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Ask for Grace to Do to Others {Matthew 7:12}

November 2, 2020 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

How Do You Want to Be Treated?

When I’m sick, I don’t want people hovering over me. I don’t want to answer phone calls about how I’m doing. I don’t want to report my pain levels every hour to update my condition.

So when others are sick, I assume that’s how they want to be treated too.

But that’s a risky assumption.

In our memory verse for this week, Jesus is telling His followers to treat others like they would want to be treated.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12

We’ve labeled it the Golden Rule. But what exactly does it mean? Was Jesus telling them to do the exact things they’d prefer themselves?

Therefore Is There For…?

Matthew 7:12 begins with “So,” or as other translations put it, “Therefore.”

So let’s take a few steps backwards to see what “therefore” is there for.

In the previous eleven verses we’ve been memorizing, Jesus is explaining how love behaves.

Dallas Willard lays it out like this in his book Divine Conspiracy.

“In the previous verses (1-11) agape love has been concretely illustrated in three ways:

1. Not condemning of blaming those around us (vv. 1-5).
2. Not forcing ‘wonderful things’ upon them (v. 6).
3. Just asking for what we want from them—and from God (vv. 7-11).”

At times, it may feel like a risk to treat others this well.

Maybe they’ll take advantage of our goodness.
Maybe we don’t know what they really need.
Maybe we don’t want to put ourselves in their shoes to find out.

But the more we learn to trust God for what WE need, the more we can learn to give others what THEY need. We’re in the sweet spot. We get our own needs met from God as we meet the needs of others.

Treat Others Well

As we want our own needs to be met, let’s meet the needs of others. It might not look exactly the same from person to person. While I prefer a hands-off approach to caring for me when I’m sick, someone else might prefer the exact opposite. If I’m to fulfill the Golden Rule, I give them what THEY need, because I would want them to give me what I need when it’s my turn.

Lean on grace to do it. It’s the only way we can succeed. Without the love of God operating in us, this summation of God’s law is too hard for us.

When we ask God for grace and love for others, He won’t give us the equivalent of stones or serpents (Matthew 7:9-10). He’ll give us what we need so we can pass grace along to the next person.

Let’s continue asking God for courage and compassion to live out the Golden Rule to treat others as well as we would want to be treated, however that looks.

As we trust God to give us what we need, we can give to others what they need. #Matthew7

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Handwriting Bible Study Methods

October 27, 2020 by Kelli LaFram 1 Comment

This month in our Life Long Learners series we have been giving you a glimpse of how we each study God’s Word. If you’ve been following along with the series, I’m sure you gleaned an awesome tip or two. You’ve probably noticed that our methods of study vary greatly from person to person. Today I’m going to share my favorite study methods and tools. You ready? All you need (other than your Bible) is a pen and a spiral notebook. Yep, that’s it — nothing fancy! Better yet, no WiFi required! Here’s how.

Handwriting the Word

One of my favorite ways to take in God’s is to write it out by hand. It is a slow process. I’ve been handwriting the Psalms for nearly two years, filled up multiple notebooks, and I’m still not done. That said, taking time to handwrite each verse helps me slowly savor and digest God’s message.

When I do nothing more than read a passage, I am likely to read too fast and even more likely to miss the intended message. However, when I handwrite God’s Word I am forced to think about each verse, word by word and letter by letter. As I slowly write, my mind has more time to consider the meaning of the verses and think about how God wants me to apply them to my life. It is even a slow enough process that I can pray as the pen moves across the paper. Handwriting God’s Word has become a ritual that I enjoy and look forward to each morning.

Double-entry Journal

I also like using a spiral notebook to keep a double-entry journal. Keeping this type of journal involves handwriting God’s Word, but it takes it a step further and allows me to record my thoughts, questions, and prayers; it gives space to record word study notes (see Lisa’s post from last week) and cross reference to other passages in the Bible.

I most often use this methods of journaling when I’m beginning to write a bible study or blog series. I also use the double-entry journal when I’m preparing to teach a group study or children’s church. I frequently use it for personal Bible study as well.

Here is how it works:

Want to give it a try? Here’s how:

At the top of a blank page write the passage and passage title you are studying. You may also want to include the date for future reference.
Without removing the page from the notebook, fold the page in half lengthwise. You can draw a line down the crease if you like. Now you have two columns on your page.
In the left column write out word-for-word the scriptures that jump out at you. There is no need to write the entire passage unless you just want to.
In the right hand column, next to the scripture, write out your thoughts, questions, other scripture references, song lyrics, word studies, or anything else you think is relevant to the scripture.

If you are not feelin’ the handwriting thing, you could always type a double entry journal. In your prefer word processing software (Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, etc) you would insert a two column table and then follow steps 3 and 4. You can also download this printable from a post I shared last year during our Bible Study Notebook series.

Like with handwriting God’s word, using a double-entry journal encourages you to slow down and meditate on God’s word. It also helps you to connect what you are currently reading to your prior knowledge of the Bible. Both study methods, handwriting the Word and double-entry journaling, help you to know, understand, and remember Scripture. They also help you to think about your thinking and refine what you believe about God and the Bible.

Like I said earlier, everyone studies in a different way. All this handwriting may not be for you. However, if you are looking for a simple, no fuss (and no WIFI needed) way to dig deeper into God’s Word, I encourage you to give one (or both!) of these methods a try.

Only by grace,

Kelli

Don’t Mess With My Kid—God {Matthew 7:11}

October 26, 2020 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

The Bad Dad

You’ve see him. Maybe at the checkout line at Walmart. He is ignoring his toddler’s pleas for candy. Until he’s not. He comes to life and yells at the child, jerks her up, yells at her.

It’s the bad dad.

Yet . . . even with him, if YOU were to turn around and make an ugly comment about the child, this dad would likely be the first to defend her.

Don’t mess with his kid.

Jesus understood this. He knows how we work (we’re all the bad dad sometimes). That even on our best days, we’re not very good.

But even on our worst days, we inherently want to protect our child from outside threats.

The Good Dad

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:11

As we study and memorize Matthew 7:11 this week, let’s remember this truth about God: God’s gifts are ALWAYS good (James 1:17).

His gifts may not always seem good at the moment (discipline doesn’t usually “feel” good, even though it is good for us, Hebrews 12:9-11).

But we can trust that God will always be good.

God is the perfect parent.

His Perfect Gifts

So go to God for what you need. Ask. Seek. Knock. He’s a door, not a wall (Matthew 7:7-8).

How many ways did Jesus have to say it? Over and over He drove home this message: Go to the Father when you are in trouble. He’s a safe Dad (Matthew 7:9-10). He’s got your back.

When we ask, we receive. We get God’s protection. We get His lavish gift of grace. We even get His very Spirit placed inside us (read the parallel passage, Luke 11:13).

We’ve all seen good dads. A new father holding his precious child for the first time is a beautiful sight to see.

And if we know this is beautiful?

How much more lovely is the view of God holding us in His hands!

If you think an earthly father can be good, wait until you know God as Father! Memorize Matthew 7:11 with us.

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How you seen exceptional parents? Have you overcome being raised by bad parents? How do you experience God as Father? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Bible Study From the Outside In

October 22, 2020 by Jennifer Hong Leave a Comment

This month has been full of great insights on Bible study as the team has shared insights and favorite tools for Bible study. Today, I’m sharing how I approach a new passage when preparing to write or teach a Bible study, working from the outside in.

Have you ever tried spotting a far-off bird with high-magnification binoculars? Binoculars can reveal great detail, but it can be surprisingly difficult to get even a stationary bird into view. If you don’t get oriented to the view in front of you first, you can find yourself looking at a mess of branches, leaves, and sky without any feathers in sight. When my children join me on a bird walk, I encourage them to first get a good look at the bird with the naked eye before lifting their binoculars. Where is it sitting? What branches or landmarks might help you find it once you’re zoomed in close? Once we’re oriented to the big picture, we can more effectively use our up-close tools.

When I begin studying a Bible passage in preparation to teach or write, I approach it a bit like I approach bird watching. After reading through the passage initially, I back up and take a wide-angle view of the context before I zoom in on the details.

Working From the Outside In

As I approach Bible study from the outside in, I think of three concentric circles. First I begin with the panorama, the wide angle view that gathers Biblical and historical context. Then, I move in closer, to the passage itself, observing specific details. Finally, moving further in, I prayerfully contemplate what the Lord is showing me in the present. How do these words shed light and truth on my understanding of God, myself, or my community?

1. The Panorama: Taking in the Big Picture

The first circle is the panorama, the big picture with lots of context. Keeping in mind the Bible’s overarching story of redemption, I also begin learning about the historical and Biblical background for my passage and the book of the Bible in which it’s found.

What do I know about the author and about his original audience? Am I reading a Psalm of worship written by King David, or an account of creation recorded by Moses? Were these words written to the Nation of Israel during a time of rebellion, or to a church wrestling with legalism? What else was going on at the time?

I often use the ESV Introductions to review basic details about the author, time, and place, and I consider the applicable genre of Scripture. As part of the big picture context, I also try to read as much as I can of the surrounding Scripture. What had the author been addressing just prior to this passage?

As I study, I always keep a running list of questions. They may guide my study now or be a topic to delve further into later.

2. The Passage: Delving into Details

The second circle is the passage itself. Reading it once again for overall meaning and theme, I then begin looking more closely at the words.

Do you like to write as you read? It can be helpful to print out a copy of the verses to begin circling, underlining, and drawling arrows between words that relate to one another. What words are repeated, emphasized, or draw your attention?

Bible Hub and Blue Letter Bible are good resources for looking up the original Hebrew or Greek words for further study, and Lisa introduced us to E-Sword in her post this month. Bible Hub is also helpful for looking up other related verses, listed as cross-references in the parallel versions view. These might be Old Testament quotations or citations, or verses with similar phrasing.

As I pray for understanding and read through the passage another time, I pick out a key verse. If I had to pick one, which most embodies the meaning in this passage?

3. The Present: Responding with Praise and Prayer

And now, having gathered information and perspective from both outside of the text and from the passage itself, it’s time to pray again and quiet my heart to both receive and respond to the Word.

Ask the Lord what He would have you take away from your time with these verses.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5

There are so many ways we may respond to a passage of Scripture. It may be a quiet reading aloud, written journaling, or a hymn of praise. There may be conviction and confession, or a new sense of gratitude. You may be led to approach the Lord in faith with prayers for grace or healing.

Here is a printable with a few questions to guide your Bible Study From the Outside In.

As you receive His Word, be reminded that the Lord is good. May God bless your study.

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:3-5

For Our Instruction: Studying Old Testament Connections in the New Testament

October 20, 2020 by Cheli Sigler Leave a Comment

From little on up, I was taught the importance of the whole biblical narrative, Genesis to Revelation. Even now, making connections between the Old Testament and New Testament inspires greater faith and deeper study. The Apostle Paul writes,

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4

With this verse as inspiration, I am sharing tips for taking a “deep dive” into the New Testament. Particularly, we will learn how to study New Testament passages with Old Testament connections.

Prior to the Covid 19 pandemic, I participated in a workshop taught by Dr. Greg Lanier, Associate Professor of the New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. Specifically, the workshop focused on using the Old Testament to understand the New Testament. If you live near a seminary or Bible college offering layperson seminars or workshops, I highly recommend participating. What follows is what I learned, in my own words.

Identify the Source

When you come across an Old Testament connection in the New Testament it will take one of three forms: citation, quotation, or allusion.

Citation: The Old Testament is quoted verbatim, or nearly so, and preceded by an introductory formula (i.e., “It is written,” “It is fulfilled,” “The prophet [insert prophet name] said,”). The citation appeals to an authority, or provides proof of an Old Testament connection.
Quotation: The Old Testament is quoted verbatim, or nearly so, and does not have an introductory formula. The quotation is a link to Old Testament significance.
Allusion: A brief reference, not verbatim, to the Old Testament, creating an “aha” moment for the attuned student.

To summarize, like a flashing neon sign, the citation is there to say this is a “must see” or “must study” Old Testament connection. As important, the quotation is a signal that the Old Testament context is significant. The allusions are more difficult to find, but they demonstrate how God weaves even the smallest details throughout His Word from Genesis to Revelation.

Contextualize the Source

Having identified the Old Testament source, contextualize it. Start by locating and reading the Old Testament passage, not just the verses cited or quoted, but at least the entire chapter. Extend your study by researching the historical and spiritual context of the nation of Israel at the time of the Old Testament passage. Consider what the original message communicated to its audience. Understanding the context of the Old Testament citation, quotation, or allusion, prepares you to uncover the full meaning of its use in the New Testament.

Synthesize What You Learned

Now, go back to the New Testament passage. Re-read the passage with your new insight from the Old Testament as a guide. Discover the theme of the passage. Uncover how the use of the Old Testament promotes the New Testament theme. You will likely note some patterns the more you engage in this type of study. Four common patterns are:

Prophecy: The Old Testament predicted X, and X came true in the New Testament. Read Acts 3:20-22.
Pre-figuring: An Old Testament person or thing is a picture of a future ultimate fulfillment. Read John 3:14.
Pattern: History repeats itself. Read Acts 7:51-52.
Prescription: Instruction on doctrine. Read Romans 13:9

As you move through your study you will see how the Old Testament illuminates the New Testament and how the New Testament illuminates the Old Testament.

“…making connections between the Old Testament and New Testament inspires greater faith and deeper study.” #SnapshotsOfBibleStudy

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Practice

Using Luke 19:45-46, I have provided an example of what it looks like when you follow the tips I am sharing today. I have also provided a blank sheet for you to use for future study. Click this link to get the PDF copies: Studying Old Testament Connections in the New Testament. May “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Is It Safe to Ask? {Matthew 7:9-10}

October 19, 2020 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

When We’d Rather Give

We’re so reluctant to ask.

My husband Jeff had shoulder surgery last Friday. His right arm will remain in a sling for a few days. For now, he can’t do all the things he once did.

He needs help. But he doesn’t like asking for it.

Isn’t that the way we all are?

We’re more comfortable being the givers than the takers.

Maybe we don’t want to become indebted to a giver.
Or we don’t think we’ll receive what we want.
Or it hurts our pride to be on the receiving end.

But it’s safe to ask.

Know Who to Ask

Jesus kept driving home this point in the Sermon on the Mount. We resume memorizing Matthew 7 this week.

This week’s verses are:

“Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?”
Matthew 7:9-10

Jesus is reminding us how the process works.

When children have needs, they ask their parents for help. The parents in turn want to meet those needs however possible.

When we, too, know who to ask, we also will receive.

And when we know to ask God? We’ll receive exactly what we need.

Remember: It’s safe to ask.

It’s Important to Ask

When Jeff asks me for help putting on his socks, I’m not going to step on his toes instead. Or when he needs a lift to physical therapy, I’m not going to give him a bicycle.

Next week we’ll hear this more firmly from Jesus in Matthew 7:11.

But this week, let’s remember to ask for what we need. It’s important to ask. Go to the Father. With confidence and courage. He wants us to.

Jesus says so: it’s safe to ask.

Is it safe for others to ask us for help? Is it safe for us to ask God? #Matthew7

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Choose Your Direction—Go Wide or Go Deep {Personal Bible Study Resources}

October 15, 2020 by Lisa Burgess 31 Comments

Is your goal to become more familiar with God’s story as a whole? Go wide in your study.

Is your goal to personally connect with God through one passage? Go deep.

But with either direction, go directly to the source.

Sometimes we make it sound so simple. But knowing how to study our Bibles can feel complicated. The Bible is a collection of 66 different books, written in different styles by possibly 40 different authors over a time span of approximately 1,500 years.

Add to that complexity, your own personal time crunch, waxing and waning interest, and occasional lack of focus. It’s no wonder that studying our Bibles gets shoved further down our to-do lists.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are two different ways to approach Bible study to help you stay motivated. And resources to equip you for it. Not just to learn scriptures, but most importantly, to find life in Jesus through them.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
John 5:39-40

As I said here about why we read it again and again, the more we read the Bible, the more we see God. And the more we see God, the more we love God.

We can never get too much Love.

1. Go Wide

Because the Bible has a long reach and is full of details, keep the overall picture in mind.

At its most basic, the Bible is a love story of God’s encounters with people. Becoming familiar with these stories leads us to become familiar with God. That’s the goal: knowing God, not just the stories.

ONE LINE EACH

Here are two sites to help you see the complete picture in one place, with one line for each of the 66 books.

READ IT ALL

To go wide, I like to read through the entire Bible every two or three years. It takes me that long because (a) I don’t like to rush through it, and (b) I don’t want to overtask myself with very long readings each day.

Here is a 2-year Bible reading plan that I’ve used for several years.

It’s not dated so you can start anytime. It’s 5 days a week; no weekends. It alternates with two weeks of readings in the Old Testament and one week in the New Testament so you never get too bogged down in long stories about wars or genealogies, for example.

The plan is a chronological reading, not a straight line from Genesis to Revelation. When you’re reading from the Gospels, for example, you’ll read Luke’s version of Jesus’s birth in Luke 1 and 2 on Monday and Tuesday, then read the same story written by Matthew in Matthew 1-2 on Wednesday.

Another tip: use a different translation each time you read through the Bible. It keeps the words fresh. Otherwise we can become so familiar with the story that we miss details. But with different wording, our attention stays fresh.

Don’t rush through your Bible, but do keep moving to get the whole story. There are numerous great reading plans available. Find one that works for you.

2. Go Deep

But we don’t need only to skim through the stories. Save some time to dig deep, one verse at a time. And sometimes one word at a time.

When I memorize scripture for our Bible Memory Challenges, I appreciate having weeks to sit with the same verses again and again.

Here’s my daily plan for studying one verse a week. I’d love to hear in the comments how you approach in-depth studies.

1. ORIGINAL LANGUAGES

First, I take a couple of minutes to look at each word in the verse in its original language. But I don’t know Greek or Hebrew, so I use E-Sword.net.

E-Sword is a digital tool that makes it very easy to see original meanings, adding much nuance to understanding. E-Sword is a downloadable app that is free for your PC or for a small fee for Mac or smart phone. The tools it provides are endless.

It’s my one-stop resource for original languages, commentaries, study notes, Bible translations, concordances, and more.

Download a Word Study Sheet here.

2. READ COMMENTARIES

The next day, I read various commentaries about the verse. When we listen to what others think, it broadens our own understanding. Be discerning with what you read, but also be open. Just as practicing our religion isn’t a solitary activity, neither is our Bible study. Learn from others. Spend as little or as much time as you want to. I use the free commentaries I downloaded on E-Sword, but you can use commentaries or study Bibles or even other online resources, such as:

Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway

3. GET CREATIVE

On the third day, I diagram the verse and listen to songs about it. It allows the message to sink into my heart through different avenues (see Jaime’s post on scribbles and doodles). The Spirit works in mysterious ways, not only through written words.

I am currently listening to songs on Matthew 7 for our memorization challenge on the Fighter Verses app.

4. JOURNAL ABOUT IT

On the fourth day, I journal and pray through the verse. Interacting with God’s truths sometimes requires a wrestling. It is personal. God is active in the process. It’s not just a head exercise but a heart practice.

5. SHARE IT

Then the fifth day, I recite the words to someone else (or at least out loud to myself). Again, God’s message isn’t static on a page; it is alive and needs to be practiced to be fully transformative.

Do I do this every week with every verse? Certainly not. I fail more than I succeed.

But it helps me to work a plan, even for only a few minutes a day. Without a plan, I’d accomplish even less.

Engage Scripture to Find Christ

So how should YOU study the Bible? That’s for you and God to decide.

Your relationship with the Lord is as unique as you are. Let’s not pass judgment on each other for our styles.

But rather let’s encourage each other to value time spent with God through scripture, through experiences with Him, and through discussions with each other about Him, however that looks.

Keep the ultimate goal in mind: Engage scripture to find Christ. Allow it to transform you to love God more and love others more (Matthew 22:37-39), not to become a scholar or a Bible know-it-all, (after all, even Satan could quote scripture). As Paul warned us, knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Corinthians 8:1).

May your Bible study fill you up in God’s love, both wide and deep.

Want to go wide? Or go deep? Choose your direction of Bible study. Resources here for both. #SnapShotsofBibleStudy

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Here’s a printable with the tools mentioned.

See all of the posts in our Lifelong Learners series here. We’ll be adding more posts throughout the month of October.

Are you a daily Bible reader?
Do you have a favorite Bible study tool?

Please share in the comments.

Scribbles & Doodles & Reading Aloud

October 13, 2020 by Jaime Hilton Leave a Comment

Making Time to Study the Word

Life often moves at a breakneck pace. Whatever season you’re in, I imagine you’ve got a lot on your plate, calling for your attention.

I am in a season of raising children (toddlers, teens, and a few in between!) and developing my career. The latter, I am grateful to admit, calls for some pretty dedicated time to study the Bible. But in this season of busyness (which is not so different from other seasons of busyness) I find I must make time to cultivate my relationship with Jesus. Like every other important relationship in life, I have to be intentional about how I spend my time and carve out opportunities to enjoy and engage with the One who is my Savior, Redeemer, and Friend. Thankfully, unlike other relationships, He is willing to meet me where I am.

Here are three things I’m doing to make time and space in my heart and mind.

Scribbles

My first step when I approach a text, either for personal study or professional, is to read it with fresh eyes and rapid log, aka Scribble, my initial thoughts, questions, and impressions. Rapid log is a term from the Bullet Journal tradition. It means jotting down your thoughts, bullet-point style, as it occurs to you.

This initial step serves to clear my mind of any assumptions or associations I have. I stress that it is an initial first step because it is essential to go back through those notes and seek out the truth about what those stories mean. As Ali mentioned in her post, sometimes all we have is a few moments to jot down our thoughts, but someday we will get the time to dig deeper.

My scribbles are a way to engage with the text with an open heart. Sometimes I will paraphrase what I’ve read, to see if I’m understanding it. Sometimes I will write down the exact Scripture, and occasionally I will…

Doodle!

When it comes to art, I’ve always been better with words and speech. My ability to communicate visually is somewhat lacking. I can sketch a pretty decent snail when called upon to do so, but even that is hit and miss.

Yet my hands love to be busy, especially when I’m listening to a sermon or podcast, or even going back over my scribbled notes. I find my pen working over the letters, making shapes, and sketches of things that are standing out to me.

What surprised me one day was realizing that what appeared to be mindless doodling was actually helping me remember and connect to what I was studying! The doodles help me to slow down and sit in the words.

Like scribbling, doodling it is only a piece of Bible study, incomplete on its own, but part of a rich, intentional, process of growing closer to the Lord.

Reading Aloud

Finally, another way I like to engage with the text is by reading it out loud. I do this in my room or at the table while my children are eating breakfast. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don’t, but I speak the words anyway.

In this text from Deuteronomy, the Lord instructs future kings to engage with Scripture by writing and reading it:

“When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes.” Deuteronomy 17:18-19

The Hebrew word for “read” (here and in many other verses) is “qara” (pronounced car-uh). It means “to call out, summon, invite, name, utter aloud”. It’s a hugely different picture than what I usually have in my mind when I think of reading, which is what I have always done when I want to be alone!

Like scribbling and doodling, reading the words out loud helps me to slow down and take them in, allowing me to engage fully with whatever it is the Holy Spirit is teaching me.

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I love the Word of God. I love learning the history and culture of the people in the ancient world. I love digging into the language and discovering how God is timeless and unchangeable. Mostly, I love that He chooses to engage with us, where and when we are if only we will take the time to engage with Him.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Are you willing to give one of these tricks a try? Here is a Three Ways to Engage Printable to help you incorporate scribbling, doodling, or reading aloud into your time with the Word. Share your experience with us in the comments or on the Facebook Community Page!

Finding the (Almost) Perfect Bible Study Spot

October 8, 2020 by Ali Shaw 1 Comment

This post is intended to help you find the (almost) perfect Bible study spot. It’s the first post in our series, Life-long Learners, where we share glimpses of our processes for studying the word. We hope to offer you encouragement, inspiration, and resources for your own times of study!

I love to read and study God’s Word!

I started reading my Bible when I was very young. I remember reading in my KJV illustrated Bible as early as 5 years old. Of course, I wasn’t really old enough to read most of the words, but I loved opening my full length Bible and hunting down the illustrations of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and Jesus walking on the water. When I was about 8 years old, I’d stay up late, pouring over the pages. In middle school, I would read the Bible aloud to the wall, just because I loved to hear the words out loud. But, it really wasn’t until high school that I began studying.

Over the past almost 30 years, my studying has changed, developed, grown, and changed more. Some of that is just the result of maturing spiritually. Some, though, is simply because different seasons have brought different dynamics and presented various challenges to my studies. All of it has been a journey of walking with the Savior and meeting with Him over the pages of His Word.

As these changes and this growth have taken place, I’ve adjusted the location of my studies. Here are three tips for finding the (almost) perfect spot to do your Bible studies, based on your current season. (“Almost” perfect because we all know that a perfect spot doesn’t exist, this side of heaven!)

Season: The Busy “Snacker”

In this season of life you are tired and on the go! Taking the kids to one event after another, waking to feed that baby in the middle of the night, or maybe headed out the door to care for aging parents. Life is busy and you are hungry! But long hours of time in the Word sounds like a dream too good to be true. Where and how can you have a productive Bible study session?

Spot: When you are in a season that is beyond your control externally, remember, God still wants you to be still and know that He is God. Find a quiet spot if you can (because your life probably isn’t quiet and you’re likely hungry for this). Maybe it’s in your bed in the morning, before your feet ever hit the floor? Because you know once they do they’ll be running non-stop! Or, you may need a portable, on-the-go spot (like your car) where you can have a few minutes of uninterrupted study. Here are some other ideas:

Put a verse on your phone’s lock screen. When you wake up, lay in bed and read it several times. (Lockscreen = less distractions!) Try to memorize it, then look for something to apply (do) and something to pray.
Listen to an audio Bible while you get ready for work. Turn the listening into study by stating out loud what you’ve learned and what passage you listened to.
Study God’s Word by listening to a Bible study podcast or sermon in the car.
At the breakfast table, read a few verses and write down quick questions that you’ll look into “someday” when you have time. (Then, someday, actually look them up.)
On your lunch break, or when the baby naps, read a short Bible passage and look for truths, promises, and commands.
Leave 5 minutes early for work, or plan to be home 5 minutes “late.” Before you get out of the car, spend those 5 minutes studying and praying about a short passage.

Season: Time for Tea

In this season, you have the time to devote to your voracious appetite for Scripture. Maybe you are unmarried, have no kids, or you have kids who are older. You just seem to be in a quiet season and can finally devote larger blocks of time to digging in deep! You are ready to read, absorb, discover, apply, and gain good Bible literacy.

Spot: If you have Time for Tea you might have (finally?) have time to devote to studying God’s Word each day, meet with a small group, do some homework, grab coffee with your Bible study teacher, and hop back into the Word to get some questions answered. (Not all in one day!) A great place for you to do your work is at a table, desk, or spread out on the couch or floor. You’ll likely have your Bible open, need space for your Bible study book, notebook or journal, pens, and coffee. You’ll want room to spread out all your things, write thoughtful responses, and look things up. Comfort is important because you may be here a while, but you’ll also need a functional space. You may even need access to a computer to do light research.

Here are some ideas:

Set up a permanent area where you’ll have space. (This could be a corner or a room or closet)
No space for a permanent area? Set up a portable “office.” Use a bin or basket to store your materials. Tuck them away and bring them out each day.
Look for a quiet spot with no distractions, since you’ll be there a while.
Ask yourself: Do I need music? Do I need a window? Or do these things steal my focus?
Do I need a table top, desk, or lap desk? Do I need a comfy chair and blanket, or do I need to study in a more “academic” environment?
In addition to the above suggestions, don’t forget to think outside the box. A portable “office” can be taken outside, to a coffee shop, and so on. Or, use your nightstand and bed and study when you first wake up or before you go to sleep.

Season: Delighting in Dessert

Are you delighted by the dessert of God’s Word– lingering on the sweetness of the honey-filled Word? You may be interested in theology, context studies, original languages and word studies, intended audience, verse mapping, and more. You may have a whole notebook of things you’ve learned and things you are studying. You likely have multiple reference books, or you have access to study books and resources online.

Spot: If you are “delighting in dessert” you know you need space– and maybe multiple spaces. You may need access to multiple resources and a computer almost every time you sit down so you can do deep research. You’ll need a table top surface to put your reference books, notebooks, and studies on as you work. You may even be prepping for classes that you lead. If your space gets crowded, consider a separate, comfy spot for prayer, away from the “work-zone” of your place of study.

As God has taken you deeper into His Word and you have the time to spend, you’ve likely realized what space is (or spaces are) most comfortable for you. You might have a permanent area or a portable “office.”
You may need an office bookshelf to store reference books and studies.
Ask: Do I need a separate prayer spot, away from my work zone?
Ask: Do I need a separate spot for “my” time with God, away from my work zone? (This is helpful if you are a teacher who finds herself often studying to pour into others. Don’t forget your personal “me time” with God!)

Seasons

These seasons above sound cut and dry. But we all know that real life isn’t like that. Sometimes we find ourselves in a snacking (busier than usual) season but we’re snacking on dessert… or maybe we have time on our hands and yet we aren’t spiritually hungering like we should. Or maybe we look at ourselves and see that we’re a mix of all seasons at the same time. Those sorts of things happen. That’s life!

The seasons also sound like they progress in spiritual maturity. In a way, sure, they can— but not entirely. We all know spiritually mature women with little time, or who get surprised by seasons where external factors press in so hard there is little time to devote to study. Bible study time in and of itself is absolutely not the sole indicator of spiritual depth or maturity.

Seasons change and the question isn’t, “Will I hunger?” The question really is, “What will I do with my hunger? How will I let Jesus satisfy it?”

What season am I in? How does that affect where I’ll do my Bible study? How do I chose the (almost) perfect spot? #LifelongLearners

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Solutions?

As we think creatively, we can come up with solutions for our season and find a good place to study the way He’s leading us.

Over the years, I have studied God’s Word:

On my couch or in a recliner
In a rocking chair holding a baby
In bed
Beside my bed on the floor (I call this the “wake up and roll out” technique. I mastered this at one point because it was my only opportunity!)
At the kitchen table
At a work table
At a desk
At the computer
While getting ready in the morning
On podcasts or audio Bible in the car
At a coffee shop
On the beach
Using my phone
Using a big study Bible
In a hospital
In the floor, sprawled out
Using a whiteboard
With lots of reference books
With no reference books
With worship music playing
With nothing but quiet… because I needed it so badly.

(I only mention this list to give you ideas. I’m sure you could create a similar list!)

It’s interesting to look at this list and remember the season I was in at the time. There’s a lot of places where I remember joys and happiness, and there are others where I recall busy-living, frustrations, sleeplessness, and even some pain. My season definitely affected the location I chose to do my study sessions.

What season are you in? (Or what combination of seasons?) What place can you choose, or what changes do you need to make, in order to continue having a fruitful study time? Do you need to add something? Eliminate something? Think outside the box?

If you’d like to think through the process of finding the (almost) perfect spot, here’s a printable for you:
CLICK HERE: Finding a Bible Study Spot
We hope it helps!

Challenge yourself today. You’ll never regret devoting yourself to the Lord through studying His Word. It is always a fruitful time, regardless of your season.

May you be blessed greatly as you meet with Christ over the pages of His Word!

In Him,
Ali

Life Long Learners: A New Series

October 6, 2020 by Jaime Hilton Leave a Comment

As a brand new homeschool mom (about five years ago) I devoured blogs and emails that shared personal snapshots describing how other home school’s operated. My favorite question for other homeschoolers was some version of “what does this look life for you?”

As I examined all the varied approaches, I grew to appreciate how vastly creative God is, providing so uniquely for each of us and allowing us our own opportunities to uniquely glorify Him.

Our experiences were often very different, but in sharing our stories, I found solidarity, inspiration, and connections to more resources than I could access on my own. I was not alone in my struggles! Veteran homeschool moms had lots of tips, tricks, and hacks about how to do things. Newer moms had fresh ideas and passion. Though I spent hours and hours researching different curriculums and methods, nothing was nearly as helpful as hearing the firsthand experience of those surrounding me in the trenches of parenting and schooling. Our kids varied in age. One person’s ideal day was another person’s worst nightmare. But in our goal for educating our children, we grew into a united community. We became the iron, sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17).

Bible study is so important. It’s how God reveals Himself to us (John 1:1-5). But it can be intimidating too. I’ve been studying the Bible for most of my life and still feel like I’m only scratching the surface. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

This month on the blog we’re going to give you a peek behind the curtain of our processes. We’ll share our favorite resources for Bible study and how we use them. We’ll give you a glimpse of what it looks like to take a topic or a Scripture and turn it into a devotional.