Tag Archives: Bible study

Writing Prompts

Bible Study

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

I can answer this one very easily.

The practice of reading, and learning what I just read about is the one thing I’ve recently done to improve my life.

In fact, I can say with honesty now that I am hungry for the Word of God. I would not feel complete if I didn’t start my day with Bible study. I truly feel that I am not only talking the talk but walking the walk, so to say. I not only read the words, I study them. They are explained to me in detailed lessons so I’m retaining the meaning and have a new understanding.

The only thing left is to find ways to serve. I can pray for others, and loved ones, but I am not active in fellowship with the church except to attend so far. Since I am not a member, nor can I become one at this moment in time, I will have to serve Him in other ways. I count my sharing of the message weekly on my blog, but is that enough? It is a work in progress. Living on the road presents it’s own unique challenges that I will have to work through. Maybe I can find or start Bible study groups at the various RV resorts we go to.

I believe that prayer works, I have seen the proof in some interactions within my family unit.

So those are the ways that daily Bible Study has begun to improve my life. I’m an organized person, and function all together better when things are organized. You know, a place for everything and everything in its place. Morning Bible study has its place at the very beginning of my day and I’m learning, albeit slowly, how to pray so I can have a closer relationship with God.

Yesterday, I had to be at an appointment very early in the morning, so when I got home was when I had to do my study. You just fit it in when and where you can if your normal time gets interrupted. Personal prayer time with God is whenever I can find quiet moments throughout the day.

I want the same for everyone. I want to shout it from the mountain tops that the only way to gain salvation is through a personal relationship with God. If only this message could reach every person on Earth, it would truly save the world.

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Writing Prompts

A-Z Challenge V

Now that I have the tools I need, it’s time to get back on track.

Although I was baptized a long time ago, I’ve been pretty wishy-washy about everything from going to church to reading/studying the Word of God.

The apps that I’ve got now will help me keep a vow to read/study the Word of God on a daily basis. If you want to do the same, it’s not hard. The Bible app will let you read the Bible in any version or language you choose and the Verse by Verse app has many lessons and sermons on books of the Bible to scripture studies and more! Certain questions about faith and/or scriptures are answered in other blocks of discussion.

For example, this morning I read/listened to verses about everything from John the Babtist doing his duties and then being persecuted for it, to the meeting that Jesus had with the Woman at the Well. Then after that, I opened my Verse by Verse app and listen to the pastor explain the meaning of the Samaritin Woman (The woman at the well).

To me, that helps the reading or lesson sink in better. 😊

Many of you have (I hate to say rituals, maybe habits is better?) your own way of reading/studying the Word yourselves and that’s perfectly fine. This way works for me. You’ll have to decide for yourself how you want to do it.

I just hope and pray that you do, and when you do, that it lifts your spirit, and that you then have the best day, because you started it with God and getting to know Him better. 🙏

I know I do! 😊

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Writing Prompts

A-Z Challenge Theology

T is for Theology, or the study of the nature of God and religious truth including rational inquiry into religious questions.

In Wikipedia, the first thing it says before diving into the explanation is, “Not to be confused with Religious studies.” Boy, now I really appreciate that.

You might have guessed this is where I’d be going today, however-when I opened the lesson today on How to Study the Bible, I did not realize what I’d be getting!

For one, it’s a two day -hour long each session, taught by a Jewish professor, who is hard at first to understand until you listen for a while.

Second, it’s not easy to follow, since I wasn’t planning on becoming a professor myself! In other words, I’ve bitten off way more than I can chew -at least in a couple of sittings. I could barely even take notes because it wasn’t clear-cut conversation the way I’m used to it being.

Now that isn’t to say I’m giving up, I just realize now the need for Bible study classes since interpreting the Bible with all of its symbols, chasms of time, doctrines, and literal vs symbolic meaning would take me years and a library of books to understand.

An interesting point the professor made today was how shelves of books that were written concerning the timing of The Rapture are now all out of date, because, quite simply, The Rapture is not a dateable event!

What I thought I’d be learning was more of a guide on how to read the Bible, not how to study it. And since I won’t be here ( at least in Texas) long enough to get involved in a real classroom setting, I will have to look for a way to do online study.

I think what would suit me more is something like a daily devotional along with related verses plus Bible study, which is much different than say, rising, saying a prayer, and trying to read a passage or a chapter from the Bible. After all, I’m not going to seminary or college, I just want to learn more about the Bible and a proper way to read/ study it.

David has a chronological Bible. Maybe that is more like what I’m looking for?

I will listen to the second hour tomorrow, because now that I’ve been introduced and rather enjoy the professor’s sense of humor, I’m going to follow through.

The four points I learned about today would take an entire new post just to try and explain. Simply put though, he talked about these four things:

The Golden Rule of Interpretation

The Law of Double Referance

The Law of Recurrence

The Law of Context

I’ve decided that studying the Bible is a lot like peeling an onion. There’s a lot of layers there!

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Writing, Writing Prompts

Last Class 4-06-22

Last night was the last in the Creative Writing Masterclass at church and it was the best one yet!

My answer to Linda G Hill’s prompt for One-Liner Wednesday

This was two hours before class.

First, we had a guest speaker who is very experienced in writing memoirs because he has already written his own. Just to get to hear some of what he has written was a real treat! He is such a gifted writer!

“I want to read your novel because I’m sure you’ve written one!”

That’s what I told him (Rob) when he was done with his readings and our lesson for the day.

So now we know the difference between memoir vs autobiography, and we know how to write a memoir based on our memories and perceptions of just when we know Christ was in our life. For me, it wasn’t a particular day, I looked back on my life experiences and wrote how God had put me in all the right places and situations. I thought after rewriting it three times, surely I had it wrong, but they enjoyed it…but the teachers didn’t hear it, so I still don’t know if it was “correct” or if ALL memoir is correct because it’s your perceptions and memories of how things occurred.

But Rob was so eloquent and so detailed in all his writing about one small situation or two, I wished I was the family he was leaving it to so I could read the entire thing. He knows how to show-not-tell and that is what I still struggle with. I am not the most flowery writer, yet I know I have it in me somewhere, I just need to listen to feedback from other people and take their advice. That is what I enjoyed about this class. The fact that I got so hyped up and excited after every class made me feel like I’d found my people!! That is what has been missing, trying to do it alone. We all need fellowship, feedback, and of course, instruction. Tips and tricks of the trade.

We had to write a few small vignettes like our first kiss, our favorite vacation, and the night before our weddings. We heard some really cute and funny stories.

As we were leaving, I was invited to come back for Bible Study this morning and I went and it was nice. It’s a pretty large group, and they are studying the book “The Will of God.” The discussion got very philosophical. Plus, I’m meeting more and more members of my church and that is a great thing!

Now I’m wanting to join the choir if Dave doesn’t care, and they said they really need me because I’m an alto and they are very short on those. 😉

One-Liner Wednesday
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Writing, Writing Prompts

WOD Challenge 3-18-22 Balter Like Elaine

Any other Seinfeld fans in the house?

Photo credit: Tenor

As soon as I saw the meaning of today’s Word of the Day- Balter, all I could picture was Elaine in that famous scene where she is dancing to an Earth, Wind, and Fire song, and now every time I hear that song, that is all that comes to mind.

Have you ever danced with careless abandon, like no one is watching? Jay-lyn I’m talking to you, 🤣😂

Similar dance move 🤣

Seriously though, I used to be like that. So much so, that I did the high kicks and everything, thinking everyone was as into watching me as I was having the time of my life while doing it. It wasn’t until I went to a club one night with my brother that I was told I looked like a fool. I didn’t care! I definitely didn’t look like Elaine, but I DID have my own signature moves, and when I was in the service, guys always wanted to dance with me.

Maybe it was cool at the time, or maybe I was the butt of a secret joke, either way, I didn’t let it change me or the way I danced. Plenty of guys wanted pictures with me after seeing me dance, and I still have them. They don’t look like they are making fun of me as far as I can see.

To balter is to “dance clumsily with no particular skill but usually with enjoyment.” Well, I certainly enjoyed myself back then but I thought I had skills and still do. But isn’t enjoyment the bottom line, the real reason we dance to begin with? I like to think so. I sure embarrassed the heck out of my brother, though, and that kinda makes me laugh to this day.

Changing gears and speaking of my brother, yesterday, he invited me to come to his house for lunch and we ate and had a good talk…some more grief therapy for me-and maybe him-too. Then, we got into a sort of biblical conversation and as we were talking, he told me about a very cool app called Verse by Verse Ministry that you can download from the app store that “teaches you God’s word, clearly and boldly in it’s proper historical and theological context, and for the purposes God has ordained: to persuade the unbeliever of the truth of the Gospel.” I am a believer by the way, but it’s good to study the Scripture in any case.

I started on it today with the current chapter and verse, which was Mark Chapter 2:18-22. I don’t know if I want to keep going with that or dive into Revelation, but the beauty is, you can start where you want to. It’s free, and let me tell you, it breaks each scripture down to the point where anyone patient enough to get through each lesson will come away knowing more than they ever thought they would! My lesson today was around an hour long, and I really enjoyed it. I did it while I was doing my Diamond Art instead of watching something on Hulu…certainly a more wholesome choice! (not that watching Hulu is bad)

I encourage anyone who wants to learn more about the Word of God or just wants a spiritual experience to check into it. I have read the Bible, but not this way. This is studying the Bible, there’s a difference! I’m so glad my brother shared it with me, therefore, I’m excited to share it with you.

Have a spectacular weekend everyone! May you be blessed by the grace of God.

Word of the Day Challenge
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