A different concept....

[Helen]

 

[Willie T]

Have you noticed that we are at 20 posts in this thread, and everyone is still calmly behaving like a __________ ? …….. (I had a word in mind, but you fill in your own.)

Could it be because none of us are trying to tell the others "our" truth?

 

[Enoch111]

How about a group bible study with no presuppositions.

That is asking for something which is really impossible. Let's take the ultimate authority of Scripture. You could have half a dozen different ideas about this matter in any group, and chances are no one would give up their presuppostions even though they might say so.

 

[Willie T]

That is asking for something which is really impossible. Let's take the ultimate authority of Scripture. You could have half a dozen different ideas about this matter in any group, and chances are no one would give up their presuppostions even though they might say so.

See? That is just the opposite of what people here were suggesting trying to learn to have a mindset of doing. When you enter anything with the attitude that neither you nor anyone else will be reasonable... then you have yourself a "self-fulfilling prophesy."

 

[aspen]

I know this bolded part will border upon Satanic heresy for some of you. But, that is a "given", considering the group we have here. So, as I usually do, I will ignore such a faction and address this to those of you I have come to respect as thinkers.

An interesting and often rewarding approach to the study of the Bible is to take a smaller book, like Ephesians or 1 John, and read it through each day for a month. More than any single effort, this will put the structure of the book into your mind. Read it without trying to fit it into established categories. Expect to hear new things in new ways. Keep a journal of your findings. In the course of these studies you will obviously want to make use of the best secondary aids available.

Anyone ever done anything like this?

Yes. It is a good practice.

Have you heard of Lectio Davina?

 

[aspen]

How about a group bible study with no presuppositions. The rule for any discussion would be no outside references. You can only quote from what was already stated in the Bible study. Even quoting scriptures would be forbidden if it wasn't done yet in the study.

This sounds really good

 

[Truth]

Have you noticed that we are at 20 posts in this thread, and everyone is still calmly behaving like a __________ ? …….. (I had a word in mind, but you fill in your own.)

A Civilized Human Being's?

Great Idea, I am truly going to put this in a practice. I still work part time, but if I can read through part of a book, and continue from there it would be a start! Some one else made this statement, the NT Epistles are Letter's, so why would you start in the middle of any letter!
If I may, when we read and we come to a chapter change, we should continue to read as if it wasn't there, these books weren't written with chapt, vers #s, sometimes the context flows past these numbered breaks!

Hay! Great Thread!! I to have had others point out thing's that I glossed over.

 

[Willie T]

The only problem I have with Lectio Divina is that it was actually designed to also include the reading (and accepting) of the thoughts and ideas of the Church Fathers.

 

[Willie T]

A Civilized Human Being's?

Great Idea, I am truly going to put this in a practice. I still work part time, but if I can read through part of a book, and continue from there it would be a start! Some one else made this statement, the NT Epistles are Letter's, so why would you start in the middle of any letter!
If I may, when we read and we come to a chapter change, we should continue to read as if it wasn't there, these books weren't written with chapt, vers #s, sometimes the context flows past these numbered breaks!

Hay! Great Thread!! I to have had others point out thing's that I glossed over.

You can actually download the Bible in that format.

 

[Taken]

I know a lot of people may consider it blasphemous to ask yourself if a portion of Scripture (or even an entire chapter or book) may actually say something other that that which we have been taught, but I kind of think it is a bit foolish NOT to do that.

Excellent advice.
In general terms it is very Basically called EFFORT.

Not trying to Cipher...but rather The Effort to read, reread, soak it in, dwell on the Words....

And Trust....God will notice and Give you HIS Understanding....

THAT is precisely how a mans mind begins changing from Carnal to Spiritual and the man renewing of his own mind To Be....
Christ-like.

Rom 12:2

Thanks for this thread :)
God Bless,
Taken

 

[aspen]

The only problem I have with Lectio Divina is that it was actually designed to also include the reading (and accepting) of the thoughts and ideas of the Church Fathers.

It is just a tool

 

[Willie T]

I think the biggest problem with this is that we would have to resist ignoring some things to keep reading with our preconceptions. For instance, in Revelation, we would have to stop and read Chapter 1, Verse three, and accept that before we could continue. And we really couldn't continue until we DID accept the rest of the book with that initial thought as the basis for everything that followed. Until that was pointed out to me, I breezed right over that particular and specific statement like it wasn't even there... I did that for more than 60 years.

 

[Uisdean]

I know this bolded part will border upon Satanic heresy for some of you. But, that is a "given", considering the group we have here. So, as I usually do, I will ignore such a faction and address this to those of you I have come to respect as thinkers.

An interesting and often rewarding approach to the study of the Bible is to take a smaller book, like Ephesians or 1 John, and read it through each day for a month. More than any single effort, this will put the structure of the book into your mind. Read it without trying to fit it into established categories. Expect to hear new things in new ways. Keep a journal of your findings. In the course of these studies you will obviously want to make use of the best secondary aids available.

Anyone ever done anything like this?

Wow! This is the sort of thing I was seeking. Y'All got me doing a fast..now I have something specific for the fast. One question: What about the translation notes and the study notes? I'm thinking that if you change translation versions every day those notes can help.
...Ephesians sounds good to me...
Can we post here if we need assistance or to report on how we're doing?

 

[Willie T]

Wow! This is the sort of thing I was seeking. Y'All got me doing a fast..now I have something specific for the fast. One question: What about the translation notes and the study notes? I'm thinking that if you change translation versions every day those notes can help.
...Ephesians sounds good to me...
Can we post here if we need assistance or to report on how we're doing?

I consistently seldom use any less than six or seven different translations of the Bible, and sometimes I have employed as many as 22 versions in some studies. And most of them also contain their own notes. (Yes, sometimes I use The World English Bible, smooth reading format. [No Chapters or verses] )

 

[amadeus]

I know a lot of people may consider it blasphemous to ask yourself if a portion of Scripture (or even an entire chapter or book) may actually say something other that that which we have been taught, but I kind of think it is a bit foolish NOT to do that.

Amen! How many of the Scribes and the Pharisees, supposedly Masters of the Law were right in line what Jesus had to say? On the other hand how of them did He line up with...?

 

[amadeus]

Now THAT would indeed be an interesting study indeed. :)
And also require breaking old habits!!

Some of those old habits are what have been leading people repeatedly back into sin as I see it. But people also like to find a resting place in a church group and its beliefs rather than simply resting in Jesus. The mouth may say the words, but it really takes more than words, doesn't it?

 

[Willie T]

I have never given this out before, but some of you who like audio Bibles will really like this:
http://ebible.org/web/audio/

Dcopymope,
"Yes", you will appreciate this... it is done by a Brother.

 

[Stranger]

I know this bolded part will border upon Satanic heresy for some of you. But, that is a "given", considering the group we have here. So, as I usually do, I will ignore such a faction and address this to those of you I have come to respect as thinkers.

An interesting and often rewarding approach to the study of the Bible is to take a smaller book, like Ephesians or 1 John, and read it through each day for a month. More than any single effort, this will put the structure of the book into your mind. Read it without trying to fit it into established categories. Expect to hear new things in new ways. Keep a journal of your findings. In the course of these studies you will obviously want to make use of the best secondary aids available.

Anyone ever done anything like this?

Your method is very deceptive. You say, don't try and fit the Bible into established categories. But then say, expect to hear new things. Or in other words, reject what has gone before and accept new things. That is a dangerous proposition.

My advice is you never isolate any one book of the Bible from the rest of the Bible. It is one Book. I always tell new believers to read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation. Forever. When you finish with Revelation, you start again. In doing this you gain the understanding of the mind of God and what He is doing.

Stranger

 

[Willie T]

Your method is very deceptive. You say, don't try and fit the Bible into established categories. But then say, expect to hear new things. Or in other words, reject what has gone before and accept new things. That is a dangerous proposition.

My advice is you never isolate any one book of the Bible from the rest of the Bible. It is one Book. I always tell new believers to read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation. Forever. When you finish with Revelation, you start again. In doing this you gain the understanding of the mind of God and what He is doing.

Stranger

Then don't do it. You are perfectly free to go through life believing what you wish. This was only addressed to people who might see the value of trying to read the Bible with "virgin" eyes/ears.

 

[Helen]

I have never given this out before, but some of you who like audio Bibles will really like this:
http://ebible.org/web/audio/

Dcopymope,
"Yes", you will appreciate this... it is done by a Brother.

Well found... :)
I bookmarked it, and listened to one chapter.
Many thanks indeed.