Steps to Bible Intake: Part II of Crown the Sword

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Ephesians 6:10-12 (Message)

Hello sweet friends! I hope your week has been good. We have had tornadoes, hail, rain, blizzard, snow, sunshine, and spring days all in one week. You never know what to wear or how to prepare. It has felt a little chaotic to say the least.

How’s your daily Bible intake? Does it ever seem a little sporadic? I know mine does. There are times it is so unorganized and unplanned that it might resemble the worst junk drawer on the face of the earth. It definitely gets out-of-whack when I have too many pans in the fire. (Not that I am currently doing this or anything like it!!!)

I just wanted to pause today and share a method I created for my personal Bible intake. This corelates with Part II of the book Crown the Sword if you want to know more details. During my searching for more of God’s Word in my life, I found bits and pieces of various Bible study methods I liked, but never one that encompassed everything I needed and valued. So, over the years God revealed AMPS to me.

AMPS is a very basic skeleton for anyone to build upon. Ideally, I would love to go through the entire process daily. However, time doesn’t always allow. However, it is important to engage in every stage and not just get bogged down into one step in the process.

Just give it a try. Make it your own. Find a new way to engage with God and His Word. Start with pausing and prayer each time you begin. Please find joy in your daily Bible Intake. Don’t make it a “TO DO”, make it a celebration of drawing nearer to the one and only who loves you beyond comparison, GOD! Make it a “Ta Da” and find pleasure in each moment you spend engaging and infusing Scripture into your life.

Download your copy of AMPS in a different format than presented previously. ENJOY.

steps-to-studying-the-bible Download

March 20, 2021 0

Crown the Sword: Ch. 7-Living a Scripture-centered life

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11 (NIV)

God wants us to present each moment to Him in obedience, let Him rule our lives, and submit all of our ways. I don’t know about you, but I struggle in doing so. I have to humbly remind myself I cannot accomplish His purpose without humbly surrendering to His leading. It starts the minute my eyes open each morning. Each day is a gift given and it is my responsibility to hand it over so the LORD can lead it. Trust me, when I depend on myself and my ability to handle life (good or bad) I fall short every time. His direction and instructions far exceed my own. Besides, He knows the future so I need to trust His jugdment!

When I made the commitment to live my life through an open Bible, I began searching for a routine to assist me. A plan to keep me from failing. A way to live out Joshua 1:8 (NIV) “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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.” Anything to keep me plugged into God and His Word. I wanted a good connection.

If there was an approach to studying Scripture and learning to infuse it into my life, I was willing to try it. There are many of them out there. (yet, I find it hard to discover who created them?) I love the primary goal of each-to allow the very Voice of God to penetrate your soul. I think it is essential for everyone to determine ways to study Scripture and open their heart to discovering new methods and techniques for a lifetime. Also, I believe the Holy Spirit will guide and prompt you to a deeper understanding as you travel together with God.

Listen friends, ten years ago I was probably hesitant to study Scripture on my own without an associated text, facilitator, or sermon notes. God prompted me to go deeper into knowing His Voice and stop “cherry picking” verses and memorizing Scripture just to quote it and manipulate it to what I wanted it to mean.

AMPS was primarily created for my own personal Bible study because of gaps I found in other methods. They fell short on focusing and fully listening to God, gathering the entire meaning from context, praying out Scripture, safeguarding my understanding, etc. The list continues. So, I began with four categories: attention, meaning, perspective of God, and saturation. This is an extremely lean skeleton. It may even be missing a few bones, but it is the foundation on which I have begun building my Bible study methods.

I look forward to sharing with you my thoughts from the book along with so much more I have to tell you about AMPS. Hang in there friends! Press into those study questions. They are essential in Chapter seven to help you digest the second half of Crown the Sword! Let the journey begin…

Crank up the AMPS Bible Study Method

A:	Attention Prepare your heart-Pause Read with purpose Be aware of what catches your attention
M:	Meaning History: author/timeline/location/original audience/culture Identify: Attributes of God, promises, instructions Terminology: Greek/Hebrew Translations: read more than one Entire Context: main message Seek the full counsel of Scripture: investigate cross references
P:	Perspective of God Pray for God’s perspective Present your concerns, thoughts, and confusion to the Father Ask the Lord for the meaning, clarity, and personal message Be open to reproof Ponder the application for your life
S:	Saturation Ask the Lord for help to live out Scripture Infuse His instructions into your life Pray out Scripture: claim His promises over your life and circumstances

March 16, 2021 0

Diagram Scripture

How many of you loved diagramming sentences in school? I wasn’t an enormous fan but I did not mind doing it when necessary. It did give me a better insight to sentence structure.

Recently, I came across a picture of a very small verse diagrammed. It was broken into parts and each area was addressed by writing meaning, thoughts, and reflections on each section.

I have been putting this method into practice and shared it with the ladies attending Refining. I encourage you to give it a whirl. Reflect, ponder, study, pray, and diagram a sentence for a week. Come away with a deeper meaning and understanding while drawing closer to knowing God.

If you haven’t tried AMPS (posted previously) as a scripture study method, give it a try as well. Share your experience and thoughts. Lets encourage one another to grow in Christ and remain in His Word.

October 31, 2019 0

Crank up the AMPS

I am not a scientist by any shape or form but I long to have a constant current surging with the Lord. God’s Word permits me to remain connected and energized. The Bible is a living and active source if I am willing to be conducive with the authority of my heavenly Father. Through studying, meditating, praying, and infusing scripture into situations of life, I have strengthened my faith and knowledge. God’s Word has intensified my understanding of a steadfast existence and taught me not to be reliant on those wavering emotions and reactions.

There are numerous approaches to studying scripture. Like some of you, I enjoy orderliness when digesting God’s Word. However, I appreciate and embrace change at times because it often eliminates my tendency to become stagnate. Sometimes a new perception or concept stimulates deeper thinking or a different viewpoint.

Be encouraged to sample various techniques and methods while growing in and through scripture. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 reminds us that the Bible is the actual word of God and it is at work within each of us who believe in Him by faith. 2 Timothy 2:15 also encourages us to do our best in handling the word of truth. When reading and applying scripture, I think about Philippians 4:6. For me, I am convicted to surrender my perception and pray to receive God’s stance. I know His heavenly mindset will far outweigh my meager worldly thoughts.

Recently, while revamping a scripture presentation, I began thinking about the most impactful parts of studying scripture for me. I am aware that I need to be careful not to use scripture out of context and not to rely on my own viewpoint. My main concern is how the word of truth applies to me currently and how I need to live it out under God’s ruling.

Below is a Bible study process I call AMPS. I know an amp is short for ampere which is a unit of constant electrical current. (Please don’t expect me to explain any further because this alone is pushing the limits.) So, I knew this acronym would stick in my brain because of my desire to stay connect with God. Let me know what you think and if it works for you. Blessings to all.

AMPS:

Attention
Meaning
Perspective of God
Saturation

Attention: There are passages of scripture or certain verses which capture our attention when reading God’s Word. The Spirit of truth prompts us to dig deeper to fully digest the message. Write down the scripture. As you write, take a closer look at each word and think about why God had the writer craft these words in such a manner.

Meaning: God’s Word is truth and our sword. However, as mature followers, the real meaning of His Word comes from focusing on the entire context. Read the entire book/chapter over and over. Consult various versions and commentaries. Study with like believers. Be firm in your knowledge to prevent deception or twisted thinking.

Perspective of God: Through prayer God gives us a heavenly perspective unlike our own. His ideas and thoughts are often foreign and take time to comprehend. He longs for a relationship with us and will reveal His thoughts as we talk with Him in prayer. Ask God to give you clarity of His Word. Then listen in faith to God’s angle and direction.

Saturation: God desires us to put into practice what His Word declares. Infuse the passage into life circumstances and immerse life with His truth. Instill the meaning of God’s promises in ALL areas of life: despair, peace, turmoil, joy, etc. Permeate your thinking and let His truth refine your heart by surrendering it all to His authority.

Embrace your spiritual growth journey under the refinement of a God who loves you immensely!

September 12, 2019 2