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Bible Study Skills – Memorizing Scripture Top 7 Ways to Memorize God’s Word. There are many methods for memorizing scripture, and we all learn differently so some ways may work better for us than others. Pray ~ Ask God where to start.  Is there an area you are feeling particularly weak? Maybe you’re weak in your faith and God led you here. I have been there. I have prayed for faith the size of a mustard seed. Seek God’s guidance to strengthen you through His Word. Read ~ Read the verses in their context.  Having an understanding of what the actually means helps tremendously with our ability to retain and remember. (Check out the " Digger Deeper" post - see link below.) Write it out ~ Writing the verse in your journal, on note cards or wherever is an effective way to remember Scripture. { Cool & worth noting: There is scientific research showing how writing something down with actual pen and paper helps us retain what we are trying to remember, far better...

Digging Deeper: Reading the Bible in Context The intention behind words is a great thought to keep in mind as we dig deeper  into our Bibles using Bible Study Skills … Reading a Verse in Context. If you’re like me, then there have been many times you have been misquoted or something you said was misinterpreted. I have walked in at the end of a conversation, only to catch the last sentence. I assumed I knew exactly what the entire conversation must have been about, but when I spoke up, the person talking said,  “But that’s not what I meant!” I wonder how many times God thinks that when we read our Bibles? Did you know there over 800,000 words contained in the 66 books of the Bible? God is the Divine Author, but He used humans to do the actual writing … around 40 of them! Forty people each with their own personality, writing style and way with words.   It blows my mind to consider that the Bible was written over the time span of around 1,600 years!! The m...

Proverbs 6:23 says "For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the correction of discipline are the way to life." We live in a world that hates God & godly principles and it can only lead to destruction. As CF we have to let our light shine. The world needs Jesus more than ever before. We have to be the Paul's & Peters of our time. No more Whimpy Christians, we can no longer afford to keep silent, lost souls are at stake. Blessings Cheryl

Today we'll be mainly talking about "verse chaining" but if you've been with me in previous Bible Studies, we've talked about verse mapping . Verse Chaining helps us dig just a little deeper into Scripture, linking God's Word together. We can take a verse all by itself and try to guess or discern what message God is communicating. Yet unless we connect the verses together, we might miss the beauty of the complete picture God has for us to discover. Verse chaining   allows us to do just that … connect the dots! A chain is a series or group of things connected to each other in some way. When we dig deeper by  verse chaining,   we link verses together by words, phrases or thoughts. There are many  ways you can dig deeper into  verse chaining,   but let me show you an example of how it works: Click here on link to view video -   http://vimeo.com/131528153   Bible Study Skills: Verse Chaining using www.biblegateway...

Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word. Mark 4:18 Mark chapter four is the Parable of the Sower. As I have been listening to various news media over the last few days - this is apparently the scripture that was being studied that faithful night. I must admit, I was in disbelief when I first heard the news of the tragic shooting in Charleston, SC. I was shaken to the core, how could this be happening in 2015? I felt as if I were placed in a time warp and transported back to the 1960's to relive a similar event. The strength and faith of the families affected took the nation by surprise and off guard - pleasantly. The power of faith and love in the midst of such a horrible, overwhelming tragedy - crippled evil. The love and forgiveness shown in that courtroom could only come from a deep abiding relationship with the Savior.  What the enemy meant to harm and destroy, God is using for His good and His glory. This event, I believe, will op...

Are you having a love hate relationship with your journal - some days I am;  or maybe you're asking yourself "what's all the fuss about?" For me, journaling is my communication log and it helps me recall my life's journey with The Lord. All the things He's brought me through - the good and the not so good. I can rejoice as I reflect on ALL God has brought me through - the answered prayers and even the unanswered prayers. As Christ-Followers we know that God's ways are not our ways and His timing is not our timing. Trust and believe - God loves to hear from us and the more we get into His Word, the more His Word gets into us! So why journal? Here's the link to a youtube video I created - The Joy's of Journaling! https://youtu.be/790BTW5ipXQ Keeping a journal helps you: · Process and personalize what God is saying to you through His Word . · Ask questions of the text.  The Who, What, When, Why and Where can all be written in ...

        Psalm 84:6 (NLT) says, " When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. When we rely on God for our strength in times of difficulty, we will continually experience renewal and refreshing because He is with us. Blessings,   Cheryl

Paul knew that in order for Christ-followers to grow in their faith, they must have love and encouragement. That is so true. We thrive when we feel loved and supported by our loved ones and close friends. Throughout the New Testament, Christ-followers are encouraged to serve and to minister to one another, following the example of Christ. We are not called to sit quietly, going to church week after week; we are called to spread the Good News. Let your light shine brightly so others can see, we as Christ-followers may be the only light of Christ those around us may see. Encourage someone today! Blessings,   Cheryl

  Nice vs. Kind – What is the difference?   Kind as defined by dictionary.com means… of a good or benevolent nature or disposition. Nice as defined by dictionary.com means… pleasing; agreeable; delightful. There are 259 references to the word “kind” and only four references to the word “nice” in the NLT version of the Bible according to Biblegateway.com Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesian 4:32 (NLT) Isaiah 30:10 says, “Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.” Let’s explore some of the differences between “kind” and “nice.” Nice is about what the other person is thinking and feeling – it’s their perception of the situation. Kind is about what you choose to do and why. When you want to be nice, it’s because you want to please the other person, you want everyone to be happy. When you want to be kind, it’s because you want to do what is right regardless of how the...

  1.      Understand we live in a messy world a.      Suffering accelerates spiritual maturity 2.      Know that God is never far from us a.      Our disappointments are Appointments 3.      Throw a party a.      God is concerned with our character not our comfort Sometimes God sets us on an unexpected course in which we are asked to trust Him with every detail of the journey God is worthy to be trusted & worshipped as we respond in obedience Ephesians 1:5-6 (NLT) – God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6  So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love…Psalm 107:21-22 Look for the Hand of God...

  What is the Good News? Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost and through Him we have forgiveness of our sins and life eternal with Him in heaven John 1:12 – But ALL who believed in Him, He gave the right to become children of God Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ways to Become a “Masterpiece” 1.     Understand we live in a messy world a.     Suffering accelerates spiritual maturity 2.     Know that God is never far from us a.     Our disappointments are Appointments 3.     Throw a party a.     God is concerned with our character not our comfort Sometimes God sets us on an unexpected course in which we are asked to trust Him with every detail of the journey God is worthy to be trusted & worshipped as we respond in obedience ...

“God’s plan is for you to be in relationships that provide mutual help and assistance. As much as you need other people for help and friendship, they need you for the same reasons.” – Charles F. Stanley –   What does it take to develop a lasting Friendship ? Time Together Philippians 2:4 encourages us to “not merely look out for (our) own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” When you care enough about your friends you put them first, you love them lie Christ loves you. Communication Genuine friendships are built on honest and transparency. “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend” (Proverbs 27:9). Shared Life Experiences Is there someone you can laugh and cry with? Godly friends rejoice over accomplishments, give wise counsel, and are loyal at all times. “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17) Who is your 5 a.m. friend? We all need one. Demonstrations of Love ...

Look straight ahead,  and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Proverbs 4:25 (NLT) I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT) Live life with positive expectancy! This song I think fits perfectly with todays theme - Fix My Eyes by King & Country. Enjoy!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ej9T4bTAGI Blessings,   Cheryl