A Bible study without application is pointless

How many Bible studies have you done where it's a fill in the blank or ask a specific question about the text--where if you read it, you learned all of that?

Most Bible studies are like that.

I have a question for you. Have they produced a permanent change in your thinking or behavior that you can trace back to that study? What about many instances of this? 

Let's face it. The Word is meant to be known and to be lived. If we don't, we aren't getting out of it what we should and we miss the entire point. 

The Word is meant to be lived. We are to apply it to our lives and we should see changes in our feelings, thoughts, behaviors/actions, and choices. If we do not, we missed the point. 

It makes me sad how most Bible studies out there do not talk about application. And those that do give general examples. But, what about you and your life? What does the verse or passage mean to you? That is what is most important. Otherwise, you waste your time and miss the point. 

That is why this Bible study is set up the way it is. It is to help facilitate this in your life.

When you write the applications down, you can remember you wanted to work on that. And you can review and analyze your progress later. Through writing it down, you will start to see more and more concretely about how God is working in your life, around your life, and through your life. 

Be careful with the Bible studies you do outside of this study. If they don't offer you these things, you might want to avoid them--or supplement them by doing this on your own. Do not let the Word be null, void, and pointless in your life. Let it create a change in your life where you develop a greater intimacy with the Lord. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Why This Format? Part 2: Why write things down?

WHY THIS FORMAT OF BIBLE STUDY?

Why write things down? You may grumble under your breath or you may rather find the idea intriguing. 

A The main reason is we tend to forget. It's to help us remember.

Let me make the point. Name 5 of the things God told you from March to April in 1999. Or, if you were not a Christian at that time, list 5 of your biggest blessings at that time or 5 of your strongest memories. 

If I didn't journal, I would never be able to answer that question. However, I can. I am not saying this to brag. No. I am the chief of sinners. I have nothing to brag about. Nevertheless, I say that because I want to tell you that I can track my journey with God. I can tell you where I continually slip-up, the monuments/mile-markers of my journey, and so on. This is the most valuable thing I have in my effort to continually grow a more loyal faith in the Lord and in his Word. And I bet you would like to say the same. 

B It's to help us implement the application of the Word into our lives. In other words, it's to help us apply the Bible to our lives on a daily basis--and to remember what we have learned and are working on in our lives. 

C It gives us a testimony to share with others. We've been there, done that.

D It helps us to review and see what's worked and what hasn't.

E It allows us to see when we grow in closeness in relationship with the Lord, or when it diminishes--no matter how slightly.

F It helps us remember what God has said to us and what we have said to God. 

G Etc.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Faith is not just doing: It's being and relationship.

No action is required on our part as Christians in order to be forgiven for our wrongdoings and so we will live eternally in heaven. All we need to really do is believe.

Be with the Lord. 

Seek him first and above all. 

Doing is less important than relationship. Our faith should be full of acts of a changed life and a changed person who follows the Lord and his Word. However, we should have the change in behavior because we want to draw closer to God--not because we think we have to. We don't have to. We are already forgiven. Our actions do not lead to more forgiveness. It leads to a closer relationship. 

However, another, more simple way of saying all of this is: 

If you actively and intentionally seek a closer relationship with the Lord, you will naturally do what brings you closer to Him.

What are these doing things I refer to? 

A Reading the Bible

B Prayer

C Bible Study

D Journaling Notebook

E Worship

F Etc.

Is this Bible study a must? No. But, it will bring you closer to the Lord and bring you to have a deeper relationship.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

a loyal faith blog: My writing life verse: John 21:25

New(er) Christians and for those who do not believe, but are curious and want answers

Coming soon will be blog posts particularly for newer Christians, for those who do not believe, and for the Christians who thirst enough for the Lord that they want to remember the simplicity of the faith.

These blog posts and Bible studies will be called, "Remember the Simplicity of your Faith." 

You might also call these the stepping stones.

If you are in any of these categories, you will from time to time want to re-download the newest version of the blog-based book I'm putting together at Smashwords (refer to the link below). There will be additional material there and in a different order than what is on this blog.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

My writing life verse: John 21:25

******* John 21:25 (AMP): And there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be all recorded one by one [in detail], I suppose that even the world itself could not contain (have room for) the books that would be written. *******

~*~ 14 Nov 2011: This is my life verse. I want to write this many books about Jesus and our Father.

Author Blog Post: Yearly Tradition

This is not part of the Bible study--directly. But, I still want to write about this. 

It is a yearly tradition of mine to do three things: 

A Evaluate the year.

B Buy a new Bible.

C Buy a new devotional. 

I've done these three things for years. Except last year and I won't again this year. Sigh. I have not found a new Bible or a new daily devotional I would want to buy--or I already have it. There are not any new to the market I would want to spend money on. 

Frown.

Has this been a problem for you? Please email me or attach a comment below.

This has me rather upset. Where are the new Bible studies, Bibles, and daily devotionals--that are quality? 

The oldies but goodies haven't failed me: Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, David Jeremiah, Chuck Swindoll, Max Lucado, etc. Let me make that clear. All of these people still produce--and produce quality stuff. 

I am just bummed because I did not find a Bible which could offer me as much as http://www.studylight.org

What are your thoughts?

This is another reason why I am doing A Loyal Faith. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

a loyal faith blog: Are you a Christian and John 3:16 Questionnaire and Template

Are you a Christian and John 3:16 Questionnaire and Template

Here is another baseline we need to establish, so we can see if your answer changes in the future. 

182 QTP: Are you a Christian? 

183 QTP: Do you believe in John 3:16?

184 QTP: What do being a Christian and John 3:16 mean?

185 QTP: How do being a Christian and John 3:16 apply to you and your life? Do they? 

186 QTP: How has being a Christian changed your life?

187 QTP: How has being a Christian influenced your life today? (Literally.) 188 This week? 189 This month? 190 This year? 

191 When did you become a Christian?

192 What led to you becoming a Christian?

193 What has kept you being a Christian? 

194 How would you describe your Christ-Following journey from the time you first believed Jesus Christ died for the forgiveness of your sins to today? Be thorough with your answer. Take some time to respond. Make sure to touch on the blessings and the hard times, your questions, your difficulties, your prayers, and your answers to prayer as well. 

SUGGESTION

Repeat this template every three months. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

a loyal faith blog: What drew you to this Bible study?

What drew you to this Bible study?

I realize you might think it is odd that I am asking this question now. But, there is a method to my madness. 

Please grab your journal workbooks and let us get started.

179 So, why did you start looking at this blog or reading the Bible study? What drew you in? What caught your attention?

180 Why have you stayed with the Bible study? 

181 What do you hope to gain from this blog Bible study? (Please email me if this might help me to know what you would like to know more about and what you would like to explore. Or, attach a comment at the end of this blog post. The email is private. The comment will be seen publicly, by the way.)

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer  & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction