Well, tomorrow it all begins!! Last year we read the Bible through together, giving us a wide view of God’s Word much like an “around-the-world” trip gives us a sense of the world in which we live.
But this year, we’re going to go slower. Spending time exploring books of the Bible that we “flew” through before. Some books we’ll live in for a couple of weeks. Longer books will take a month as we walk slowly through their pages, visiting main “tourist attractions” as well as exploring back streets and discovering hidden treasures we may have missed as we travelled through them last year.
Here’s how it works: Each Sunday at www.facebook.com/becominghis we’ll post the reading portion we’ve selected to work on that week. For example: “Meditate on James 1 & 2.”
Rather than reading the portion through immediately, I’m going to ask you to use a method I learned in a Navigator’s 2:7 Discipleship program years ago. A method that has not only transformed the way I read the Bible, but has radically changed my life. Helping me not only to be a “hearer of God’s Word” but, more importantly, a doer as well (James 1:23 NKJV). Check out this video to learn more: Word Time Video: Bible Reading Highlights
Here are the main steps I’d like you to follow:
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through your scripture reading and remove any preconceived ideas so you can receive a fresh word from Him.
2. Read shorter portions, not more than a chapter. Read only until something speaks to you. Even if you are only a few verses in, stop and meditate on that verse. If after one chapter, nothing seems to speak to you, read a chapter from Proverbs that corresponds with that day’s date – for instance, on January 3 read Proverbs 3.
3. Choose a verse or short portion to meditate on. Write it word-for-word in a journal or on one of these Bible Reading Highlight pages. Write down how it impressed you: what you think it means and ways you can apply it to your life; write a prayer responding to what you sense God is saying to you.
4. Visit my FACEBOOK page and share your insights. The best part of this adventure is learning from each other!
Remember…take your time as you read. You have an entire week to make it through the assigned reading portion. Because you are to read ONLY until something speaks to you, it may take you the entire week to make it through the assignment. If you feel that you need more reading material, you can check out that day’s Proverb to meditate on. Some of you may read through the entire portion by Tuesday. That’s okay. Read it again. And again if you need to!
After all, the goal of this year’s “Word of God Speak 2014” Facebook Adventure is not to get through the Bible in a year, but to read in such a way that the Bible gets through to us! I realize some of you may find the slower pace frustrating, but I’m challenging you to relax into the pace and immerse yourself in the passage. Take the extra time to study the passage – (you’ll be receiving tips to help you do just that!)
If you’ve got a study Bible (which I highly recommend), use the cross-references and study notes to help you go deeper. But there is no right way or wrong way to do this!! This is a time between you and the Lord.
Again, don’t forget to visit my FACEBOOK page. You may want to “follow” it so you’ll be sure to get all the posts as we’ll be sharing inspiring quotes and tips throughout the week. But you may want to subscribe to my BLOG as well. Each Monday we’ll feature something special – guest bloggers, “The Word Behind the Word” original language studies, and other goodies – I can hardly wait!!
I hope you’ll be a part…because as we tune our hearts to the voice of the Spirit, the Word of God will speak to us in ways that will leave us forever changed. And that’s what I want. That’s what I need. See you tomorrow – January 1st, 2014!
Becoming His,
