Ready for week three?
Here it is.
I’ve found that keeping an index card in my pocket works best. Each time I reach into my pocket for my keys, I feel the card. My rule for myself is this: every time I feel the card, I pull it out and read it. Works great!
Here’s our passage for this week: Matthew 5:7-8.
And here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.
How are you doing?
I ran across something intriguing this week in my Bible reading. It’s a passage I’ve read a hundred times before, but I’ve never noticed this; perhaps because my Bible of choice is a NASB or NIV. This year, I’m reading the NKJV, and this passage jumped out to me.
The passage is from Mark 5: 1-6. Here it is:
Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.
The last phrase is the one that stood out to me: “he ran and worshipped him.”
I’ve never noticed that before. In the NIV, it’s phrased “he fell on his knees in front of him.” The NASB translates it as “bowed down before him.” It’s interesting what you can pick up from reading the same passages in a different translation.
This idea fascinated me. Why would this demon-possessed man worship Jesus?
Week one went pretty well for me. I copied the verses down onto an index card, and kept it in my pocket all week. It’s pretty dog-eared…
Here’s week two.
Again, write it down on an index card so you can keep in your pocket or in a visible location. Place it strategically, so that you will see it frequently throughout the week. Read it several times a day. Recite it aloud a lot. By the end of the week, it will be yours!
Here’s our passage for this week: Matthew 5:4-6.
And here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.
How did week 1 go for you?
I find a lot of stuff from E.M Bounds very uplifting. I’ve shared a couple of those quotes over the last couple of week. You can view them here and here. This week, I want to share with you one more quote from Bounds.
This quote comes from The Essentials Of Prayer. In this paragraph, he describes just what happens when we pray in times of trouble.
Prayer in the time of trouble brings comfort, help, hope, and blessings, which, while not removing the trouble, enable the saint to better bear it and to submit to the will of God. Prayer opens the eyes to see God’s hand in trouble. Prayer does not interpret God’s providences, but it does justify them and recognize God in them. Prayer enables us to see wise ends in trouble. Prayer in trouble drives us away from unbelief, saves us from doubt, and delivers from all vain and foolish questionings because of our painful experiences.
When you face times of trouble, do you despair? Or do you turn to prayer? How have you experienced God’s faithfulness in those situations?
If you are interested in reading more from E.M. Bounds on prayer, you can you can purchase his collected works at Amazon.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I’m memorizing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount this year. I’ve been neglecting the discipline of Scripture memorization, and decided that 2011 will be different.
I would love for you to join me in this endeavor!
Here’s how it will work. Every weekend, from now through Christmas, I will post a new passage from Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Some passages will be only a verse or two. A few will be three or four.
Write it down on an index card so you can keep in your pocket or in a visible location. Place it strategically, so that you will see it frequently throughout the week. Read it several times a day. Recite it aloud a lot. By the end of the week, it will be yours!
Here’s our passage for this week: Matthew 5:1-3.
Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.
Good luck!
Let me know how it goes in the comments.
Last week we looked at several tips that I’ve found helpful in becoming more consistent in my Bible reading. I feel it is crucial to my spiritual growth to take in God’s Word in its entirety at least once per year. But I’ve found that when I read through it that fast, I miss some important stuff. Today I want to examine one of the methods that I use for a more in-depth reading and application of the Bible.
I call it the Golden Nugget Approach to Bible reading.
Just a quick word of warning before I explain: if you are a very organized person, this approach may not work for you. If you like to see daily progress, this might leave you wanting. That said, I feel that this approach works pretty well at digging out truth from the Bible to apply to my daily life.
Here’s how I approach the Golden Nugget Bible reading system:
One of the things I used to do frequently was memorize significant passages from the Bible. I did this faithfully while I was in Bible college, partly because it was assigned, but also because I wanted to hide God’s Word in my heart. I memorized dozens of verses.
But I haven’t done that in recent years. And I really don’t have a good excuse for why I stopped.
I’m going to start again….
In 2011, I’m going to memorize the entire Sermon on the Mount, a verse or two at a time.
And I’d like you to join me in this.