Christian Equipment

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16 & 17


The children and I were discussing our new verse at lunch today.  I try not to take for granted that the younger children in our family understand all the words in our verses so we talk about each one and their meaning.  When we got to the word "equipped," we started talking about equipment and used the analogy of a farmer and his farming equipment.  When he has his "equipment" (among other things) he is "equipped" for his farming job.  Of course, that lead to many other things that we need equipment for, i.e., camping equipment for camping; sports equipment to play sports, etc.

So, we determined that scripture, which is God-breathed, is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness AND our necessary "equipment" for Christian living because it equips us for every good work!

Don't forget to use your Christian equipment and use it regularly!

Do you have any stories to share?  Has God used any of the memory verses in a unique or powerful way yet?  Let us encourage each other with our testimonies and praises!

Visit the blog at www.biblechallengeblog.blogspot.com

Week 5 - 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16 & 17


The Word


One of the ways, we maintain our personal relationship with God is through the Word -- one of the vertical spokes on our wheel.  God's Word to us is our spiritual food, a lamp to our feet, and the Spirit's sword for spiritual battle.  It is the foundational spoke for effective living in Christ.

We've already learned one verse dealing with this "spoke" of the wheel:  Joshua 1:8, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then, you will be prosperous and successful."

For the next 6 weeks, our verses will focus on the Word of God.

Enjoy your time in the Word this week as you meditate on and memorize 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17!

Crucified with Christ

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

How have we been crucified with Christ?

Galatians 2:20 Footnote:

Legally, God looks at us as if we had died with Christ. Because our sins died with him, we are no longer condemned.  Colossians 2:13-15 says, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

Colossians 2:13-15 Footnote: Before we believed in Christ, our nature was evil. We disobeyed, rebelled, and ignored God (even at our best, we did not love him with all our heart, soul, and mind). The Christian, however, has a new nature. God has crucified the old rebellious nature (Romans 6:6) and replaced it with a new loving nature. The penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. God has declared us not guilty, and we need no longer live under sin's power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots -- we still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature but now we are free to live for Christ.

Relationally, we have become one with Christ, and his experiences are ours. Our Christian life began when, in unty with him, we died to our old life. In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following Christ. This too is a kind of dying with him.  Luke 9:23-25 says, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?'"

And yet the focus of Christianity is not dying, but living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with him. Legally, we have been reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:19) and are free to grow into Christ's likeness (Romans 8:29). And in our daily life, we have Christ's resurrection power as we continue to fight sin (Ephesians 1:19, 20). We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us -- he is our power for living and our hope for the future (Colossians 1:27).

All Footnotes taken from NIV, Life Application Study Bible.

Pass the Verse

A fun way for families or groups to practice verses:

Form a circle, one person starts the verse and you go around each taking a turn saying the next word in the verse.

You could also add a small ball or bean bag to this game.  Form a circle, toss the ball or bag around the circle, whoever catches it says the next word of the verse.

I am the vine.....

We have been camping at the river for the last five days.  We haven't delved into our new verse too much yet but we've practiced our old ones.  This one seems to be Lydia's favorite right now!

Uncle Jeff took the "bigs" (a/k/a the big kids) on a hike down the river and they discovered a big tree with a vine growing around it which reminded them of John 15:5.  We also talked about the river current, which really wasn't that strong but yet strong enough to carry the children down a few feet, and how powerful the Great Flood must have been!  It's hard not to be reminded of the Creator when you're surrounded by His beautiful creation!

How is your week going?  Any thoughts on Galatians 2:20?

Week 4 - Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Remember the Wheel? Christ is still the focus of our memorization and meditation this week. Christ is our "hub" and apart from him we can do nothing!

Remain in Him this week!

2 Corinthians 5:15 & 17 Footnotes

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.


Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.  
                                                                                                                                      2 Cor. 5:15 & 17

Footnotes taken from NIV Life Application Study Bible:

Everything that Paul and his companions did was to honor God.  Christ's love controlled their lives.  Because Christ died for us, we also are dead to our old lives.  Like Paul, we should no longer live to please ourselves; we should spend our lives pleasing Christ, who died for us and rose from the grave.


Christians are brand-new people on the inside.  The Holy Spirit gives them new life, and they are not the same anymore.  We are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated -- we are re-created (new creations), living in vital union with Christ (Colossians 2:6,7).  At conversion we are not merely turning over a new leaf; we are beginning a new life under a new Master.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
                                                                                                                                   Colossians 2:6 & 7

The word that keeps standing out to me in our verse this week is ALL.

ALL have sinned.

He died for ALL.

He paid it ALL.

He is our ALL in ALL.

He works out ALL things for our good, if we love Him.

ALL things are possible with Christ.

Love the Lord with ALL your heart.


Do you have any thoughts to share about this verse this week?

Jesus Paid It All

I love almost all types of music and I just couldn't pick between these two videos.

This one has a beautiful video that I wish I could just jump into.  It's a great arrangement for calming your spirit and preparing for a time with the Lord.  I would love for this to be Faith & Kate's next duet (hint,hint).

But this one gets me on my feet and makes me want to sing and dance and praise my Jesus!

Thank you, Jesus -- You paid it ALL!

Record Your Verses

Another memorization idea -- record your verses!

Many devices, such as an iphone or itouch, have the capability to record your voice or a memo.  Why not record your verses?  You could listen to them at any time, over and over if you wish.  You could get even more creative and video yourself or your children saying the verse to watch and listen to.

There are some grandmas and grandchildren in the Bible Challenge.  What grandma wouldn't love to get a video of their grandchild saying the verse??

Are you doing something creative to keep God's Word before you?  Please share!

Pray Scripture

Our Bible teacher today suggested that we look at some key scriptures, turn them into prayers and consider spending some time praying those scriptures.  In other words, turn a scripture into a prayer to God.

For example, praying scripture for our first week's verse might look like this:

Most gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word -- the Book of the Law.  May it never depart from my mouth.  Please help me meditate on Your Word day and night -- show me what that looks like -- so that I can be careful to do everything written in it.  God, you said that if I do that THEN I will be prosperous and successful and, Lord, I want to be prosperous and successful in Your eyes and for Your Kingdom.  Thank you for your promises!  Amen.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Joshua 1:8


Consider spending some time praying our scriptures during your meditation time this week!

Week 3 - 2 Corinthians 5:15 & 17

2 Corinthians 5: 15 & 17

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Christ the Center

Just as the driving force in a wheel comes from the hub, so the motivation for living a Christian life and the power for a believer comes form Jesus Christ the Center.  Jesus is the hub! (2 Corinthians 5:15,17 and Galatians 2:20)

The spokes of the wheel demonstrate the means by which Christ's power becomes operative in our lives.  We maintain our personal relationship with God, through the vertical spokes -- the Word and prayer.  The horizontal spokes concern our relationship with people -both believers (through fellowship) and unbelievers (through witnessing).  

Our next few verses will focus on Christ!  

Week 3 - 2 Corinthians 5:15, 17

Week 4 - Galatians 2:20

How is the Bible Challenge going?  Is it a challenge?  A delight?  Both?  Leave some comments!

The Wheel

Every person has physical life.  But when we surrender to Jesus, we then possess a new, spiritual life -- the life of Christ within us.  This new life may be illustrated by a wheel.  

This wheel illustration has been used by the Navigators for more than fifty years. It helps Christians understand what they are called to do as disciples of Christ. Each part of this illustration represents an important component of a vital Christian life and each verse we are learning corresponds with that component. Without Christ, we can do nothing. (John 15:5).

John 15:5 Footnotes

These footnotes are taken from a Life Application Study Bible, NIV.

Verse 5:  Remaining in Christ means:


1.  believing that he is God's Son (1 John 4:15),
2.  receiving him as Savior and Lord (John 1:12),
3.  doing what God says (1 John 3:24),
4.  continuing to believe the gospel (1 John 2:24), and
5.  relating in love to the community of believers, Christ's body (John 15:12).


Verses 5-8:  Many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right.  But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to him, like a branch attached to the vine.  Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful.  Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine?  If not, you are missing a special gift he has for you.


The children and I studied a sweet potato vine we have growing on the patio.  We looked at the vine and how the branches (really just shoots of leaves) were connected.  Then we removed one of the branches and observed that it didn't take long for it to become withered and lifeless.  It was a great visual picture.  


We must stay connected to the vine!  

Remaining

I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

Anyone have any thoughts about what it means to "remain" in Jesus?

In the New King James and the English Standard version, the word there is "abide."

Which word do you prefer?

John 15:10 says, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

I like to think about our last two verses together -- Joshua 1:8 and John 15:5.  If we meditate on God's Word day and night so that we will be careful to do everything written in it, we will be obeying God's commands and remaining in him.  When we remain in him, we will be prosperous and successful, bearing much fruit.

What are your thoughts on our verse this week?

Bearing Fruit

From Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:

"From a vine we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for a Christian temper, disposition, and life. We must honor God, and do good; this is bearing fruit."

I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

Washed with the Word

Kelly shared this story:

One day a family living on the edge of a dessert was amazed to see that seeds had sprouted in the salty desert sands behind their home. No one could figure out how this happened, since they had often tried to grow things there with no results. The mystery was solved when they discovered that every day the mother had thrown her dishwater out the back door. After months and months, the salt which had hindered any growth was washed out of the sand. Then one day she threw some seeds out the back door. A short time later the plants began to sprout.

 

In the same way, as we saturate our minds with God's Word, it will wash out thought opposed to Scripture and will reconstruct other ideas around God's principles. 

"Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy Word is truth." John 17:17. 

 "Now you are clean through the Word that I have spoken to you." John 15:3

Keep washing!

A Creative Way......

Bobbye has been creating these beautiful images with an app called clipish and texting them to me.  It can then be saved to your phone as your wallpaper or lock screen.  Every time you pick up your phone, you see the verse!  How many times a day do you pick up your phone?  I also emailed the image to myself and saved it to my desktop. 

A creative way to keep God's Word before us daily!  Thanks, Bobbye!

Week 2 - John 15:5

I keep thinking about this footnote from Psalm 1 that was posted last week:

Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God's Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God's Word in our hearts.

For about the next 30 weeks or so, all of the verses that we will be learning are to ESTABLISH us in our faith.  We will be like the tree, putting our roots down deep.

A Bible teacher we heard recently explained it this way:  Once we are evangelized, we must be established.  After we are established, we are equipped for ministry.  Oftentimes, people are evangelized but never get established in their faith.  Whether you are a new Christian, a mature Christian or somewhere in between, these verses will be great to hide in your heart, both for your own establishment and for use in ministry.

Colossians 2:6-7 says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."


Week 2 - John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

This may be a familiar verse for some!  If this is one you already have committed to memory, you can use this week to really dig into this verse, chew on it some more and see what God has to tell you about it.  God's Word is living, he may have something new to show you!

Again, this is the old NIV version but you can learn any version you like.  I have a NIV study Bible that has all my notes and highlights in it and I want to learn a version that is going to be familiar when I'm reading in it.  I also like the ESV a lot and will always look up the verse in that translation as well.  So I encourage you to look up the verses in different translations for study purposes and choose which one you will memorize. 

I hope each of you has had a great week in the Word.  We have had lots of reciting, some good study time and meaningful conversations.

Continue to DELVE in 2012!

There's no God like Jehovah!

I was reminded of this song recently.  I can't seem to get it out of my head now......

There's no God like Jehovah!  Worship Him today!

Week 1 -- Footnotes

The following are footnotes taken from my Study Bible.

Joshua 1:6-8 Footnote:

Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead.  But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria.  He said that to succeed Joshua must :


1.  Be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy;


2.  obey God's law; and 


3. constantly read and study the Book of the Law -- God's Word.  


To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua.  You may not succeed by the world's standards, but you will be a success in God's eyes -- and his opinion lasts forever.




A cross-reference took me to Psalm 1:1-3.  I love this!

"Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers."

Psalm 1:1 Footnote:


God doesn't judge people on the basis of race, sex or national origin.  He judges them on the basis of their faith in him and their response to his revealed will.  Those who diligently try to obey God's will are blessed.  Their happy condition is like healthy, fruit-bearing trees with strong roots, and God promises to watch over them.  God's wisdom guides their lives.  In contrast, those who don't trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust. 


There are only two paths of life before us -- God's way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction.  Be sure to choose God's path because the path you choose determines how you will spend eternity.


Psalm 1:2 Footnote:


You can learn how to follow God by meditating on his Word.  Meditating means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read.  It means asking yourself how you should change so you're living as God wants.  Knowing and meditating on God's Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life.  If you want to follow God more closely, you must KNOW what he says.


This "law of the Lord" means all of Scripture; the first five books of Moses, the Prophets, and the other writings.  The more we know of the whole scope of God's Word, the more resources we will have to guide us in our daily decisions.


Psalm 1:3 Footnote:


When Scripture says, "Whatever he does prospers," it does not mean immunity from failure or difficulties.  Nor is it a guarantee of health, wealth, and happiness.  What the Bible means by prosperity is this:  when we apply God's wisdom, the fruit (results or by-products) we bear will be good and receive God's approval.  Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God's Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God.  To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God's Word in our hearts.


I want to be like that tree!

All footnotes in italics taken from Life Application Study Bible, New International Version.

Speak...Think...Do

While I was meditating on our verse of the week in Joshua, I was reminded of this verse in James:

^{James Chapter 1:22-25}
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."



In Joshua 1:8, God tells us to not let the Word depart from our mouths and to meditate on the Word SO that we can be careful to DO everything written in it.  

SPEAK...THINK...DO!

On your mark, get set, go!

Let's get this challenge going shall we?  A few points about this verse that I love and some questions to think about.  First,  God is speaking to Joshua right after the death of Moses and is encouraging him right before he was to lead the people of Israel across the Jordon river and take possession of the promised land.  Sandwiched between the verse we are learning God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous 3 times! 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."   Joshua 1:9.

How awesome is that?  What a blessing that is!

Here are a few questions to ponder and I would love some input. What does meditate mean?  If you do meditate, would you share some of the ways that work for you?  What does prosperous and successful mean?  You could contrast what the world believes that is versus what God thinks that is.

Translations

When I looked up our verse this week in my Bible it was actually different than the translation I posted.  I pulled this week's scripture from this site www.biblegateway.com and chose the NIV version.  I didn't realize it was choosing the new NIV version that has changed some of the wording, most of which I don't care for.  

All of this caused me to look at various translations and I've copied a few here for you to look at.  Which one do you like and why?

Joshua 1:8

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Joshua 1:8

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.