Author: everydaywiththeking

Bible study

Bible Study Methods

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Last week was the last of “Question of the week” on the Facebook page.

Copy of Question of the Week

This post is a follow up on the topic of Bible study methods.

BUT FIRST

Before reading this post please take a brief pause to ask yourself one simple but extremely important question:

Why do I want to study the Bible?

Why is such a powerful question! It clears the confusion and brings what is truly important into focus. Once you are certain of your why then it’s time to think about how.

Bible study for me is an activity with one constant goal that doesn’t change regardless of the method used for the study. My why is to know Jesus. I don’t just want to learn and understand about Him but truly actually KNOW JESUS! 

However

I have definitely experienced times of losing sight of the true goal and forgetting my why. To know more about that problem, please read this earlier post Purpose of Bible Study

Bible Study Methods

A method is a way to go about doing a Bible study. You could say that a method of Bible study is a kind of framework or structure to organize what you are doing.

Choosing a method for personal Bible study

Let’s explore this subject by considering a few questions:

  • what comes to mind when you think of Bible study methods?
  • why use a method at all?
  • Do you currently use a particular method?
  • Does it matter what method you use?

I think it does matter what method of studying the Bible is used. Not because one way is necessarily better than another but there is likely a certain Bible study method that is more beneficial for you. Discovering the best method will result in an enjoyable, rich and rewarding experience.

If you are finding Bible study to be a great experience you are probably using the best method for you. But if not, you may want to explore different types of Bible study methods.

Resources for you ↓

Here is a page that is absolutely packed with helpful links. I recommend visiting and bookmarking it – How to Study the Bible

More helpful links can be found on the Bible Study page

Please leave comments below or contact me – HERE

Surround your Bible study time with prayer and make sure your motive is all about Jesus!

 

 

 

Bible, Morning devotions, Quiet time

Welcome to November

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Welcome to November

It’s time to Fall back!

Setting our clocks back is a cause for celebration. We will be getting back that hour we lost during Daylight Saving Time.

What will you do with your hour?

It’s your CHOICE. You get one more hour of time to use whatever way you want. You may decide on an extra hour of sleep or an extra hour of anything else. It’s your choice to spend your hour any way you desire.

You are used to getting up at a certain time each morning, right?

I have a suggestion for those who have difficulty finding time for a morning quiet time with God. When you set your clock back, set your alarm for one hour earlier. You would continue to rise in the morning the same as you have been. You will be ready to sleep earlier at night so you adjust your schedule by going to bed an hour earlier.

If you choose this way to spend your extra hour then you need to plan ahead and make it happen. On Saturday night set your clocks back the hour. Set your alarm ahead one hour. If one hour is too much then try 1/2 hour. Pray about it and make your plan.

Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days.   -Ephesians 5:16  J.B. Phillips

What will you do with your hour?

Please leave your answer in the comments below.

Did you miss last week’s post? Read it here Daily Meeting

Welcome to November

 

 

prayer, Quiet time

Daily Meeting

everydaywiththeking

Are you spending some time alone with God each morning? If not, do you make time in the evening or some other time each day?

This post is especially for those who say they don’t have time to meet with God each day.

Surely you will agree that nothing on your agenda could be more important than time with God.

Perhaps you’ve experienced a great struggle to make it happen. Does it seem there are endless interruptions to your plan to have a quiet time with the Lord?

Sometimes expressing something in a different way is very enlightening. So I’m going to list a few different ways to say there isn’t time for meeting with God each day. 

  • I have more important things to do than spend time with God
  • I’m fully capable and ready to plunge into my day without consulting with the Lord
  • Jesus will have to wait
  • I’ll take the time to meet with God when I’ve done everything else I need/want to do

What do you think about those statements? If you are a follower of Jesus, I know you don’t agree with any of them. However, wouldn’t it be more truthful to say something from the statements above than to claim there isn’t enough time to meet with God?

The undeniable truth is that you will find a way to do what you truly want to do!

When meeting with God each day becomes your top priority you will find a way to make it happen.

What if you lack the desire to devote time to meeting with God? If this is the case, consider asking God to give you the desire to spend time with Him. You may soon be surprised by how quickly your desire can grow.

The next step for most people is simply setting your alarm clock for an earlier time.

NOTE: If you are not accustomed to spending any time with God at the start of your day, you should begin with a little time and add more as you go along. It is better to increase the time gradually than struggle with unreasonable expectations and end up quitting the habit before it can be established.

Day by day you will be investing your time in the best way!

You may want to check out Design Your Daily Quiet Time

Daily Meeting (2)

 

 

 

Bible, controversial

Dark Days

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October 9, 2019

The news reports are showing people fleeing the Turkish attacks that began a few hours ago. Panic and confusion are taking over and the skies are dark from the smoke.

Stumbling to the slaughter

Deliver those who are drawn toward death,And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know t

Links to check out ↓

The Jerusalem Post

Christianity Today Article

For a little background on the current President of Turkey read this article I wrote for another website in 2016 Attempted Military Coup in Turkey

You may also be interested in this blog post Warning – You Might Not Like This

One more that you may possibly want to read on the subject of current events from a Christian perspective Christian Reaction

Comments are always welcome

Book Reviews

Scarlett’s Spectacles Book Review

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Book review for Scarlett’s Spectacles

Author:  Janet Surette

Illustrated by:  Shane Crampton

I received this book from B&H Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Description from back of the book

Young Scarlett has been wearing her grumbly glasses, which make for a grouchy girl and a gloomy day. But when Mom encourages her to look through her glad glasses instead, Scarlett finds a brighter day and a happy heart as she chooses to see all of God’s good gifts.

This delightful story encourages young readers to put down their own “grumbly glasses” and make the cheerful choice to see each day with a grateful heart!

Janet-SuretteThe author, Janet Surette is mother to Taylor the Strong, Avery the Good, and Scarlett the Loud. Janet combines the skills of being a Christian speaker, author, and blogger with the wisdom of motherhood to produce winsome messages that engage parents and children alike through rhyme, compelling imagery, and a bit of spunk that crafts timeless messages into memorable resources that instruct and delight. You can learn more about Janet at janetsurette.com

This is the first review I have done for a children’s book.

Today there is a growing selection of high-quality Children’s books with Christian themes. This category has been expanding in recent years and I’m thrilled to see the number of choices available.

Scarlett’s Spectacles is a very sturdy board book designed to be read over and over. Scarlett discovers the joy a good attitude brings after following her Mom’s advice. Each day is a new opportunity to make a cheerful choice!

The story is wonderful and so are the charming illustrations!

Whimsical fun with a serious message 🙂 

I loved reading Scarlett’s Spectacles and hope to see more from Janet Surette and Shane Crampton in the future.

blue_bloggerbadge

 

I received this book from B&H Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

 

 

Whimsical fun

Bible, books, Jesus

First Week of October

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If you missed it, please read last week’s blog post Fall Changes

Welcome to October!

I know that some parts of the United States have experienced snowstorms this week. That’s hard for me to imagine because here in Virginia, we are continuing to have temperatures in the 90s each day. The weather forecasters are saying that we will have a beautiful weekend with temperatures dropping into the 70s beginning on Friday! So I’m looking forward to enjoying some outdoor activities on Saturday.

This is the first week of the new Fall schedule. Here’s what was posted on the Facebook Page.

Monday

Question of the Week

Question of the Week

Please leave your answer in the comments below or answer on the Facebook page.

Wednesday

David Crowder Live: How He Loves & After All (Holy)

We will end the week with the topic of books tomorrow. But you can participate today 🙂

Friday

What will you be reading this weekend_ (1)

Please don’t leave yet.

Take a moment to share your answers below.

This new Fall schedule is incomplete without your participation ♥

  • Who is your favorite person from the New Testament other than Jesus?
  • what will you be reading this weekend?

First Week of October

As always any comments or questions are welcome. If you would rather your comment not be posted you have the option of sending a private EMAIL

I hope you are walking every day with King Jesus. He invites you to come with Him today. Need to know more about this invitation?

Visit the following link >>> The Good News

 

 

Uncategorized

Fall Changes

everydaywiththeking

A few leaves are beginning to turn, hummingbirds are starting their migration, and Fall allergies are in full force. But with daily temperatures still in the 90s, it certainly doesn’t feel like Fall where I live in Virginia. The arrival of the Fall season seems hardly noticeable, yet it is happening. Summer is gradually slipping away even while it feels as if it’s never going to leave.

Fall changes are coming

This season of natural change seems like a perfect time to introduce something new to the blog and Facebook page.

You can expect to see more activity, especially on the Facebook page. The following is the new Fall schedule starting on Monday, September 30th.

 Every Day with the King Facebook Page weekly schedule

Each week there will be a question posted on Monday. You can share your answer in the comment section found under the question any time during the entire week.

Wednesdays are going to be little surprises. There could be a video, a devotional thought, an excerpt from a Bible study, or something else.

Thursday is still the day you will usually find the new blog post.

On Fridays, the focus will be all about books.

  • Monday          – weekly question
  • Wednesday     – surprise
  • Thursday         -blog post
  • Friday              – about books

Some of what is posted on the Facebook page will also appear in a weekly email sent to those who are subscribed to this blog in addition to the regular blog post.

You will be able to participate by commenting. If you want to interact on the Facebook page you will be able to do so on the scheduled days. Of course, you could even jump in on both blog and Facebook 🙂

If you don’t want to miss anything you will need to make sure that you’re subscribed to this blog and following the Facebook page.

Hopefully, many readers will be interested to participate in these new activities.

Please comment below or EMAIL

Seasons change but in every season, Jesus Christ is always the same, yesterday, today and forever. (see Hebrews 13:8)

 

Fall changes are coming

Every day with the King through every Season!

 

 

Bible study

Purpose of Bible Study

everydaywiththeking

Before reading this post please take a brief pause to ask yourself one simple but extremely important question:

  • Why do I want to study the Bible?

Why is such a powerful question!

It clears the confusion and brings the truth into focus.

Bible study for me is an activity with one constant goal that doesn’t change regardless of the method used for the study. My why is to know Jesus. I don’t just want to learn and understand about Him but truly actually KNOW JESUS!

(The following is from a post I wrote 2 years ago)

As we enter the season of Fall many of us are excited to be starting new Bible studies!

So, let’s stop and think for a moment about our motivation.

What is the purpose of Bible study?

Choosing to study the Bible is obviously a wise use of your time. You might describe this activity as having eternal value and it’s worth truly priceless.

However, we must always keep in mind the true purpose of studying the scriptures. For those of us who enjoy the process of study, there is the danger of becoming consumed with the study itself. Take a look at what Jesus said in John 5:39-40.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.                -John 5:39-40      

You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me! And still you are not willing [but refuse] to come to Me, so that you might have life.       John 5:39-40 AMPC

Why do you study the Bible?

This is an important question to ask yourself.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.   – John 17:3 NKJV

And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.   -John 17:3 AMPC

This is eternal life:
that they may know You, the only true God,
and the One You have sent – Jesus Christ.   -John 17:3 HCSB

Surround your Bible study time with prayer and make sure your motive is all about Jesus!

Surround your Bible study time with prayer and make sure your motive is all about Jesus!
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Love to know your thoughts about the purpose of Bible study.

Please leave a comment below or send an EMAIL

 

Bible, Corrie ten Boom

You Have An Enemy

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Who is this enemy?

Recognizing the enemy is crucial!

It’s not a person or anything in the physical world that you can see.

Ephesians chapter 6 is a great place to find the truth and important instructions about dealing with the enemy.

Let’s look at Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  – Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.   -Ephesians 6:12  AMPC

In conclusion be strong—not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless resource. Put on God’s complete armor so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s methods of attack. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil. Therefore you must wear the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power and that even when you have fought to a standstill you may still stand your ground. Take your stand then with truth as your belt, righteousness your breastplate, the Gospel of peace firmly on your feet, salvation as your helmet and in your hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Above all be sure you take faith as your shield, for it can quench every burning missile the enemy hurls at you. Pray at all times with every kind of spiritual prayer, keeping alert and persistent as you pray for all Christ’s men and women.    -Ephesians 6:12-18  J.B.Phillips

To live the overcoming life we must keep our focus steady on Jesus and not be distracted by enemy schemes. This is not accomplished in our own power but through Jesus who is Victor! 

Corrie ten Boom’s example shows the importance of being aware of the enemy’s true identity. She wrote much about her experience of victory through Jesus. 

I often looked death in the eye when I was a prisoner. When I saw the smoke go up from the crematorium I asked myself, “When will it be my turn to be killed?” I did not know that one week before they killed all the women my age I would be set free through a miracle of God and a blunder in the administration. When you look at death you see everything in such an uncomplicated way. I saw that the devil was strong, much stronger than I, but then I looked at Jesus. He was strong, much stronger than the devil. Together with Him, I was much stronger than the devil. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Lord Jesus, thank You that when we are yoke-fellows with You, we stand on victory ground. Hallelujah!     – Corrie ten Boom

Visit Corrie ten Boom to learn more about this amazing woman of faith

Comment below or contact me directly by email Lynn@everydaywiththeking.com

You Have An Enemy (2)

 

Book Reviews

Remember God Book Review

everydaywiththeking

Book review for Remember God

Author:  Annie F. Downs

I received this book from B&H Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Description from back of the book

I know God is loving; I know He is good; I believe He is big and powerful. But sometimes I wonder if He is really kind— really deeply always kind.

Is He?

Christians love to talk about how God is in control, but that’s harder to grasp when things aren’t going like you thought they would, when your life looks quite different than you imagined.

For centuries, God’s people have been building altars to Him—to remind themselves and the people around them of His work. His goodness. His kindness. Stacks of stones. Altars. Temples. Cathedrals. Why? Because they believed God and wanted to remember Him.

In the back of my mind, God reminds me that He is the same trustworthy God—the One who always finishes the stories he starts. And this is my story—of wrestling with our God who gives a limp and a blessing. A God who is always kind even when my circumstances feel the opposite. God is who He says He is. He is kinder than you imagine. In a world where it is easy to forget who He is, we will not. We will remember God.

IMG_20190829_123143762

Let me start by saying this book was not at all what I was expecting.

Remember God strays far from the goal stated in the description. This is the first Annie Downs book I have read and will likely be the last.

There is a certain casual style that appeals to many but not to me especially when dealing with such important subjects. This book seems very self-focused and immature. Mostly I just don’t see how reading Remember God will provide what you need if you are struggling with truly perplexing questions in life.

If I had never read anything on the subject I might feel a little different than I do about this book. However, I’ve read some absolutely terrific writing on the subject over the years.

Below are books that I highly recommend

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Questions or comments?

Please leave a comment below or email me Lynn@everydaywiththeking.com