Scripture study made easy (or Not)

Recently I was blessed to join some ladies at a conference to hear Priscilla Shirer.  She is an awesome speaker and teacher.  She put things on my level of learning.  She writes some awesome material that is worth a read.  She referenced some things from her book Can We Talk at the conference and offered a way to put scripture into terms that we can use in our daily lives.  I have been amazed at how reading a scripture can be transformed into a much more personal  level by using this method. 

I hope you learn as much as I did.

1. Position yourself to hear from God.  I need peace and quiet to study.  I have a hard time trying to study when things are going on around me.  I am not a morning person though - so I have to take time during lunch or late at night to find the peaceful time I need. 
2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the major points.  This is when you take the scripture and see what it means to you.  How do you really read it?  God may speak to each of us in a much different way when we read a particular scripture.  I think that we respond by what's going on in our lives and that if we allow God the freedom to speak - we will hear what He wants us to hear from the scripture.  But don't merely read it - write it down.  Put pen to paper and see what God is saying in the scripture.
3. Pull out the spiritual principles.  This is the personal part that can break down the barriers.  We can see what God inspired to write and where it applies to our lives today.  What lesson is He teaching through a particular scripture?
4. Pose the questions. What lesson does He want me to get from that scripture?  Write down the questions and see where God is leading you.
5. Plan obedience and Pin down the date.  Often times God shows us areas that He wants us to change or to react.  This is where we can be obedient to His teaching. 

My example goes as follows:

I John 3:17  But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in Him?

Do I truly love God if I have enough to meet the needs of my family and see a "brother" in need and close my heart to him?

God commands us to love one another just as Christ loves us - so how do I show His love?  Am I willing to share what God has given me?  Do I not have more than enough?  Am I a good steward of His money? 

What is God wanting me to do?  Is there something or someone particular He is speaking to me about?  I don't know yet.  I know that He is wanting me to give more.  I know that He wants me let go of financial strongholds. 

I need to seek out what His plans are and make plans to be ready to do what He calls me to do.  I need to make plans to be prepared to be obedient. 

I need to be honest right here - that is not the verse I wanted to use.  I had several verses in mind that I wanted to use for an example and was "poring" through I John and this one jumped off the page at me and really the only part that I wanted to use was about showing others the Love of God through our actions.  That is not what God spoke to me when reading through it.  I read it with a different perspective once I put it down on paper.  He loves to stretch and mold when I least expect it. 

I hope you get the chance to study some of the writings of Priscilla but more importantly I pray that you get to study more of God's Word and that you listen to what He has to say.


Diane