Worldview, Politics, and Culture

As you know from past blog posts, Chuck Colson is someone I have learned much from, and respect highly. What our view of the world is shapes everything we do. Having a Biblical worldview is imperative as believers. The first step is to know what you believe and why you believe it, and to think through what you exactly believe. To know Jesus Christ as savior is the beginning, but it is only the beginning. Our knowledge of the Trinity, God's ways, and how that relates to mankind should be something we never stop learning about. It starts with questions. About a week ago I posted a blog about Bible Study methods, the first thing I said to do is ask questions. Those questions are not exclusively only about salvation. Scripture is as deep as the ocean. Salvation is the beginning point of reference to then learn, learn and learn! Part of what we learn is that God is much bigger than we ever thought, we are much more sinful than we could ever imagine, and that our view of reality has some changing to do. Our minds have to change, along with our behavior. This does not happen in a vacuum. It takes hard work, serious study, and lots of mistakes, always leading us back to Scripture. What an adventure this life is! And what an enemy the world's way of thinking is. We learn the world's ways by osmosis, it is seeped into our minds, hearts and souls, it is the very air that we breathe. Then Christ comes resides in us, we are in Christ, and He begins to show us the false thinking of the world, the flesh, and the devil. It will not change over night, and it takes work. But what exciting stuff, and just think, it never ends.

I challenge you. Study, don't just let someone do it for you. But, do start wherever you are. I am studying Ephesians right now. For the last three days, I have been meditating on the first verse. "¹Paul,^{A)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">} an apostle of Christ Jesus^{B)" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">} by the will of God." What does the will of God really mean? What would it mean to my life if I really believed I was here by the will of God? Does God's will depend partly on me, and partly on God? Does doing God's will mean I have to be one of "God's celebrities, a super Christian?" And how big is God? These are just some of the questions I have been asking myself about that first phrase. I have come to one conclusion, that I sometimes can't see the Scriptures message because all I am looking for is for myself, my concerns, and my EVERYthing. Repentance is an everyday occurrence with me.

Keep digging till He comes...................................Lynn

Bible Study Methods

Hey, do you want to study the Bible but really don't know where to begin. Below is a place to show you how to do just that. I will be giving a few posts on Bible Study Methods for the next few days, so just plunge right in and see how you can really never plumb the depths of God's magnificent Word.

1. Read it. ____Read______ it, and ____Read________it again!

2. Ask________Questions___________. Who is the author, why do you think they wrote it, who was their audience, what are they trying to say, where is the action taking place, who are the major players, what isn’t being said, are there any terms or words you do not understand, WHAT DOES IT MEAN, WHY DID HE SAY THAT? I don’t understand is one of the best ways to deal with a passage. If you think you know it all already you might want to look at your heart and find out the spiritual blockage that is keeping you from a right relationship to the Scripture.

3. ___Outline____________it, in a very concise way. After you have read it several times sit down and try to put the events, words, sermon, and actions into a very brief type outline.

4. ___Re-Write it_______________it. Sum it up in one or just a few more words.

5. Reduce it to one_____Word!_____________.

6. ___Re-write__________your outline using different terms. Such as philosophical, theological terms. Again you will have to stop and ask questions. What does this passage teach me about the character of God, the attributes of God, the Trinity, specifically the Son (yes even in the Old Testament) or the other members of the Godhead?

Application Phase:

7. Write down what you saw in this passage that you hadn’t seen before.

8. Write down your application. Again ask questions, what will I do with this passage, what will I change in my life, how can I incorporate it into my life, is there something I have to repent of?

Take a Psalm today, or any other passage and do the above exercise with it. Enjoy!!!

Questions to Ask about weighty matters (More on the Trinity)

When I was teaching Bible Study Methods to middle schoolers, I taught them to always question everything including the Scriptures.  Not necessarily in a doubting way, but ask questions of the Scriptures.  Why did Jesus go there?  What was Paul thinking at the time he wrote that?  Why did they do what they did?  What were they having to go through?  Etc....Etc....I want to encourage you to do the same thing, especially when reading, listening, or viewing something that is teaching doctrine.  Then, be a Berean and go to what you know the Scripture says about it, and always make that your default setting.  Always understand the universal principle of interpreting the Bible is to understand the unclear passages by comparing them to the clear passages.  Go to other Bible passages that touch on the same thing, go to different commentaries, pick apart the words, find the meanings, mull over it, chew on it, and digest it.  It takes time, energy, and thought.  Do not just accept a piece of literature, or a movie, or anything else just on feelings alone.  Think, Think, Think, and Study, Study, Study.  

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  

II Timothy 2:15

I want to address some questions that you should be asking yourself as you read The Shack.  Asking questions should be where you should begin with a novel like this one.  

1. Does it point me to Christ?
   
2. Does what I am reading Glorify God and His Word?
   
3. Does it encourage me to mourn over my sin?
   
4. Does it encourage me to rationalize my sin?
   
5. Does it point me to Christ?
   
6. Does it show me my utter poverty before Him, and increase my dependency on Him?
   
7. Does it in any way, even subtly, teach works righteousness?
   
8. Does it enlarge my view of God or weaken my sense of His majesty?
   
9. Apart from how I feel, or how entertaining it is, does it match up with the teaching of Scripture?

I am sure you all could come up with better questions, and if you do please email them 

to me or leave them on the comment section of this blog post.

I also want to say, I am the first one to encourage reading of all sorts. Read the classics, 

read modern literature, read different view points of what Christianity teaches, but always 

come back to weighing it with a Biblical World and Life View. Truth is truth, no matter 

where it is found. If it is truth it is God's truth. The Biblical World View is far superior to 

anything that the world has to offer. Tomorrow I will post more on the Trinity.  

Today's post was to get you thinking.

My email is: omnibuscross@yahoo.com

Studying while waiting on the Bridegroom.........Lynn