Week 1, Day 1 Welcome and Mark 1:1
NOTE
Note to anyone who has read this blog up to now. We're hitting the re-use button. Pretend like you haven't read anything before. We're hitting the reset button. Let's do this over and see what happens. Day 1 is the same.
WHAT IS THE "SIX+ YEAR FOUR GOSPEL PROJECT?"
The purpose of the "Six+ Year Four Gospel Project" is to go through the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, at a rate of twelve verses per week, five days a week. It will take six+ years to accomplish this project. Moreover, it will be divided into eight week sessions, so there will be over forty of the eight week sessions overall.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW JESUS MORE AND LIVE A JESUS LIFE?
There are three main focuses of the "Six+ Year Four Gospel Project" are the three reasons why you (and me) should go through this project:
1 Do you want to get to know Jesus more? How about in a deeper, more thorough way than you ever have before?
2 Do you want to do the same with the Word of God, the Holy Bible?
3 Do you want to learn how to live a life of Jesus?
If you said yes to any of the previous questions, then you will get a great deal from this "Six+ Year Four Gospel Project." If you commit to this project, you will get more of it than any other study you've ever done. After all, I'm fairly certain you haven't committed to a more than six year singular study before, which you might find a little intimidating at this point.
A SIX+ YEAR COMMITMENT? (WHAT?!? GULP.)
I have two concerns:
1 I don't know about you, but I cannot help but wonder: Who in the world would WANT to make this commitment--AND be successful to start and finish this project? I will be even more honest now. My throat constricts at the thought. After all, six years is a long, long, long time. Isn't this a bit too much?
2 Wouldn't it get boring? Wouldn't it be boring to do day in, day out, for days, months, and years on end? The answer to it all is this: It depends on your priorities.
Do you want to fulfill the three main focuses listed in the previous section? If you do, it will take time, work, and intentionality--each and every day.
Will it get boring? Only if you allow it, will it get boring. Being bored requires a choice. Why would you ever choose not to get deeper in the Word of God? If you are ever bored, it's because you choose to be bored and are not diving deeper as you could.
I guarantee, if you want to get deeper with Jesus and the Word, and get to know how to live a life of Jesus, then you'll quickly discover how it's a worthwhile choice to dive into this "Six+ Year Four Gospel Project."
Sure. It will require a great deal of work and intentionality, but aren't we supposed to do all of that anyway as it is? Aren't we supposed to be in the Word and meditate on it morning, noon, and night (see Psalm 1:2)? So, why not make this commitment to try to get become Gospel experts in our own right?
Shouldn't we get as much as possible out of the Word, every time we are in it, each and every day? That's what this "Six+ Year Four Gospel Project" offers.
Shall we get started?
WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU NEED FOR THIS PROJECT?
There are some Bible studies which include videos or audio, books, workbooks, journals, and/or devotionals. I love those studies. I get a great deal of them and can't wait to do more of them
Guess what, though? With this one, you get all of that in one book. After all, this project will be forty books or more. So, the more I include in each book, in an effort to keep this easier and cheaper.
What will you need for this project for each of the forty or more of the eight week sessions?
1 A book for each session.
2 A prayer journal to use as a workbook (if you do a digital or electronic journal, it's free).
You can get a paper journal at any Target, Wal-Mart, Barnes and Noble, Tuesday Morning, etc.
As far as prayer journaling on your computer, I recommend using something like Microsoft Word and starting a blank document for each eight-week session of this Bible study and journaling memoir. Then, save it down to the Cloud so you can access it at any time from anywhere, if your laptop, PC, tablet, and cell are all damaged in an act of God, for example, a hurricane, fire, earthquake, tornado, etc.).
3 At least three different versions or translations of the Bible, but preferable nine or more. One of which will preferably a Chronological Study Bible. I realize this sounds expensive, and it is if you buy the paper versions. But, it doesn't have to be. If you are the type that prefers the paper kind, then save for one Bible at a time--and all I can say is check http://Amazon.com. they go on sale quite often and when they aren't on sale, they are still pretty inexpensive. So, buy one at a time, as you can, if you prefer the paper version. Get at least one right away--and make sure to check out used book stores, too.
If you want to use the internet, you can use my favorite site: http://www.BibleGateway.com--iteven has an app for your phone. There are well over forty English versions or translations of the Bible. And, it's free. This is the one I use.
If you like e-books, as I also do, they cost money. Therefore, do what I suggested regarding paper books.
As to the Chronological Study Bible, here is the one I have and will use. It comes in paper or e-book:
There are several other types of Chronological Bibles, so make sure to look around and see what you like and prefer. Shop around.
But, again, make sure to build your tools a little at a time, you don't have to get everything at once. You'll still get a lot out of this study. You'll just get more out of it when you have more tools.
WHAT MAKES THIS A BIBLE STUDY AND A JOURNALING MEMOIR?
The Bible study part should be obvious. We will study the Bible. That’s the main purpose of this eight week series, every eight weeks, for six plus years as we study the Four Gospels.
As to how this is a journaling memoir, think about what this sounds like and you’d be correct. As we prayer journal our responses to each question asked in this first eight week series or book, we will naturally be writing a memoir of remembrance of our journey and walk with God doing this eight week segment in our lives. I will share my story with you as we go and I hope you will email me your stories and will attach comments to the end of any blog post (hint, hint).
PRAYER JOURNALING
Every day, I will have several thoughts to ponder and questions to answer. Do both in your prayer journal. Make sure to prayer journal at the start of each day, at the end of each day, and at several points throughout your day.
Be thorough when you answer any question or comment on any thought to ponder. In fact, come back to the question or thought several times throughout your day today and for the next month or so, and keep adding to your response. Therefore, if you are doing a paper prayer journal, leave several blank spaces at the end of every point to prayer journal. It will give you space to keep returning to answer. This also shows why doing prayer journaling over your computer is an easier thing. It’s easy to add material as you go.
Your prayer journaling is meant to be used as a way to talk with God (about 25% of your time, and listen to god, 75% of your time. It’s also meant to help you remember what God has done in your life, through your life, and around your life.
And, don’t forget to count your blessings each day (always give thanks).
Those are the purposes of prayer journaling.
I’ll warn you now. If you’re doing the prayer journaling thing best, and where you’ll get the most out of it, you’ll probably go through more than one journal for this eight week session, if you’re doing the paper journaling thing.
EACH DAY WILL BE DIVIDED IN YOUR CHOICE OF STUDY
Each one of us will approach this study at a different point in our lives and will even approach each day with certain time restrictions. While, it is the ideal we will each build up to a minimum of one hour per day, we might not be there today, though. Or, if we are, something might have come up. So, this study is designed to give you options: 15 Minutes Option, 30 Minutes Option, 45 Minutes Option, and 60+ Minutes Option.
For week 1, I recommend with starting with the 15 Minutes Option. Get used to doing Bible study seen days a week. Five days will be the intense study, one day will be catch-up and review, and the final day is review. So, start with the 15 Minutes Option.
Then, for weeks 2 to 3, do the 30 Minutes.
Then, weeks 4 to 5, do the 45 Minutes.
Then, weeks 6 to 8, do the 60+ Minutes.
The whole idea is to build up to what you’re used to.
Then, in the second eight week series, or book 2, build up to 120 Minutes.
I will give you all of the options, though, each day, in case you are already having a time each day that lasts more than 15 minutes. Then, make sure to increase by fifteen minute intervals, as I suggested, just start with week 1 where you are on average as far as minutes.
Another suggestion would be to do whatever I suggest from above, then go back and do another fifteen minute interval for your favorite days from the past in this study. Ideally, you will do all of the suggested exercise and the 15, 30, 45, and 60+ minute intervals for each and every day.
For instance, for me right now, I average two hours a day in the Word of God and for my quiet time. I really would like to get up to three hours. So, I will start week 1 with 60 Minute intervals. Weeks 2 to 3, I will do 60 + 15 Minute intervals each day. I will go back and do an additional segment, as suggested in the 60+ Minute interval from my favorite days from the past. Does this make sense?
TIP:
Try to do the 15 Minute interval first thing in the morning. Then, at points throughout your day, steal some time to do another interval. Keep doing this until you reach the 60+ Minute interval mark.
Now… Shall we get started with our chronological study of the Four Gospels, the “6+ Year Four Gospel Project?”
15 MINUTE STUDY
LET’S READ MARK 1:1
Read Mark 1:1 in your favorite version of the Bible. As you read it, prayer journal any thoughts that come to mind, word by word, prayer journal until you come to the end.
Prayer journal about anything that jumped out at you and why.
Make sure to read the verse all the way through, word by word. Don’t skip any. Prayer journal your thoughts when you get to the end.
EMPHASIZE: Then, read it through even more slowly, word by word. Make sure to prayer journal about how the verse changes as you emphasize a different word each time you read the verse. Prayer journal as to what each word emphasis means. Let me give you an example of this:
I enjoy rainy days. (Emphasize the first word and then prayer journal your thoughts.)
I ENJOY rainy days. (Emphasize the upper case word and then prayer journal your thoughts.)
I enjoy RAINY days. (Emphasize the upper case word and then prayer journal your thoughts.)
I enjoy rainy DAYS. (Emphasize the upper case word and then prayer journal your thoughts.)
Do you see how much the meaning changes with each different emphasis? It changes quite a bit, doesn’t it? Make sure to prayer journal this. And, something to remember with the Word of God, it’s alive. So, what this means is each is true. Each word emphasized and prayer journaling the new meaning from the emphasized new word brings deeper understanding. Each meaning is true, all at once. So, make to prayer journal an overall meaning after you do the emphasis of each word.
Emphasize every time you study a verse.
FOCUS: Then, focus on every noun, then every verb, then every ‘and’ or ‘or’. What does the verse say about each noun (along with he, she, we, they, I)? What does the verse say about each verb? Is there an AND? If so, what does it connect? It’s the same with OR. What does the verse mean if you take out everything except the nouns, verbs, ‘and,’ and ‘or?’
PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:
Answer each of these questions: Emphasis? Focus? What jumped out at you? What did you learn? What can you apply to your life? What did you say to God? What did God say to you? What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? How can this help you live a life of Jesus? Write out a prayer at the very end.
30 MINUTE STUDY: CROSS-REFERENCES
Now, it’s important to look up cross-references. So, how do you do this?
1 Use this source:
Look up each verse. Answer all of these prayer journaling questions, each of them, for each of the cross-references:
Answer each of these questions: What jumped out at you? What did you learn? What can you apply to your life? What did you say to God? What did God say to you? What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? How can this help you live a life of Jesus? Write out a prayer at the very end.
2 Use a study Bible with cross-references. Answer all of these prayer journaling questions, each of them, for each of the cross-references:
Answer each of these questions: What jumped out at you? What did you learn? What can you apply to your life? What did you say to God? What did God say to you? What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? How can this help you live a life of Jesus? Write out a prayer at the very end.
45 MINUTE STUDY: REFERENCES
Look up as many of these references as possible in fifteen minutes at least, and prayer journal your answers to the following questions after reach reference you read:
What jumped out at you? What did you learn? What can you apply to your life? What did you say to God? What did God say to you? What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? How can this help you live a life of Jesus? Write out a prayer at the very end.
The references can be found here:
60+ MINUTES STUDY: REFERENCES
Look up as many of these references as possible in 15 minutes at least, and prayer journal your answers to the following questions after reach reference you read:
What jumped out at you? What did you learn? What can you apply to your life? What did you say to God? What did God say to you? What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? How can this help you live a life of Jesus? Write out a prayer at the very end.
The references can be found here:
Do this in 15 minute segments until you reach however many hours you want to reach.
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