by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
“I tell you the truth…” Mark 3:28 and “Listen!…” Mark 4:3
How I Study
I spend a good hour with God every morning. I am not a morning person. I get up and make my coffee and spend a good 30 minutes prying my eyes open in the morning. I eat breakfast, check my e-mail and shuffle through my stack of stuff to do today, writing down the first few things to DO NOW on a list that I leave on top of my stack of stuff to do. Then I close the computer, set aside my stack of stuff and open the Bible and spend one good hour with God.
I am a speed reader, but I do not rush through the Word of God. Sometimes I spend more than a day on particularly meaty chapters. Sometimes I get really into the story and don’t stop reading for chapters on end. The Word of God is like that sometimes, just too good to put down.
Simple - Ain't - Easy
But it is always interesting
Wendy
How I Study
I make my reading plan, so I don’t miss a thing, and then I read one book at a time and take notes. I take notes in long hand and on notebook paper. When I finish the book I'm reading I read over my notes. Sometimes I reread passages or travel through the rest of the Bible, searching for passages that may shed light on any questions I may have about what I read.
I try to make sure God is finished talking to me before I move on from one book of the Bible to the next.
One Good Hour With God
I spend a good hour with God every morning. I am not a morning person. I get up and make my coffee and spend a good 30 minutes prying my eyes open in the morning. I eat breakfast, check my e-mail and shuffle through my stack of stuff to do today, writing down the first few things to DO NOW on a list that I leave on top of my stack of stuff to do. Then I close the computer, set aside my stack of stuff and open the Bible and spend one good hour with God.
I am a speed reader, but I do not rush through the Word of God. Sometimes I spend more than a day on particularly meaty chapters. Sometimes I get really into the story and don’t stop reading for chapters on end. The Word of God is like that sometimes, just too good to put down.
I take notes, lots of notes. This is not my first stop at the well but the view is different every day. I understand things now that I didn’t get before and I am always surprised to read something that seems entirely new because my perspective is entirely new.
Before Moving On
At the end of each book I go back over my notes for a few days before I rush off to the next book. This isn’t a race to the finish line, it is a slow walk, a walk with God and I don’t want to get so busy that I leave Him behind. I don't want to get so wrapped up with the words of it that I miss the meaning of it. I don't want to keep reading without stopping to listen.
Listen Means Obey
At the beginning of each passage I ask Him, “What are you saying to me?” It’s personal. Not what is your wisdom for the world, but what are you saying to ME. And He tells me things, “This is important, listen to this.”
When a child listens to his parents he obeys them, he may hear them but if he doesn’t obey them then he isn’t listening. When God says “Listen” I make a note and do my best to listen. Which is why I go over my notes before moving on to the next book. I want to do more than hear the word of God – I want to listen.
My reading plan started in MarkI began my new read through the Bible with Mark. It took me 12 days to read the 16 chapters of Mark. For the last 2 days I have been reading through my notes.
Before Moving On
At the end of each book I go back over my notes for a few days before I rush off to the next book. This isn’t a race to the finish line, it is a slow walk, a walk with God and I don’t want to get so busy that I leave Him behind. I don't want to get so wrapped up with the words of it that I miss the meaning of it. I don't want to keep reading without stopping to listen.
Listen Means Obey
At the beginning of each passage I ask Him, “What are you saying to me?” It’s personal. Not what is your wisdom for the world, but what are you saying to ME. And He tells me things, “This is important, listen to this.”
When a child listens to his parents he obeys them, he may hear them but if he doesn’t obey them then he isn’t listening. When God says “Listen” I make a note and do my best to listen. Which is why I go over my notes before moving on to the next book. I want to do more than hear the word of God – I want to listen.
My reading plan started in MarkI began my new read through the Bible with Mark. It took me 12 days to read the 16 chapters of Mark. For the last 2 days I have been reading through my notes.
Join me for Mark: Part Two and I'll tell you what I found.
Simple - Ain't - Easy
But it is always interesting
Wendy
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