Bible Resources

LIVING LIFE IN THE WORD

     There are very few “quick fixes” in life that actually have any kind of lasting value. If it’s quick, it probably won’t last. That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t simple processes that can help. If our spiritual lives are not what we’d like them to be, there are no quick fixes. There are simple things we can do to better ground us in God’s grace, calling, and love for us. Consistent, frequent fellowship with God’s people is one of them. That’s why we gather several times each week. Another is to spend time meditating on Scripture. We talked about this last Sunday morning, and several have asked for notes, so I’m publishing them here, because I truly believe this simple practice will bear fruit in profound ways in our lives. So here’s a loose system to help us better engage the Scriptures in our life. This is simply a framework on which you can build something that works for you. The main thing is to consistently get into the Scriptures so we might better know and be transformed by God!

What You’ll Need:

• A Consistent Time and Place: this will help you get in the right frame of mind, and will aid in your disciplined pursuit of God.
• A Bible: simply a bible you can read and understand. You aren’t doing in-depth studies of Greek and Hebrew words—you are reading in pursuit of God. Personally, there are too many distractions for me if I go with an electronic option, so use what works for you.
• A Plan: this will tell you what to read and when, so you aren’t flipping through on your own whims. We have plans in the racks by the main entrance, and others can be found online. Some plans are just a few verses, others a few chapters. Choose one that will be doable for you, while still pushing you a little. If you aren’t reading at all, don’t try to read 10 chapters.
• Highlighter & Pen: use the highlighter to mark important parts of the passage as you read, and the pen to write your reflections. Or just use a pen to underline instead of highlight.
• A Notebook or Journal: nothing fancy, just something to write some reflections.
• Planner/Calendar/Scrap Paper: you’ll get distracted as you read. Use this to jot down the random things that will pop into your head without getting you away from reading. When you remember you need to take trash out while reading, just write it down and then move on.

What You’ll Do

Start by praying a simple prayer for God to bless your time in the Scriptures.

• Read, following your plan. Listen for what jumps out at you, and mark those significant passages.
• Think about what you’ve read. Chose one of the passages you marked to think more deeply about. In your notebook or journal, write the date, write out the verse, and then do some rough writing about the verse. You’re not writing to win a Pulitzer Prize, just to help process.
  • What? – what do you see? What’s going on? Make general observations.
  • So what? – why does it matter? How is connected to other Scriptures or your life? This is interpretation.
  • Now what? – What are you going to do it? What can you obey? Write specific actions you can take based on what you’ve read. This is application.
• Pray about what you’ve read and the way it applies to your life. It may be helpful to write the prayer.
• Live what you’ve read — pursuing a deeper transforming relationship with God!