Jen has some pretty awesome titles for each one of her chapters in this book. Today we were asked to read chapter 3. Title: “Codependency That Doesn’t Require Therapy”. The subtitle is “Learning to Lean on the Holy Spirit.” Now isn’t her title very fitting but adds a cute dimension to it.

On page 40 she asks, “Would you believe that you already have everything you need to study the Bible with discernment?” If you’re anything like me, you’re shaking your head at that one because studying the Bible has never truly been my thing unless I have a Bible study book/guide to help me along. I don’t have the insight for that kind of thing. God didn’t give me that gift. At least that’s what I’ve always thought before now.

Then she gave this verse. It’s 2 Peter 1:3 in the NIV: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” I even went a step further and looked it up in The Voice as well as the ICB.

The Voice
His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue.

The ICB version really struck me the most: [standout fx=”ribbon”]Jesus has the power of God. His power has given us everything we need to lie and to serve God. We have these things because we know Him. Jesus called us by His glory and goodness.[/standout]

Page 41, “We gain no greater knowledge of God than encountering Him verse by verse,” chapter by chapter, book by book. (That last part was added by me. 🙂 )

paraklētos (greek): advisor, exhorter, comforter, strengthener, interceder, encourager, and teacher. We can think of God as our own “Personal Tutor.” How kewl is that!

Here is a prayer we all can pray everything time we get into the Word (page 49):

Holy Spirit, teach me what is true about these verses. what do You want me to understand? Direct my thoughts with every word I read. Protect and lead my mind. [Amen.]

Proverbs 2:3-5

NASB
For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;
If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will discern the fear of the Lord
And discover the knowledge of God.

NIV
and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

[standout fx=”ribbon”]ICB
Cry out for wisdom.
Beg for understanding.
Search for it as you would for silver.
Hunt for it like hidden treasure.
Then you will understand what it means to respect the Lord.
Then you will begin to know God.[/standout]

The Voice
If you cry out to her for insight and beg for understanding,
If you sift through the clamor of everything around you
to seek her like some precious prize, to search for her like buried treasure;
Then you will grasp what it means to truly respect the Eternal,
and you will have discovered the knowledge of the One True God.

Page 162

1. Where does your knowledge of who God is come from?

My knowledge of God comes from first being introduced to Him as a child, become a believer at age five, sitting at the breakfast table. In my teens it was my youth group. As an adult, mostly through church and Bible studies.

How much comes from your own time with Him?

Very little, honestly, comes from alone time with Him if any as most of the time it’s always through some form of guided Bible study.

2. Do you feel as though your knowledge of Him has given you everything you need for godliness?

Not even close. I know I have a lot to learn.

What makes you say that?

Because I know I don’t spend enough time in the Bible or even in prayer.

3. What are your thoughts on the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is very important. He lives inside me and is my forever constant still-small-voice.

What are your perceptions of Him?

He’s important and always there. However, I don’t always feel Him even though logically I know He’s there. Maybe logically isn’t the right word. How about subconsciously.

4. Who has the Spirit been to you up until now?

The choices to choose from were:

a. A special guide through the Word; a Friend and Teacher
b. The voice of conviction (which I sometimes ignore)
c. Nobody; never really thought about Him
d. Other:

I chose “d. Other”. He’s there when I need Him the most. I’ve felt Him more since Mari died.

5. Have you struggled with any of the following results of leaving the Spirit out of the Bible study? If so, how? When?

The choices to choose from were:

a. Felt alone, lost, confused
b. got nothing out of the Word
c. Misinterpreted Scripture
d. Had Scripture used against me in the form of doubt, confusion, or anger

I said maybe choice “a. Felt alone, lost, confused.” To be honest, I’m not quite sure about any of them. Just reading them again and I think ‘d’ is more fitting because I have doubts and tend to get confused once in a while.

Have you ever had an 'awe ha" moment?

November 13, 2015 Kristena Tunstall 0

Today was Week 1 Day 4 and Jen Hatmaker had us read chapter 4 in her book A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study. On page 56 she wrote, "We must do our part to grow beyond salvation by allowing what began in our hearts to infect our minds.... as the Creator…

Week 1 Day 2 (my journey continues...)

October 31, 2015 Kristena Tunstall 0

I like what Jen Hatmaker had to say in chapter 2, page 26, "...the truth is, we approach God's Word without any strategies to make it come alive." When I first read this I realized just how true that statement is. I've always look at the Bible as something, obviously,…