Discuss: 1) What is the biggest challenge you face reading or studying God’s Word? 2) How about believing or following God’s Word? 3) Write a prayer expressing the thoughts God has given you about the Bible. Remember: you will need to spend 1 hour in the Prayer Experience on pages 63-64. It’s best if you can do it in person as a group. But if not, you can share your experience with the chat group by this weekend.
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
Introduction After rising from the dead, Jesus appears to His disciples on several occasions. Paul lists the appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. He appeared to many people individually — to His leaders on several occasions and even to a group of disciples numbering...
1) My biggest challenge would be consistency, memorization, and extraction of lessons. My mind can get easily distracted and I can get lazy in doing deep dives into the scripture — like not looking at context or cross referencing. It’s easy to do devotionals where a third party extracts the lesson for you, but I have to be careful to not rely on that and to make sure I hear what God wants me to hear and not what someone else writes. I need to essentially put work into my studies more.
2) Believing isn’t really an issue, but of course because of my sinful nature, following can be difficult.
3) Thank you, Lord, for your Word — your love letter to us. Forgive me for the times I lack hiding your Word in my heart. I pray that you continue to speak to me through it and open my mind and ears to You.
(from Charlie)
The Bible is read by millions of people of all ages with different backgrounds and level of understanding. I think God intended for it to be accessible and valuable to all. I do find it difficult to understand fully but that’s because I want to be thorough and I dwell on the theological aspects and because that’s how I learn and that’s how God speaks to me. I think that if a person read with an open heart and is open to the Spirit guidance they will have their own personal journey with God without being a biblical scholar 🙂. As difficult as it can be sometimes I feel joy of discovery and connection to God when I study this way and so it is how I read and my own journey with Him.
I have few doubts now. No doubt about the fundamental core truths but still questioning my understanding of certain aspects. I don’t doubt Jesus as savor…at least not anymore. I started as a skeptic and it took me a long time to get to this point. I want to obey and at some earlier stages I thought I was moral and felt that I am obedient. Now I know I’m not such a good child of God because I struggle every moment with temptations and distractions. But as with other addictions,the first step to recovery is to acknowledged your problems and having a willingness to work toward your own recovery.
Lord I read your Words and I learn and each day I understand more of what You are trying to teach me. I am less arrogant and more aware of my own failings and my dependence on You for I’m incapable of consistent obedience. I fully understand now how we are all sinners in an earthly recovery house. We can only hope that with Your guidance we can be saved from ourselves and rejoin You one day.
The biggest challenge would be staying focus. Sometime his readings are something I can relate to and stay focused on when I am reflecting the word on myself. Sometimes or most of the time I would lose total focus because I would have no idea what is going on. BUT I always try my best to understand or I seek help. Believing and following God’s word is not hard for me. But there are times where I find myself doing things that may not be alined with God’s word because of my negativity. I’ve been fixing it slowly by praying with God and him lending me strength. I pray God continues to give me and my friends strength to continue following his word.
1) The biggest challenge for me in studying God’s word is time. Sometimes I spent too much time in studying or researching that I lost track of time. Another challenge is consistency on a daily basis, due to irregular working schedule and multiple part-time jobs.
2) My biggest challenge in believing or following God’s word is also being consistent. Like prayer, for example; I do believe God answers prayer, and I do pray when there’s a need; but I tended to lose patience when His answer doesn’t come quickly enough, and give up before receiving the answer.
3) Lord, thank You for Your word. The more I read and learn from it, the more I know Your loving heart for me. Thank You for the encouragement, wisdom, warning, and many other valuable lessons contained in the Book. I counted an honor to study and teach Your word to others.
My biggest challenge with the word is having the discipline to sit down and find the time. I know I have the time, I spend so much time just doom scrolling on my phone, when I could be doing almost anything else especially reading and learning the word. That’s why I appreciate you guys and this competition to help me build that discipline for the word and to be purposeful in carving out time for him daily. His word for me is easy to believe and understand, I think it’s easier since growing up Christian I know the word and it’s been grinded into me from day 1, but following it is hard, but even when following is hard I always feel like I have a good sense of what the right thing to do is in God’s eyes it’s just the execution can sometimes fall through.
Dear God, I honestly can’t remember the last time I willingly read the word on a weekday before this series, so I pray that you help me build the diligence and discipline to read and spend time to reflect and hear what you want me to hear and do.
I think sometimes it can feel like I have to set aside so much time to really dive deep into what God’s word is actually saying & reflect on His word. I think reading it is easy but actually taking the time to digest it can be challenging for me. God’s word is the truth. I think sometimes following God’s word is hard. However, I firmly believe that God’s word is the truth and the truth is powerful. Scripture offers a lot of wisdom, but also comfort. Do they go hand in hand though? Is it hard to follow God’s word if I believe God’s word to be true? God, it is so beautiful to be in a 2 way relationship with you. I am grateful that You hear our prayers and You also communicate with us through Your word. Lord, I pray that my faith deepens as Your truth is rooted deeply in my heart. May Your truth guide me and lead me as I follow You all the days of my life. Even when it is hard, please speak kindly to me and replace the enemy’s lies with Your truth. Amen!
My biggest challenge is staying focused in it. I find myself having a hard time because sometimes it just feels like I’m reading a history lesson. Sometimes it’s interesting but I have a hard time just soaking it in. I have a hard time following God’s word at times because it sometimes contradicts things I want to do which is not an excuse. Lord I ask I submit myself to you completely and just follow your word and follow with what you have to say to me thrugh it.
From Daisie Nguyen:
1. My biggest challenge is finding the will to spend time on it. I used to say it was difficult to find the time (and it still is), but honestly, if I absolutely needed/wanted to spend time on something, I would. I just need to adjust my attitude about daily devotionals.
2. Complacency is probably my biggest challenge in believing/following God’s Word more often. Yeah, I go to church and I say my prayers before meals and before going to bed. But what’s keeping me from doing more is just my laziness. I’m trying to change that by joining small groups, committing to daily devotionals, and trying to help out in Creative ministry when I can.
3. Thank you God for providing your words and truth on a daily basis this week. I’m learning more and more, about you and about myself through their teachings. I pray that I can apply them to my daily walk, and that I remember them during times of strife.
From Niki
1) What is the biggest challenge you face reading or studying God’s Word?
Even though I understand that …”the Bible has a consistent theme. It is the story of how God relates to humans. More specifically, every book points to the main character: Jesus Christ. The Old Testament (written before Jesus) points to the need for a Savior to come, and the New Testament communicates how Jesus filled that need.” … I find some books of the Bible like lamentations to be boring to read. I get easily distracted too and my mind wonders off when the passage doesn’t speak to me at the moment.
2) How about believing or following God’s Word?
“God’s intention for us is to ingest God’s Word on a regular basis so it changes the way we think,speak, and act. The Bible gives us a godly worldview we can never gain from any other source. “ I know his word is truth for daily living and decision making. He wants the best for me and for me to trust in his plans for me. But it is hard to put full trust in what God wants me to do or change about myself. I still fall short in my faith.
3) Write a prayer expressing the thoughts God has given you about the Bible.
God, your ways are good. Forgive when I get distracted reading your word or when I don’t take time and find value in reading your word.
I am reminded that your word gives guidance and hope. Thank you for revealing to me who you are, how much you love me and want to have a relationship with me. Help me to take delight in reading your word with open hearts to hear you speak truth in my life…”teaching, rebuking, correcting and training (me) in righteousness, so that (I) …may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2Timothy 3:16-17. Help to follow you and obey your truth.
In Jesus name Amen.
(From Diesel):
1.) Hebrews 4:12 says it best when talking about scripture judging my heart’s thoughts and attitude. I don’t feel judge by scripture as often as I feel like I should. And I do read scripture daily but all I been recieving was profound wisdom and rich context rather than offense against my heart. People sharing scripture can do that to me but I don’t often see scripture judge me enough when I’m on my own reading.
2.) Reading and following God’s word is my area of strength and it’s only because I spent with God daily. Today I went evangelizing at Csuf before Fvcru lunch and I came across a realization while sharing that I set limits and boundaries for myself not because God makes me do it nor out of obligation. I do it simply because I love God and desire to follow Him. In other words, I found myself sinning less and lesser not because of commitment but out of love. And that love comes from knowing Him daily through prayer and scripture.
3.) Dear heavenly father, Lord,
Your words are true, wise, and powerful. Your words have set me ablaze, sharpen me each day, and develop a loving relationship within my life. May I continue to meditate on Your words, the very word you intended me to read, that the reality of who you are may become more real than it ever be. Thank you in in Your name I pray, Amen.
The biggest challenge I have reading God’s Word is being able to not only read and understand his word but use it in my everyday life. I believe slowly using it in your everyday life can really bring you closer to God and his vision for your future. For me believing in Gods word can be sometimes difficult without seeing results of when I want something to happen for me right away rather than Gods timing which is something I need to work on. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for opening my eyes with your word. Please continue to allow me to understand and grow while using your examples.