Everyday Unit 4: The Best Habit You’ll Ever Start

Unit 4, Episode 1: Opening

Before continuing on to Episode 2:

1. Complete the five-question review quiz on Units 1-3 (and the other units so far).

Unit 4, Episode 2: Finding a Bible

Finding a Bible is and more than ever. ​ ​ ​ ​

To help you navigate all these options, here are our Bible recommendations (and we’ve included what 2 Timothy 3:14-17 sounds like in each):

● New International Version (NIV). Try the NIV (). ​ ​ ​

14 ​But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you 15 know those from whom you learned it, a​ nd how from infancy you have known the Holy ​ 16 Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. A​ ll ​ Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in 17 righteousness, s​ o that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 ​ Timothy 3:14-17, NIV))

● (ESV). Try the ESV Study Bible (Crossway). ​ ​ ​

14 ​But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from 15 whom you learned it a​ nd how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred ​ 16 writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. A​ ll ​ Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for 17 training in righteousness, t​ hat the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ​ (2 Timothy 3:14-17, ESV)

● (MSG). This one is a paraphrase, not a translation. Don’t make this your primary ​ ​ ​ Bible that you read and memorize. It was never meant to be.

1 14-17 ​But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (2 Timothy 3:14-17, MSG)

Spend a little bit for a Bible that will last a lot . ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Unit 4, Episode 3: Wise Believers > Google Algorithms

The of a quick Google search cannot compare to the ​ ​ collective of experienced believers. ​ ​

Here are a few resources we love that might help you read the Bible:

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For the readers, here’s a few books:

● N.T. Wright, The “For Everyone” Series ● Gordon Fee, Reading the Bible for All Its Worth ​ ● You can’t really beat a good study Bible, though.

Before continuing on to Episode 3:

1. Watch the episode of John Piper’s “Look at the Book” series on 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and/or the overview of 2 Timothy from the Bible Project (to get a sampling of some of these resources). We’ve included both at www.bellevuechristian.church/bible. ​ ​ 2. Complete the Bible mini-study on Matthew 4:1-11 and answer the question: What am I learning ​ about the Bible from this passage?

3 Bible Mini-Study

Each unit we’ve been doing Bible mini-studies to see what the Bible says about itself. We’ve read 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Luke 24:44-49, and Psalm 1. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus is being tempted in the wilderness and he responds by quoting the Bible. As you read Matthew 4:1-11, our final Bible mini-study, consider the same question: What am I learning about the Bible from this passage? Pay ​ ​ particular attention to the way Jesus uses the Bible.

1 2 T​ hen Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. A​ fter fasting 3 ​ forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. T​ he tempter came to him and said, “If you are the ​ Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 J​ esus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 T​ hen the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.

6 “​ If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 J​ esus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 A​ gain, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the 9 world and their splendor. “​ All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship ​ me.”

10 J​ esus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 T​ hen the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

4 Unit 4, Episode 4: Five Steps for Kickstarting a Habit

Meditating on the Bible is like . You’ll have a few meals ​ ​ you actually , but it’s the of ​ ​ ​ ​ meals you don’t remember that keep you . ​ ​

Meditating on the Bible is a —because ​ ​ ​ ​ it trains you in living everyday life like Jesus.

Here are five steps for kickstarting a habit of meditating on the Bible: ​ ​

1. Choose a . ​ ​

2. Get it on the . ​ ​

3. Find some . ​ ​

4. Discover your . ​ ​

5. Make it . ​ ​

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Final Thoughts on Starting a Habit

Here are four final thoughts on starting a habit: ​ ​

1. When you’re starting, be more than . ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

2. “The day after is what separates starters ​ ​ ​ from finishers.” — Jon Acuff

3. is . (most of the time) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ “It is better in one year to have ten good verses transferred into the substance of our than to have every word of the ​ ​ Bible flash before our .” — Dallas Willard ​ ​

4. Turn off the . ​ ​

“ is the beginning of .” — Mary Oliver ​ ​ ​ ​

6 As a final thought from Dallas Willard,

“We will be spiritually safe in our use of the Bible if we follow a simple rule: Read with a attitude. Read with ​ ​ ​ ​ readiness to all you are—all your plans, opinions, ​ ​ ​ possessions, positions.” — Dallas Willard

Before continuing on to Episode 3:

1. Write down one thing that resonated with you or a question you have from this unit. 2. Complete the planning template for starting a habit of reading the Bible everyday.

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