bible consumption guide.pdf

7/28/2019 Bible Consumption Guide.pdf

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Bible

Be slow to open this bookbut be sure to open it.

Consumption Guide33 Ways to Nourish Your Soul


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My Bible Consumption RecordPhase 1: One Week*

Phase 2: One Month (Four Weeks)*

Phase 3: One Year

*

*After consumption, reward yourself daily with a simple check!


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Bible

On your last day on earth, do you anticipate a joyful look back on life?

This decision can help you smile on that day!

By the best measure of success, is success important to you?

This decision can ensure true success!

If the One who created you wrote you a detailed message,

would it be worth reading?

This decision can help you better get to know your Creator!

What is this decision?

Its the decision to spend time daily in the Bible.

Be slowto rush past this decision

Consumption Guide

Today, you can make one ofthe most important decisions of your life,

one of those major decisions that compares with

deciding who to marry or which career path to take.

Read the next few pages and decide carefully!


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Bible consumption is not the

destination; it is the path to

knowing Godto life!

Great News!

Consistent time in the Bible is

rather simple. Keep reading

and see how. If you dont

hunger for the Bible now,

dont let that stop you.

Assume the promise of the

Bible is true and watch for the

hun er to come later.

The Bibles Promise about Bible Consumption

Consider this promise from the Bible, in Joshua 1:8:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;

meditate on it day and night, so that you may becareful to do everything written in it.

Then you will be prosperous and successful. (NIV)

Thats quite a promise: Time spent consuming the Bible brings success. (By the

way, Joshua called the Bible he had The Book of the Law; it wasGods Word

that had been given at that time, the first five books of the Bible we have

today. And Joshua is not the only place

where the Bible makes this promise. (See

Psalm 1:1-3, too.)

Some think, I dont have the

discipline to spend time in the Bible every

day, so it really doesnt matter if I want

to. I simply cant. They think they cant,

so they dont. But lets slow down and

recognize that wrong thinking may be the

thing robbing us of the wisest of habits.

Dont Be Crazy!

With respect, Ill make another bold statement:

It is nuts to neglect the daily consumption of the Bible!

Listening to your Maker is a smart path! Like Wisdom calls out in Proverbs 8,

To you, O people, I call out!, so I call out to you: To you, O People, do all you

can to establish the habit of daily Bible consumption! This Bible ConsumptionGuide is created to help you capture the treasures of the Bible for your own

possession and benefit. The riches are there for the taking.However, like a

check, you have to cash it in order to access the riches! Daily consumption of

the Bible cashes the check!

Dont think this is about

consuming a book. Its not. This is

about knowing the one whomade you. I encourage you not to

neglect this fresh opportunity to know the author of the Bible more

deeply. John 17:3 equates real life to knowing God. Bible consumption

is not the destination; it is the path to knowing Godto life!

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The Four Ingredients of a New Habit

One of the great secrets in life is that while a habit is a matter of an

initiating decision, it is NOT a matter of willpower. Willpower-based habits

almost always fail to become habits. Enduring habits are those that tap the

empowering insight contained in the next three pages. A habit is built on a

decision that taps strength OUTSIDE of willpower. In his book, The Power of

Habit, Charles Duhigg demonstrates that a well-selected pattern of habits can

transform a lifeand that it is possible for people to remake themselves in a

very short span of time by actually choosing their habits. He explains why

habits exist and how they can be changed.While some struggle in their

attempts at a disciplined life, The Power of Habitreveals that such discipline

isnt as nearly as evasive as people fear. The book identifies four key elements

in establishing a habit:

1) A prompt that triggers a behaviorlike waking up in the morning.2) A repeated behaviorlike consuming the Bible.3) A reward of some sortIt can be as simple as checking a box.4) An associated cravinglike the longing for a glimpse of God.

Two More PowerfulHabit-forming Helps

There are two other things that can bring success in establishing a habit:

Help #1) Initiate a New Habit in the Grooves of an Old Habit.

The Power of Habitcalls this The Golden Rule of Habit Change.

For instance, as a habit, you wake up every day, you take a bite of something

every day, and you brush your teeth every day. It is possible to tap into the

existing discipline of these habits to empower a new habit. (These are habits

so they hardly feel like discipline. Thats where wed like to get with Bible

consumption.) Consider using one of these consistent habits as your prompt to

spend time in Scripture. Your approach might look like this:

Before I take my first bite of food each day, I will

first spend at least five minutes consuming the Bible.

Or engage in Scripture before you shower, or after you shower, or whatever

seems the wisest existing habit to attach to.

Important Note:Dont weigh yourself down with a commitment to spend 30 or

60 minutes a day with the Bible, or maybe not even 10 or 15. Decide to focus

on a comprehendible minimum: perhaps five minutes or even just one minute

will suffice to get you rolling.Then, allow your appetite and your choices to

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expand (and contract) your consumption to as many minutes as seems

appropriate. But a key to habitually consuming Scripture is to consume at least

a little at least once each day.

As we start our daily Bible consumption habit with one beachhead in our

routine, we can then insert additional meals of consumption in our day. The

Bible suggests we engage Scripture repeatedly each dayand night! Not only

does it suggest this repeated daily activity, in Deuteronomy 6:7 Moses suggests

four prompts to use during the day, each of which is already an existing habit:

When waking up When sitting (at a meal) When walking (or driving!) along the way

When lying down at the end of the day(Sometime in the next few days I think youll be very inspired if you read

Deuteronomy Chapter 6 aloud to yourselfor to someone else. Yes, I suggest

you read it aloud. Try it!)

Help #2) Consume the Bible Daily in the Context of Community.

Again, God himself suggests this element in Bible consumption. In the

same verse of Deuteronomy, he says to talk about your Bible consumption with

others.The great power found in community is lost in isolation. Connect yourconsumption with others.

There are numerous ways you can harness the power of community in

your daily Bible engagement:

Tell someone else or several others that you have decided to spendtime in the Bible each day. Sharing your intentions can help raise your

own awareness as you establish a new habit.

Share verses with others that invigorate or challenge you. You can dothis verbally, by text message, via email or note cards.

For a specific duration of time, invite someone or several others toconsume the same passages of the Bible that you are consuming. An

example of this would be reading a chapter of Proverbs every day and

occasionally sharing with each other something that youve learned.

Warning: Tapping the power of community is not the same thing as what some

call accountability. It is important to keep the source of discipline within

yourself and not be externally dependent on another for maintaining a habit.

Community is a great source of strength and encouragement, butaccountability isnt the best source of motivation in Bible consumption. The

purest motivation for consuming the Bible is simply the love of God. Read and

reflect on what Deuteronomy 6 has to say about this motivation. Choose to

love God by doing a daily practice.

The Spirit infuses life into our hearts and empowers us to grow strong

in spirit through the Bible. Many passages in Scripture aboutScripture affirm

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just how incredible and life-giving the Bible is. Joshua tells us that filling

ourselves with the Word of God will lead to success in life (See Psalm 19; Psalm

119:9-11; Matthew 4:4; John 6:63; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews

4:12, just to name a few!)

In spite of such a promise, most of us drift into seasons of neglect that

shrivel our souls and rob us of spiritual power. Perhaps you are in one of those

seasons right now. Before you finish reading this page, you can set yourself

onto the adventurous path of habitual Scripture consumption. This fork in the

road offers a lifetime of feasts and delicacies, appetizers and entres, vitamins

and nutrients for growing that incredible asset within you: your own heart!

Are you ready to jump into a fresh pursuit of daily Bible consumption?

Five minutes is one-third of one percent of a day, about 1/300th

! You might ask,

Why just five minutes? Notjustfive minutesat leastfive minutes. Dont

limit yourselfbut commit to a small minimum.

The Bible is far and above the #1 bestseller in history. It makes sense

to get to know it better, doesnt it?

If you agree its a good choice, I have a proposal for you: Make a

commitment to yourself to consume the Bible for at least five minutes a day for

at least six days a week for a specific time period. Sure, you can read it seven

days a week if you want. But give yourself some grace. Shoot for six days a

week x just five minutes a day x 52 weeks. Seize this moment! Make a great

choice that will impact your entire next year. Dont wait until next week or nextmonth. Starting today, open it up and begin creatively consuming the Bible,

each day using one or more of the 33 easy-to-use ways to engage Scripture in

this Bible Consumption Guide.Make a great choiceCheck the boxes of your

choice below and dive in!

Use the chart in the front of this guide to track your journey

over the next week, the following month, and succeeding year.

Todays Decision Check your choices below.

Im in! I plan to consume the Bible for at least 5minutes daily for:

one week one month one year

Suggestion: Start with a week!

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Solidify the Wisest of HabitsTo further solidify your launch into this wisest of habits,answer these questions:

1) What is the best promptfor me from among my existinghabits?

Before I eat breakfast Before or while I drink my first cup of coffee Before or after I take a shower Before I watch any television As part of my bedtime routine Other: _____________________________

2) What is my minimal commitment to my new habit? 1 minute a day 3 minutes a day 5 minutes a day 10 minutes a day Other: _____________________________

3) How will I reward myself after myconsumption? With a simple check mark With my first bite of food or cup of coffee With a shower With sleep Other: _____________________________

4) What craving will I cultivate to reinforce my habit? Craving for a glimpse of God Craving to express affection to God Craving toget to my daily check mark

(Dont laugh! It can work!)

Other: _____________________________5) Who will I tell about my minimum commitment?

____________________ ____________________

6) Who might I first invite to join me for a time in thejourney of daily Bible consumption?

____________________ ____________________

Suggestion: Pause briefly to talk and listen to God aboutdaily Bible consumption.

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Build a Bible Consumption Kit

Consider building your own Bible Consumption Kitto enhanceyour habit of consumption. Gather some useful tools:

A Bibleo Choose one that is appealing and encourages you to

pick it up.o Choose one that you feel free to mark up. A Bible you

are free to write in and mark on is a Bible thats likelyto be consumed more often. Envision your Bible a

year from now, bent and tattered, rigorously markedby your repeated use!

o If you dont have a Bible,www.biblicadirect.com hasquality Bibles at phenomenally low prices.

This Bible Consumption Guideo Read this once and begin your journey of daily Bible

consumption. Return to it again when you falter or

sense a need to reinforce or reset your habit.

o Refer often to the 33 different ways to add varietyand interest to your Bible consumption.

o Allow the picture of the lion to remind you that Jesus,The Lion of Judah,is hidden in the pages of theBible. Keep a look out for him every day in yourconsumption! (John 1:1; John 5:39)

A Ballpoint Peno A ballpoint pen is best because it doesnt bleed

through and mark the page behind. Several Highlighter Pens

o See the suggestions in this Bible Consumption Guidefor using these tools to reinforce your reading.

o One highlighter is handy. Four or five are even better! A Writing Journal

o Use a journal to reflect about your daily Bibleconsumption. Daily Bible consumption is interactive!

o Use it for some of the writing-related activitiescontained in this Bible Consumption Guide.

A Crosso Keep this tangible symbol of grace close by, at times

gripping it while you engage the Bible, allowing it to

remind you that God can be trusted and that his lovefor you is greater than your love for yourself.

o Use the cross as a lens to give perspective ondifficult to understand passages.

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schedules. Consume the Bible as you walk along the path, drivealong the road, or sit in your favorite lounge chair. A great

source of audio Scripture is found in the YouVersionsmartphone app. The app can be downloaded at the newBible.com. You can get also free audio Scripture with TheStreaming Bible at FaithComesByHearing.com.

Depending on the recording, one can listen to an entireaudio New Testament in 15-20 hours. The whole Bible can becompleted in 75-85 hours. (Heres an idea: Fast from TV anddiscretionary Internet use for 30 days and listen to the entire

Bible in a month instead. Be prepared to have your mindrestructured and your thought processes changed!)

Starter Idea: Access the audio function on YouVersion andlisten to a chapter a day from the Book of Romans or Hebrews

until finished. Or, begin smaller with the book of Philippians orEphesians.

3. Read the Word RapidlyProbably the most common form of engaging Gods

Word in our time, silent reading of the Word, is the fastest wayto take in Scripture. The average person silently reads 250-300words a minute. The advantages of reading this way include

privacy, ease, speed, and volume of intake. Silent readingallows for quick overviews and a first pass before deeper Bibleengagement. At 300 words a minute, one can read the entire

Bible in approximately 42 hours. An hour of rapid reading a daycould get you from Genesis to Revelation in seven weeks. Oryou could slow it down slightly and read the Bible in 90 Days(approximately 10 pages a day). Some would call this type of

reading skimming. In much Bible study, a student looks forevery detail and application; rapid reading is more like aflyover to get the lay of the land.

Starter Idea: Begin the Gospel of Mark and read a chapter a

day for 16 days.

4. Read the Word Aloud PrivatelyPeople in centuries gone by, particularly thecontemporaries of Christ, spoke the word aloud when they read

it. Thats what the Ethiopian Eunuch was apparently doing whenPhilip stumbled onto him in Acts 8. Reading aloud slows usdown to approximately 125-140 words a minute, half the speed

of reading silently. This type of reading helps us take inScripture through two gates, the eyes and the ears, and is far

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more engaging than silent reading. If this is a new idea for you,you might find it a little awkward at first. And if other people

can hear you, they might think youre a little odd. Try it a fewtimes!

Starter Idea: Find a private place and read the Sermon on theMount (Matthew 5-7) aloud with exactly the intonation youimagine Jesus would use if he were giving the sermon today in

the English language.

5. Read the Word Aloud PubliclyCertainly our faith cannot be fully realized when we are

isolated as individuals. A corporate reading of the Word in a

public context creates a community dynamic of praise, honor,obedience, grace, and hope. I dont know of anything that canstrengthen a body of believers more effectively than an

extensive corporate reading of Gods Word. Were not simplytalking about a few verses read on a Sunday morning. Imtalking about a public proclamation of Scripture over an hour,

hours, or even a full day or weekend. Youve likely heard ofConcerts of Prayer. Howabout Concerts of Scripture? Whatwould happen if the whole of your church gathered to hear thewhole of Genesis read in the course of a day? Or the Book of

Matthew from beginning to end? Or an evening dedicated to thereading of Revelation? Another approach is to read passagesaloud at home with one or more family members, taking turns

reading verses or paragraphs around the table.

Starter Idea: Schedule a Concert of Prayer for an evening atyour church or home. Go through an entire book in an evening

such as Genesis, Matthew, Hebrews, or Revelation.

6. Read the Word ResponsivelyA type of public reading of the Word is responsive

reading of a passage. This is interactive public reading. A leader

reads a verse and the group or assembly responds with the

next passage. Or women can read one and men respond withthe next. Or adults and children. (Why not try tall people and

short people?!) Poorly done responsive readings are best leftundone. Here is a quote worth noting from Henrietta Mears:

Its a sin to bore people with the Word of God! A responsivereading must be done with energy and passion.

Starter Idea: Find a reading partner for a day. Read Proverbs24 together, each reading a verse at a time.

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7. Whisper the WordWhispering can belouderthan shouting if the goal is

actually to be heard. One that speaks softly often penetratesthe heart more effectively than one who screams. A gentle

answer can break a bone, as Proverbs says. Whispering bringsconcentration and focus.

Starter Idea: Whisper a passage aloud to yourself, to a friendor around a circle, alternating verses with each other. Oralternate between different forms of speech: whispering,

singing, shouting (with controlled volume), and speaking.

8. Discuss the WordIn the movie Yentl, the young apprentice Rabbis had as

much fun discussing the finer points of The Torah as fans havecheering at a football game. Discussions about meaning,interpretations, doctrinal substance, and sheer trivia can be aproductive means of engaging the Bible and driving it more

deeply into our hearts.

Starter Idea: Find three friends to meet weekly with for fourweeks. Discuss questions that arise from the four chapters of

Philippians.

9. Hand-copy the WordThis exercise can be far more stimulating that you might

guess. Hand-copying the Word slows the brain down and

synchronizes the mind with the meaning of a passage, with theBible on one side, your journal on the other. Practice yourpenmanship as you go. I usually use cursive when I copy the

Word. A slightly faster way to copy the Word is to re-type it onthe computer. Try using different fonts. Copying the word is atremendous way to nourish the spirit and align the mind withthe thoughts of God. Hand-copying the Bible is an excellentway to wring extra nutrients and taste out of a passage. This is

probably my favorite form of Bible consumption. It helps meslow my mind down and relish the word. I get more juice outof it this way!

Starter Idea: In your journal, hand-copy Psalm 1, Psalm 100,Psalm 150, Proverbs 18, or Romans 8.

10. Study the WordProbably the broadest of these Bible consumption

techniques, study of the Bible calls for a close examination

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through multiple approaches. Analyze the grammar. Observethe facts. Find parallels. Note the verb tenses. Consult

commentaries. Investigate the original languages. Post aquestion on a discussion forum. Compare with other Scriptures.Ask someone else for insight into a passage. Buy a Biblesoftware program. Do a word study. Do a character study. Pick

apart a passage. Investigate using the productive approach ofObserve what is straightforward, prayerfully Interpret inlight of other Bible passages, and Apply what you learn!

Starter Idea:Visit www.studylight.org. 2 Timothy is the NewTestament Bible book that seems to encourage Bible studymost. Study it and answer these questions: Who are the

people? What relationship do they have to each other? Whatare the most repeated words and phrases? What should I startdoing that I havent been doing? What should I stop doing thatI have been doing? Find a friend to share what you learned.

Use the commentaries and cross-referencing capabilities of thesite to go deeper.

11. Cross-reference the WordWhen Peter said that no Scripture was a matter ofprivate interpretation, I take that to mean that it doesnt stand

alone. Its easy to go off track in our thinking when we dont

check Scripture against Scripture. Each passage must be

understood in light of other Scriptures because it is part of theintegrated message of the whole of the Bible. Cross-referencingone passage with another related passage releases much lightinto the soul. Use a concordance. Use in-line verse references

found in a study Bible. Use a Bible site search capability.Besides the Bible itself, an excellent Bible study tool is an

exhaustive concordance of the Bible, indexing every word.

BibleGateway.com allows you to generate every use of a wordin the whole Bible.

Starter Idea: Using a concordance or the search capabilitieson BibleGateway.com, read through more than 100 uses of theword grace in the Bible. Complete the exercise by writing a

20-word definition ofgrace(or holy, mercy or wisdom).

12. Stress the WordSome dont like to engage long passages. Instead, they

prefer to meditate on a single verse, phrase, or even word. Oneway to squeeze some extra nutrition from a verse is to usecontrasting stress, or emphasis, as you repeat a text. For

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instance, consider the fresh angle from each stress in thefollowing from Psalm 23:

THELord is my shepherd. (Pause and Reflect)The LORD is my shepherd.(Pause and Reflect)The LordISmy shepherd.(Pause and Reflect)The Lord is MYshepherd.(Pause and Reflect)The Lord is my SHEPHERD.(Pause and Reflect)

Can you see new meaning emerge as you stress each word?

Starter Idea: Choose a favorite verse and chew on it withcontrasting stress. Try Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:28, Matthew4:4, Isaiah 40:31, Jeremiah 29:11, John 3:16, or anotherfavorite passage, placing the stress on each succeeding word as

you read through it.

13. Highlight the WordA simple and productive consumption tool is a

highlighter penor pens. Enjoy reading silently and thenhighlight words that seem to bulge with meaning. Or, scoutfor certain things and mark them with certain colors. Multiple

colors can highlight different things:

Green Something I need to doYellowSomething I dont understand

Orange A promise to believe in

Blue A warning to be aware of

Another approach for the grammatically inclined is to take sixdifferent colored markers and use each to highlight a passage:

1) nouns/pronouns, 2) verbs, 3) adjectives and articles, 4)

adverbs 5) conjunctions, and 6) prepositions. Watch even moreinsights and meaning leap off the page!

Starter Idea: Read through the Gospel of John. Every timeyou see the word sign or miracle, highlight it in yellow. Everytime you see a form of the wordbelieve(belief, believed,

trust, trusted, etc.), highlight it in orange. Every time you see aform of the word life (live, lived, alive, etc.), highlight it ingreen. Look for relationships between the colors.

14. Paraphrase the WordGood translation can be defined as taking the meaning

from one language and capturing it accurately in anotherlanguage. Paraphrasing is like that, only it is capturing the

meaning of a passage and re-expressing that same meaning

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with different words. This can be done orally or in writing. Anaccurate paraphrase indicates understanding.

For example:For God so loved the world that he gave his only

begotten Soncan be re-expressed as:The Creator ofus all had such a deep love for us that

he willingly sent the only Son he ever conceived to die in ourplace!

(Notice some of the meaning that is implicit is

sometimes brought out explicitly in a paraphrase. Remember,the goal is accuracyin meaning.)

Starter Idea: Choose a single verse and attempt to re-expressit using completely new words!

15. Dramatize the WordIf drama can bring a story to life, then certainly it can be

a useful means of bringing Scripture to life. Dramatizations of

the Word can be completely spontaneous and amateurexercises or they can be professional quality productions thatare scripted, rehearsed, costumed, recorded and replayed.

They can bring a narrative story to life or they can articulate apoetic passage through dance and physical expression. A small

group may express a passage through an interpretive drama ora worship drama team may memorize and re-enact a passage.

In any case, the Word comes to life as it takes on threedimensions, motion, and sound.

Starter Idea: Try re-enacting John 6:16-24. Hey, if you cant

walk on water, at least you can experience what its likepretending to walk on water!

16. Sketch the WordFor the right-brain artistic types among us, drawing the

Word is something that is second nature. But even for those ofus who do better with straight lines and right angles, sketchingthe Word can be a rich experience capturing the big idea of a

passage or even details best highlighted with a sketch or

drawing.

Starter Ideas: Choose a passage like Jesus reference to swallowing a

camel and enfold it into a three-panel comic strip.

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Find an event in the Bible like the stoning of Stephen orthe raising of Lazarus and see how many details you can

weave into a single-scene sketch. Select a more abstract or difficult passage like Romans

6:1 about dying to sin and see what you might illustratewith a sketch.

17. Read the Word InterpretivelyThink of the scene in the Dead Poet Societywhen the

boarding school students snuck out of their dormitories and

met in their secret hideout to recite verse written by poets thathad long since died. They did it with such passion andexpression that I wanted to find their hideout and join the

society myself. Scripture can be more powerfully communicatedwhen we avoid a monotone expression of the Bible using alifeless voice. Instead capture and express the meaning of apassage with precision, passion, and expression. Give it a try,

by yourself or with others! A Scripture Reading Society couldbe every bit as exciting as a Dead Poets cluband then some!

Starter Ideas: John 1:1-3; John 14:1-3Try Ephesians 3:14-21, Romans 8:31-39

18. Memorize the WordDavid said he hid the Word of God in his heart to avoid

sin (Psalm 119:11). But there is another reason to memorize

Scripture: Memorization is a foundational exercise on whichmany other forms ofScripture meditation are based. Sure, itsrather easy to come up with reasons not to memorizeScripture:

Thats for the legalists. (Often times it has been!) It fosters spiritual pride. (Sometimes it does!) Thats for young people. (Its still achievable for any

age.)Why let the nay-saying thoughts rob us of one of the greatactivities the soul can ever experience?

If you struggle memorizing a passage, try this: Choose ashort passage, even just one verse. Read that passage aloud

three times in the morning, once at noon, and three times atbedtimeevery day for three weeks. If it is not alreadycommitted to memory after three weeks, a little extra effort atthat time can solidify the passage in your memory.

If you struggle with the pride associated with memorization,keep the actual goal of memorization in mind: Meditation. Itsnot ultimately about reciting a passage word-for-word from

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memory to show someone you did it. Its about having apassage at the full disposal of the mind at any time God might

want to teach you from it, so you can meditate as youSit athomeWalk alongLie downand Get up. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Starter Idea: If you want to start with a verse or two, considerJohn 3:16, Romans 5:1, or 2 Timothy 3:16-17. If you arefeeling more ambitious, consider Psalm 1. Dont too quickly

pass up the idea of memorizing a whole book of the Bible, suchas Philippians.

19. Recite the Word InterpretivelyOne of the payoffs of memorizing the Word is that you

are then able to recite it to yourself or to others. This idea is acombination of memorizing and interpretive reading. If yourecite Scripture to yourself before you fall asleep or when you

wake up during the night, you dont even need to turn on thelight to consume the Bible.

Starter Idea: Envision an evening when you and otherbelievers did nothing but articulate passages of Scripture to

each other by interpretive reading or recitation.

Choose a favorite verse to recite to yourself before getting outof bed in the morning. Say it like you mean it!

20. Personalize the WordIf the Word never gets personal, something has gone

wrong. Whether by reading or recitation, its exhilarating toinsert your name into a passage. For instance:

For God so loved Frank! (John 3:16) What shall Lauren say? Shall she go on sinningthat grace my increase? By no means! Lauren died to

sin! (Romans 6:1) Even Tom grows tired and weary and young

men stumble and fall. But as Tom hopes in the Lord, he

will renew Toms strength. He will mount up on wings

like eagles! (Isaiah 40:30-31)

Starter Idea: Try personalizing Romans 6 in writing.

21. Sing the WordThere are those who are musically gifted and there are

those who can only play the radio. Though I fall into the lattercategory, I dont allow my limited gifting in music to rob me ofthe richness of Gods Word put to music. And Im a lot less self-conscious with the Lord than I am around others, so I enjoying

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singing Scripture songs to myself. Perhaps youve enjoyed thisone like I have:

O Lord in the morning, will I direct my prayer untoThee and will look up. (Psalm 5:3)

I even improvise a tune here and there in the privacy ofmy own car or home. Somehow God has designed a power in

music that, when combined with Scripture, penetrates a heartlike nothing else can. The dynamic combination of Scripture andmusic are two elements that should be brought together asoften as possible. Another element to add to a Concert of

Scripture!

Starter Idea: Listen to Worship songs in iTunes that are

simply Scripture set to music. Sing the Psalmsthey werewritten to be set to music.

22. Hum the WordIts not all the time that we can belt out a Scripture

song. Sometimes something more subtle is required. Humming

Scripture quietly is a nice alternative when greater discretion isrequired. One of my favorite tunes is from Lamentations 3:23:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Hismercies never come to an end. They are new every morning,

new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness O Lord. Great isthey faithfulness!Starter Idea: A simple search on Google for Scripture Songs

will give you ample sites to visit and find many songs forsinging or humming.

23. Display the WordSome passages are just so wonderful they are bestartistically displayed in some fashion. Such passages might beBible promises to keep in front of us or reminders to keep usfocused in our walk with God. Consider commissioning a

calligrapher to artistically transcribe your favorite verse in a

frameable drawing or painting. Or create a colorful depictionyourself in PowerPoint or Photoshop. Print it on a color laser

printer and have it framed.Starter Idea: Visit Hobby Lobby, Mardels, Lifeway, or a Family

Christian Store to find a plaque with an uplifting Bible verse onit. Display in your home or on your desk. Enjoy it. Consume it!

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24. Share the WordWhat would it do for your own Scripture focus if you

were to give away one Bible verse to a different person each ofthe next 30 days? I encourage you to try it. A friend who

studied with me at Wycliffes Summer Institute of Linguisticscaught fire with Gods Word and could hardly contain himself.Brian would constantly hand write verses on 3 x 5 cards andleave them in our mail boxes. The personal touch brought these

verses to life and I remember feeling like I had received

numerous personal messages from God himself. And Brianhimself grew deeper as he shared with so many of us. Sharingthe Word with others engages us in it more deeply ourselves.

Starter Idea: Scroll through your contacts and choose threepeople. Find an encouraging, personalized verse for each oneand text it to them out of the blue.

25. Imagine the WordThis way of consuming the Word takes practice but it

can be one of the richest approaches to engaging the Bible. Forstories written in narrative, imagine the details. Imagine the

expressions on peoples faces. See the waves hitting the rocks.Visualize the eyes of Christ as he speaks to a crowd. Envisionthe colors in the peoples clothing. Feel the wind blow across

your neck as you listen to Paul preach at night. See yourself as

an eager bystander, ready for the next word to come out ofJesus mouth.

Starter Idea: Read the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel17 and insert descriptive detail that can bring the Bible to life.

Comment on the stench of sweat in the air, the shouting in thebackground, the clanging of iron, the barking of dogs, etc.[Need help with your imagination? Watch for Mark Burnett andRoma Downeys The Bible TV series coming to the History

Channel in March 2013. You wont want to miss it!]

26. Teach (or Preach) the WordStanding in front of a group of people with the

responsibility of teaching a Bible passage will bond you withthat passage like little else. If I were to rank ways of Scriptureengagement in terms of their depth of penetration, teaching theWord would be near the top. It forces you to study,

comprehend, and handle a passage so that you can speak withconfidence and knowledge rather than timidity and ignorance.Want to grow deeper in the Word? Try teaching it!

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Starter Idea: Volunteer to lead a small group or class atchurch. Do you attend any meetings that include short

devotionals? Offer to lead one. Start with a single session. Prayabout continuing further!

27. Do the Word!Perhaps the most critical of all means of engaging the

Word is doing it. James laments the vanity of hearing and notdoing it (1:23) and Jesus stipulates in Matthew 7 that puttingit into practice is the requirement for building a house that will

withstand the storms of life. Hearing and not doing the Wordinjures our own soul and robs us of spiritual confidence. Allreading and no changing leaves us in a worse place than before

we started. Watch for opportunities to Do! When we engagewith the Bible and find ourselves in conflict with itwe mustmove from where we are to where Scripture is. Micah 6:8 saysthat God requires us to do justice, love mercy, and walk

humbly with him. Whats the last act of justice for the poor thatyou performed? When is the last time you exercised mercy onsomeone who needed compassion or forgiveness? Is your lifemarked by humility? In just this one verse are several

opportunities to do the Word.

Starter Idea: Read through 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and findthree ways to do the Word in the next day.

28. Chisel the WordSome forms of consumption involve the whole Bible or a

whole book of the Bible. Others involve only a verse or aphrase. In this example, choose a single word to carve into a

board in your garage or a bench in your backyard or a carefullychosen stone. What are 3 or 4 of your favorite words in theBible?

Starter Idea: Choose a word, grab a sturdy knife or chisel,

and start carving!

29. Record the WordUsing a voice recorder, your computer, or your

smartphone, record a passage of 5-10 verses, practicing careful

enunciation and expressive speech. Repeat as necessary. Onceyou have a recording you are satisfied with, replay it foryourself numerous times in the coming days. Or video yourselfreading the word. (Send it to a friend!)

Starter Idea: Try recording yourself reading Romans 10:8-15.

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30. Photograph the WordA photo is an image in a point in time from a specific

vantage point. Using a digital camera or your cell phone, take aphoto of a specific verse. Try it from different angles, distances,

and with various lighting. When you click one you like, share it!Also, take photos out in nature and connect them with specificverses. With a sunset, pairThe Heavens declare the glory ofGod. With a mountain photo, displayI lift my eyes up unto

the mountains from whence cometh my help. And so on with

a river, an ocean, a tree planted by a river.

Starter Idea: Try this with a tree by a river as in Psalm 1:3.

31. Depict the Word (in 3D)There is power in three dimensions. Sculpture is three-dimensional art. There are many different media that work withsculpture: clay, Play-DohTM, magnetized BBs, even mashedpotatoes! Think about statues, sculptures, and stained glass

windows that you have seen. There are many opportunities todepict the Word: Think popsicle sticks, toothpicks, Legos, beachsand, marshmallows, and more!

Starter Idea: Consider some of your favorite verses, versesthat God has shown himself to you through. Identify one thatmight find expression through sculpture.Choose an scene that can be depicted in sculpture, such as theparting of the Red Sea or the Resurrection, or Jonah in the belly

of the fish.

32. Script the WordWords are beautiful. An attractive script can adorn their

beauty. Whether you use a calligraphic pen, a Marks-a-lotTMmarker, or a carefully selected font on your computer screen,try creatively depicting a verse thought an eye-catching script.

Starter Idea: Choose a verse that relates to heaven or the sky

or glory or eagles, or a phrase that you need to be reminded ofoften, such as Do not fear (Lamentations 3:57, Joshua 1:9,and so on) or Believe in God, believe also in me(John 14:1).

33. Pray the WordIt seemed fitting in a list of ways to consume the Bible

to finish with by giving words back to God. If one were tochoose a top way to consume the Bible, this might land at the

top of the list. It involves reading the Bible and expressing what

you read right back to God! Find a passage and read it back to

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God. Personalize it. After you read it, tell him what you likeabout it. Tell him what you might not like about it. Tell him how

you want to grow. Tell him how you want to know him better.Ask him about what you dont understand. If consuming GodsWord everyday comes with such great promises, just considerwhat talking to God every day might do! If youve chosen a

prompt to help you consume Gods Word each day, consideringusing your daily Bible consumption itself as an additionalprompt for praying the Word each day, as well. Even if for asolitary minute, talk to God. He is there and he is listening.

Starter Idea: Psalms 23 is an ideal opportunity to pray to theWord to the Lord:

You, Lord, are my shepherd.Because of you, I have everything I need.You make me lie down in green pastures.You lead me beside quiet waters.

You restore my soul

Note from the Author:

I cant say that Im satisfied with the current state of this BibleConsumption Guide. There is so much more that I want to do with it. Yet,

as my wife reminds me, A piece of writing is never finished; its only

due. Its time for me to send this to press and share itwith my friends

for Christmas.

If you have found this guide of enough value to share it with others, you

may download it for free atwww.bibleconsumption.com. Youll find a

copy of this book and other helpful resources to support you in a lifetimeof Bible consumption and deeper discovery of God!
http://www.bibleconsumption.com/http://www.bibleconsumption.com/http://www.bibleconsumption.com/


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Bible Consumption Guide:

33 Ways to Nourish Your Soul

Second Edition

2012 Ron Forseth

Permission freely granted to reproduce this resource

for non-commercial purposes.

Permission to customize this resource can besecured by emailing [email protected].

Lion Cover Image 2012 by Jan Forseth

~ back cover ~

Are You New to The Bible?

Over 40 authors wrote the 66 books of the Bible. With 1,189

chapters, 31,102 verses, and 783,137 words, its easy to get lost!

Genesis, the first book of the Bible, is a great place to start. Butyou might not want to wade through another 40 hours of reading

before you get to the New Testament. Before too long, its a good

idea to go through the Gospel of John, the fourth book of the New

Testament. John was written by Jesusclosest friendnamed

John! The gospels ofMatthew, Mark, and Luke are also excellent

reading. The Book of Acts is rather exciting, too.

Are You a Veteran of The Bible?

Pretend you arent! This Bible Consumption Guide is for you.

bible consumption guide.pdf

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