NEWSPAPER BIBLE STUDY
TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:
Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16
NEWSPAPER BIBLE STUDY
Where do you find inspiration? What makes you take out your Bible and look up a Scripture?
Last Saturday, I received a call reminding me I had devotions for our Evening Circle, Monday at church. I hadn't completely forgotten. I just had forgotten that it was April instead of May. I assured Elsie I would have something. But what? As I worked, I thought of this. Then that. Sunday morning I still was not sure. I wasn't sure until I started reading the paper.
Have you ever found inspiration in the Sunday paper? Me neither! Not until last Sunday. I always start with the cartoons and right there, in living color, was a cartoon that made me think of a scripture. Ah, ha -- I would use the paper.
Sunday evening, I took the paper and sat down with sticky notes, pen and scissors. I cut out the cartoon. Then another. Then I turned to the front page. Oh, that article would work. So would that one. The obituaries. The most wanted of the week and an article on war. Even ads. I cut. I snipped. Then I reached for my Bible.
Now, if I had a better working knowledge of the scriptures, this might have been a quick task, but as I have said before, God has a sense of humor. "Mary, since I have tried to get you to read the Bible for years and you have put it off, you will now have to look it up."
Look it up, I did. What I thought would take, maybe, a half hour, turned into two and one-half hours in God's word. An amazing time. Know what I came up with? I will not give you all of them, but will give you an idea.
Everyone who comes is fed. This article was on a food pantry. There was also an article on students collecting canned goods and volunteers helping a couple with quintuplets. This scripture was easy: Matthew 25: 35-40.
Crime Stoppers. Active warrants and solving crime - where would I find a scripture for this? Psalm 140:4
New unrest in Iraq. When I read this article, I realized that my generation (those 60-year-old baby boomers) has never known peace. The end of WW II, the cold war, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and many wars until the War in Iraq. Where would I find a scripture for this? Psalm 140:1-2
There was a picture of a baby learning to eat. We are learning: Luke 6:40. There was an ad for a camera to record and relive your memories, your way. We have memories to record: Psalm 79:13.
The cartoon that started this process was Heart of the City. The characters were discussing a "You Tube" video where people laughed when a guy smashed into a brick wall. They wondered when people getting hurt became entertainment. Are we like the world? Do we laugh? The scripture: Romans 12:2.
The Evening Circle seemed to enjoy the fruits of my work. I know I did. Those two and one-half hours flew by. Those two and one-half hours guided me from the Old Testament to the New. Those two and one-half hours proved - once again - that God is everywhere!!!!!
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Where do you find inspiration? This week I would like you to try this. Take a newspaper. Or a magazine. Find articles. Stories. Cartoons. Ads. Then find a scripture that celebrates good news or helps you understand bad news. Or use a word out of an ad (A word like path or door.) and find scriptures with that word in them. Use the concordance and have an amazing time in God's word.
Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.
LET US PRAY
Dear Giver of the Word, What comfort and peace I find in your word. I find guidance to help others and I find words to call upon for protection. I find words to set me free and words to make my heart sing. Oh God, let me walk in your word. Let me feel comfortable with the Bible. Comfortable so that when I hold the Bible in my hands, I feel a desire to discover more about you. Instill in me a desire to learn and read. A desire to understand. A desire to ………… Amen
TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:
Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16
NEWSPAPER BIBLE STUDY
Where do you find inspiration? What makes you take out your Bible and look up a Scripture?
Last Saturday, I received a call reminding me I had devotions for our Evening Circle, Monday at church. I hadn't completely forgotten. I just had forgotten that it was April instead of May. I assured Elsie I would have something. But what? As I worked, I thought of this. Then that. Sunday morning I still was not sure. I wasn't sure until I started reading the paper.
Have you ever found inspiration in the Sunday paper? Me neither! Not until last Sunday. I always start with the cartoons and right there, in living color, was a cartoon that made me think of a scripture. Ah, ha -- I would use the paper.
Sunday evening, I took the paper and sat down with sticky notes, pen and scissors. I cut out the cartoon. Then another. Then I turned to the front page. Oh, that article would work. So would that one. The obituaries. The most wanted of the week and an article on war. Even ads. I cut. I snipped. Then I reached for my Bible.
Now, if I had a better working knowledge of the scriptures, this might have been a quick task, but as I have said before, God has a sense of humor. "Mary, since I have tried to get you to read the Bible for years and you have put it off, you will now have to look it up."
Look it up, I did. What I thought would take, maybe, a half hour, turned into two and one-half hours in God's word. An amazing time. Know what I came up with? I will not give you all of them, but will give you an idea.
Everyone who comes is fed. This article was on a food pantry. There was also an article on students collecting canned goods and volunteers helping a couple with quintuplets. This scripture was easy: Matthew 25: 35-40.
Crime Stoppers. Active warrants and solving crime - where would I find a scripture for this? Psalm 140:4
New unrest in Iraq. When I read this article, I realized that my generation (those 60-year-old baby boomers) has never known peace. The end of WW II, the cold war, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and many wars until the War in Iraq. Where would I find a scripture for this? Psalm 140:1-2
There was a picture of a baby learning to eat. We are learning: Luke 6:40. There was an ad for a camera to record and relive your memories, your way. We have memories to record: Psalm 79:13.
The cartoon that started this process was Heart of the City. The characters were discussing a "You Tube" video where people laughed when a guy smashed into a brick wall. They wondered when people getting hurt became entertainment. Are we like the world? Do we laugh? The scripture: Romans 12:2.
The Evening Circle seemed to enjoy the fruits of my work. I know I did. Those two and one-half hours flew by. Those two and one-half hours guided me from the Old Testament to the New. Those two and one-half hours proved - once again - that God is everywhere!!!!!
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Where do you find inspiration? This week I would like you to try this. Take a newspaper. Or a magazine. Find articles. Stories. Cartoons. Ads. Then find a scripture that celebrates good news or helps you understand bad news. Or use a word out of an ad (A word like path or door.) and find scriptures with that word in them. Use the concordance and have an amazing time in God's word.
Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.
LET US PRAY
Dear Giver of the Word, What comfort and peace I find in your word. I find guidance to help others and I find words to call upon for protection. I find words to set me free and words to make my heart sing. Oh God, let me walk in your word. Let me feel comfortable with the Bible. Comfortable so that when I hold the Bible in my hands, I feel a desire to discover more about you. Instill in me a desire to learn and read. A desire to understand. A desire to ………… Amen
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