ETC. ETC. ETC.
I want to ask you to bear with me, please, since I am posting two blog posts today. I really will try to post only one a day hereafter. I just wanted to give you the material in Part 1 so you could start reading the Bible immediately and not wait for me to write this post.
That was apology number one. Now, for the second one...
I need to ask for you to bear with me today since this Part 2 blog post will be long-winded and contain a great deal of information. However, I could not figure out another way to cover the introductory material. There is a great deal I want to share and help you get the most out of the Word of God and your prayer journaling as possible, where He can grow the roots of His Word deeper inside you.
Thank you for your patience!
HINTS AND TIPS: AN EXPLANATION
One section you will see in these blog posts is a section called, HINTS AND TIPS. Let me explain my purpose behind this section.
One of my objectives with this blog is to share hints and tips about how to get the most out of our Bible Reading. I will do so by sharing hints and tips.
Another objective with this blog is to help us live the deepest and best life of faith we can. I will do so by sharing hints and tips.
The truth of the matter is I would rather present you with too much material, with too many options, than not enough. The hint and tip for you is to decide which ones you want to use now and which you will try later. Pray about it. God will guide you with this endeavor.
The key is to go as deep as you possibly can with the Word of God, the Bible. Use whatever hints and tips you want to help you accomplish this feat.
That being said, I will also share some strong suggestions to try and implement in your life daily. The next section is an example of this. I thought "strong suggestion" sounds far better than "absolute must." (Wink.)
STRONG SUGGESTIONS
Explanation: Again, our goal is to get as much out of our Scripture reading as possible and is to go as deep as possible so that we are not the same and cannot live the same life because of the Word we read. In order to make these things a reality, I have a strong suggestion.
Our First Strong Suggestion: Every time you read a verse from the Bible, read at least three versions or translations of the Bible.
No joke. I am not kidding.
Why? You might wonder.
When the Bible is interpreted from their original languages into English, there are some nuances lost in the translation. Each version of the Bible bring out the details they interpret from the original text. Therefore, if you read multiple translations, then you will get the most well-rounded understanding of the Word of God.
I make sure that after church or a Bible study with others to not down all the verses discussed and I go home and look up at least three versions of each of the verses. With a really good verse that grabs me, or with a very informative verse, or with a verse I simply do not understand fully, I make sure to look up even more translations.
I always find it amazing how a verse might not really grab me, or it might not make that much sense in one version. However, when I read it in another, the light bulb comes on and I have greater insight and understanding. This happens more often than not.
Is it possible to understand the Bible enough or to go deep enough with the Word? I do not think so. Thus, I try to do what I can to help me test and answer that question.
Never mind how with every time I read and re-read a verse, it's roots grow deeper, along with my understanding. It also increases my chances of living that verse and applying it to my life.
So, please, give it a try if you do not already. I guard it will bless your socks off!
THE BEST WAY TO READ, STUDY, PONDER, PRAY, APPLY, REVIEW, AND REMEMBER THE BIBLE
Is to make it an all day and night affair. (We are to meditate on the Word every moment, Day and night (Psalm 1:2). Moreover, we are to pray with ceasing or stopping (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Being in the Bible is accomplished through each of the verbs/activities I listed in the title of this section.
Great. Sounds nice. But, how do you do this? I bet you wonder.
That is the purpose of this blog. See the DAILY QUESTIONS and the blog posts of this blog, and each day. No one ever said you have to do what I suggest or answer the questions in your journal all in one setting. In fact, I recommend reading each day's blog post(s) throughout your day. Then, chew on what you read and prayer journaled for a while. Then, read a little more, ponder it, and prayer journal.
Steal moments throughout your day and night to do each of these daily blog posts. Do not rush it. Take your time and make sure to really think on them and on the Word of the Day, the four verses we focus on that day.
BLOG POST TO BOOK
I will end up publishing all of these blog posts into book from later, where I will edit far more thoroughly and will add additional material to them. I think I will put them into monthly books as well as one book for the Book of the Bible we study. So, if at any time you find reading those blog posts in inconvenient or you find flaws that need editing and it drives you crazy, know you can stop reading this and read it in book form. Or, you can get it in book form after you read these posts so you can add it to your own personal library.
Or, you can keep reading this blog, period, because it's free.
LET'S FORM A COMMUNITY
Please add comments, questions, comments, etc. to the end of any blog post. I would love to form a Journal the Word community and have all of us interact and encourage one another.
Also, if you are committing to this 25 year journey through the Bible, let us know so we can pray for you, encourage you, and interact with you.
TODAY'S JOURNAL THE WORD PASSAGE OF ROMANS 1:1-4
I shared these verses in the HCSB version earlier and in Part 1. Go ahead and read that version of Romans 1:1-4 at this time and prayer journal about it as you do so and take some time to prayer journal about it afterward.
You may want to read Romans 1:1-4 again right now in your favorite version of the Bible. Prayer journal about what you read.
Romans 1:1-4 Living Bible (TLB)
1 Dear friends in Rome: This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ's slave, chosen to be a missionary, and sent out to preach God's Good News. 2 This Good News was promised long ago by God's prophets in the Old Testament. 3 It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came as a human baby, born into King David's royal family line; 4 and by being raised from the dead he was proved to be the mighty Son of God, with the holy nature of God himself.
-- Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
HINTS AND TIPS
Copy and paste each version of the three you choose of your passage if four verses from the Bible into your prayer journal.
Then, in your prayer journal, add: notes, thoughts, prayer journaling, etc. before each translation, after, and in the middle of your reading. Interact with the Word.
Here is my example from today's material:
~*~*~*~*~
MY PERSONAL PRAYER JOURNALING OF ROMANS 1:1-4
Lord, guide me as I read and ponder these verses. Give me your insight and vision. Help me see, think, learn, and apply as You desire. Show me Your way through these verses.
Here is the passage in its entirety:
Romans 1:1-4 GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
1 From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and appointed to spread the Good News of God.
2 (God had already promised this Good News through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. 3 This Good News is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In his human nature he was a descendant of David. 4 In his spiritual, holy nature he was declared the Son of God. This was shown in a powerful way when he came back to life.
-- GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group
Now, here is the copy I will interact with and pray through.
Romans 1:1-4 GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
... 1 From Paul...
He is one of my favorites and is my Bible hero. His story is truly astounding. He was a major persecutor of Christians and then it is because of him the gospel has spread all around the world.
His writings are all inspirational and sure make me think.
... a servant of Jesus Christ...
Oh, how he served Jesus! He wrote more books of the Books if the Bible than anyone else and he lived a faithful life. He served Jesus and did what the Lord wanted him to and when God wanted him to do so.
How do I serve Jesus?
How has the Lord gifted me to serve Jesus?
How does He want me to serve Jesus?
... called to be an apostle and appointed to spread the Good News of God 2 (God had already promised this Good News through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures...
Good News? What good news?
The truth is, in ready know the answer. However, I think it is imperative for me to make sure that the answer I think is indeed correct and really matches up with the Word.
I love how the Bible interprets itself and explains itself, provided we are in it and read each and every word slowly, and do not read it as though we already know. There is great deal more treasure to mine in every word.
The answer:
... 3 This Good News is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In his human nature he was a descendant of David. 4 In his spiritual, holy nature he was declared the Son of God. This was shown in a powerful way when he came back to life...
Jesus lived.
He was fully human.
-- GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.
Huh. As I read this, I realize I feel like I am lacking and want more out of this passage. So, I will read another version or two, or several for that matter, of the Bible.
Lord, help me to grasp the fullness of the Good News and what Jesus did for me. Also, help me to glean everything You want me to from this passage.
~*~*~*~*~
ANOTHER STRONG SUGGESTION
Another strong suggestion I have is with each and every verse you ever read, do not just read that verse or passage. Instead, read a minimum of four verses before your verse or passage, then the verse or passage, then, four verses after the verse or passage. I recommend doing this in your favorite version if the Bible, by the way.
A hint or tip is wintry to read full paragraphs, so if going back four verses takes in to the middle of a paragraph, I read from the start if the paragraph. I also do this when I read four verses after my verse or passage.
This is called context. I call it the 4x4x4 context rule. Four verses before, the four verses of the passage I am reading, and four after.
Why do this?
I cannot tell you how many times I have read a verse and I am certain I know what it it says, means, and the context. Then, I read the context of the verse or passage and I see I forgot what it truly meant, did not remember, or did not really fully understand at all like I thought. Hence, I take the verse out of context, which is a big no-no. Sigh.
Moreover, reading the context adds great meaning and understanding to the verse or passage I am reading.
So, give it a try and see what God does through this. Again, I guarantee your socks will be blessed off and it will remind you how we should learn the Word in passages, not in verses, in order to glean the most out of the Bible and understand it the most so we can apply it effectively.
Another hint or tip I have regarding context is to read it in either two or three versions of the Bible or read it in the EXPANDED BIBLE (EXB).
THE CONTEXT OF ROMANS 1:1-4.
The context of Romans 1:1-4 is Acts 28:26 to Romans 1:13. Here is a link for it:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+28%3A26-Romans+1%3A1-13&version=EXB
Go ahead and read it now and prayer journal about what you learn.
STAY TUNED
I will share journaling and prayer journaling hints and tips soon as to how to journal and what to do when you journal, never mind what kind of journal to use. Stay tuned.
For now, let me share how I journal. I use Penzu.com. I have tried several different ways to journal over the last 32+ years and have not found anything better. You can do the free version or pay $19 a year for the PRO version. The free version might be the only one you ever need since it has some wonderful features. As to the PRO version, it has an option to add tags or save your journal, or certain entries, in TXT, PDF, or a couple other files. Also, you can email your journal entries to your journal or you can share certain entries through email.
I recommend either version. I would go for the free version at first and see if you leave me it. Then, you can switch to the PRO version later just don't forget this coupon. The best part is it is 20% off and never expires.
Here is a link for a 20% off coupon if you choose the PENZU PRO edition:
http://classic.penzu.com/r/34f16257
I will try not to give plugs to anything in this blog and will do my best to avoid advertising of any kind. That being said, if I do (which you will see is rarely), it is important.
PHOTOS?
I think you will notice a lack of photos on this blog. It is not because I do not know how to add photos. Nor is it because I am lazy.
This blog is about the Word of God. I do not want to detract from the Bible. Hence, there are no photos.
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