%20Text%20Versions/wwn(91)10/wwn10(91).html> 

That blurb comes from an article titled - "Why Study the Book of Daniel?"   

We need to know more than just superficial data, we need to know the truths and retain the truths, use the truths in our lives.

'Those who have been unable to discern the warning signal in the close of probation for the corporate bodies (Luke 21:24) will be ILL PREPARED to discern the FINAL SIGN in the rapidity of the closing events of human history.'

Have you ever heard or spoken the words-- "It happened so fast I didn't know what to do."   Or, "I didn't expect things to go that fast."

We don't expect things that happen, a lot of the time. Yet, when we think we are prepared for something only to find out we aren't- then we are very dismayed, and we wished we could have done things differently. 

We need to be prepared now, as prepared as we possibly can be so that we can know that we've done all in our ability to be ready for the end days.  

Let us study, truly study and may God bless us, may the Holy Spirit guide us and teach us, all through the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!! 

Amen!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

'Our Lord having passed over the important events, in the Christian age down to the end, in verses 6-14, goes back and introduces the destruction of Jerusalem, in verse 15, in answer, to the inquiry, "When shall these things be?" 

VERSES 15-20: "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whose readeth, let him understand); then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains; let which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day." The "abomination of desolation" is called "armies" in Luke 21:20, and refers to the Roman army. "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." This desolating power is spoken of by Daniel as follows:–

"And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. . . . "And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Margin, "desolator." Dan. 9:26, 27. 

Here is a clear prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies. Our Lord referred to the book of Daniel, and taught his disciples to understand that when they should see what was there predicted take place, they must make their escape. The flight of the Christians of Judea to the mountains would be attended with difficulties. And their subsequent condition would be that of hardship and suffering. The Lord knew this, and gave them the instructions and warnings necessary. The statement or verse 19 was given to save them from unnecessary woe.'  (End Excerpt)