Welcome to First Wednesday, OCTOBER 5, 2016.

Below is a recap of our “First Wednesday” lesson  for the current month.

Every month, we’re challenging everyone to:

1. Make a new connection with someone.
2. Give attention to the monthly focus.
3. Set some personal discipleship next steps.
   • i.e. Read a plan (below), set prayer times, connecting with someone to journey with for the month, journal, etc.

On “First Wednesday,” we covered something that many people struggle with and/or make a bit complicated: Studying scripture. I used an illustration of a hammer. A carpenter friend noticed how I was holding and using something that most of us see as so basic. But slight adjustments enabled me to get its full potential.

Refining our approach does the same thing to scripture. Here are our Four Effective Study Steps to your scriptures:

STEP 1: Setting the context: “ABCs”

• Author — Who wrote the passage?
• Background — When did the author live? In what culture?
• Context — How does the passage fit in with what comes before and after it?

STEP 2: Observation – What does the passage say?

• Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
• Gather all sorts of facts like an investigative reporter.
• Locate and mark any key words, repeated words or phrases, and commands.

STEP 3: Interpretation – What does it mean?

• What is the author’s intent in this passage?
• Look at other scriptures that relate to the passage.
• Use Bible study helps to get a clearer meaning of the passage as needed:
• Why do you think God put this in the Bible?
• Journal

STEP 4: Application – How does the principle apply to one specific area of my life?

• What is the Holy Spirit saying to me in this passage?
• What is one way I can apply the heart of this passage to my life?
• What will I do differently because of what I’ve learned?
• Journal

Need a reading plan for First Wednesday? Check these out:  

God’s Touchpoints – An Old Testament Journey – 14 Day Reading

How to Read the Bible for All of Its Worth – 12 Day Reading Plan

Authentic Bible Study From James MacDonald – 7 Day Reading Plan

OWN-it 365 Whole Bible Plan

As It Happened – Read the bible chronologically in a year

Daily Encouragement – Year long reading