Continuing on where I left off yesterday, I stated:

“The Lord says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” 15 See then that you walk wisely, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Eph. 5:14-17) What a great scripture! It is a challenge not to lose focus on why we as Christians are even on this rock floating through time and space. If we truly believe in Him, and what the Word has to say, are we not being foolish to waste away so much of our time doing things that are meaningless, and not giving glory to God or pointing others to him? IT IS TIME TO GET FOCUSED!”

So how then do we ‘awake’, ‘get focused’ and ‘redeem the time’?  We study the Bible!  Simple yet profound.  I often desire God to speak to my with a loud booming voice, or through a burning bush like Moses, but in reality we are most likely to hear God speak through His written word.  In my life at any given moment I am looking for answers.  Life is full of questions, pressures, twists, turns, pain and suffering.  How a person can make it through reality whole is a miracle in itself, but is much more attainable when we study the Word and dialogue with God while we study.  Once again, here is the message for  Part 2 of a Power of a Focused Life Click on the red letters to listen and be inspired.

Here are the notes I took:

Why Study the Bible?

You will spend much more time reading the Bible and talking with God through scripture and prayer with an action plan.  Without a plan, the average person will talk a good talk, but won’t walk a good walk.  We need action plans for each area of our life that we have vision for including fostering an intimate relationship with God.  Develop an action plan for personal Bible study.

Acts 20:17-32 Paul is talking to mature Christians, anointed elders and commending them to stay in the Word of God because the Word releases supernatural abilities into the soul under the anointing of the Spirit.

The Word of God has supernatural activity when the written Word of God touches the human heart under the anointing of the Spirit.  It has a supernatural dynamic when it comes into contact with the human heart in right conditions.

It will build you up and make your heart flow like a river.

We encounter the Living Word (Jesus) through the written word. John 5: 39-40,

Luke 8:11 The Word of God is like a seed that has life in it.

The Word is what God uses to help get us into his inheritance.  If you get too busy to enter in the Word of God you not get the fullness of your inheritance.

Hebrews 4:12 The Word of God is living.  It will awaken joy and strength and might in your Spirit.  It will help you to love righteousness and hate the things of long ago.

James 1:21 The Word is able to deliver your soul from pain, hurt, addiction and an un-renewed mind.  We need to get a vision that Word is living and powerful!

1 Thessalonians 2:13

Mat 13:4-8 4, 18-23 types of seeds (heart responses that came into contact with h Word of God)

V.21 refers to Christians that do not develop a root system in the Word.  No one can develop a root system for you.  YOU have to do it.  Start small, like 30 minutes a day, and the hunger will grow to the point you will find all kind of ways to increase the time.  The root system of depth of Godly emotion will begin and will allow you to stay steady during stormy seasons.

V. 22 The cares of the world choke the Word.  The deceitfulness of riches is not about what you have it is about what you long for.  Mark 4:19 says ‘desires for other things’.  Those ‘things’ will choke the vitality of the Word in you.  You can’t get the list of those ‘things’ from anyone other than God.  Luke 8:14 calls it the ‘pleasures of life.’  If you are tied up in these things you will choked off from the Word of God.  Ask God what areas of your life need to be weeded so that the Word of God will produce something of substance in your life.

I. Goals Related to Knowing the Bible

A. To study books of the Bible – with commentaries (see instructions below)

Express devotion in the midst of study. Talk to the Lord about what you read.  Fast with it.

B. To pray-read books of the Bible – 10 chapters a day (covers the NT each month: 235 chapters of NT = 10 chapters a day x 6 days/week = 240 chapters a month). Journal as you pray-read through each book. File your journals in the same place.

II. The Action Plan for Bible Study

A. Pick your top 10 “most wanted to study” books. Study one book at a time.

B. Select the specific times in the week that you will dedicate for study and pray over the Word. Pick 5-8 times and LOCK IT IN or a year from now you will still be a wannabe wanting to study the Word.

C. How to study a book of the Bible – 5 simple steps

1. Highlight – select two commentaries, read each one, highlighting the key sentences. Do this for one biblical      paragraph at a time. Go slow.

2. Title – in your own words each paragraph in the Bible book that you study.

3. Study Notes – write insights from the commentary for the key verses from each paragraph (sometimes write word for word, other times paraphrase).

4. Journal – write your personal meditations and observations.

5. Prayer – write a brief prayer from the passage when applicable.

NOTE – if you first write your notes on paper, then seek to type it into your computer. Store a hard copy of your final notes in your Bible Study Notebook.

III. materials and supplies

A. Computer, Bible Study Notebook, two commentaries for each Bible book you study. Bible Study Briefcase – pen, paper, highlighters, notebook, commentaries.

B. Internet resources, i.e., download commentaries – www.soniclight.com (click on study aids), www.ccel.org (old commentaries), www.otgateway.com, www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/tyndale/links_biblical.htm#anchortools www.crosswalk.com, www.christiansunite.com (click on bible study aids).