Hello my lovely friends,
I pray your 2017 is looking bright and full of hope and exhilaration as you look at the days and months to come; realizing that you get to make your own schedule and fill your days with the things that make you happy. Even if you're working full time and/or juggling being a wife and mom, make sure to designate time on your calendar for the things that make you happier.
One of my favorite things to do is to pull away from it all, and just sit at the feet of Jesus. But if I'm honest, this hasn't always been among my favorite things to do. At times the bible felt so overwhelming to me, and instead of reading out of pure delight, I would quickly read out of obedience. From listening to others I've come to the conclusion that many of you may feel the exact same way – overwhelmed – like the scriptures aren't really all that relevant to the issue(s) going on right now in your life. You may find yourself thinking, "Sure, God performed miracles over two thousand years ago, but what I need to know is how can I take those same principles and apply them to my specific situation?"
Reading for quantity should never be our goal; rather we should always read for quality. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Notice that it doesn't say, "My people are destroyed for lack of information." We don't have a lack of information problem. We have a lack of application problem. For example, you can read tons of books on getting out of debt and saving money, but until you take the information and apply it to your own finances, you won't see any fruit of having the information. You gain knowledge after getting the information and actually putting it to use. As a result, you start seeing the evidence of knowledge, by seeing the fruit of a better credit score, more accumulated money in your emergency fund, and the balance of your bills decreasing. The same is true for scripture reading as well. You must begin to find creative ways to get the knowledge into your heart and not just in your head. So, exactly how do we take the principles and make them personal?
I'm going to share an excerpt from myjournal using a bible journaling method that has drastically enhanced my relationship with scripture reading; making it enjoyable, relevant, and personal to me.
Often times while reading through the Word, a certain passage will jump out at you, almost like an image in a 3D movie. Friends, that is no coincidence. When that happens, write that scripture at the top of your journal and use the outline below:
Genesis 15:6: Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
Tiffany believed God and it was credited to her as righteousness.
What does it mean to believe God?
That my words and everything I do line up with His promises.
Regardless of what I see, feel, think, or perceive, if I believe God, I am righteous.
In order to see the promises of God in my life, I have to speak like God.
I will continue to see and have what I speak over my life, child(ren), marriage, health, business, and relationships. So make sure I say exactly what I want to see, versus what I currently see.
That I can take God’s Word at face value and not doubt it; even slightly.
What does this look like in action (practically)?
Being full of joy and hope; praising God for the provision.
Letting go of being a victim and acting like a victor.
Not walking around with a "woe is me" attitude (that I tend to display to those closest to me for attention).
I don't wallow in self pity.
Everything must point back towards "I believe God.”
Praising God and praying to God with scripture.
Not only quoting scripture but living scripture and believing what I say.
Staying in faith regardless of my circumstances.
Acting as if I'm already victorious. Fighting from victory not for victory.
You can follow this outline for any scripture. The objective is to apply the principles personally, so that they move from your head to your heart.
It is my prayer that this outline helps you as much as it helped me.
Do you have any personal tips that you use to help you dive deeper into the Word? Leave a comment below and let me know. I'm always looking for new insight.