Tips I've learned for studying the Bible

1)      Be consistent:

The entire basis of our faith is based on the words of truth in scripture. These truths are worth our consistent devotion. Set an uncompromised time in the day to read. Make it as sure as you waking up in the morning. It takes a little while to form a habit, but it is gratifying when it is formed.

The time that works best for me is the mornings. If I am sure to get ready and make sure reading my Bible is the first thing I do every day, it keeps me from setting it aside. This was very hard for me at first, but once I established it as a habit, I crave it every day.

2)      Develop discipline in your life:

There is no easy way to have a truly edifying study of scripture. It always takes work! Part of the difficulty that we have in studying scripture has to do with a lack of discipline in other areas of our lives (and we all struggle with a lack of discipline somewhere). Learn to love discipline. Discipline is always miserable at first and highly gratifying later.

For example, you may not be a morning person, but know that reading the Bible in the morning would be ideal. Discipline yourself! Set the alarm across the room and fight not to hit snooze. Go to bed earlier. Set your clothes out the night before. Give yourself more time to take a shower and eat breakfast in order to wake up before you study. I have to give myself an hour of getting ready before I can think clearly. It will be grueling at first, but it gets easier if you fight. Trust me!

3)      Have long term vision:

Hard work pays off. Don’t get discouraged if it isn’t an enlightening experience every day. The long term benefits of hard study are much greater than the need for immediate, but shallow satisfaction.

4)      Constantly self -improve:

None of us begin as biblical scholars. We have to struggle and be discouraged sometimes in order to gain ground. There is a lot that you will not understand, but constantly probing a subject builds familiarity and that familiarity is a key to actual retention of information.

5)      Take the time to understand deeply:

I have found that the satisfaction of knowing a book of the Bible by heart is much greater than having read 5 books and hardly remembering what they said.

I first learned this when I decided to study the book of Romans for as long as my heart desired. I began by reading it over and over again without doing anything else. Then I began to read commentaries and memorize sections. After that, I took a class on it. I didn’t get tired of Romans. The opposite happened. I now have more of a desire to understand Romans than ever before.

6)      Seek to see scripture from different lenses:

a)      Salvations history: God works out His plan for salvation in progressive stages. It helps to understand the different covenants that God has established with His people (Noaic, Abrahamic, Davidic, New Covenant).

b)      Within the book

c)       Immediate context

d)      Close, grammatical study

7)      Repetitive reading in different translations:

 If you try to dive into a technical commentary right away, you will be lost and discouraged. Read a book over and over. Take notes and record what you observe to be key theme. You will notice more each time you read it. Then, when you begin to read a commentary, you will be more familiar with what the commentator is referring to.

8)      Take notes:

A good test of understanding is to see if you can explain something in your own words.

9)      Memorize Scripture:

Memorizing Scripture helps to familiarize you with Scriptural truths that will catch you attention when you study other parts of scripture. I have found it most gratifying to memorize key passages of scripture.

I technique I learned to memorizing passages of scripture is to memorize a verse a day. In your daily devotions, go over and memorize one verse. Repeat it, memorize it, pray about it, and continue to repeat it in your mind as your go throughout the day. The next day, learn the next verse. As I drive to work I go back through the verses I have been learning and remember them in the paragraphs that I learned them. If you do it consistently, you will be surprised as how quickly you can memorize whole chapters of scripture!

Books that are worth blogging about...

I always mean to journal about the thing I have been reading that have impacted me. Here is an update on some of those books:

To Kill A Mocking Bird: This is a classic that I somehow worked around reading as a child (probably because I read the cliff-notes). I'm glad I waited this long because I probably wouldn't have appreciated it as much as I do now. The understanding and acceptance of others that Harper Lee helps her readers to see brings good balance to my Reformed thinking on total depravity. Although, it is theologically crucial for us to understand the depravity of human beings to understand redemption, I enjoyed learning, along with Scout Finch, that everyone has a reason for doing what they do and it is worth taking the time to understand them.

The Great Divorce: As a friend of mine put it, this book is paradigm shifting. I wouldn't base my theology on heaven and hell around it, but it did make me think in a new way about these two doctrines that have carried much speculation, but share little explanation in the pages of scripture. Mostly, this book made me think about my own motives and realize the necessity of all action being centralized on Christ. C. S. Lewis perceptively and chillingly shows how the most innocent and even seemingly righteous desires can become gross idolatry.

Practical Christianity: I Found the Joy of Christ on a Monday Morning

I was truly experiencing stress and anxiety this morning. It is rare for me to struggle getting out of bed, but with the mixture of sleep deprivation, a class load I am trying to balance, the need for a job I can't handle, and anxieties about the future, I wasn't exactly enthused about the idea of it.

I found a sanctuary in the shower. As I stood contemplating life (as most of us do in the shower), I thought of Romans 5:3, a verse I had just been writing about in a paper last night. Paul, in the light of the good news of justification in Christ writes, "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance." That passage, when compared to other similar language that Paul uses, seems to be inferring not just to exulting in spite of tribulation, but rejoicing about tribulation because it brings more glory to Christ.

As I contemplated this, without even knowing why, I began to sing the song It is Well with My Soul (at least I sang the tune and the few words I know because I can't really remember the words, but I get the general concept). Then I began to glory that Christ was being made great in the midst of my trials and suffering. In that moment, I was truly experiencing His "easy yoke," and a real "peace of God that surpasses all understanding." There was an overwhelming desire in me to talk about Jesus with someone (which is why I am writing about Him). I greatly wished that every person in the world could feel this surreal peace that I was feeling at 6:30 am on a Monday morning.

I often read about this concept and apply it to how I think I may feel in full time ministry, but this morning I was reminded that Christianity is real and practical in my present reality. I truly was (and still am) experiencing a scriptural concept in my present reality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIdFRe3d2yw

Questionable Cultural Norms: Sports

It is necesarry from time to time for us to take a step back and question the common. In every culture traditions are developed that become commonly acceptable. It is tempting for Christians to see these cultural norms as morally acceptable for this reason. There are many areas in American culture that I believe Christians commonly compromise in.

One that I will raise a question regarding now is competetive athletics, both professional and recreational. I am not attempting to raise an accusation of any essential moral qualms with athletics, only the abuse of them. I will give two examples of common cultural behavior that I have observed and comment on them:

1. A father grows up playing baseball and hopes to pass that passion for the game to his son. The son grows up playing on little league teams and works his way to a college scholarship for baseball.

2. A husband has a devout following of his favorite football team. He finds personal enjoyment in watching games. It gives him rest among the stress of the week. He has formed friendship with other men, with whom he watches games with on a consistent basis.

The first thing I will point out is that neither one of these two things are wrong in themselves. However, both of these can become idolatry. If made idolatry, either situation can be argued by the Christian who is participating just as I stated before, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with either one of these.

There is something that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds however in order to be sure to keep from making sin out of recreation. This is a recognition of Christian virtues. I don't know a Christian who would disagree that the Bible teaches us to be humble and to do our best to keep peace with all people. Are these priorities carefully maintained in our ambitions to be great athletes or in our obsession with great athletes?

In the situation with the son who is raised to be a baseball player, is athletic self-confidence placed at a higher priority and talked about more than Christian humility? Does the father emphasize athletic success more than Christian virtues? If that child were uninterested in baseball and had a Christ-honoring proclivity toward another hobby, would the father be disappointed?

For the husband who has a passion for his favorite team, does he justifiy an obsession just because "that is what guys do?" Does he ignore his wife when the game is on? Does his family feel that they need to leave him alone when his team loses? If so, this is a far cry from Biblical masculinity. It is too often that I have seen a group of middle-aged, church-going men, when either playing or watching sports, act like the boys they were when they began their obsession with sports.

In our culture, we can be blinded to idolatry by normality. A Christian is to carry the name of Jesus Christ primarily. Is it possible that the wearing of athletic jersies in honor of an athlete, the boasting of that athlete among friends, and the heart and passion behind cheering for that athlete in a game situate can become human worship?

Again, I am not finding a problem with athletics. I just think that we should ask ourselves if our hobbies are in healthy perspective.


"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things." -1 Cor. 13:11

Missions in the Mundane

I have had many conversations like this following one with many of my Jesus-loving friends (and I have been on both ends of the conversation):

"How was [fill in country of choice]?"


"It was amazing! We went to [fill in place], we did [fill in life-changing experiences], we ate [exotic foods], and I love the people there so much! I don't even want to be here. I wish I could be back there."

I love having those conversations. It refreshes me to see my friends changed and excited from an experience that they had serving our Lord. I brings back memories of past mission trip experiences and adds excitement to my future ambition of serving Christ in the least-reached areas of the world.

The reaction most of us have to being home bothers me though. Why is it that the gospel was so exciting there, yet at home things seems "spiritually dead?" Each of us must search our hearts and ask ourselves if it is really the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is exciting to us or the adventure of going on a mission trip.

Please allow me a moment to clarify before I continue. I am pro-missions. In fact, I plan on devoting most of my life toward that very cause. I am also not saying that everybody who is or wants to be involved in missions fits a certain description or that I don't fall into the very trap that I am about to describe.

With that being said, this is what I have observed time and time again, both in my own experience and the experiences of my friends. S/he spends a year raising funds for a trip. S/he talks to his/her local church, friends, and family. Time is devoted in prayer to this trip. A month is spent in intimate community and evangelism in a foreign culture. It is the most exciting and fulfilling time of that person's life. S/he comes back from the trip and finds it difficult to share Christ at home.

We must never forget that our passion is not founded on missions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Missions is simply an outcome of a love for God in reaction to the His Gospel and only exists because the world is temporarily void of that passion. That means that the gospel is just as real and as penetrating in the mundane as it is in a foreign country. And if one can't glory in Christ and share His message of hope at home, how does that same person expect that to change overseas? If someone can't love a person who annoys her/him at home, how will she/he love someone who wants to take her/his life for preaching the gospel?

We must find our excitement and joy in Jesus Christ, who was killed for our transgressions and risen from the dead in order that we may have life in Him. That remains true in every walk of life (yes, even in America).

Paradox and Unity

Look into a mirror. What you are seeing is an appearance of similarity. Dual images, linked together in sameness. You must look closer. Nothing is ever duplicated. Nothing happens twice and nothing exists separately yet is the same. At least, not as far as I am aware. Likewise, the image you see in the mirror is not you. It’s far from you. It does not have the depth that you have, but it is a necessary and natural reaction to you, plus light, plus a certain kind of glass.

Nothing is the same, but all works together; in paradox and unity. Existence is paradoxically complete. The whole is only the whole because of parts. The parts are different, yet make one; one complete part. Adjectives only make sense because of diversity. Without it, nothing would be worth describing. The very words of this text would be meaningless and already ingrained in the mind of every person. Communication itself would never be used because all would be on the mind of all and some would never need to share with the rest.

Existence is one, but not as much one as we perceive a brick or a stone; unified but inactive (although in reality the complexities of the activity of the stone are complex beyond our understand on a level we cannot see). It is probably clearer to think of existence as one like a machine is one. All parts different, but working together. Whether it is chaos or uniformity is up for interpretation. For interpretation wouldn’t exist without diversity and interpretation is, in fact, necessary for the existence of diversity; the existence of freedom.

The world exists in reaction and freedom of reaction. Each is a product of history and environment, yet uniquely created by the decisions of self and those outside; God and man. Each is shaped by moments beyond any self control and those moments are different for each person. If they were equal, would we be different? And even if they began equal, would experiences eventually very if freedom of choice were an option. We question the fairness of the difference of good and bad experience in the life of each individual, but isn’t this just a reaction of human freedom? We question why God does not step in and take control, but isn’t His passivity partly out of grace. If God intervened here and now, would there be anything left of us to be spared for grace. Therefore, He works gently and carefully; discretely whispering to prepare us for his shout. He works in paradox. His work is unique and intrinsic to each. It’s varied, yet fair beyond our understanding.

With this paradox in mind, we must work against it and with it. We must embrace it to survive and maintain sanity. We must die to live and live to die. Those who live for benefit of self will lose self and those who give up self will gain what they never had before. Jesus Christ is unity and paradox. He and the Father are one, but he bore the Father’s separation for the sake of our unity. He died that we may live, received wrath that we may have mercy. The infinitely strong became meek so the meek may be lifted up. We live for his cause and find ours along the way. Therefore we must die to live and live to die; lay down all that we may look up and be lifted. We shall only know life and know ourselves when ourselves are given away and found in him.



"The dove descending breaks the air
With flame of incandescent terror
Of which the tongues declare
The one discharge from sin and error.
The only hope, or else despair
Lies in the choice of pure or pyre-
To be redeemed from fire by fire.

Who then devised the torment? Love.
Love is the unfamiliar Name
Behind the hands that wove
The intolerable shirt of flame
Which human power cannot remove.
We only live, only suspire
Consumed by either fire or fire."

-T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding, IV



"And he [Jesus] said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" -Luke 9:18

"For he who is least among you all is the one who is great." -Luke 9:48b

her

I heard a story about a man who acquired amnesia and couldn't remember anything for any period of time accept the feeling of love that he had for his wife. I had the urge to write a poem about him.


like a night that never ends
but void of peaceful dreams
tossing and turning over again
each for the first time it seems
Am I awake? Where am I ?
can you tell me my name?
who are you? Where am I?
what am I doing here and what is my name?
existence seems not to exist
and memory can’t be recalled
birth recycles by the minute
captivated, but disturbed by each picture on the walls
recognition comes with the absence of recollection
wonder, yet confusion accompanies every inspection
I sense with precision all that in my vision
yet everywhere I go I am followed by
tired legs that have never walked
and a bitter tongue that has never talked
images that seem repeated
and a broken heart that has never beaten
yet, there is one things that seems to have a hope of real
of which I can’t quite know, but only feel
It happens when I see her face
and feel her familiar embrace
one minute from now
this moment may leave my mind
but right now it exists
and I can only hope to see her again for the first time