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A Brand New You
Part
Two
In
Part One of this feature, we
looked at God's simple plan for the transformation of our
lives. Here, in Part Two, we examine how we can put this
simple plan into practice. Stick to this plan
on a daily basis and soon you will marvel at how your life
will change. Sooner than you
ever
thought possible, changes will come that will thrill you. That's a guarantee!
Ploughing
Through
Life-Changing Truth
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`Whoever finds Me finds life . . .' (Proverbs 8:35) |
Let
us picture
the Bible as a farm that is divided into seven fields. We
invite you to
systematically plough these seven fields on a daily basis and
by so doing you will be preparing the soil so that your life
may yield a bounteous crop.
We
would like to suggest that you divide your Bible into
the following seven "fields." Please feel free to
change this plan as you feel convicted.
|
First Field |
Psalms to Ecclesiastes |
|
Second Field |
Matthew
to Acts |
|
Third Field |
Romans
to Colossians |
|
Fourth Field |
1
Thessalonians to Revelation |
|
Fifth Field |
Genesis
to Deuteronomy |
|
Sixth Field |
Joshua
to Job |
|
Seventh Field |
Song
of Solomon to Malachi |
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To
save yourself from being bogged down in some of the less
thrilling portions of Scripture, we
suggest that you cycle through these seven fields by studying only
one chapter at a time from each field. In other words, your first
cycle will include Psalms 1, Matthew 1, Romans 1, 1
Thessalonians 1, Genesis 1, Joshua 1, and Song of
Solomon 1. We suggest that you start
each day's study with Field 1 and that you progress through the remaining fields
as time permits.
Some
chapters in Psalms are very long, others are very short.
Instead of reading a chapter at a time in Psalms, try reading
from the first chapter of a page (or two-page spread) to the first
chapter of the next page (or two-page spread). Then, in the case of very
long chapters, such as Psalm 119 and certain chapters in the book of Luke
, feel free to
split these chapters into two or more fields.
Using
this ploughing method of study you will discover precious linkages of truth, and your
study time will become as fruitful as possible. Our handy
book-marking
method will help you to keep track of your progress as you
cycle through the seven fields.
Some
chapters contain long genealogies. Do not be tempted to skip
these. All Scripture is given by God for a life-changing
purpose, and the purpose of these portions is no doubt to teach us
patience - to make us the masters of our own minds - and to
help us to overcome our
impatient tendencies and our longing to do only those things
that we want to do or that we enjoy doing.
Do
not be tempted to set yourself a daily quota of any number of
chapters, but rather lay aside a special time (when you feel
fresh and your
stomach is empty) during which you are
going to lose yourself in the presence of God in any of the following ways:
|
We
applaud God |
We speak
to God |
|
Bible
Study |
God
speaks to us |
|
Meditation |
We
converse with God |
|
Helping
The Needy |
We visit
with God |
|
Praise |
We
applaud God |
|
During
your study time, it does not matter if you spend one hour on one verse,
or one hour on seven chapters - all that matters is that you
spend precious time alone with the Author of life and wisdom -
for it is this alone that develops the human mind and that levels
the pathway of life.
In
order to begin your adventure in the Word of God, the only tools you will be needing
will be your Bible, a pen, and a quiet place (and an empty
stomach because you do not want your energies devoted to
digestion when they should be devoted to mental exercise). The first step
is to go through your Bible and write the words "New
Field" at the top of the first page in each of the seven "fields" listed above. If you
click
here you will be able to print out the table of
fields,
together with a handy book marking method that you can paste in
the front of your Bible. Then use the BACK key on your browser
to return to this place.
Now, starting at
the first chapter, read the chapter verse by verse and, with your attention fixed on
each verse, ask the Lord to help you to uncover any deeper
meaning that may be hidden within the verse.
Very often,
and especially if you are new to Bible Study, you will look at a verse and you will
wonder what on earth you will ever be able to dig out of it -
yet, with meditation, and with practice, and provided you are studying on an
empty stomach, you will often be surprised at the gems of
truth that
God will reveal to you. And always remember, for as long as you are feeding
your mind on sacred truth, your life is being changed.
Please
bear in mind that you are not alone at such times. This is a joint venture
between you and your Maker. Feel free to speak to Him for He is
your special Friend. Ask Him to
enlighten your mind and He will do it. Do not allow yourself
to believe that you can spend time reading the words of men -
as spiritual as they may be - as an alternative to reading the
words of God. Our need is to hear what God has to say to us,
not what other people think that that God has to say to us.
Our need is for a direct relationship with God via His Word
and Prayer, not for a spiritual courier service.
Bon
voyage - we commit you to the hands of the Almighty. As any
kind and caring father would be, He is delighted when you spend time
with Him. He will be
your faithful Guide from here on into eternity - see Psalm 91.
See you
in heaven one day. Just remember that when we get there, it will not
be
because of anything we have done, but only because of what Jesus has
done for us.
A
Practical Book-Marking Method
The
use of book marks can be rather frustrating as one tends to
lose them. A far more effective method is to make a mark at the
end of each chapter that you have studied. This you may do by
drawing a 4mm circle at the end of the chapter you have just
studied. The next time you study that chapter draw a
horizontal line through the circle, and the next time a
vertical line through the circle. After studying a chapter three times you will
thus have a circle divided into four segments by an upright
cross - indicating that you have read the chapter three times.
The next time you study that chapter, shade in one of
the segments, and continue in this way, shading in segment
after segment, until the entire circle is shaded in. A circle
that is
fully-shaded will therefore indicate that you have
studied that chapter seven times.
Having shaded in one circle,
you will start again with a new circle next to the old circle to represent the eighth
tilling.
Now
that you are on the path that leads to an ever-deepening
knowledge of God, which knowledge is the key to life eternal, you might like to visit the feature
Friend
of Friends.
For
your convenience you might also like to print out our
Study
Plan and paste it in the front of your Bible.
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