Movie Method

Here's one more way to look at the Bible!

It's called the MOVIE METHOD!

Here's what you do: JUMP into the Scripture you are reading. ACT as if you are one of the CHARACTERS on the MOVIE SET...

When you read the passage, let yourself:

• SEE what they SEE (if they are by a mountain or a lake; write that down in your prayer journal...describe every detail).

• HEAR what they HERE (Did someone shout? Describe how loud it was, etc).
  

• TASTE what they TASTE (if they are eating fish and bread, write down in your prayer journal what that taste like)

• FEEL what they FEEL ( are they on a boat in a storm? Write down and describe what the water feels like, the wind, the boat rocking, etc. What are the people's emotions? What are your emotions while being scared on a boat in a huge storm? Describe it...get involved in the MOVIE SCENE).

WRITE DOWN everything...what did Jesus look like? What did the dirt of the road feel like? Was it dark outside? Windy? What did you think about when you saw the miracle?

Let the Bible passage be like a MOVIE SCENE and you are one of the ACTORS...really get involved in the story...

7 times 3 times. The Crucified Life of Loving and Giving

Hey

One short break in the Bible study and prayer devotional methods.

Last Wednesday we talked about "How do we live"? The answer: We live a crucified life!

We ended by talking about "loving" and "giving" just as Christ "loved" us and "gave" Himself for us (Galatians 2:20)!

Here's how we can love others and give ourselves to them. It's called the 7 times 3 times rule. It is not a magic formula. However, it will help us become "INTENTIONAL" about loving others and sharing the life of Jesus with them. Remember, if we aim for nothing, we hit nothing...let's aim for love with the 7 x 3 x rule...

Love someone 7 times.

Tell them the Gospel of Jesus 3 times:

PRACTICAL
Here is how you can LOVE someone. It's not a "magical formula" but it is designed to make us "intentional" about loving someone...remember, if you aim for nothing, you will hit nothing! Here is--> it's called the "7 times 3 times" rule (7x3x).

Love someone 7 times.

Tell them the Gospel of Jesus 3 times.

There is no telling how the Spirit of the Holy Christ will work on someone with the 7 times 3 times rule...remember, every time we love someone and witness to them about Jesus, we are the 2nd witness. The Holy Spirit is the 1st Witness in their lives...whispering to them about the Lord and Savior...then you come in and "incarnate--(flesh out)" what the Spirit has been telling them.

How do you love someone 7 times?
1. Invite them to lunch and pay for it
2. Invite them to church
3. Take them to a movie
4. Text them (if you/they have cell phones)....Write them an encouraging letter
5. Tell them something you like about them
6. Pray for them
7. Play video games if you are a guy; go shopping with them if you a girl!
* Think of some more ways you can love them!

How do I tell them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ 3 times?
When you are loving them in one of the 7 ways, ask them if they worry about stuff. First, find a point of connection. While you are pigging out on Chick file, ask them if they worry about stuff. Tell them you do and then tell them how Jesus helps you overcome your worries. Let that be a bridge to begin talking about Christ. Another way is this: ask them what they get most excited about...tell them how Jesus loves when we live life abundantly and how we can use our talents for His glory...find out if they have received Christ as their Lord and Savior...tell them what it means to live with Jesus as Lord and with Jesus as Savior...it's a "Come, Follow Me" relationship. Pray with them...God save you and the people you love 7x3x!

7 times through

Here's another way to meditate/read the bible:

Pick One Book. Read it 7 times before you choose another book.

What happens when you watch Spiderman Three 7 times? You know every line and every move...you know it by "heart" right?

Here's the deal: the goal is NOT to "get through" the Bible...it's to let the Bible "get through you...to your heart"!

So many times we read a book having NO IDEA what it was about...our behavior does not change...

Read a book 7 times. Suggestion. Start with 2 John. It's only 1 chapter; 13 verses! How about Philemon. It's only 1 chapter; 25 verses. Jonah is cool...only 4 chapters and an intriguing story...very short books.

Here are 7 things you do each time you read:

(1) First reading: read through, as if you were reading a novel...get a good understanding...look at the whole and not the details...

(2) Second reading: read through zoning in on people and places...begin to think details

(3) Third reading: read through zoning in on events taking place

(4) Fourth reading: look for major themes of each chapter. Write them down. Look for the major theme of the book. Write it down...memorize the themes...even some verses...

(5) Fifth reading: Look for and take notes on: (a) God' s relationship with humans (b) humans relationship with God (c) humans relationship with other humans

(6) Sixth reading: Take notes on God's grace: creation, redemption, forgiveness, salvation, holiness, crucifixion, resurrection...in other words...how is God shown to be the "hero" of each chapter? Of the book?

(7) Seventh reading: write down all the commands that you find. Then, practice one command a week...practice doing all the commands for a week...even a month...until the bible "gets through you" enough to change you...

Then and only then have you "read" the bible because it has now "read you"!

S.O..A.P. with an I

HEY!

Hope you liked S.P.A.C.E. P.E.T.S. yesterday!

Here's another tool to help you when you read/meditate on the Bible. It's called S.O.A.P.! However, I want to add an "I" to it, which makes it S.O.I.A.P. Print this blog out and go through as a "help guide" next time you open the bible!

Scripture
Observation
Interpretation
Application
Prayer

SCRIPTURE
the "S" simply means Scripture. Pray about and choose which Scripture you will read

OBSERVATION
The "O" means Observation- observe what is going on in the text. This when you become a detective! Act like you are the TV program, C.S.I. Good detectives ask 5 questions, and so will you in the Observation stage of bible study:

1. What?- what is being said? What is happening?
2. Where?- where is this taking place? Where have the characters been? Where are they going?
3. Why? Why is the event happening? Why are the characters saying what they are saying? Why did the author write this book? Why is God telling the people to do these things?
4. When? When did this take place?
5. How? How did God do what He did? How did the people respond?

INTERPRETATION
The "I" means Interpretation. Ask/answer 3 questions here:

1. What did this bible passage mean to the people in that day?
2. What does this bible passage mean to the church today?
3. What does this bible passage mean to my family and me today?

APPLICATION
The "A" means Application.
This is where you take what the Bible says...everything you just learned in "S", "O", "I" and plan to put it into action. Make a goal, for example:

Because the bible passage talked about being joyful always, I plan to not complain and smile when my mom and dad ask me to clean my room.

PRAYER
The "P" means Prayer. Praise God for His living and active word (Hebrews 4) and ask Him to help you live what you just meditated on.

Test Drive
Test S.O.I.A.P. out with one paragraph in Philippians and see if it helps you as you read, meditate, and pray through the bible!

Devotional TIME!

Hey Fusion! You guys and gals are some of my favorite people on earth! Just lettin' ya know!

Since we are in our "Word of God Speak" series, over the next week, I will be sharing some things you can do to help you as the Word of God speaks to you...specifically, as you read/meditate on the Bible and PRAY.

Today you will learn a simple acrostic to help you with the Bible.

Here we go.

As you read/meditate (meaning reading the bible as if you were eating a nice juicy steak and buttered up potato! You chew slowly, taking it all in, and let it digest...of course, some of you probably dig your fork in and pig out like there is no tomorrow...especially if you just downed an energy drink!)...but as you read/meditate on a bible passage, ask yourself these questions...it is easy to remember, so you can do it where ever you are...It's called: S.P.A.C.E P.E.T.S

***You could even use these in D-GROUPS!

Read a chapter, for example, John 3, and ask:

Is there a:

Sin to confess?
Promise to claim?
Attitude to change? Am I willing to work on a negative attitude and begin a positive one?
Command to obey? Am I willing to obey no matter how I feel?
Example to follow? Is it a positive example for me to copy? A negative one to avoid?

Prayer to pray? Can I pray this exact scripture BACK to God for me or others?
Error to avoid? Is there a problem that I should be alert to or beware of?
Truth to believe? What does the passage say about God the Father? God the Son? God the Holy Spirit? What does it say about how God relates to humans?
Something to praise God for?

S.P.A.C.E P.E.T.S----try to memorize it and then you will be able to ask yourself these questions to help the Word of God speak to you where ever you are!

GOD the SPIRIT

Hey!

Last night we talked about GOD the SPIRIT! Here's one more characteristic about God the Spirit:

THE SPIRIT of COUNSEL

SOME say "The COUNSELOR" was JESUS’ FAVORITE NAME for HIS SPIRIT. WHEN you think about it, it makes sense…Jesus SPOKE about the “COUNSELOR” during the MOST INTENSE TIME of HIS LIFE. He spoke about HIM hours before He would suffer and die on the Cross. Take a look at JOHN 14:25-26:

25"All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

PARA-WHO???

THE WORD “COUNSELOR” here can also be translated as “HELPER”, “ADVOCATE”, “ENCOURAGER”, or “FRIEND.” It comes from the Greek Word, “paraklētos”. It is normally describe as a “Person who comes along side of you” to help you out when you are in trouble, kind of like a teacher helping out a student who is failing, a doctor rushing to help his patient, or A FRIEND MAKING SURE YOUR BACK DID NOT GET too WELPED UP playing “STING PONG”!

I'VE GOT YOUR BACK!

I like what I have recently heard about the word, “paraklētos.” It is the idea of two Roman soldiers standing together in BATTLE FORMATION. These 2 would have EACH others BACK. I LIKE THAT. The SPIRIT as our COUNSELOR has our BACK…DO YOU KNOW what He is ATTRACTED TO? Not our STRENGTHS, but our WEAKNESS. When we GET to a POINT in our LIVES where we CAN CONFESS our WEAKNESS to GOD and our UTTER DEPENDENCE on HIM for LIFE, we are in a GOOD PLACE.

HOWEVER, the PLACE where we mostly live is a FAKE REALITY. We are NOT KEEPING it REAL with GOD. We either ACT like we’ve got it all together or we depend on someone else to be God for us or something else to be God for us. Listen, your friends are great, but never let them take the PLACE of the SPIRIT of COUNSEL in your life. Never drown your weakness’ and problems in drugs, alcohol, hurting others feelings, lustful acts, or whatever. This life can be a battle and God the Father has sent His Spirit of Counsel to have our backs. He even prays for us in our WEAKNESS. ROMANS 8:26. I love what one preacher says about this. The groans the SPIRIT of GOD are praying in are “GUT WRENCHING PRAYERS.” Before you WAKE UP in the MORNING and BEFORE you GO TO BED at NIGHT, the SPIRIT of COUNSEL is CRYING OUT to GOD DESPERATELY for your life. Man I hope that changes the way you wake up tomorrow morning and go to be at tonight……

PRAYER

Holy Counselor, You are awesome for having our back! I need You desperately. Counsel me in the Word of God in order to live the Word of God! In Jesus my Friend. Amen!