Recap from Sunday, September 19th:

So, this Sunday, we reviewed Chapters One through Four in our Book.  I hope you are seeing that this book will help you in your walk with Christ.  The following is simply my unedited notes I took down while reading these first four chapters in the book.

"The art and science of reading The Bible"

Forward

• Chuck Swindoll - a took a course from doctor Howard Hendrix that would mark my life and ministry forever

• The fog that had surrounded the scripture began to lift.

• I felt increasingly more comfortable with the word of God.

• In today's terms, it became more user friendly.

• It was becoming A lamp onto my feet, and a light into my path.. Space psalms 119:105

• Doctor Hendricks provided techniques, when perfected by practice, opened up The Bible to us, to me!

• This study gave us what was necessary to cultivate our spiritual nourishment.

• In short terms, you will not need a Bible study or a pastor or a Lifegroup later to help you understand The Bible you can do it on your own.

• Side note: The Bible is a living word! In Philippians 2:16, Paul called it the “word of life.” In Hebrews 4:12, the writer says it is powerful. But Peter says the word of God is living. It is alive, it is a living thing!

Preface to the 2nd edition:

• Hendricks tells us that he has not changed the methodology for studying God's word and The Bible itself certainly has not changed.

• But he does tell us that the world has changed certainly since 1991 and we have leaped forward into a new millennium. It is his attempt to reach out to the new generation

• His appeal to every young person using this book is that the only sure way to experience authentic Christianity it's through 1st hand acquaintance with the word of God. Don't just let a friend or a DVD or a blog tell you what The Bible says, read and study it for yourself and you will gain an authority from your personal ownership of scripture that will stabilize and direct your life even if the people around you are lost in a fog of spiritual confusion.

• So bottom line, the content of the book is unchanged they have only added to it to it and enhanced the section on application. Read Psalm 71:17-18, page 11.

• It is probably important, in my mind , to ask yourself, why should I read The Bible on a daily basis absent of is the of a study guide or a teacher or commentaries? Where is my Bible from Monday to Saturday? Why don't I feel a deep relationship with God that I see in others?

• I found the following tidbits of information somewhere on the web:

First, the Bible shows us God’s character and provides us God’s revelation of himself to his people. In each section of the Bible, we see God’s holy, unchanging, faithful, gracious and loving character.

Second, 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when discussing the topic of Scripture says that it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” The next verse goes on to say that this leads to the completeness and equipping “for every good work” (ESV).

Third, regularly reading God’s word reorients our thinking so that we can grow in maturity, which is part of the Christian calling (Ephesians 4:14–16; Romans 12:1–2.

And, https://raiseyoursword.com/15-reasons-to-read-the-bible-daily/

But I guess more importantly and in my mind so that you can become closer to God, have a personal relationship with God and know him. You will see his character revealed and His love for you will fill your very soul. 

Chapter One - Why people don't study The Bible

• He tells us about the inscription that somebody wrote in the flyleaf of his Bible and it said "this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book."

• Dusty bibles always lead to dirty lives.

• In fact, you are either in the word and the word is conforming you to the image of Jesus Christ, OR you are you are in the world and the world is squeezing you into its mold.

• He makes an interesting statement that says The Bible is owned, red on occasion, even taken to church; He tells us about the inscription that somebody wrote in the flyleaf of his Bible and it said "this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”

• He spoke to 6 Christians about why they don't read or study The Bible themselves. The things that they said include (1) I need something that works on my day to day issues (it's a problem of relevance). (2) I don't know how (It's a problem of technique) (3) I'm just a layman ( It's the problem of just being a lay person) (4) I just don't have the time ( It's a problem of priorities) I just don't have the time, but it's essential) (5) I have my doubts about the Bible (it's a problem of reliability, but the more you study it the more reliable it becomes). (6) I can't see89m make it interesting (it's a problem of boredom, so as an Bible study leader you have to offer a process by which your students can uncover spiritual truths for themselves.)

He makes a note at the end of these interviews that guilt is a poor motivator, it kills the joy.   So in my mind the purpose of this book it's not to talk about why you don't read The Bible as much as you should or to make judgment of people's bible study habits but rather to give  people tools to help them make their bible study habits more enjoyable, more rewarding.

So, we all have our reasons we don't study the Bible, or read the Bible more on our own.  Some of us actually spend a lot of time in the word, but could certainly use some help with meaning and application. So the bigger question becomes,  why must we study the Bible?

Chapter Two - Why Study the Bible

Right up front in the beginning of this chapter he adds a 7th reason people don't read The Bible as probably as much as they should any suggests that it's probably that nobody ever told them what they would gain by it.   What difference could it possibly make in your life?

So in this chapter he gives us three benefits that we can expect if we invest time in the study of God's word.   Again he tells us it's not an option it's essential.

Bible study is essential to growth -

1 Peter 2:2  Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.

The words in this passage that he explains here are attitude, appetite and aim.  We  should have a childlike attitude towards it, So just as a baby grabs for a bottle we should grab for the Bible. So we should long for it we should crave the spiritual milk of God's work. 

He notes here that in psalms 19: 10 says that scripture is sweeter than honey but you'd never know that judging by some believers.  What 3 types of believers does he mention here? 

Bible study is essential to spiritual maturity -  The Bible is the divine means of developing spiritual maturity, there is no other way.

Bible study is essential to spiritual effectiveness -  Paul tells us that scripture is profitable for doctrine or for teaching  and it's also profitable for rebuke, correction, and for training in righteous living. Bible study is a primary means to be coming an effective servant of Jesus Christ.

Chapter Three - How this book can help

The author tells us He is going to introduce a method to us for approaching God's word but and by that he means a strategy a plan of attack that will yield you maximum results in your investment of time and effort. Tells us in this book that we'll find a simple and proven process and will gain a valuable sense of self confidence in our ability to handle scripture will also experience the joy of personal discovery and deepen our relationship with God.  So we have to have an openness to study and openness to God and an openness to change. The issue in Bible study is not speed but direction so diligence is the key.

Chapter Four -  An overview of the process

The author tells us there is a method to the madness.  So in this chapter, there is a 3 step approach that will guarantee life change, three crucial steps carried out in a particular order. Those steps are 1) observation - what do I see? 2) interpretation - what does it mean, and 3) application - how does it work?

He outlines some good habits for you to use when looking at scripture they include read, record, and reflect.

Our homework for this past week was to read chapters, 5 through 7.  These Chapters are short (25 pages) and covers his first step in his methodology: Observation

                Step 1:  Observation

                                Chapter 5:  The Value of Observation      pg 51

                                Chapter 6:  Let’s Start with a Verse           pg 56

                                Chapter 7:  You Must Learn to Read         pg 66

Recap from Sunday, September 26th:

So, last Sunday, we reviewed Our homework for this past week which was to read chapters, 5 through 7.  These Chapters are short (25 pages) and covers his first step in his methodology: Observation.   Remember in Chapter 4 – He summarizes  a 3 step approach that will guarantee life change, three crucial steps carried out in a particular order. Those steps are 1) observation - what do I see? 2) interpretation - what does it mean, and 3) application - how does it work?

                Step 1:  Observation – this is covered in chapters 5 through 7

Chapter Five -  The Value of Observation

Here he asks us “what do I see?”  With every verse in the Bible, you can ask your self this question.  He tells us that what makes one person a better Bible student than another is He can see more, and that’s all.  He takes us through a few exercises that will help us to start observing scripture.  I hope you tried a few of them just to get the gist.

Chapter Six – Let’s Start with a Verse

Here he asks us to focus on Acts 1:8 (and later Joshua 1:8 ).  He says that we need to start looking for some terms.  What is the most import term in the verse.  This verse starts with “But”, so he says this indicates a change in direction which forces us to go back to the preceding text.  He tells us that we never want to study something in isolation.  Verse 1 begins by mentioning “the first account” which turns out to be the gospel by Luke.  So, then we ask “Who is Luke”.  So, by now you should be getting the picture, the power of observation might take us to places we have never been on our own.  Some other questions to ask is “Who are the people involved?”  “What is the main verb?”.  He tells us to watch for Cause-Effect Relationships like “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”  So, who is the Holy Spirit?  Next you will want to define the terms, like what is a witness?  He discusses the importance of place.  He tells us to relate the verse to the Book as a whole.  He ends this chapter by telling us there is no limit to observation.  Wow, who knew one verse could lead you to so much more!  The first three exercises in the Workbook are exercises in starting with a Verse.

Chapter Seven – You Must Learn to Read

He tells us here that we may not be mining the riches of the scripture because we may not know how to read and perhaps we didn’t know what to look for.    Given that our society has taken a radical shift from a word-based society of readers to an image-based society of viewers.  So, given the times, we might have lost the art of reading.  And, yet the Bible is a book, which means it must be read to be understood and appreciated.   In this chapter he offers us instruction on how to read.  He tells us to learn to read better and faster and he shares some other books that might help.  Such as, “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer Adler which he tells us will revolutionize our life; and, “How to Read Better and Faster” by Norman Lewis which is a workbook that promises to help you read 50 to 60 percent faster with better comprehension.   I know I could use both of these books.  I kid about being educated in the Florida Public School System as an excuse for my poor reading skills, but I did spend 3 years in the South Carolina Public School System.  I was in advanced classes when I returned to Florida in the eighth grade.  But, when I took the College Entrance Exam, I scored lowest in English and Reading Comprehension.  We all have our strengths and weaknesses and it doesn’t hurt to read a couple more books that might make us read the Book, the Bible, with speed, diligence and greater understanding.  He says that it is often said that familiarity breeds contempt; but when it comes to Bible Study, something else familiarity breeds is ignorance.  So, learn to read as for the first time.  Read it as if you have never read it before, with new eyes.  Have you ever tried to proof read your own work.  You read only what you thought you wrote, so you overlook some things – maybe a lot of things.  Read the Bible as if it is a Love Letter. Afterall, the point is we want to come to know the author better and to love Him.  Exercise 5 in the Workbook is Reading the Bible as for the First Time and Exercise 6 is reading the Bible as a Love Letter.

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So, in preparation for next Sunday, read through Chapters 8 through 10!

This book will provide us the tools necessary for us to read and understand the Bible on our own.  Staying in the word will help us grow in our relationship with God.  And ultimately we will be able to apply His Word in our daily lives.  If at any time, you would like for me to copy an exercise from the workbook, just let me know.  I have copied the Table of Contents from the Workbook and attached it so you can follow along and decide which exercise(s) you might like a copy of.

Recap from Sunday, October 3rd

So, last Sunday, we reviewed Our homework for this past week which was to read chapters, 8 through 10.  These Chapters continue to cover his first step in his methodology: Observation with some strategies for First-Rate Reading.   Remember in Chapter 4 – He summarizes  a 3 step approach that will guarantee life change, three crucial steps carried out in a particular order. Those steps are 1) observation - what do I see? 2) interpretation - what does it mean, and 3) application - how does it work?

                Step 1:  Observation – this is covered in chapters 5 through 7

• Chapters 8 through 18 cover Strategies to First-Rate Reading

• Chapters 19 through 26 Cover Things to Look For

Chapter Eight -  Read Thoughtfully

He tells us that the Bible must be read to be understood and here he begins to share some strategies for better reading.  So, thoughtful reading involves study.  He tells us that Proverbs 2:4 gives us an interesting insight concerning the richness of God’s Word.  It admonishes us to “see (wisdom) as silver, and search for her hidden treasures.”  In other words, biblical wisdom is like precious ore.  Check out my signature line at the end of this email.   My Word for 2021 is “Wisdom”.  The very truth of God is there, able to transform your life; but you must probe for it.  Check out the pink section on page 82, it shares some questions to ask to help you read thoroughly.

Chapter Nine – Read Repeatedly

You are probably asking yourself, how can I read the Bible repeatedly when I have struggled to read it once or ten times over my lifetime.    He tells us that the Word of God has staying power; it can stand up to repeated exposure.  He tells us that if you read the Bible over and over again, you will see things that you have never seen before.  Don’t miss it, don’t assume you’ve got it, read it repeatedly.    He tells us the value of reading entire books in one sitting; you will be able to appreciate the unity of each book.  Don’t just read a passage, don’t start in the middle of a book, start at the beginning.  Read the Bible in different translations.  Listen to recordings of scripture.  Read the Bible out loud.  Set up a schedule for Bible reading.  Go to the pink “You try It” box on page 87 and try it!

Chapter Ten – Read Patiently

Slow down and savor the words; don’t look for instant gratification.  Patience! The fruit of the Word takes time to ripen.  Don’t go to the commentary to quickly.  He tells us that there is nothing wrong with secondary sources; but after you have drenched your mind with what the biblical text says.   He shares some techniques like working with one book a month, zooming in and zooming out (detect a flow, a progression of events or ideas and then zoom in on something that seems prominent), or alter your approach.  He tells us that there is two principles of patience and that is to be patient with the text and be patient with yourself.

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So, in preparation for next Sunday, read through Chapters 11 through 14!  More on “things to look for”…

This book will provide us the tools necessary for us to read and understand the Bible on our own.  Staying in the word will help us grow in our relationship with God.  And ultimately we will be able to apply His Word in our daily lives.  If at any time, you would like for me to copy an exercise from the workbook, just let me know.  I have copied the Table of Contents from the Workbook and attached it so you can follow along and decide which exercise(s) you might like a copy of.

Recap from Sunday, October 10th:

So, last Sunday October 10th, we reviewed Our homework for this past week which was to read chapters, 11 through 14.  These Chapters continue to cover his first step in his methodology: Observation with some strategies for First-Rate Reading.   Remember in Chapter 4 – He summarizes  a 3 step approach that will guarantee life change, three crucial steps carried out in a particular order. Those steps are 1) observation - what do I see? 2) interpretation - what does it mean, and 3) application - how does it work?

                Step 1:  Observation – this is covered in chapters 5 through 7

• Chapters 8 through 18 cover Strategies to First-Rate Reading

• Chapters 19 through 26 Cover Things to Look For

Chapter Eleven -  Read Selectively

He tells a story about fishing and how those that were actually catching fish had a secret, where not only did they know the pond and not only did they know trout, they knew what bait to use.  This was his illustration of “selectively”.   Selective Bible reading involves using the right bait when you troll the Scriptures.  So, in this analogy he provides us with six “lures’ that we can use with any test, six questions to ask of any passage of Scripture.  (1) Who – Who are the people in the text, what is said about the person or the people and what do they say?  God wants you to see the process people went through in order to come to the conclusions they came to.  (2) What – What is happening in the text, what are the events, in what order, what happens to the characters, what is the argument, what is the point, what is the writer trying to communicate, and/or what is wrong with this picture.  (3) Where – Where is the narrative taking place, where are the people in the story, where are they coming from and going to, where is the writer, where were the original readers of this text?  This is why we need maps.  (4) When – a question of time, when did the events in the text take place, when did they occur in relation to other events in Scripture, when was the writer writing?  (5) Why – Why is this included, why is it placed here, why does it follow that, why does this precede this, why does this person say that, why does that person say nothing?  The why question digs for meaning. (6) Wherefore – so what, what difference would it make if I were to apply this truth?  In application, he will show us a number of ways to answer the so what question.  He summarizes this chapter by talking about selective reading at 30,000 feet.  Reporters have been using these questions for years to get the facts for their stories.  And, so he tells us about the flight attendant who didn’t know where to start to study the Bible. 

Chapter Twelve – Read Prayerfully

As I mentioned in class, it here that it dawned on me that we are reading this book to learn how to read!  So, this is no ordinary Bible Study!  We are not having the Bible interpreted for us by some author of the Bible Study of the month.  This is a book that will help us study the Bible for ourselves and dig deeper and come to know the author.  So, the strategy in this chapter is another strategy to come know the author better and grow in your relationship with the author – God!  So, he tells us not to separate Bible study and prayer as different disciplines.  Prayer is really key to effective Bible study.  So, pray before you begin reading the Bible and pray when you are done.  Have a conversation with God and ask him for discernment, wisdom, insight – ask Him to help  you discover the truth.  In praying, he asks us to not imitate other Christians – have your own conversation with God.  He tells us children and new converts are the best to teach you how to pray.   Do not turn Scripture into prayer.  Nehemiah shows you how to pray:  Begin with adoration, occupy yourself with who God is, confess your sins, and then ask.  Don’t forget the example on pg. 104.  He tells us to look at a number of verses that specifically relate to reading Scripture prayerfully – it really gets to the heart of the matter of Reading Prayerfully.

 Chapter Thirteen – Read Imaginatively

Don’t be one of those people who thinks the reading the Bible is dull and boring.  Come to reading the Bible with some imagination.  He takes us through the class where each person is to find and read a verse from a passage and it doesn’t turn out well.  Then he tells us about the pastor who had a background in theater who sometimes assumed the role of a character in the Bible, he put on make up and a costume and told the story of the character in the first person.  That reminded me of my drama teacher in Junior College who pretty much did the same thing in presenting characters from literature.  He was so outlandish that it was fascinating and hard to forget and easy to learn.  So, he tells us in our prayer to ask God to clothe the facts in fascination so the word of God becomes alive!  He suggests that we use different translations and paraphrase’s, try rewriting the text in your own paraphrase, read scripture in a different language if you have that skill, read it aloud or have someone read it aloud to you, and/or try reading it in your favorite places.  I love the Christmas play each year, it makes the Bible come alive!

 Chapter Fourteen – Read Meditatively

Here he tells us to learn to reflect on the passages that you read.  Slow down and don’t expect instant gratification.  It takes time to be holy.  In the example of Joshua 1:8 that he gave us, he tells us that the verse shows that there is a close connection between meditating on God’s word and acting on it.  Let the Biblical truth percolate through your mind day and night.  Scripture teaches the basic principle that you become what you think—so be careful what you think!  Declutter your mind and fill it with the Word.  Biblical meditation means filling your mind with the truth that God has revealed.  At the end of Psalm 19 (v. 14), he tell us that this is a revealing prayer that shows that the psalmist viewed meditation as an absolute necessity to his spiritual life.

 So, in preparation for next Sunday, read through Chapters 15 through 18!  More on “things to look for” and Working with a Paragraph.

So, last Sunday October 17th, we reviewed Our homework for this past week which was to read chapters, 15 through 18.  As we continue on, you might feel like you are getting an English and Grammar lesson and you are.  All God’s words have purpose and we have to learn to read to find that purpose.   We leap into Chapter 15, the 8th strategy for becoming a first-rate reader (of scripture).

 Step 1:  Observation – this is covered in chapters 5 through 7

• Chapters 8 through 18 cover Strategies to First-Rate Reading

• Chapters 19 through 26 Cover Things to Look For

 Chapter Fifteen – Read Purposefully

Here he reminds us that all Scripture if given by divine inspiration and is “profitable”; it serves a purpose—four purposes as a matter of fact:  teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteous living.   This brings us to the 8th strategy for first-rate reading of scripture – READ the Bible Purposefully.  Here we look for the aim of the author—discern the meaning by looking for structure (grammatical and literary).   You can find purpose through the grammatical structure.  Remember God and the Bible haven’t changed so neither is cavalier in its choice of words or order. Verbs are action words and critical; they tell us who is doing what.  The subject of a sentence does the acting, and the object is acted upon.  Modifiers are descriptive words like adjectives and adverbs and enlarge the meaning of the words they modify.  Prepositional phrases are the little words that tell you where the action is taking place. Like the phrase “in a little while”.  Connectives are the most powerful words in the Bible and are “and” and but like we saw in Acts 1:8. “Therefore” is another connective word.  He goes on to tell us that biblical writers communicate their purposes through literary structure.  He uses screenplays as examples of structures.   He tells us that when we get to Step Two, Interpretation, we will see how different kinds of literature use different kinds of literary structure.    But for now, he describes five kinds of structure to look for (1) Biographical structure; (2) Geographical structure; (3) Historical structure / key events; (4) Chronological structure / key times; and (5) Ideological structure/ideas and concepts.  Detecting structure is a critical step in the Bible study process; the doorway to understanding the author’s purpose.

Chapter Sixteen – Read Acquisitively

Here he tells us to read not only to receive it but to retain it or to possess it by active involvement in the process.  He asks us how many exercises or assignments can we remember in school can we remember where we learned by doing it.   Mine was in 1974 where our class staged the “Communist Revolution Fonzi Style” and the teachers, as well as the students, gained knowledge.  A complete pollical cataclysm took place in Room 222.  The Davenport Regime had and was completely overwhelmed by the stalwart members of his fifth hour class, Mr. D had no alternative to submit.  The subversive group known as the “Sister-hood of Fonzi” made their demands known sharing their Fonzi Manifesto., and order was again restored.  Mr. Davenport was our history teacher and we learned through acting out a moment in history.  So, as the author here tells us, get involved in the process and find ways to permanent your work with the biblical text.  Try an in-depth month-long biographical study of a particular character in Scripture and develop a psychological profile, rewrite biblical text in your own paraphrase.  Whatever it takes to remember, to own the text.

Chapter Seventeen – Read Telescopically

Here he tells us this is the 10th and final strategy for developing a first-rate skill as a student of scripture.  Telescopic reading means viewing the parts in light of the whole because the whole is far greater than the sum of it parts.    The Bible is an integrated message in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  So, once you analyze scripture and take it apart, you must then put it back together again.  And, you do that by looking for connectives, paying attention to context (the big picture), evaluating the passage in light of the book as a whole, and looking at the historical context of the book:  where does this book fit historically, when was it written, when did the events take place and what was happening in the larger history of the world at the time.  Find out how much the writer and the people in the book know about God.  You will probably need secondary sources and he will cover this later in this book.

Chapter Eighteen – Work with a Paragraph

Here he tells us that he started this book with the discussion of Observation by focusing on a verse, Acts 1:8, but now he wants us to step up to a paragraph.  As a footnote, he tells us that the original Scriptures were not divided into chapters, paragraphs, and verses.  They were just scrolls and similar documents with long, unbroken passages.  He shows us in the chapter how to work with a paragraph through an example using The Prayer of Nehemiah.  He does this by highlighting the questions that he asks the text.  As you read through this chapter, you will see the skill set required to use your power of observation.  You have got to learn to read, read better and faster, as for the first time, and just as you would a love letter.  He gave us ten strategies that are guaranteed to turn you into a first-rate Bible reader.   Now, he digs deeper and says not only must you learn to read, you must learn what to look for.  The chapters that follow gives us clues that will help us further unlock the biblical text.

So, in preparation for next Sunday, read through Chapters 19 through 23 (just 26 pages)!  Six things to lor for in learning how to read. 

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This book will provide us the tools necessary for us to read and understand the Bible on our own.  Staying in the word will help us grow in our relationship with God.  And ultimately we will be able to apply His Word in our daily lives.  If at any time, you would like for me to copy an exercise from the workbook, just let me know.  I have copied the Table of Contents from the Workbook and put in on our Facebook Page so you can follow along and decide which exercise(s) you might like a copy of.

On Sunday, October 24th, we reviewed Chapters 19 through 24.  I might have confused you in my email and told you to read through 23, but I meant through 24.  It seems like a lot, and it is.  Is it getting easier for you having read through these chapters?  I think not, at least not for me, it just keeps digging deeper, doesn’t it?  So much to read, to learn, to retain!  And that is just in this book.  It seems almost insurmountable when we try to apply this to a Book of 66 books, like the Bible!  So, don’t forget that first, you have to learn to read and second, you have to learn what to look for!  Observation!  We have been picking through how to Observe for 24 Chapters.   So, at the end of Chapter 18, the author tells us this and further gives us SIX CLUES that will help us unlock the biblical text.  So, we are still working with OBSERVATION and that skill set called reading.

         Step 1:  Observation – this is covered in chapters 5 through 7

• Chapters 8 through 18 cover Strategies to First-Rate Reading

• Chapters 19 through 26 Cover Things to Look For

Chapter Nineteen – Things That are Emphasized

He compares our inability to diagnose a patient (because we are not a doctor and we don’t know what to look for) to reading the Bible.  You could waste a lot of time reading the Bible if you do not know what to look for.    The first of which are things that are emphasized like ideas, events, people, and other material in the Bible.  The amount of space devoted to something is something we should look for.  If there is a lot of space (verses, passages, or chapters), then perhaps the spirit of God is leading us to something we need to know.  The stated purpose is another, if the writer is telling us right upfront what they are up to, it might be key.  Order is another thing that might be emphasized – when something happened in relation to something else, why someone was where they were.  Who came before whom in the text?   Movement from the lesser to the greater, and vice versa is another thing that might be emphasized.  There might be a build-up to the meaning of the passage.  Or it might start with the meaning and dissect it as you read. 

Chapter Twenty – Things that are Repeated

Here he tells us that there is no teaching tool more powerful than repetition.  After all, we learn to memorize through repetition.  So, in the grand scheme of things, if something is repeated in the text over and over, then it must be important.  In this chapter, the author gives us several categories of repetition to look for: (1) terms, phrases, and clauses, (2) characters, (3) incidents and circumstances; (4) patterns; and (5) New Testament use of Old Testament passages.  As you read the Bible, notice something that is repeated, said more than once…it is the author’s way of pointing out matters of crucial importance.

Chapter Twenty-One – Things that are Related

He tells us what he means by things that are related in that they have some connection, some interaction with each other.    So, as you are reading, look for three kinds of relationships.  (1) Movement from the general to the specific – the relationship between the whole and its parts, between a category and its individual members, between the big picture and the details. (2) Questions and Answers.  Writers sometimes pose questions in their text and later they answer them.  Sometimes they pose rhetorical questions with obvious answers for emphasis.  (3) Cause and Effect – he gives us several examples of this starting with a game of pool and moving to scripture examples.

Chapter Twenty-Two – Things that are Alike and Unlike

Here he tells us that similarities (or things that are alike) stick out, like twins.  When you see identical twins, you are struck by how much alike they look.  So, similarities and differences stick out.  Examples of similarities are Similes and Metaphors.  Words like “as” and “like” can indicate a figure of speech called a simile which is a word picture that draws a comparison between two things.  See, we are still learning how to read and learning literary styles.  A metaphor is related to a simile, but it does not use the words “as” or “like”, it simply makes the comparison.  He moves on to things that are Unlike and tells us that the flip side of comparison is contrast – things that are “unlike” noting that there are several ways the biblical writers signify contrast.  One is the use of the word “but” that we learned earlier as a transition or change in direction.  And, Metaphors which can both point out things that are alike and things that are not alike.  Irony is another way of pointing out contrast.  Things that are alike and unlike make use of the strong human tendency to compare and contrast.

Chapter Twenty-Three – Things that are True to Life

This is the sixth and final clue that will help us unlock the biblical text still building on what to look for!  He tells us that the issue here is authenticity.  While today is not like it was in Biblical times, the human condition is still the same.  We feel the same kinds of emotions, we have the same kinds of questions, we have similar problems and temptations.  So, as we read, we should ask ourselves some questions:  What were this person’s ambitions, what were his goals, what problem was he facing, how did he feel, what was his response and what would be my response.  The experience of the people in the Bible are and can be relatable to your own life.  He gives us some great examples of people in the Bible who were not unlike us! 

Chapter Twenty-Four – Getting the Big Picture

You may not have made it this far.  But if you did great!  We will revisit this Chapter next week along with chapters 25 and 26 so we can hone our skills because he will give us quite a workout!  You will have to do some chart-making using your powers of observation that you have learned thus far. So, here we go……

So, in preparation for next Sunday, read through Chapters 24 through 26 (just 22 pages)!  Wrapping up on Observation before we move on to Interpretation. 

Don't forget to check in on our Facebook Page for information, updates and Zoom Invitations.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/657932748396622/?ref=share

This book will provide us the tools necessary for us to read and understand the Bible on our own.  Staying in the word will help us grow in our relationship with God.  And ultimately we will be able to apply His Word in our daily lives.  If at any time, you would like for me to copy an exercise from the workbook, just let me know.  I have copied the Table of Contents from the Workbook and put in on our Facebook Page so you can follow along and decide which exercise(s) you might like a copy of.

So, our homework in preparation for class on October 31st, was to read Chapters 24-26.  If you already read Chapter 24 then you are ahead of the game.  These three chapters concludes his first Step in the Process of studying the Bible, “Observation”.  I don’t know if you noticed, but it is getting harder.  There is lots to learn, but remember, this is your journey.  You only need learn what seems to help you the most.  You might find that just reading this book was helpful enough to you.  You might find that you want to keep it on hand to help you through some of the harder parts of the Bible.   Use your hi-lighter to emphasis the parts of this book that really peaked your interest.  Dog ear the pages that summarize the techniques discussed.  He does a good job of summarizing as he goes along.

               Step 1:  Observation – this is covered in chapters 5 through 7

• Chapters 8 through 18 cover Strategies to First-Rate Reading

• Chapters 19 through 26 Cover Things to Look For 

Chapter Twenty-Four – Getting the Big Picture

So, how are you doing so far?  Sometimes, reading this book is like drinking from a firehose.  Sometimes, that is how I feel about reading the Bible.  It is just too much for me to digest or it is simply too complex for me to understand.  Sometimes, it is so simple you wonder if you are getting the right message.    In this chapter he tells us that we may want to do some chart making using your powers of observation that you have learned thus far. As he says, we have come to the college depart in the school of Observation.  We started with a verse and moved up to a paragraph.  Now we have graduated to a segment or a collection of paragraphs united by a common theme.    In this section, he asked you to read Mark chapters 4 through 5 noting that there is actually two segments in this selection.  I don’t know about you, but giving his description of how the Bible was translated, I’m not sure I could identify a paragraph or a segment on my own.  But, I’m not sure it is necessary.   When you read the Bible, it happens as a result of a couple of things, at least in my mind, 1) you are simply reading daily either by a reading plan or by your own selection of a Book, chapter or verse that peaks your interest; 2) you are reading an assignment given to you in your Bible Study group; 3) or the Pastor’s selection for his sermon.  Whatever it is, I would not spend a whole lot of time trying to discern the difference between a paragraph and a segment, because the tools he teaches are the same.  Again, this is my thoughts.  I say this because it is getting harder and I’m trying to digest this information the best way I can.   So, he goes about sharing how to make a grid chart which he organized his thoughts.  He organized it segment and the first segment he organized by Miracle.  Fear not, if you think you can’t make a chart on your own, he summarizes on Pages 181-182 How to Study a section of Scripture or rather how to glean the most out of a section of scripture.  So, if making a chart is not your thing, dog ear these 2 pages so you can return to it when you need to. 

Chapter Twenty-Five – Summarize Your Observations

Here he reminds us that summarizing your findings in a graphical way (by charting) is particularly effective when dealing with a lot of information.  He steps through the Value of Charts and The Art of the Chart.  He gives us examples of what he is talking about with the Gospel of Mark, 1 Peter, Malachi, Luke and Ephesians.  I think we should return to his example of Ephesians, when we begin our Bible Study in Ephesians following the completion of this Book.  So, Dog-ear page 189.  On Page 191, he gives us some good suggestions as we begin our hand at chart making.  Again, this is a good page to return to should you choose to use the tool of chart making.

Chapter Twenty-Six – “Facts are Stupid Things Until…”

In the beginning of this chapter on Page 193, he retraces our steps through the Process of Observation, so dog-ear this page.  He reminds us again that Observation is not only the 1st step in his Bible study method, but it is critical.  So, in order to observe, we must firs learn to read (the Bible) better and faster, as for the first time, and as though we were reading a love letter.  He is teeing us up for the second stage in the process, Interpretation.

So, in preparation for next Sunday, read through Chapters 27 through 29, his introduction into Step 2, Interpretation!

Don't forget to check in on our Facebook Page for information, updates and Zoom Invitations.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/657932748396622/?ref=share

This book will provide us the tools necessary for us to read and understand the Bible on our own.  Staying in the word will help us grow in our relationship with God.  And ultimately we will be able to apply His Word in our daily lives.  If at any time, you would like for me to copy an exercise from the workbook, just let me know.  I have copied the Table of Contents from the Workbook and put in on our Facebook Page so you can follow along and decide which exercise(s) you might like a copy of.