2 The Word Alive The Word Alive, is a simple, yet well- rounded, reading plan for contemplative study of your Bible. Divided into a series of seven weekly study guides and daily devotionals, it is geared toward helping the reader attain a higher personal appreciation of God's Word. Ellen Lebsock copyright 2019 all rights reserved 3 Ellen Lebsock 4 The Word Alive 5 Ellen Lebsock 6 The Word Alive contents Introduction...............................................................................8 It's about relationship.........................................9 Week One.................................................................................12 Understanding God's Word..............................12 Begin At The Beginning.....................................18 Quite Times.......................................................20 Gather Some Supplies.......................................21 Index Your Bible................................................26 The Assignment.................................................32 Week Two................................................................................43 A Quick Review..................................................44 The Good News.................................................48 To Belong To Christ...........................................55 Love One Another..............................................59 The Assignment.................................................64 Week Three..............................................................................72 Salvation ...........................................................72 Let's Review.......................................................73 The Epistles .......................................................74 Grace..................................................................87 Study Grace.......................................................89 The Assignment.................................................92 Week Four................................................................................99 I Am Sure!........................................................100 Index Your Bible .............................................101 On Your Own...................................................109 Are You Sure.....................................................110 The Assignment...............................................112 7 Ellen Lebsock Week Five............................................................................117 Inner Strengthen..............................................117 Index Your Bible..............................................120 The Teacher In You.........................................130 The Church Builder.........................................134 The Assignment...............................................137 Week Six................................................................................141 Know Him........................................................142 Index Your Bible..............................................147 Our High Priest................................................154 The Assignment...............................................159 Week Seven............................................................................163 Your Bible Now...............................................163 Finish Your Bible Index..................................168 Where Are You.................................................183 A New Point of View........................................186 The Assignment...............................................188 And Finally............................................................................191 Through The Word...........................................191 To Know The Word..........................................192 The Index.........................................................195 Make a Commitment.......................................197 Remember.......................................................201 The Assignment..............................................203 The Blessing....................................................203 Bibliography..........................................................................205 8 The Word Alive introduction Designed to promote spiritual growth and a stronger bond with Jesus Christ, The Word Alive, is a simple, yet well-rounded, reading plan for contemplative study of your Bible. Divided into a series of seven weekly study guides and daily devotionals, it is geared toward helping you reach a higher personal appreciation of God's Word. Spending time alone with Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, every day will free the soul from worry. In Him exciting new opportunities will arise, and guidance will become available through His Word. So, whether you're a newbie at reading the Bible, or if you've tried everything else and finally reached the end of your rope—if you are feeling like trouble and sorrow have you around the throat, choking the life out of you—if you've cried out for help. "God if you're out there, if you really exist, please, HELP ME!" know this: God hears you and He will answer your prayer, even though you may not have known you were praying. God listens! 9 Ellen Lebsock He cares. No matter what challenges you are facing right now, rest assured that God is for you. His Word promises, “In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me” _Psalm 120:1 It's About Relationship Your Bible is NOT about rules and regulations. It is about relationship—your relationship with God. In the first few pages of your Bible you'll find God walking in the garden, in the cool of the day. Genesis 3:8-13 Perhaps he was looking for the man and woman He had created to see how they were doing; if there was anything they needed; how their day had gone. That's relationship! When He found them and understood they had broken trust with Him, His cry was not anger but anguish! “What have you done?” Religion teaches us that God's wrath came because of one man's sin. But a deeper inspection of the Word shows us, again and 10 The Word Alive again, God's jealous anger with the human race comes because of broken relationships. On that cool evening in the garden, amid the disappointment, and perhaps frustration, over their disloyalty, amid the shambles of their broken relationship, God immediately formulated His plan to reconcile the humans He had created to Himself. He told them there would be consequences for their actions. There are always consequences. Right? But then God said, “Satan, you're dust!” And, “My son will crush your plans.” The Word tells us that with God one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. 2 Peter 3:8 So, at Calvary, God's plan from the garden, bought His created beings back into relationship with Him as originally planned. When you read your Bible, search for the promises, the undeserved grace, the provision, and above all the LOVE your Heavenly Father wants you to accept from him. That's relationship. You have His Word on it. In the meantime, what can you do? 11 Ellen Lebsock Get to know Jesus personally through God's Word. Develop the habit of spending quality time with Jesus. Then you will be able to say, with David the Psalmist-King: How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the LORD has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the LORD’s presence as I live here on earth! _ Psalm 116:5-9 NLT 12 The Word Alive week one Then I called on the name of the Lord; “Please, Lord, save me!” _Psalm 116:4 NLT Understanding God's Word Every Believer Wants To Understand God's Word. Some Believers believe "It is too difficult for me.” They'll say things like, “I've tried reading the Bible, but I simply don't get it." Or, "Where Do I Start?" At the beginning! Of course! And if the Bible were just another book you could start at page one in Genesis, and continue reading to the end of Revelation. Then, when you reached the last chapter and verse, you could assume your need to read was finished until the next time – next month or next year – that you felt the need to read it again. Normally that would be fine, but the Bible is 13 Ellen Lebsock NOT just any book! It is not a novel, although there are many fascinating stories found between its covers. It is not just a history book, even though the entire story of man-kind, and the nation of Israel, has been recorded in its pages. No – the Bible is a library of sixty-six books and letters: Inspired By God – Or God Breathed “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living,” _2 Timothy 3:16 Alive And Active - “The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.”_Hebrews 4:12 14 The Word Alive A Lamp And A Light “Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.” _Psalm 119:195 The Sword Of The Spirit “And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.” _Ephesians 6:17 For these reasons you can approach the Bible as Inspired Words from God, knowing they will divide your thoughts, and emotions, teach you how to live right in God's sight, correct your faults and teach