Bible Study Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Sharla Fritz
June 18, 2020

How to Come Out From Behind the Mask

 

Are you wearing a mask?

We sometimes wear masks on Halloween. We sometimes wear masks to costume parties. In these days of COVID-19 we wear masks to stores.

But are you wearing a mask now? Did you wear a mask yesterday? Will you wear one tomorrow?

I admit that I sometimes I hide behind a false identity because I’m afraid that you won’t like the real me. I’m careful to disguise my flaws. Cover up my vulnerability.

Authenticity scares us. So we tend to dab on a mask like we apply our makeup. We cover up mistakes like we conceal blemishes.

But what does God tell us about honesty? Colossians 3:9-10 says:

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

God Invites Us to Embrace Authenticity

God wants us to practice honesty with each other. Of course this means avoiding lying, deceit, and general fibbing, but I think at the root of this our Father is also telling us, “Don’t try to be someone you are not. Do try to be the person I called you to be.”

In Colossians, Paul tells us that we are able to do this because we have taken off our old self—the old self that needed to impress others, put on airs, and look good at all costs.

The new self is OK with authenticity, because the honest truth is that our new image is the image of our Creator. Romans 8:29 tells us we are “conformed to the image of His Son.” When God looks at us, He doesn’t see the mess that we sometimes see in the mirror. He sees us looking like Jesus—covered with His holiness.

When I find myself once again trying to apply a mask, I try to hang onto the truth that God loves me just as I am. He knows I sometimes struggle, but He also sees me as totally pure and victorious in Jesus. When I remember this, I am free to take off the mask and risk uncovering flaws.

Embrace transparency and experience the freedom of life without masks. 

Next step: Identify any masks you may be wearing? What are you trying to cover up? Ask your Creator to help you live as the authentic self He made you to be.

Find Out More

Bless These Lips

This post was adapted from my book Bless These Lips. This Bible study book examines things we say that get in the way of our relationships with God and with other. Each chapter draws on lip product analogies and uses humor, anecdotes, and observations to introduce Scripture passages that will help you use your words to encourage the people in your life.

Find out more about it here and here.

Filed Under: Bible Study, Taming Your Tongue Tagged With: ,
April 14, 2020

6 FREE Resources for Spiritual Practices in Uncertain Times

Undoubtedly, you have many emotions running through your head these days. COVID-19 has stirred up fear, uneasiness, anxiety, and doubt. Our world now faces something new and scary. When we don’t know what to do, spiritual practices can help. This post includes 6 FREE resources you can use in these uncertain days to stretch your faith and turn your heart to the God who has everything under control.

Soul Spa Kit

In these bewildering days we all need a spiritual compass. We need to reconnect with the One who can give us peace and direction. A spiritual retreat can be the conduit for that reconnection.

Every month I try to schedule one morning for a personal spiritual retreat. Jesus told His disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). He knew they needed to get away from the crowds, the noise, the responsibilities. Christ offers the same invitation to us.

You might be wondering: What do you do during a personal spiritual retreat? Here’s my process. I read God’s Word and journal what I hear God speaking to me. I pour out my struggles, asking God to make sense out of everything. I spend time resting in God’s love for me.

To help others experience their own personal spiritual retreats I created the Soul Spa Kit: 59 Ideas For Creating Your Own Spiritual Retreat. Inside this resource you will discover the who, what, when, why, where, and how of soul care. This kit is a little like a three-day spa weekend for your soul.

Click here to find out more about this resource and sign up for the Soul Spa Kit.

7 Words Your Soul Needs in a Waiting Season

Right now we are all in a holding pattern. The world has slowed and we wait for answers, wait for word that things can go back to normal.

But there’s no denying that waiting is hard. What do we do in the meantime?

Although our hearts squirm at the sound of the word wait and our souls try to wriggle away from its grasp, maybe it’s a word we need.

But, perhaps we need to reframe waiting. Look at it from a different angle. Hear it in a different context. What if when God said, “Wait,” we heard one of its synonyms? What if it were pronounced “pause”? Or “Expect“? Or “Abide”? Would it make a difference?

I think it does. Although the word wait almost always has negative connotations in our culture, I don’t think God necessarily intends waiting to be gloomy and punitive. Sometimes waiting is meant to be restorative. To give us a season of rest. To draw us closer to the Father. To help us abandon our own puny efforts and rely on the almighty power of God.

That’s why I created the free ebook 7 Words Your Soul Needs in a Waiting Season. Each lesson examines one of the synonyms of the word wait and how examining a waiting season from a different perspective can help us grow in faith in the God who loves us.

Click here to find out more and sign up to get this free ebook.

Finding Enough: A

7-Day Jump-Start to Decluttering Your Life

With extra time at home, maybe you are thinking of organizing closets and cupboards. Then this 7-Day Decluttering Guide is for you. It will help you not only purge the stuff you no longer need or want, but it will also help you toss out harmful emotions and thoughts.

Finding Enough: A 7-Day Jump-Start to Decluttering Your Life can help you reduce the clutter of your life. In the span of seven days, you will take a journey to cast out what is cluttering your closets, your schedule, and your minds. Each day, you’ll examine one area of your life and decide if it is time to keep or time to cast away. I won’t tell you what to hold on to or what to toss—that’s up to you. Some of the days, you will tackle a practical area of life like your home or schedule. Other days, we’ll delve into the cupboards of your soul to see if anything harmful or unnecessary is stored there.

If this is for you, click here to find out more and sign up for this free resource!

Spiritual Disciplines

Perhaps you are looking for a new way to spend time in God’s Word. A few years ago I discovered Spiritual Disciplines. At the time, I thought I had stumbled on something new, but Spiritual Disciplines have been used by faithful Christians for centuries, even millennia.

I love using Spiritual Disciplines because they help me focus my attention on my Savior and receive His gifts. These ancient practices help me spend time with the One who can calm my soul and reassure me of His love. These practices include prayer, listening, and meditating on God’s Word.

I did a whole series of articles on Spiritual Disciplines. Click on a link to explore each helpful practice.

Palms Up, Palms Down Prayer

SACRED Reading

Prayer Journaling

Examen

Slowing

Silence

Meditating on Bible Stories

Verse Mapping

If you’re a Bible nerd like me, you love spending time in God’s Word. You love digging into deeper meanings and discovering what it has to say in respect to your current situation.

Enter Verse Mapping. Verse Mapping is a Bible study method that examines the context, cross-references, translations, and word meaning of a particular verse in God’s Word.

In Verse Mapping, you look at the individual parts of a Bible verse and then put it back together with the new understanding you have gained. It incorporates all the things I usually do to dig into God’s Word in a systematic way. Through this method, you will grasp the meaning of the verse in a new way that will help you apply it to your life.

For some of you this time of coronavirus isolation has meant more time on your hands as your normal activities have been put on hold, leaving you with more time for Bible study. I did a series of articles and videos to explain the five-step process of Verse Mapping. Check them out!

Step One Article Video

Step Two Article Video

Step Three Article Video

Step Four Article Video

Step Five Article Video

Bible Study for Busy People

While some of you have more time on your hands because of coronavirus isolation, others of you have even less time than before as you juggle home schooling your children and doing your job!

You know you want to spend time in God’s Word, but you need some strategies to find that time and make to make the moments you have meaningful.

That’s why I did a series of articles on Bible Study for Busy People. Here you will find motivation to spend time with your Savior and some Bible study methods that help you make the most of that time.

Click on the links below for more information about Bible Study for Busy People!

Bible Study for Busy People

Bible Study for Busy People: Start with Stories

Bible Study for Busy People: 7 Strategies

Bible Study for Busy People: 5 Tech Strategies

Bible Study for Busy People: Finding PEACE in God’s Word

I hope that these ideas will help you grow in faith during this unusual time of coronavirus quarantine! Whichever methods you choose, remember that God is still in control. We may be shocked and surprised, but He isn’t. And He is able to work out something good even through a pandemic!

Next step: Pray and ask God which faith-stretching practice is best for you right now. Try it out, trusting that the Holy Spirit will bless your time in God’s Word!

Filed Under: Bible Study, Spiritual Growth Tagged With:
October 31, 2019

Why the Reformation Matters

WhyTheReformationMatters

More than 500 years ago Martin Luther nailed 95 Thesis to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. And we might be thinking, “So what?” 

Luther himself probably did not realize the importance of this simple act. The church door in a German town was like a public bulletin board. Along with Luther’s document outlining the corruption of the church in his day, the church door might have also held an announcement for a lecture series at the university or a posting of the times for confession in the upcoming week.

But Luther’s act of nailing the 95 Thesis was the beginning of the Reformation of the church–a church that had added man’s rules and customs onto the Word of God. A church that had misled the people. A church that told the masses they needed more than faith, more than grace to get to heaven.

The three cornerstones of the Reformation were Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, and Sola Fide–Word Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone. These cornerstones are still important to us today.

Sola Scriptura–Word Alone

In the years leading up to the Reformation, the church had begun to add onto the Word of God. The edicts of the church and of the pope were considered equal to the Bible. Martin Luther and other reformers reminded the people that God’s Word has all the truth necessary for our salvation and that no words added by men–even important men–are on the same level as the Bible.

In our modern world, we are also tempted to look for the answers to our problems everywhere but the Bible. Certainly, Scripture does not tell us how to bake a red velvet cake or give directions to Minneapolis. But it does tell us how to have a relationship with God, how to obtain peace and joy,  how to love and live in a broken world.

Why theReformationMatters

Sola Gratia–Grace Alone

In Luther’s time, people were told that God’s grace was not enough to get to heaven. Good works were a prerequisite. Luther himself agonized over this teaching, totally despairing because he knew he could never be good enough. He could never be perfect.

But through Scripture, Luther realized that none of us can measure up to God’s standard of perfection and that the only way to heaven is by the Lord’s mercy and grace. None of us deserve God’s forgiveness, it is only available to us through Christ’s death and resurrection.

This truth matters today because we often try to fix our problems on our own. We rely on self-help books. We work hard to improve our financial situation. We live like it all depends on us.

Grace alone allows us to let go of the try-hard life and rest in God’s mercy. It is only through His love and acceptance that we can come to Him. His grace gives us the strength to live day by day.

The truth of Grace Alone allows us to let go of the try-hard life and rest in God's mercy. Click To Tweet

Sola Fide–Faith Alone

Another falsehood the church of Luther’s day promoted was that faith in Christ was not enough to get to heaven. A man named Johann Tetzel and others were selling indulgences–little pieces of paper that “guaranteed” a quicker path to heaven. Most of Luther’s 95 Thesis dealt with this practice.

Romans 1:16-17 tells us:

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.

These verses were the turning point for Luther’s relationship with God. Once he realized that salvation was not dependent on good works or expensive little pieces of paper, but on faith in Christ, he felt the burden of his sin lift. Righteousness can only come from faith in what Jesus has already accomplished on the cross. I do good things out of gratitude for what He has done, but I do not have to be “good enough” to get to heaven. What a relief!

Even today, listening to preachers on radio and TV today may leave listeners with the feeling that there is so much they need to do to be a good person. So much to do to earn a ticket to heaven. But God’s message is faith alone–faith given to us through God’s grace. We accept this faith as a life-changing gift.

Faith alone in Christ’s death and resurrection gives us access to God and His power and love.

Faith alone in Christ's death and resurrection gives us access to God and His power and love. Click To Tweet

What happened 500 years ago in a little town in Germany changed the world. A list nailed to a church door still matters today.

Next step: Take a moment to contemplate the three tenets of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide. Which of these truths is hardest for you to put into practice in your everyday life? Ask the Father to help you in this area.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With:
May 14, 2019

To Find Enough: Reject the Myth That More Stuff Equals More Happiness

too often we believeamore stuff = more happiness

Why is contentment so difficult to attain? Why do we always want more? This post is part of a series on finding enough.

A while ago a local charity called and asked if I had any clothing or small household goods that I would like to donate.

Of course, I did.

In fact, I had just finished reorganizing my bookshelves, closets, and cabinets. On the day of the charity pickup, I set out four large boxes of books, two boxes of CDs and records (yes, I still had some old school technology), and five garbage bags of out-of-date clothes and no-longer-loved home accent pieces.

I was so happy to send these things to a new home, but there was one depressing thing about the process: Even after getting rid of all that stuff, my house did not look much different. My closet was still full. My bookshelves still held hundreds of books.

I still had a lot of stuff.

I am not the only one whose house is full of clothes, dishes, games, DVDs, books, and the occasional Nordic Track clothes rack. Judging by the more than 1700 books listed on Amazon on the subject of organizing clutter, there are a few other people who have trouble corralling their belongings. One might even make the case that Americans are addicted to stuff.

So why do we continue to accumulate things? Why do we feel the need to own more and more?

Because society and our human nature tell us this equation is true:

More Stuff = More Happiness.

Using that equation, our minds compute a subset of calculations: A new boat means fun outings on the lake. Money in the bank equals financial security. A big-screen TV means hours of enjoyable entertainment.

And if we buy more and save more and make more and still aren’t happy, we don’t question the equation. Instead, we assume we don’t have enough stuff. We believe that when we add to the amount on the left side of the equation, the right side will also increase.

Because of this we never seem to have enough. Many studies have been done on how much money it takes to make someone feel wealthy and the results have been surprisingly consistent. Almost everyone feels that they would have enough if they had just twice what they have now. The worker making $40,000 would feel rich if he made $80,000. The person with two million dollars in the bank would feel he had enough if he had four million.

We think more will make us happier. And so, we never have enough.

But let’s reject that equation. Because it isn’t true.

Sure, getting the new handbag you’ve been saving for may bring a thrill at first. But it is sure to get scuffed or dirty. Or you see your friend’s new bag and wish you had seen that one first. Suddenly, what you have does not bring happiness.

The author of Hebrews wrote:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

We could also say, “Keep your life free from the love of handbags, shoes, home decor, or whatever else you are basing your happiness on. Be content with what you have. Getting more does not guarantee happiness. But God’s presence and joy is a sure thing.”

Getting more does not guarantee happiness. But God's presence and joy is a sure thing. Click To Tweet

Next step: When you find yourself falling for the lie that more stuff equals more happiness, recognize it for the myth that it is. Rest in God’s presence. Ask Him for contentment for what you have.

If you would like to learn more about finding enough, check out my brand new book Enough for Now: Unpacking God’s Sufficiency! 

A study of the parable of the rich fool, it will help you discover:

  • enough money
  • enough stuff
  • enough food
  • enough relationships
  • enough time
  • enough of me

You can find out more about it here. And order it here and here!

Filed Under: Bible Study, Contentment Tagged With: , ,
May 7, 2019

To Find Enough: Go to the God of Suffiency

God makes us capable of longing so that we come to Him to fill those longings.

Why is contentment so difficult to attain? Why do we always want more? This post is part of a series on finding enough.

When my husband, John, and I were first married, our vehicle was a used Dodge Polara–nicknamed the tuna boat. It was a huge car and not very attractive. But it got us where we needed to go–with the help of my husband’s fix-it skills.

At one point, the Polara needed a new fuel pump. John called the local junkyard and the person on the other end of the line assured John that he had the needed part. So John drove all the way out to the junkyard only to find that, no, there were no fuel pumps for Dodge Polaras. He ended up going to a car parts store much nearer to our apartment in order to find what the necessary piece to fix the car.

The junkyard was not the right place to find what we needed–even though John had been assured that it was.

Where to Find Enough

Life is like that too. We search and search for what will make our hearts happy and our lives fulfilled. Satan whispers in our ear that we will find it in getting a new sweater or a new car or a new husband. Too often we listen to his lies only to find that we have been looking in the wrong place for satisfaction. Even Satan knows that the only place to find enough is in the God of sufficiency. But to keep us from going to the True Source, he keeps misdirecting us.

Jesus tells us the right place to go to find the fulfillment of our needs. He told His disciples:

Don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. Luke 12:29-32

Jesus reminded His followers that they didn’t need to worry about food or clothing because the Father promised to look after their needs. Just as God cared for the grass waving in the fields and birds nesting in the trees, He would provide for them too.

Jesus tells all of us: “Look, you don’t have to be like the rest of the world chasing after things in the hope that possessions or positions will fill the emptiness inside. Live in trust that I know what you need. You are a part of my flock, you are following me. But like sheep, you don’t know what you need as well as your Shepherd does. Remember Your Father is a loving parent who takes great happiness in giving you the kingdom.”

Yearning for Enough

God makes us capable of longing so that we come to Him to fill those longings. He makes us yearn for enough so that we learn to trust Him for all that we need and desire. Jesus said, “But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!” (Luke 12:28). He reproaches our puny faith. But He also invites us to have confidence in the Father who even dresses transitory grass in beautiful colors and feeds tiny, insignificant birds.

God makes us capable of longing so that we come to Him to fill those longings. Click To Tweet

My husband listened to a salesman’s words and went to the wrong place to find what he needed. In the same way, we can listen to Satan’s lies and later find that we have been looking for contentment in the wrong places. Or we can go to the God of sufficiency and trust that whatever He gives us is enough.

Next step: What lies has Satan been telling you lately? Where have you been trying to find enough–only to discover it is the wrong place. Bring all your longings to the God of sufficiency.

If you would like to learn more about finding enough, check out my brand new book Enough for Now: Unpacking God’s Sufficiency!

A study of the parable of the rich fool, it will help you discover:

  • enough money
  • enough stuff
  • enough food
  • enough relationships
  • enough time
  • enough of me

You can find out more about it here. And order it here and here!

Filed Under: Bible Study, Contentment
April 30, 2019

Bible Study for Busy People: Finding PEACE in God’s Word

When our lives run at the speed of light, we find it difficult to fit in Bible study. And if we do manage to get a sliver of time to read Scripture, we may rush through our study time just to say we did it. How can busy people make Bible study matter?

During my final year of college, I had no time for lunch. Music history met at 11:00 am. Concert choir rehearsals were at 12 noon. Elementary Music Methods started at 1:00 pm. My only option was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I ate during the first few minutes of the Music Methods class. I would rather have had a salad or bowl of soup but a peanut butter and jelly sandwich met my needs. I could keep one in my backpack all morning, it wasn’t messy, and I could eat it quickly. I didn’t savor this necessary, but ordinary meal.

Too often, I treat my time in the Word the same way. I don’t have much time, so I read the necessary chapters in my Bible reading plan, but don’t take the time to savor them. How can we make our time in the Word meaningful?

Find PEACE in God’s Word

Finding PEACE in God’s Word helps me go a bit deeper even when time is short. I used this method of study for many years and found it helped me to take away a transforming truth each time I opened my Bible. This technique works with any length of Scripture passage, so it’s perfect for our busy lives.

When we use this method we will not only read the Bible, but search for the truths God has for our daily lives. Each truth starts with one of the letters in the word PEACE.

  • Promise
  • Example to follow or not to follow
  • Attitude
  • Command
  • Enlargement of my view of God

For example, looking in one of favorite chapters, Philippians 4, we can find:

  • Promise “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7) God promises to guard our hearts with His peace. Even when life is difficult, God’s unfathomable peace is available to us.
  • Example to follow or not to follow: “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). It seems these two women were not getting along. We should not follow their example of disagreement, but follow Paul’s instruction to agree in the Lord.
  • Attitude: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). Our minds should be occupied with truth and justice. We should think about pure, honorable, and lovely things.
  • Command: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Paul commands us to rejoice in the Lord. This means looking for something to be joyful about in God’s character, even when we find it difficult to have joy in our circumstances.
  • Enlargement of my view of God: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). God invites me invites to unburden my cares on Him. He doesn’t want me to worry so He allows me to pray about everything little thing that bothers me.

Finding PEACE Fits Into a Busy Schedule

This type of Bible study can fit into a busy schedule. Simply read a chapter or two and write down the PEACE you find in a journal. Not all chapters will contain all five elements, but each day you will find a truth to tuck into your soul for the rest of the day. Take a few minutes to savor God’s Word.

Next step: Grab your Bible, journal, and pen. Choose a favorite chapter of Scripture and find PEACE: Promise, Example, Attitude, Command, and Enlargement of your view of God.

For more ideas for Bible study for busy people read about 7 non-tech strategies you can use and 5 tech strategies.

Filed Under: Bible Study
April 23, 2019

Bible Study for Busy People: Attitude Adjustment

Not long ago if we had met in a coffee shop and you asked me, “How are you?” my standard answer would have been, “Busy.” I would have rattled off all my responsibilities and jobs.

I may not have been fully aware of this, but part of me secretly wanted you to be impressed with all my activities. I wanted my long list of “doings” to make your eyes open a little wider, your jaw drop just a bit.

Somehow I had the idea that busy equaled important. That a fuller schedule meant a fuller life.

Our culture encourages this view. Corporations reward the workers who work late and land big deals. News reports highlight the successful and prosperous. So we tend to wear busy like a blue ribbon at a state fair.

I myself thought hustling was the way to honor. I imagined that being snowed under a pile of tasks was the way to demonstrate my strength.

But then I read a verse in the book of Isaiah that changed my mind.


For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling. Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)

God turns my ideas of hustle and hurry upside down. The world says, “Hustle leads to honor.” God says “Resting in Me leads to salvation.” The world says “Busy is the way to importance.” God says, “Quietness is the way to strength.”

Modern-Day Life Conflicts with Bible Study

God’s ways often conflict with modern life. Our current culture certainly isn’t conducive for Bible study.

  • The world is noisy. We find it hard to be quiet enough to hear God’s voice in His Word.
  • We’re in a hurry and don’t take time to savor. We gulp down fast food instead of lingering over a meal. We may also take this grab-and-go approach with God’s Word.
  • We tend to be spectators instead of participants. We often watch sports events instead of engaging in physical activity. We may also listen to a sermon and call it enough for the week instead of digging into God’s Word for myself.
  • We want to be entertained. At the end of the day we may simply want to binge-watch some Netflix instead of reading something that could take a bit of effort.
  • We may think that an old book doesn’t apply to modern life. So we don’t take time to read the timeless truths found in the Bible or ask the Holy Spirit to show us how we can use God’s wisdom today.

Resting and Quietness

Perhaps finding time for Bible study in our busy lives requires an attitude adjustment. Remember:

Busy doesn’t equal important.

INSTEAD

Quietness equals strength.

When I finally grasped these truths I took a hard look at my schedule. I dumped out the contents of my calendar and examined each activity. I asked myself questions like:

  • Is this activity necessary?
  • Is this activity drawing me closer to God or pulling me away?
  • Why am I doing this activity? Is it to feel important?

When I put my calendar back together, some activities did not go back in. I threw out a part-time job that only caused stress. I quit a volunteer organization that took too much time. I stopped attending a club I no longer felt a connection to.

Now if you see me in a coffee shop and ask me, “How are you?” Hopefully I will not answer “Busy.” I won’t try to impress you with my hurry and hustle.

I’m learning to find strength in returning and resting. I’m discovering my value by listening to God’s voice in His Word.

For too long I ignored God’s invitation to rest. Like the people Isaiah was talking to, I “would have none of it.” You too?

God stands with open arms, ready to accept us in whatever state we’re in–peaceful and rested or busy and frazzled. He offers us rest and quiet, salvation and strength.

So let’s come to Him. Let’s open His Word and hear His words of love. Let’s meditate on His peace and rest in His care.

Next step: Evaluate your schedule. Do you find it difficult to make time for Bible study because of a faulty belief that busy equals important? Open God’s Word and bask in the rest and strength He gives.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: , ,
April 16, 2019

Bible Study for Busy People: 5 Tech Strategies

Busy people often struggle to find time for Bible study. Although technology can distract us from Scripture study, it can also help us study the Bible on the go.

I thought about this while on a recent road trip where I used the time in the car to listen to a book. I love audiobooks!

This love started when our kids were young and we needed to keep them occupied while traveling to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. But even now that our kids are grown, I check out an audiobook from our local library whenever my husband and I take a road trip. Listening to a “whodunit” makes the miles go by faster.

Lately, I’ve also started listening to books while driving around town. This practice helps me solve the problem of too many good books and too little time! “Reading” a classic while I complete my errands expands my knowledge. Listening while I drive helps me experience more books during the year.

And just like listening to audiobooks helps me dip into more books in the time I have, listening to the Bible is a way to fit more Bible study into our busy lives.

In a previous post, I talked about seven strategies to fit Bible study into our schedules. Here are five more strategies using technology.

5 Ways to Study the Bible with Technology

  • Listen to the Bible. Like me, you could listen to the Bible while driving. You could also listen while walking outside or cleaning your house. You can listen to the Bible on CDs, on your computer, or on Bible apps
  • Read the Bible on the go with an app on your phone. The YouVersion is a popular version.
  • Study the Bible online. Get Bible reading plans, compare different versions of Scripture, and find commentaries to go deeper on sites like BibleGateway.com and BlueLetterBible.org
  • Get daily inspiration with a devotional app like First5. This app combines a Bible reading plan with a daily devotion.
  • Use technology to help you memorize Scripture on the go. Apps like BibleMemory.com let you review your chosen verse while waiting in line, waiting in a restaurant, waiting for an appointment. And once God’s Word is stored in your heart, you can meditate on it all day long! Here are a few verses that I keep stored up for difficult days!

Focus on God’s Voice

No matter how you access Scripture, remember that it is God’s Holy Word. Focus on hearing God’s voice and not on the cool tech. Crowded schedules can benefit from apps and audio Bibles, but first and foremost we want to hear what the Holy Spirit is whispering to our hearts.

God longs to speak to us. He tells of His grace when we have failed. He inspires us with strength when we feel weak. He whispers words of love when we doubt our worth.

Next step: Choose one of the technologies above to help you fit more Bible study into your busy life. Start each session with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help you discern exactly what you need today.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: ,
April 9, 2019

Bible Study for Busy People: 7 Strategies

Years ago, one of my friends shared her strategy for fitting Bible study into her busy life.

Melissa started each day with the intention of getting up before her children woke and spending some time in the Word. But no matter how early she got up or how quietly she tiptoed down the hall, one of her three little ones would wake up and demand her attention.

Since a dedicated quiet time didn’t work in her current family situation, Melissa came up with a plan. She left her Bible on a small table on the stair landing between the first and second floor of her house. Every time she went up or down the stairs, she grabbed the Bible, opened it to her current reading spot and read a few verses. She tried to think about that passage while she continued with changing the baby, mopping the floors, or dusting the furniture.

Her grab-and-go method of Bible study wasn’t ideal and it wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but it was what worked for her. God still met her in the Word. The Holy Spirit still spoke to her heart.

7 Strategies to Fit Bible Study Into Your Busy Days

Maybe your life is a lot like Melissa’s right now. You want a dedicated time to read the Bible, journal your prayers, and meditate on all the Holy Spirit is teaching you. But it simply isn’t possible.

If you find yourself in a busy season, here are 7 ways that might work for you to fit Bible study into your days:

  • Start with prayer. Too often I read my Bible like any other book–forgetting that through it the Almighty Creator is speaking to me. If I remember to start with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to teach me, I am more likely to hear God’s voice and discern just what I need to hear that day.
  • Leave your Bible in a strategic place. Like Melissa, place your Bible somewhere you pass often. Maybe you can also use the stair landing. Or set your Bible on the kitchen counter. Or place it next to the chair where you nurse the baby. Or carry a small copy in your purse to read while waiting in line.
  • Display Scripture around your home. You can use pretty Scripture art and printed Bible quotes. But you can also scribble out your current favorite verses and tape them to your mirror so you can read while brushing your teeth. You can attach a passage to your computer to meditate on while the computer boots up. One of the ladies who used to attend my Bible study said she put the verses she most needed on sticky notes and stuck them to all of her kitchen cabinet doors. Every time she fixed lunch or cooked dinner she would reread God’s words of encouragement to her.
  • Use a devotional. Reading a short devotion is a wonderful way to start the day. Having one verse and a short meditation to read each morning can center your thoughts and align your heart to God. Some favorites: Jesus Calling, Heaven Calling, and Portals of Prayer.
  • Break up your Bible reading time during the day. Perhaps you can’t block out a thirty-minute time slot for reading the Bible, but you can squeeze in a few minutes here and there throughout the day. Read a five-minute devotional in the morning. Reread the Bible verse from the devotion at lunch. End the day by writing a prayer of gratitude to the Father.
  • Use a visual to help you stay on track. One simple way to do this is to find a calendar for the current month with squares large enough to write in. Every day record one highlight from your Bible reading or one prayer request. If time allows, color in the square. Use the coloring time to pray or meditate on the lesson learned. The ladies at Visual Faith Ministries have wonderful ideas and resources for this!
  • Memorize Scripture. This activity doesn’t require a great deal of dedicated time. Write the verse you want to commit to memory on a 3 X 5 card and carry it in your purse. When you are waiting for an appointment or standing in line at the grocery store, read and reread the card. In a week or two, you will know the verse by heart and the Holy Spirit can use it to encourage you whenever and wherever you are. For more ideas for Scripture memory click here.

God’s Promise

It’s easy to get discouraged in a busy season. All the more reason to dip into God’s well of encouragement–His Word–whenever we can.

Even if it isn’t as much or as often as we would like, God promises that whenever we interact with His Word it will make a difference in our lives. Isaiah 55:11 says:


It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

God promises that whenever He sends out His Word it will produce fruit, it will accomplish what He wants. In just a few verses at a time, He can speak to our hearts. In just a few minutes each hour, the Holy Spirit can remind us of God’s love and grace and give us the strength to keep going.

Next step: Choose one of the strategies for fitting Bible study into your busy days. Whatever plan you use, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you God’s truth through His Word.

Filed Under: Bible Study
April 2, 2019

Bible Study for Busy People: Start with Stories

I belong to a book club at my local library. Every month, the leader of our group chooses a new book for us to read. One month I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to the meeting, but I picked up the chosen book anyway. Usually I love the books the leader chooses so I thought I would read it even if I couldn’t attend the discussion.

However, eighty pages into the book, the story still hadn’t grabbed my attention. I decided not to read the last 500 pages. I gave up on the book.

Often, people have the same reaction when they start reading the Bible. They start at the beginning and breeze through Genesis with its page-turning plot of murders and global disasters. Reading Exodus goes a little slower, but we all love to root for the underdog, so readers cheer for the triumph of the people of Israel over the ancient world’s superpower–Egypt.

But then they arrive at Leviticus and get bogged down with all the laws and regulations. They give up on the book.

Bible Basics

If we want to persevere in our Bible reading, it is helpful to understand the structure of God’s Word. The Bible is not just one book. It is an ancient collection of books that first took shape in the fourth century AD. The 66 books of the Bible are put together in groups.

Christians typically see the sections of the Old Testament this way:

  • Pentateuch (also known as the Law) – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
  • Historical Books – Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
  • Poetic and Wisdom books – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
  • Major Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
  • Minor Prophets – Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Note: The Major Prophets are “major” because they wrote longer books; the Minor Prophets are “minor” because they wrote generally shorter books.)

The New Testament has five sections:

  • Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
  • History of the Early Church – Acts
  • Epistles of the apostle Paul – Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
  • General epistles — Hebrews; James; 1 and 2 Peter; 1, 2, and 3 John; Jude
  • Apocalypse — Revelation

All of these books are useful for our spiritual growth, but some are definitely easier to understand than others. If you don’t where to begin, start with stories.

Start with Stories

We all love stories. The Bible is one long story of God’s love for His people. Watch this video about the story and themes of the Bible.

The Old Testament introduces us to God and leads us through His interaction with people who were waiting for a Savior. The Gospels of the New Testament bring Scripture’s plot to its most exciting point–the arrival of that Savior. The book of Acts and the epistles continue with the story of what Jesus’ followers did after He went back to heaven. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, brings the whole plot to an exciting conclusion with a description of heaven.

Because we all love a good tale, the books of the Bible that tell stories immediately draw us in. The book of Genesis is full of drama. The first ten chapters include a murder and a global disaster. The narrative continues with epic journeys, love triangles, and kidnappings. And it’s all true!

The Gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John–all tell the story of Jesus’ life on earth. They describe Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. Each book is by a different person and so has a slightly different point of view. But each one shows the Almighty God coming to live among us so that we could know Him!

Remember that book club book I never finished? It turned out to be a good thing I gave up on it. At the next meeting I attended, I heard everyone in the group hated the book.

But don’t give up the Bible! Perhaps skip the hard-to-understand parts for now. But dive into the stories and learn how Jesus can change your story!

Next step: Read one of the Gospels–perhaps start with Luke or John. Read a chapter every day. Pick out one thing you learned about Jesus. If you want to go deeper into your study try meditating on individual stories. Click here to read more about this practice.

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