Spending Time with God-Bible Experience (BibleX)

Spending time with God is so important. Some people just say God understands I just don't have time to spend with him exclusively. I would argue that you don't have time not to. Spending time with God is the source of life as a Christian. John 15 is clear that unless we abide in the vine we will not live fruitful lives.

The Bible Experience is a tool to facilitate prayer, Bible reading, and journaling as you fellowship with God. The Bible Experience is a unique opportunity for you to draw close to the author of the Bible. The Bible is a collection of books that have been inspired by God and left for us as a tool to get to know Him and be transformed in the process. On this journey we will read through select books of the Old and New Testaments two chapters a day, five days week, taking Saturday and Sunday off as days to rest and worship with the church.

This experience is a steady pace of reading that will allow you to soak in the Word of God and apply what you have read to your life. We are not trying to read through the entire Bible in a certain amount of time, rather we are developing a repeatable and reproducible pattern that will help you read the Bible for life. As in any relationships knowing God takes time together. If you are just beginning, 20 minutes a day is a good way to start. Find a quiet place and a workable time when you can regularly be alone. Then…

Pray (5 minutes) Talk from the heart about the things that matter most to you. You might follow the well-known pattern of
“ACTS”
-Adoration: “Lord, I’m amazed by Your
-Confession: “Lord, I was wrong when I…”
-Thanksgiving:”Lord, I’m grateful for…”
-Supplication: “Lord, I need…”

Read (10 minutes) Follow the Bible Experience reading Guide, read one or two chapters a day.(5 days a week)

Journal (5 minutes) After you’ve read your chapter go back and ask, “what is God saying to me?” In just two or three sentences write what you are hearing.

Join in and experience a more intimate fellowship with God. If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv Leave us your name and mailing address.

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Bible Experience: July-August

Start reading your Bible today. We continue to hear how the Bible Experience (Bible-X) is helping people stay focused on God’s word. We have over 100 participants from eight different states (NJ, FL, MO, TX, OK, MD, IA and IN). I wanted to take time to share a testimony in my family.

We have two teenage sons. We want them to own their faith and spend time with God because they "want to" not because they "have to". Having the physical bookmark in their Bible and a set time when they read has helped them to keep a Godly focus for their days. It has been a joy to be in the car and have a spontaneous conversation over the reading for the day. We pray that they are developing a habit that they will be able to carry with them when they leave our house.

What are your testimonies? Please share: email to info@churchablaze.tv or leave a voice mail at 405-200-1846.

Read here to see how the Bible Experience works. The chapters for July and August are included as an image in this post. Below you can read how to print your own bookmark or receive one in the mail.

For July and August as we will stay on the theme of Establishing. We will look at:

• Establishing of a leader---I and II Timothy, Titus
• Establishing a love for Jesus---Gospel of John and his three letters (I, II, and III John)
• Establishing the Christian life---James
• Establishing of the temple---Exodus
• Establishing of the law---Deuteronomy 

Remember this is an experience that you can use in multiple ways:

1. This can be a personal devotion tool. Fellowship with God a minimum of 20 minutes through prayer, reading, and journaling (See bookmark for guidance).

2. This can be a tool to bring your family together around the word. Have the family individually read the two chapters in their own quiet time. When you come together in the car, around the dinner table, or in the family room; have each family member share a portion from the reading that had an impact. Pray for each other and you are done.
3. This can be a tool used in small group environments. Get together with one or two others and share what passages stood out the most to you.

MAIL:
If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv. Leave us your name and mailing address.

PRINT:
You can also print off a hard copy of the bookmark your self here. (Bookmark pdf file)

If you would like to receive email updates of my new post click below:Subscribe to Jonathan's Blog by Email
Don't forget to check your email for confirmation.

Now what? The Event Is Over

When you go to a conference, retreat, or renewing event you often feel like you are on top of the world. How do you carry the glory of the event into everyday life? Inspiration feels like change, but it is not. Turn inspiration into initiation or it will become a memory versus sustatined change. God doesn't just come for a visitation but rather a habitation. When you leave an event it is important to know that the same God you met wants to dwell with you forever. Here are five things that I do to carry the renewal throughout my life.

1. The week after I get up early to pray, read and listen to see if God has more to say in light of the event.
2. I take a few days to reread all of my notes and ask my self the following quesitons:
1. What changes do I need to make to my life? What are some areas where I need to repent?
2. What measurable steps can I take now in light of the information I learned?
3. What are some areas God is definetly demanding instant obedience?
4. Who are some people I need to talk to and get things right with?
3. I reread all of the passage of scripture to discover more personal insights.
4. I tell at least three people a summary of the event and what it meant to me. Some people you should tell are spouses, parents, siblings, best freinds, or spirtual leaders in your life. Close relationships are the key because this has built in accountability.
5. Any new commitments I make I write them down and submit them to my accountability partner. I don't trust myself.

Take this verse and memorize it and pray it daily after the event: Phil. 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
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Bible Experience-May-June

There is a deficit of Christians that spend a daily quite time with God. In this fast paced world it's good to have a tool that will help you slow down and focus on God's word. What a blessing it is to see the Bible Experience (Bible-X) bringing families and individuals together around God’s word. We have participants from NJ, FL, MO, TX, OK, and IN. It is sweeping across generations from six year old children on up to people in their fifties. Read here to see how the Bible Experience works. The chapters for May and June are included as an image in this post. Below you can read how to print your own bookmark or receive one in the mail.

This is an experience that you can use in multiple ways:
1. This can be used as a personal devotion tool. Fellowship with God a minimum of 20 minutes through prayer, reading, and journaling (See bookmark for guidance).
2. A tool to bring your family together around the word. Have the family individually read the two chapters in their own quiet time. When you come together in the car, around the dinner table, or in the family room have each family share a portion that impact them from the reading. Pray for each other and you are done.
3. A tool that can be used in small group environments. Get together with one or two others and share what passages stood out the most to you. 

Remember if you miss a day don’t worry about catching up, just pick up where you left off. We are not reading for speed, nor are we trying to finish the Bible in a certain amount of time. We are establishing a discipline of reading the Bible for life.

MAIL:
If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv Leave us your name and mailing address.
PRINT:
You can also print off a hard copy of the bookmark your self here. (Bookmark pdf file)

If you would like to receive email updates of my new post click below:Subscribe to Jonathan's Blog by Email
Don't forget to check your email for confirmation.

The Bible Experience-20 minutes-5 days

The Bible Experience is a unique opportunity for you to draw close to the author of the Bible. The Bible is a collection of books that have been inspired by God and left for us as a tool to get to know Him and be transformed in the process.

On this journey we will read through select books of the Old and New Testaments two chapters a day, five days week, taking Saturday and Sunday off as days to rest and worship with the church.

This experience is a steady pace of reading that will allow you to soak in the Word of God and apply what you have read to your life. We are not trying to read through the entire Bible in a certain amount of time, rather we are developing a repeatable and reproducible pattern that will help you read the Bible for life.

As in any relationships knowing God takes time together. If you are just beginning, 20 minutes a day is a good way to start. Find a quiet place and a workable time when you can regularly be alone. Then…

Pray (5 minutes) Talk from the heart abou the things that matter most to you. You might follow the well-known pattern of “ACTS”
-Adoration: “Lord, I’m amazed by Your
-Confession: “Lord, I was wrong when I…”
-Thanksgiving:”Lord, I’m grateful for…”
-Supplication: “Lord, I need…”

Read (10 minutes) Follow the Bible Experience reading Guide, read two chapters a day. (5 days a week)

Journal (5 minutes) After you’ve read your chapter go back and ask, “what is God saying to me?” In just two or three sentences write what you are hearing.

Join in and experience a more intimate fellowship with God.

If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv Leave us your name and mailing address.
If you would like to receive email updates of my new post click below:Subscribe to Jonathan's Blog by Email
Don't forget to check your email for confirmation.

Journaling-Five Things

I have been journaling since 1992. If I don't journal my thoughts I get into endless cycles that leave me unfruitful in life. I am not a "Dear Abby" journaler. I don't write everyday. It is not a "have to" event for me, whether it is a "want to" event. I have no form. I have no script. I just start writing whatever comes from my head, to my hand, to the paper. Personally I believe this is how the Psalms were written. That is why the Psalms are the most referred to book in the Bible when you need empathy for your feelings.
I know one day my children will go thumbing through my journals and will wonder if they had a schizophrenic for a dad. I tell it like it is. My frustrations, anger, disappointments all come out. Not only is it my dumping station for my feelings, but it is also my altar. I bring my sins to the altar on those pages. It is where I meet God. Sure I pour plenty of my garbage in it, but I also write all of the inspiration and revelation that God deposits through me as I write.
One of my favorite passages is Psalms 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Through my brokenness God repeatedly showers me with wholeness as I write. When I mourn He comforts, when I am confused He brings clarity, when I am frustrated He calms me down.
I guess that is why I now love these social platforms for communicating my heart like Blogs, Facebook, & Twitter. I recently have taken a a few days off from Facebook and Twitter just because I can. I wrote in 2009 how it helps me (Click here). Some say that their blog has replaced their journal. But I can't cosign that, to me nothing replaces the old fashion pen on paper. When I type, I am automatically thinking about formatting. When I write on paper I just flow.
Five things I use my journal for:
1) I use them as scrap books. I staple articles or devotions in them that impact my life.
2) I write down key points from sermons, my thoughts, & impactful thoughts of others.
3) I write my prayers: the request and the answers.
4) I draw pictures of Biblical truths to help me understand.
5) I preach from it, Facebook from it, Tweet from it, and Blog from it.

Five questions you can answer when journaling:
1) What is going well? Why?
2) Who needs prayer? Your confessions? Marriage? Children? others?
3) What would I do differently, if I could do it again? Why?
4) What have I learned about myself and my leadership?
5) What areas do I need to correct, change or grow in? Where is God at work in my life?

Five reasons I would encourage you to get a notebook and write your thoughts:
1) You have a reference point to evaluate your life experiences.
2) It tames your thought life and helps to ends cycles of thought that rythmically beat you down.
3) It affords one more platform for the Holy Spirit to teach you.
4) It is a great collection point for all of the teachable moments that you encounter in your day.
5) It becomes a funnel that can take the broad array of your emotions and narrow it down to the heart of the matter.

These are my thoughts what are yours? How does journaling help you.

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Subscribe to Jonathan's Blog by Email
Don't forget to check your email for confirmation