Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (120 page)

45 minutes

“Many Christians are like poor photographs—overexposed and underdeveloped. They’ve had plenty of input from the Word of God, but what difference has it made in their lives? Spiritual growth is a commitment to change. And yet, the human heart resists nothing as strongly as it resists change. We will do anything to avoid it” (p. 318).

Y
ou might want to review chapter 42 of
Living By the Book
in preparation for the next couple of exercises. The chapter provides four steps to follow in learning to apply Scripture appropriately. In short, they are:

Know
—We need to know the Scripture text and know ourselves.

Relate
—We must relate the Word of God to our own experiences.

Meditate
—We need to pay close attention to the Scriptures, even memorizing them so they will continue to work in our hearts and minds.

Practice
—The practice of truth should be our primary goal of Bible study.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1–14 and work your way through these four steps. Use what you’ve already learned about Observation and Interpretation to examine the passage, knowing it and relating it to your own life. Then meditate on it. (The first eight verses are an excellent portion of Scripture to commit to memory.) Finally, determine at least three ways you can apply what the text is saying. How can you put this text into practice in your life
this
week?

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

Galatians 5:16–26

TIME COMMITMENT:

30 minutes

“Ask God to put His finger on a place where you know you need to apply the truth you are gleaning from His Word” (p. 326).

F
ollowing the same four steps of Application described in the previous assignment, this time read Galatians 5:16–26. Paul was contrasting the worst elements of the human condition with the best that God has to offer. Regardless of your spiritual condition, you ought to find something to relate to as you examine this passage.

Using Observation, what are the things you need to
know
about Galatians 5:16–26?

How can you
relate
this passage to your life?

Take some time to
meditate
on the passage. (Again, all or part of it is good to memorize and retain.)

And finally, in what specific ways can you practice what is being taught in this portion of the Bible?

TODAY’S PASSAGE: