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Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 8:24:33 AM
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MyRedeemerLives39
Posts: 35
Joined: 10/16/2008
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I'm not sure if this belongs here or in another folder so if it belongs elsewhere, feel free to move it.
I have a Bible that I have used for almost 20 years and have highlighted and underlined text, and made notes through the years for various purposes. It's my favorite study bible. But I have several verses that stand out as useful in counseling others, but they tend to get "lost" in other verses I've marked for study.
As I prepare for ministry, I would like to have a more efficient "system" for using the Bible for personal reflection and use while working with others. (2 Tim 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.") Honestly, sometimes I get side-tracked, especially if I've got two or three things going on at the same time.
Do you have a system? I can't always rely on my memory to find the verses I'm looking for. Do you use various Bibles for various purposes?
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 10:54:27 AM
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rcjames
Posts: 5782
Joined: 7/15/2005
From: Oklahoma
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The verses that I use most ofter (Somewhere over a hundred different verses or passages) I have committed to memory and can also open my Bible to then without flipping through many pages and thereby distracting the person I am ministering to.
Even learning to paraphrase the passages that you want to minister with is fine without using your Biible, just be sure you can readily find the passage if you are asked.
And one other thing; do not recite the passages; speak them with your heart.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 12:24:20 PM
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LCannon
Posts: 1227
Joined: 2/22/2007
From: Lebanon, OR
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I refresh my 'memory work' frequently. I put them on 3x5 cards either for refreshing of past memorization or new memorization.. The best(one)way to remember is use in witness/ministry but just reading(aloud)can reinforce.
_____________________________
"It may be that when the angels go about their task of praising God they play
only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they
play Mozart and then too our dear Lord listens with special pleasure."(Karl Barth)
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 12:45:16 PM
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Lapidoth
Posts: 3471
Joined: 4/13/2005
From: OKLAHOMA
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Bible Systems.
Everyone has their own and develop improvements as they mature.
My first Bibles are like yours. The WORD is so good, you have everything
marked or colored. lol.
My son decades ago made an observation about his dad that he marked it
up too much. My Bibles usually have two columns for each page. His
suggestion was to not have more than two passages highlighted for each column.
That's four sections for each page. That really made my prioritize which passage
was more significant or relative.
I usually begin each study cycle with a new Bible. Like a new deck for each card game.
That way the WORD is always doing the "talking" and not my highlights. My understanding
is increased with that style study each time.
For counseling, like RC, it's usually from memory with quick access if needed.
It's more important to know what the Bible "actually says" than to quote it.
I'm not doing so well in my new NT. LOL.
It's so marked up that if I didn't have boxes and arrows everywhere, it wouldn't make sense
the next time I read it. But, I'm studying it, not reading it.
I also have a general color code. Limited to the five colors usually available.
Yellow ----- general information that stands out.
Orange ---- specific information or topics.
Blue ------- anything to do with the Holy Spirit.
Green ----- any reference to angels.
Pink ------- any reference to evil or curses.
For the most part, when you are ministering, the Holy Spirit brings things to mind
that you think you may not have even read or know. It's our job to embed God's
Word into our being, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and brings it to mind when
needed. I can quote things all day long when ministering, but may only recall John 3:16
when asked to "quote" something from memory.
God has a way of bypassing those senior moments. LOL.
Welcome to crosswalk.
_____________________________
Why does He keep quoting Torah? Doesn't He know He's about to abolish it?
http://www.tedpearce.com/Videos/TheForgottenpeople.html
BARUCH HABA BASHEM YAHUAH
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 3:28:38 PM
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MyRedeemerLives39
Posts: 35
Joined: 10/16/2008
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quote:
The verses that I use most ofter (Somewhere over a hundred different verses or passages) I have committed to memory and can also open my Bible to then without flipping through many pages and thereby distracting the person I am ministering to.
Even learning to paraphrase the passages that you want to minister with is fine without using your Biible, just be sure you can readily find the passage if you are asked.
And one other thing; do not recite the passages; speak them with your heart.
The verses that I'm finding to use right now are ones that I don't have in memory. As I study, I think "oh, I want to mark this and use that in this situation". That's where I'm at right now. This morning, as I was doing my devotions, I realized I wanted to keep these verses to either encourage me throughout ministry or to encourage others.
I like the idea of just speaking them from your heart... I know the gist of what a verse is saying, but I don't always quote it exactly.
quote:
I refresh my 'memory work' frequently. I put them on 3x5 cards either for refreshing of past memorization or new memorization..
This morning, that's what I was doing!  Then I can review during the day.
quote:
Bible Systems.
Everyone has their own and develop improvements as they mature.
Thank you! I like your system. In my other bibles, I've had a color-coded system too for my other bible, but now that I have a set of yellow "highlighters", I'm going to use those exclusively in the new Bible (a Life Applications Bible I received last Christmas).
quote:
For the most part, when you are ministering, the Holy Spirit brings things to mind that you think you may not have even read or know. It's our job to embed God's Word into our being, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and brings it to mind when needed.
Very true, but there are times He'll bring a verse to memory but if I hadn't memorized it, I get it wrong. It's actually happened that way! :-) For instance, I remember that a certain minister used the verse from Prov. 19:19 (If you rescue an angry man once, you'll have to do it again, or something like that). I was like "I need to remember to use that!" but when the time came, I remembered only part of the verse. 
Thank you for your replies! And keep them coming. I'm sure this is something I'll be working on for a while.
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 9:09:26 PM
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ta_mosquito
Posts: 11451
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From: from MN, now in Ontario :D
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Perhaps you could/should make a list and put it on a piece of paper in the front of your Bible, which you categorize references, such as:
Anger: Proverbs 19:19, Romans 1:9, Revelation 21:8
Self Worth: Psalm 139, 1 John 4:7, John 3:17
Etc.
(And the verses I just listed don't really fit these categories, BTW. I just stuck 'em in there to provide an example.)
Then when the time comes, you could whip out the paper to reference the verses, saying something like, "I've written down some references that deal with the subject of anger. Shall we look at them together?"
_____________________________
Tricia
"There's a fine line between being open-minded and empty-headed." ~Michael Coren
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/21/2008 9:13:52 PM
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Qtman
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From: Crimson Tide Country
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Tricia that is exactly what I do. I was a little embarrassed to say so. But it is even more embarassing to need to find something when witnessing and stumble around hunting it. I had several index cards in the front of my Bible as a handy reference and reminder for myself.
_____________________________
STRESS = The internal struggle created when the brain trys to over ride the heart's desire to tell off some jerk that really deserves to be told off.
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/22/2008 7:21:16 AM
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MyRedeemerLives39
Posts: 35
Joined: 10/16/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: ta_mosquito
Perhaps you could/should make a list and put it on a piece of paper in the front of your Bible, which you categorize references, such as:
Anger: Proverbs 19:19, Romans 1:9, Revelation 21:8
Self Worth: Psalm 139, 1 John 4:7, John 3:17
Etc.
(And the verses I just listed don't really fit these categories, BTW. I just stuck 'em in there to provide an example.)
Then when the time comes, you could whip out the paper to reference the verses, saying something like, "I've written down some references that deal with the subject of anger. Shall we look at them together?"
Thanks... that reminds me to transfer my list to my new bible. But it also reminds me of a new resource I just bought: Biblical Counseling: Quick Reference Guide by Dr. Tim Clinton and Dr. Ron Hawkins. It's like a quick reference guide to a number of personal & emotional issues. But it's not completely what I need... the Bible is primary, so that's why I'm trying to come up with a new system. And it's coming together.
Thank you Tricia and Qtman. Great suggestion.
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/22/2008 10:16:57 AM
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pbaribeault
Posts: 1106
Joined: 4/29/2005
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I'm a non-marker-up of Bibles... and here's why.
I don't think it is my place to go through the Word saying (even to myself) "This is a key verse." -- "This section is important." -- "This is relevant to my life."
Because it is an inherent act of comparison, that in effect says, "These other verses are less important, filler, irrelevant, not worth diving too deeply in to." Which is an insult to the Spirit who guided every verse, and an act of arrogance for any person - to add their own personal ranking system to the Word of God.
Also, in practical effect, a Bible marked with one's previous conclusions about a passage discourages the mind from thinking the passage through again from scratch. Since the Word is active and effective, I feel that anything like that can stand in the way of a fresh insight or application. It simply says, "You've got this bit figured out, remember? Just think on it lightly and go on to something else." Which would make my Bible study both unproductive and boring.
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/22/2008 2:46:23 PM
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MyRedeemerLives39
Posts: 35
Joined: 10/16/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: pbaribeault
I'm a non-marker-up of Bibles... and here's why.
I don't think it is my place to go through the Word saying (even to myself) "This is a key verse." -- "This section is important." -- "This is relevant to my life."
Because it is an inherent act of comparison, that in effect says, "These other verses are less important, filler, irrelevant, not worth diving too deeply in to." Which is an insult to the Spirit who guided every verse, and an act of arrogance for any person - to add their own personal ranking system to the Word of God.
Also, in practical effect, a Bible marked with one's previous conclusions about a passage discourages the mind from thinking the passage through again from scratch. Since the Word is active and effective, I feel that anything like that can stand in the way of a fresh insight or application. It simply says, "You've got this bit figured out, remember? Just think on it lightly and go on to something else." Which would make my Bible study both unproductive and boring.
That's interesting! I know a few people who don't mark in their Bibles either, and for various reasons. For me, I guess I'm not saying that one verse is more important than another. I was always taught that you can read the Bible a hundred times and each time, the Holy Spirit will teach you something new. I simply highlight to draw my eye to the verse again.
Have you ever heard of the Inductive Method of study by Kay Arthur? She believes in starting fresh with a new Bible for study... one that has no study notes, no headers, nothing. She then reads the passage many times and makes her own outlines and conclusions based on the Holy Spirit and her study.
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/22/2008 7:07:52 PM
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pbaribeault
Posts: 1106
Joined: 4/29/2005
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I just find it hard to have the HS teach me something new each time if my highlighting is constantly drawing my eye to what He taught me last time.
I also agree with the clean copy, no headings being the best way to read a text and really explore it.
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RE: Using your Bible in ministry - 10/22/2008 11:41:11 PM
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LCannon
Posts: 1227
Joined: 2/22/2007
From: Lebanon, OR
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quote:
I'm a non-marker-up of Bibles... and here's why
Personally, I like keep mine clean and uncluttered. A good(for me)acrostic the 'ABC's of Faith'(memorize and refresh):
Admit-“[Jesus] proved He had a valid claim [to His Deity] but His own rejected His claim yet as many as receives His message; to them he claimed the right to become redeemed of God and appropriate His Name.“ John 1:11,12
Believe-“[you can be] freed from the arrogance that enslaves you [and] come into His obedience resulting in purification and Eternal Life. For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 3:22,23
Confess-“[His message] is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching that if you confess [obedience to] Jesus as Lord with your mouth and you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness and with his mouth he confesses resulting in [obedience].” Romans 10:8-10
...and use 'em!
_____________________________
"It may be that when the angels go about their task of praising God they play
only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they
play Mozart and then too our dear Lord listens with special pleasure."(Karl Barth)
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