OUR OPENING OF HEART AND MIND PRAYER FOR THE WORD
Psalm 19:14 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
--New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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CONTEXT OF DAYS 1-5
Written 04.21.2015.
Romans 1:1-16 New Century Version (NCV)
1 From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus. God called me to be an apostle and chose me to tell the Good News.
2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures. 3-4 The Good News is about God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. As a man, he was born from the family of David. But through the Spirit of holiness he was declared to be God's Son with great power by rising from the dead. 5 Through Christ, God gave me the special work of an apostle, which was to lead people of all nations to believe and obey. I do this work for him. 6 And you who are in Rome are also called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all of you in Rome whom God loves and has called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First I want to say that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because people everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart by telling the Good News about his Son, knows that I always mention you 10 every time I pray. I pray that I will be allowed to come to you, and this will happen if God wants it. 11 I want very much to see you, to give you some spiritual gift to make you strong. 12 I mean that I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you. 13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned many times to come to you, but this has not been possible. I wanted to come so that I could help you grow spiritually as I have helped the other non-Jewish people.
14 I have a duty to all people—Greeks and those who are not Greeks, the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I want so much to preach the Good News to you in Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and then to save non-Jews.
-- New Century Version (NCV)
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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JOURNAL THE WORD QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Take out your prayer journal and answer thoroughly and do the following:
Prayer journal your thoughts (Journal the Word). Take a few minutes to do so.
How has the reading of these verses blessed you?
What jumped out at you in this reading? It is okay to write out same or similar answers since we have covered this text already. {Hints and Tips: Just make sure to write it out and not, "Repeat" or "Same as before." Your answer will be slightly different each time you answer it, believe it or not. A word or two might change. The differences and the similarities are important. Take note.}
What do we learn about Paul?
What do we learn about God, Jesus, and/or the Holy Spirit?
What was this saying at the time?
What did it mean back in the Bible times?
What does this mean to us today?
To you?
What were your key verses?
List all of the ways you can apply this passage to your life. Then, start to do so.
What does God say to you about these verses?
Journal your prayer about this passage, what God said to you, etc.
List at least five blessings in your life.
Answer several more of the Daily Questions (found here at this link: http://journaltheword.blogspot.com/2015/04/daily-questions-for-journal-word.html).
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WEARING ORANGE FOR SOLIDARITY
Written 04.21.2015., Tuesday
Last night, my husband and I went to buy cheap orange t-shirts.
We are huge Denver Broncos fans, but that is not why.
We plan on wearing them every other day or so. Granted, we will wear them out faster, and people might think we are a little strange to wear them so much, but that is fine with us. As a matter of fact, we hope people will ask us why. Some will know, though, without even asking.
We are wearing orange to show solidarity with the Christians, and their families (and those whether Christian or not) who have been in the orange jumpsuits and executed because they do not believe what the terrorists want them to believe.
Orange shows solidarity with those executed and their families and friends.
So, go out. Fast. Today. Get an orange t-shirt. Wear it so much you wear it out and need to buy a new one. Show where and how you stand.
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TODAY'S TEXT
Romans 1:13-16 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 Now I want you to know, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the good news to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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JOURNAL THE WORD QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Take out your prayer journal and answer/do the following:
Prayer journal your thoughts (Journal the Word). Take a few minutes to do so.
What jumped out at you? Why?
What do we learn?
Ask several different questions, and answer them, of each of the following questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how? For instance, who is referred to in this passage of Romans 1:13-16? Ask as many of these questions, and answer them, as you can. Be thorough. Take some time to do so.
What is your key verse?
What did God say to you?
What did you you say to God?
What do you want to apply to your life from this passage? Why? How? Make a plan.
How were you blessed by the reading of this passage? Try to answer and do not say, "No idea" or "I wasn't." I guarantee every time you read the Word of God, you are blessed. You have heard the Lord speak. Ask Him to reveal the blessing to you. It might be a verse to ponder, something to remember, or a reminder, for example. Or, it could be encouragement or something to correct you.
Answer more of the Daily Questions.
Write a prayer about all of this and anything else you desire.
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Romans 1:13-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
-- New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Prayer journal your thoughts.
What new information did you gain from this version or translation? What new insight?
What jumped out at you and caught your attention? Why?
What questions do you have?
What doesn't make sense?
What do you not fully grasp or understand?
What did you notice again, that repeated from before?
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Romans 1:13-16 Expanded Bible (EXB)
13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I ·planned [intended] many times to come to you, but ·this has not been possible [L have been hindered/ unsuccessful until now]. I wanted to come so that I could ·help you grow spiritually [L harvest some fruit among you] as I have ·helped the other [L among the rest of the] Gentiles.
14 I have a ·duty [obligation; debt] to all people—Greeks and ·those who are not Greeks [or barbarians; C this pairing could mean (1) ethnic Greeks and other Gentiles; (2) Greek speakers (people in the Roman empire) and non-Greek speakers (those outside the Roman empire); or (3) cultured people and uncultured people], the wise and the foolish [C perhaps contrasting educated with uneducated, or philosophically sophisticated (1 Cor. 1:18–31) with simple-minded]. 15 That is why I ·want so much [am so eager] to preach the ·Good News [Gospel] to you in Rome.
16 [L For] I am not ashamed of the ·Good News [Gospel], because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and then to save ·Gentiles [L the Greeks; C here meaning anyone who is not Jewish; contrast v. 14].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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ROMANS 1:1-16 AND THE GOSPEL OR THE GOOD NEWS
Let's Journal the Word:
What have we learned from this passage about the Gospel or the Good News?
List the verses that talk about the Gospel or the Good News. Then, write them out in your prayer journal.
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Word of the Day, Day 7, Romans 1:17-20
~*~ Psalm 19:14 New King James Version (NKJV)
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
-- New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
~*~
HINTS AND TIPS
I just wanted to share a hint and tip about something that is working for me as we read slowly through the Book of Romans. I sure hope this might help give you an idea and help deepen your time pondering the Word of God and Journal the Word.
I do everything electronically.
I use https://www.biblegateway.com/ for my Bible reading. After all, it has every English version of the Bible.
Also, I use http://penzu.com/r/34f16257%C2%A0 for all of my journaling and have since November 2012 (so that tells you how much I like it). I also send emails I want to keep, news articles, blog posts, all of my writing, etc there to my account via email. It is my catch-all. If I read something on BibleGateway.com, I send the link there as well. On Penzu.com, there is unlimited storage. So, save everything I can. To help me remember.
What has really enriched my reading and journaling of the Bible is I copy and paste a different version each day of Romans 1 into a journal entry. (You could do this into a document as well.)
I focus on my four verse passage of the Day and make sure to interact with those verses in my journal. I do the Daily Questions and so on.
I also keep reading the verses we have studied so far and the four coming up the next day.
Also, once a day at least, I read all of Romans 1.
This has been so rewarding. Reading the verses repeatedly, all we have studied to this point in particular, has been very rewarding. It's made me come to treasure the text as it grows its roots deeper and deeper into my heart and mind.
So, give this method a try. Again, it will bless your socks off. I promise.
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THE GOSPEL OR GOOD NEWS VERSES IN ROMANS 1:1-16 SO FAR
Written 04.22.2015. 958 a.m.
Romans 1:1-3 Expanded Bible (EXB)
1 From Paul, a ·servant [slave; bondservant] of Christ Jesus. ·God called me [L …called] to be an ·apostle [messenger] and ·chose me [set me apart; appointed me] to tell the ·Good News [Gospel].
2 God promised this ·Good News [Gospel] ·long ago [beforehand; previously] through his prophets, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about God's Son. ·As a man [orWith reference to his earthly life; L According to the flesh], he was born ·from the family [a descendant; L of the seed] of David [2 Sam. 7:11–14].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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Romans 1:9 Expanded Bible (EXB)
9 God, whom I serve ·with my whole heart [in/with my spirit] ·by telling [or for the sake of; L in] the ·Good News [Gospel] about his Son, ·knows [L is my witness] that I ·always [continually; never cease to] mention you
--Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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Romans 1:15-16 Expanded Bible (EXB)
15 That is why I ·want so much [am so eager] to preach the ·Good News [Gospel] to you in Rome.
16 [L For] I am not ashamed of the ·Good News [Gospel], because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and then to save ·Gentiles [L the Greeks; C here meaning anyone who is not Jewish; contrast v. 14].
--Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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WHAT IS THE "GOSPEL" OR THE "GOOD NEWS"
It's been mentioned several times in Romans so far and I want more information. Consequently, I want to do more research. Here is a link to do precisely that:
http://biblehub.com/greek/2098.htm
Take a look and prayer journal your thoughts, what you learned, things that jumped out you, what God said to you, what you Saud to God, answer the Daily Questions, etc. Be thorough. Spend some time familiarizing yourself even more about the Gospel.
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Re-read all of Romans 1 now.
Prayer journal your thoughts.
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TODAY'S PASSAGE
Today's passage is really Romans 1:17-20. However, I am going to go back a verse and add it to this as well to offer more context:
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Romans 1:16-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
-- New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
~*~
JOURNAL THE WORD QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Take out your prayer journal and answer/do the following:
Prayer journal your thoughts (Journal the Word). Take a few minutes to do so.
What caught your attention? Why and how?
Answer who, what, where, when, why, and how questions regarding this passage. Be thorough and ask several of each. For instance: Who was mentioned? Where was mentioned? What happened? What was taught? What was said? When, what period of time, was mentioned in this passage? Etc.
What do we learn about Paul?
What do we learn about God, Jesus, and/or the Holy Spirit?
What was this saying at the time?
What did it mean back in the Bible times?
What does this mean to us today?
To you?
What is your key verse?
List all of the ways you can apply this passage to your life. Then, start to do so.
What does God say to you about these verses?
Journal your prayer about this passage, what God said to you, etc.
Answer several more of the Daily Questions (found here at this link: http://journaltheword.blogspot.com/2015/04/daily-questions-for-journal-word.html).
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MY PERSONAL PRAYER JOURNALING THE WORD OF GOD AND ROMANS 1:1-20
Written 04.22.2015. 1030 a.m. and 2:05 p.m.
My Interaction with Romans 1:1-20 New Living Translation (NLT):
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TEXT: 1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
PJ (My personal prayer journaling): How have I been chosen by God?
How am I to share the Good News and Gospel?
How have I acted as a slave to Christ this week?
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TEXT: 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line, 4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
PJ: We are to be encouraged by one another's faith, not condemn, criticize, or judge another's faith. We are to gain courage from the faith of fellow Christians.
***
TEXT: 13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.
PJ: What is spiritual fruit?
Answer:
http://biblehub.com/greek/2590.htm
What is done in my life as a, and in, partnership with Jesus. This is fruit.
It is working with Jesus and allowing Him to work in me, through me, and around me, as I do and am what He asks of me.
It is Him to live through me, realizing my life is His anyway.
Spiritual fruit is when through union with Him I yield what is eternal and yield to eternity.
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TEXT: 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
PJ: I would like to think I am not ashamed. However, how do I live it in the open and not just in my heart and mind? Do others know I believe? How has my writing reflected I am a Christ Follower? Do I realize my salvation is God's power in me, around me, and through me? What do I really think of salvation? Of my salvation? What does the Gospel mean to me and my life? What does it mean in the lives of those in my life? How do I think of the Gospel? Do I? How do I act on the Gospel? How do I act because of the Gospel? When do I think of the Gospel?
All of the previous questions, and more than those lisited, I need to ponder and answer.
How can I reach nonbelievers through my writing?
Pause.
How can I share the Gospel to unbelievers through my writing and this blog and blog book? Can I? I think these might be the most important questions I can ask and answer.
Lord, guide me, please.
What, Lord, do You want me to write? Your will be done. I need to get out of the way and allow You, Lord, to use me as Your vessel.
Pause. Pondering. Praying about this.
Am I to write three different aspects regarding each session of four verses?:
1) My walk through the four verses, reading, studying, praying, pondering, applying, reviewing, and remembering. 1st blog post.
2) Bible reading and study material for others.
3) Application of the material and what it means in life today. How does an ancient text apply today? Living the Word through journaling the Word.
Or... is this just supposed to be my walk through Romans?
Lord, please guide me.
I think through this.. I am starting to see I need to how I need ot take unbelievers into consideration and figure out how to make Romans a book they would want to read. And, today's Christians who are not in the Word every day, all day and night.
Or, am I?
Am I supposed to just share my walk through the text? And what I see it means for my life--and people can take it from there and learn through me.
Maybe through me sharing my walk through Romans and living it, others might believe and actually live it.
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TEXT: 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Blessings,
--Stacy Duplease
Email:
agodlyvision@gmail.com
rememberingyourpresent@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://journaltheword.blogspot.com
http://rypstories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet
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