Week 3 in the Bible Study

For week 3 we were asked to look at the contrasts, comparisons and repeated words we had marked last week.

Here is my page now:

Bible Study with On Step Away International - Psalm 1

Here is the instructions given for this week of the study:
(copyrighted instructions - used by permission)

As you may know, the keys to inductive study are reading, reading and re-reading the text to see what it says (i.e., observation), and prayer, asking God to guide our thoughts and open our eyes and hearts as we read to see what He says.

This week as we read and pray, we will mark repeated words, words that are key to the sense of the text. If they are key words but not repeated, don't mark them.

I usually start with God or Jesus the first time through (mark each word in a separate reading -- re-reading is one of our goals and marking is a tool to help us do several things including re-reading). It is during this step of marking God that I usually see another repeated word. Then I begin the process again with the next word which often reveals another ... Yes, synonyms count! 

As you're reading keep in mind the "5 W's and an H" -- those interrogatives, when, where, why, who, what and how. Who was writing, who was the audience, what was the context, what is the action, what is the problem, what was the writer's/speaker's goal, how is it accomplished, when does this happen, etc. 

Read again marking any comparisons and contrasts.
Read again marking any expressions of time.
Read again marking any terms of conclusion.
Read again marking any terms of purpose. Note: sometimes "that" is one and sometimes it's not. A good test is to try "in order that" if it works, then this particular "that" is a term of purpose.

Maybe this sounds familiar even if you're new to inductive study. It's possible you were taught something similar in school. In the 90s I did a brief seminar in Holland on inductive study for an international church in Eindhoven. An African fellow asked me why we were approaching the Bible as he'd been taught to study literature. He was concerned proper reverence wasn't being given to God's Holy words, that mystical creation ... admirable attitude. I admit he had me stumped, but out of my mouth came these words, "When God chose to speak to man, He did it in a ... book." That made sense to him, and boy howdy was I glad! 

Bless you as you read, pray, mark AND continue to note questions that arise from the text. Please include them in your scrap as well. You can always put a flower or something on top of them if you want to keep them private! 

And this is how my page with notes now looks:

Hymn Scripture Challenge with Patter Cross - 2013 - # 1 - Lift High the Cross

To start the year off Patter has shared an old hymn that I do not remember ever singing - Lift High the Cross.
If you would like to read about the writer of this hymn and also hear a version of this hymn please visit Patter's blog  HERE

This year as I am busy with added commitments I am only making a  6 x 6 digital page for these challenges. I display them in sleeves from an album and hung on a frame that my husband made for me.

I found a longer version of the hymn and liked a verse that was not included on the version that Patter shared. So that is the verse I have shared on my artwork along with a Scripture that I felt fitted the verse well.
Here are some words by Oswald Chambers that I found:

"I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."  
( these are Jesus words found in John 12:32)
The one thing we have to do is to exhibit Jesus Christ crucified, to lift Him up all the time. Every doctrine that is not embedded in the Cross of Jesus will lead astray. 

Here is my artwork:

( for the digital artwork I have used - paper and journal may by Zesty Digi Designs; flower by Tami Miller; flourish by Brandy Murry; 

NO FAITH CHALLENGE THIS MONTH

This month I am not hosting a Faith Challenge as I have done during the last two months. I may be back next month with one.

But I would like to encourage anyone to join me in the Bible Study I am taking part in over at One Step Away International : you can register HERE

I have chosen Psalm 1 for my study this month and I will share my initial page ready for adding my study notes to :

The digital paper I used is by Thao Cosgrove

As I take part in this Bible Study ( a form of study I have never done before ) I plan on sharing what I do as it progresses. If there is any really personal things the Lord brings out in this study I may need to blank those out when I share my page. I am a little excited to take part in this study and look forward to where the Lord will lead me as I study this lovely Psalm. 

HYMN SCRIPTURE CHALLENGE WITH PATTER CROSS - #18 - O HOLY NIGHT

Patter has given us a lovely Christmas hymn and if you want to read a little about the person who wrote this hymn please take time to visit Patter's blog  HERE

I have been making a 6 x 6 digital page and a large double sided ATC this year but with this week being a very busy week and I packed a lot of my craft things away with having my two oldest  ( 3 and 6 year olds ) granddaughters come to stay for five nights last week, I feel I cannot get the ATC made so have just made a 12 x 12 page which I will print out at 6 x 6.

On my page I have shared the first lines from the song and chose a scripture which I feel fitted it well.
The scripture are Mary's words after she visits her cousin Elizabeth.  I found the following commentary words very challenging and they are from a commentary by Adam Clarke:

" My spirit hath rejoiced - Exulted. These words are uncommonly emphatical - they show that Mary's whole soul was filled with the Divine influence, and wrapped up in God. "

Oh, how I desire to be "wrapped up in God" as Mary was. 

( For my digital art I have used a kit that just happens to be called  " O Holy Night" which is a collaborative kit by designers at Stuff to Scrap ) 

FAITH CHALLENGE - DECEMBER - JOY TO THE WORLD

This month I am again taking part in a Blog Train with my digital designing and the theme for the kits we are all giving away is " Joy to the World" so I decided to use those words for this challenge.

If you want to create something ( digital or paper crafts ) and join me just choose one or all of the words. I chose to use the word "World" and therefore use the scripture John 3:16 on my little CD case sized artwork.
The digital pieces I have used for my page are all from the kit I designed and you are most welcome to pop over to my digital blog which you will see listed on the right side of this blog and download what I designed and then hop on board the Blog Train and see what the other designers have created and are giving away.

I do not have many thoughts to share this month as I am having a busy time. Last week I had my 2 oldest granddaughters come to stay while their parents and baby sister were in another state so their Dad could have an operation on his big toe. The week before the girls came I had a night in hospital with suspected heart attack. I am fine... turned out to be severe acid reflux which can have similar symptoms to a heart attack. I needed to be checked out as my father had a bad heart and eventually had a triple by-pass. My maternal grandmother died at 55 ( the age I am next year ) with a bad heart. All the hours I spent in the hospital I can truly say that my Heavenly Father gave me peace and at home my dear husband also experienced a deep inner peace.
 My last surviving Uncle died last Wednesday ( 12-12-12 ) so I have a funeral to attend tomorrow where I will be doing one of the bible readings and I know I am going to need the Lord's strength to get me through it as the reading is Psalm 23 which was also used at my Dad's funeral 7 years ago. My Aunt needed my help in typing up the eulogy which I have done.
So this time I just share a verse of prose and a quote from a Daily Bread reading:

He did not use a silvery box

Or paper green and red;

God laid His Christmas gift to me

Within a manger bed.

-Prentice-

The goodness and love of God became incarnate at Bethlehem.

I liked that poem so much that I used it on a hybrid card I made which I will now share and then I will share the page I created using the kit I designed.  

( the digital kit I used for the card is Christmas Traditions by Danimoy Designs)

I hope those reading this blog will have a very Happy Christmas with safe travels and special times with loved ones.

Hymn Scripture Challenge with Patter Cross - #17 - Sweet Hour of Prayer

What a wonderful old hymn that Patter has chosen for us this fortnight. The tune to this hymn is one that stays in your mind after you have sung the hymn.
I have chosen the share the first few lines of the hymn on my 6 x 6 digital art piece.

From a book by Oswald Chambers:

" We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself"

My prayer is that through my prayers I may get to know Father more and more intimately each day.

For my digital art I have used a kit called "Fruit of the Spirit" by Connie Prince.  The praying hands image was found somewhere on the web.

The printer did not do such a good job with the back and from of the large ATC: