Are you facing stress and pressure in your life right now? Would you like your joy to increase as well?
Having our joy increase makes all the difference.
I have a little card by my computer that says,
“Enjoy the Journey – for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!
His written word is a continual reminder that He is with us.
Knowing His Word helps us discern His Voice.
In this discussion, we will look at the fifth key for helping us hear God’s voice by enjoying His written Word. Click here, to read the first 4 keys.
To introduce this key we will start with a quote from Jen Wilkin’s book, “Women in the Word.” She writes,
For years I tried to love God with my heart to the neglect of my mind, not recognizing my need to grow in the knowledge of the “I am.” Any systematic study of the Bible felt mechanical, even a little like an act of faithlessness or an admission that the Holy Spirit’s insight during a quiet time wasn’t enough for me. But I was missing the important truth that the heart cannot love what the mind does not know” Chapter 1
Key #5 is a simple Four Step Process to help us enjoy the Bible with our heart and our mind.
You may have a similar reaction to what Jen was initially feeling. “Why can’t I just read and see how it feels? Why can’t I just read the places in the Bible that make sense to me? I can let preachers and teachers explain it to me, I don’t need to do that myself.”
My friends, you don’t know what you are missing when you don’t pursue understanding. There is a rich and deep relationship that awaits us when we learn to enjoy the Bible with the Author.
But, trying to enjoy the Bible without a process can cause a lot of grief. Here are just a few dangers:
- The Bible gets even more confusing and starts to feel irrelevant when we take things out of context and misapply what it says.
- We end up feeling bored and dissatisfied with God and look to other things to fill the void.
- We don‘t want to admit to people that we‘re bored and dissatisfied with God.
- We avoid telling people about God because we feel we don’t know much.
So why do we resist using a process to help us?
- It seems too mechanical and rigid, not spontaneous, or relational.
- I don’t have time to learn or use a process.
- I’m too tired.
- My previous attempts didn’t go well.
- I feel like I have had “Bible bullies” in my life pointing out that I am not doing enough Bible reading or the “right way.” These are sincere believers but have left a lasting effect of feeling like a failure before I even open the Bible.
- I don’t know anyone who uses a process, I don’t know what it would look like.
- It’s easier to listen to teachers instead.
- A process sounds boring.
The truth is our relationship with God grows when we have a process to read the Bible with Him.
There are countless treasures to be discovered.
Our confidence to discern His voice in our hearts will grow!
Our joy for the journey will increase.
Not convinced yet?
Let me share a process with you that combines the best programs I found in my 40 years of study. It is not boring or complicated. I’ve created a website that walks you through the process and gives examples.
- Preparation
- Observation
- Interpretation
- Application
I have a free 4-week zoom class – 30 minutes each week.
Contact me here for more information.
Your Turn
What do you have to lose if you give it a try?
What might you gain from trying?
The Bible is a doorway to encounter God. Let’s not miss that for ourselves or others.
GREAT encouragement!
Thank you, Mary. You are a great encouragement to me as you really are a woman who loves both His Written and Spoken Word. I have learned so much from you. I would love if you shared your website address with us so we could enjoy some of your writing and word studies.