Th.- Day 11...REAP...Explore

Explore and Discover Great Treasure!

The last couple days, we’ve begun to learn how to better connect with our Lord, for if we aren’t abiding in His word, then we will reap an empty life. How tragic to live a good life, but a good for nothing life. Two days ago, we focused on first praying as we approach God and his word. Then yesterday, we started to discover how we can REAP from God’s word. R= Read God’s word, for this is the essential way that God communicates to us so that we might hear from him. (It is a frustrating error to expect God to communicate to us apart from his word.) Today we want to Explore what we read, like a treasure hunter. We are to "search for it as for hidden treasure" Prov.2:4. May each of us have a desire, a hunger, "a Jones" for exploring and discovering such treasures in God's word.

"I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure." Ps.119:162
The man that doesn't have a desire to explore God's word for it's riches, remains a poor man indeed. So let's start Exploring. This is what the E of REAP stands for- Explore. As we explore the treasures of what we read, we are seeking to understand what the author meant, not what we would like it to mean. (Have you ever been to a small group where everyone puts in their two cents, but together it still makes no sense?) We want to discover what the author meant. We could go really deep here and delve into using cross- references, commentaries and concordances, (and we will down the road). Right now I want us to focus on a simple way to explore the treasure rooms of God’s word. It starts by asking questions, as an explorer would, to understand what we are reading. Asking questions is key to exploring anything, including the treasures of God's word. There are six excellent questions to ask that will serve you and teach you so much. Rudyard Kipling described them this memorable way- 

      I keep six honest serving men (They taught me all I knew)

      Their names are What and Why and when and How and Where and Who.

Let’s start with Who.

Who. Who is this passage talking about? In the story of Philip evangelizing the Ethiopian eunuch (Act 8:26-39), that official was reading from Isaiah 53. (Some have called Isaiah 53, the John 3:16 of the Old Testament.) He asked, "Who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Acts 8:34.

Let’s Explore what this incredible "Gold Testament" passage has to say and Who the prophet is talking about. It actually runs from Is.52:13 through the end of ch.53. Read it now please. 

This passage is amazing because it proves to us that the Bible is from God. No other religious book in all of history has prophecies that are fulfilled in them. So certain was this prophecy to come to pass that it was written in the prophetic past tense as if Christ’s crucifixion had already happened. You could ask a doubter to read the passage and then ask, “Who do you think this is about?” Undoubtedly they will say, “Jesus.” Then let them know it was written 700 years before he was ever born. What are the odds of that? That’s not lucky, that’s impossible apart from our Lord! God's word is a better treasure than any archaeologist could ever hope to find. Please watch the following video that deals with skeptics of the Bible  and Bible prophecy. (If you don't have time to watch it all right now, then just watch the first half of it, which includes the odds of Bible prophecies coming to pass. When you pass such evangelistic material on to lost friends, then give yourself points for your outreach in the T category on the GREAT scoreboard. T =Telling others of Transformation. If they are already saved, give yourself points in the E (Encouragement) category. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP8NqF-vIbg

To understand any passage, first read it through and then seek to summarize it in just one short phrase or sentence. (Sometimes you may want to read a passage over a few times to get the gist of it. I usually do.) Sure, your phrase or sentence won’t capture every detail, but it should help someone else know generally who or what the passage is about. 

1.-Pick one golden phrase you discovered from your reading of Isaiah 52:12-53:12 and share it with us. Put it also on your MP3 card to review and enrich yourself and others today. 

1.-Share with us anything you liked from the above video on the Bible. 

As always, go to our GREAT scoreboard and give yourself points for blogging today and for the total number of times you shared your MP3 card with others since you blogged yesterday. Also give yourself points if your scored in any of the other GREAT categories-

R? Righting any wrongs?

E? It's encouraging to see some of you already encouraging others. Way to grow! Give yourself a point for each person you encourage on the blog or an M3 brother that you call, text or email to encourage. (Note: We expect people to get back in touch promptly only if we ask them to. Encouragement calls don't typically require such a return call.) 

A? Don't be slack, attack in prayer. Prayer is our secret weapon. Go to the Contacts tab at the bottom of our GREAT Scoreboard spreadsheet and please fill in your prayer partners names and any other missing contact info. Kudos to you who have already done so. If you don't have 2 prayer partners yet, please recruit and send me their names and email addresses by Sunday. I need your help to help you here. Thanks.

T? Who could you send the above evangelistic video on the Bible to? When you do so, give yourself credit. Way to sow!

Announcements!

Our next M3 meeting will be again at Jack Roger's estate- 10749 Cherrywood Dr. Palos Park- Sunday, April 12th at 3:00 sharp. So come early so as not to be late. 

Today is your birthday! Happy birthday Mike Pagan!