Sunday, April 15, 2018

Romans Study: The Start


I have had the desire to study the book of Romans for quite some time, but each time I start I end up getting off track due to the need to study other things for my job and ministry or just because of life. But verses or passages of this book keep popping up and the desire is stirred up again. So now, I have decided to do a complete study of this whole book, no matter how long it takes. If I get side tracked I'll just pick it up again. I think God has something for me in studying this book. One thing I know, I'm drawn to the theme of God's mercy in this book, and I think it's something I need to reconnect to on a deep heart and soul level as I come into my 30th year of following Christ.


I started my study of the book of Romans with the intention of studying chapter 1 verses 1-7. However, as is often the case for me, I got stuck on one word in the first verse and off I went on a journey of discovery.
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—" Romans 1:1

In his introduction Paul is presenting a brief resume to the Roman Christ-followers - a group of people he has never met in person, but who have a place deep in his heart. The people of the Roman church were predominantly Gentile and Paul, having been called to reach the Gentiles for Christ, feels a strong responsibility that they understand their place as a part of God's people. He also laying the groundwork for them for a visit from an apostle.

Paul says he is a servant of Jesus Christ. He uses the Greek word doulos which means one who is bound to another; a slave or bondservant, but one who willingly chooses to serve his master. Leon Morris, in his commentary on Romans, says the term conveys the idea of complete and utter devotion. The person Paul is wholly devoted to in complete service  is Jesus Christ. Though Paul puts the order Christ Jesus, as in the Messiah Jesus.


As I studied this word and looked at other passages that speak of servanthood or slavery, what I kept running across were passages that described Jesus' heart of a servant. 

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:5-7

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

Paul's response to Christ, who gave His life for our sin, was to become Christ's servant, imitating His heart and life - fully devoted and submitted to the will of the Father. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23, "You were bought at a price". We must always remember this and have this as our motivation.

To do the will of the Father, Christ took on the nature of a servant and gave His life. We are called to have that same mindset in our lives as Christ-followers. What does that look like in our lives? How do we take on the nature of a servant? How do we give our lives for the will of the Father? We are by nature self-centered and self-serving. Being others-focused and others-centered in ways that are not co-dependent and unhealthy does not come easy for us. We must rely on, depend on, walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. The only way to be fully devoted to Christ and to living with His mindset is to be fully dependent on His Spirit.

The other terms Paul uses to describe himself are "called" and "set apart". Paul had a very distinct and memorable calling from Christ on his journey to Damascus. You can read about it in Acts 9:1-19. To be called is to be chosen by God. Morris says, "The called are those who have not only heard but have obeyed the divine call." Those God calls He also sets apart for His divine purpose. In Paul's case he is called to be an apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God. Paul knew clearly what His divine purpose was. He served God in that purpose with full devotion. 

Are we not called to the very same things? As Christ-followers we are chosen and set apart. We are called to live our lives for Christ. Paul says in Ephesians 4:1 ~

"...Live a life worthy of the calling you have received."

And again in 2 Timothy 1:9 ~
"[God] who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace."

To live a life worthy of God's calling we must be intimately in relationship with Him through His Son, and we must be continually in His Word to know and understand what that holy life looks like.

In the Everyday Journal group we are practicing verse mapping in the month of April. I am trying different methods learned online form various blogs. For this verse I tried Sweet to the Soul's Ministries verse mapping method:



Join Our Inspirational Facebook Group
Bernice Hopper, Valerie Sjodin and I are using one journal to record events, experiences and relationships and  to explore our word’s meaning in visual and fun ways. We are each blogging about our experiences and our art. If you would like to connect with others about creatively organizing your word, your ideas, thoughts, prayers, events, or your projects all in one journal, you are invited to join our Facebook group: Everyday Journals – Living Your Word of the Year.


Hashtags on Instagram: #everydayjournals2018, #livingyourword2018

Check out the other blogs:

Thursday, April 5, 2018

My Everyday Journal and Other Art Bits


 

During the month of March I didn't do much more than the Lent Words Creative Challenge. I did the Lent challenge in my Everyday Journal. as that is my year long challenge in 2018 (everything in one journal). Because it was a 40 day challenge I have already filled up two Traveler's Notebook inserts for the first three months of the year.



I only managed to make one weekly page during March.




The annual 100 Day Project began this week. I hadn't planned on participating this year since I just completed a 40 creative challenge. However, I enjoyed it so much last year that yesterday I caved and decided to participate again. My theme this year will be "100 days of collage words", and in order to stick with doing my projects in my Everyday Journal, I'm going to mainly make small collages on my weekly pages, although I may do a few full page collages as well.

Day 1

Day 2
I'm working on getting connected to my word for the year once again: flow. I realized I have another intention that I didn't know of back in January. I want to let some dreams I have for my art life flow. So I'm going to work on the process over the next few months and see what comes from it. More on that later as I explore it.



It's spring break here, even though the weather in northwest Ohio feels more like winter. I'm enjoying some time off and spending this week doing some of the things that bring me energy.

Make sure you check out my shop. There are new items added this week. Link in sidebar on the right.

Join Our Inspirational Facebook Group
Bernice Hopper, Valerie Sjodin and I are using one journal to record events, experiences and relationships and  to explore our word’s meaning in visual and fun ways. We are each blogging about our experiences and our art. If you would like to connect with others about creatively organizing your word, your ideas, thoughts, prayers, events, or your projects all in one journal, you are invited to join our Facebook group: Everyday Journals – Living Your Word of the Year.


Hashtags on Instagram: #everydayjournals2018, #livingyourword2018

Check out the other blogs:







Sunday, April 1, 2018

Welcome April!


I absolutely love the month of April! I love how Spring creeps in bit-by-bit each day. It is a month of growth, full of color and change. And the birds return! Another reason I'm excited about April is it is the first month we are having a theme in the Everyday Journals group. Our theme this month is VERSE MAPPING. Any time I get a chance to combine Bible study and creativity (plus colored markers) I am a happy camper!

Last week Bernice posted The Message version of Romans 12:1-2. That passage resonated with me for a few reasons. 1. I had just studied that passage in the Women's Bible study on spiritual formation that I recently co-led. 2. I have wanted to study the book of Romans for a long time but as I go along other things get in the way. I had already decided to start that Romans study in April and no matter how long it takes I'm going to get through this book. And I'm going to record my progress here so you all can keep me accountable.

During the month of April I am going to try a number of verse mapping methods I have found online. As is my nature, I will probably add my own twist to these methods and eventually end up with a method  that combines a few along with my style.

To begin with I tried following a method that was laid out by Kristy Cambron on her website: https://kristycambron.com/verse-mapping-101-steps-to-study-the-bible-like-never-before/


Here is my process:
  • First I used some modified inductive Bible study steps to study the passage. Here is a link to one I designed for my recent study group: Simple Bible Study Steps
  • I then followed the steps provided by Kristy Cambron in the link above. 
  • I really like using Rhodia Dot paper, so I cut some down to fit into my Everyday Journal, which is a standard size Traveler's Notebook.
  • Rather than write out the verse I printed it in order to fit it onto my page better.

  •  
  • I marked key connectives, terms I felt were significant, contrasts, verbs, etc. on the printed passage. I then copied some parts from other translations that I felt expanded the meaning. I then wrote out some study notes about some of the words and the contrasting terms.
  • On the opposite page I used Kristy Cambron's Actions and Outcome sections. Under actions I wrote down some of the significant things I learned, along with a quote I found while studying.
  • Under Outcome I made some notes gleaned from this study that I felt were personally significant. Plus another quote found while studying.


Overall I enjoyed Kristy Cambron's method. I use colored pens when I do inductive study so adding the notes in color helped me correspond them with my markings of the passage. Plus using colored pens helped me feel like I was being creative while studying, and that I really liked! I also enjoyed adding the quotes. I love quotes and adding them into my verse mapping will help me remember them when I look back at these notes.


What you can't tell from looking at my photos is that when I glued my verse map pages into my Everyday Journal I didn't check first and glued them in upside down! 


Oh well, mistakes keep me humble!

We have just one rule in the Everyday Journals group which goes for our Verse Mapping theme as well: There really are no rules. We are each doing our journals in a different manner, using different types of journals. What makes them Everyday Journals is not that we do something in them every day, but rather, that we are using one journal for all of our everyday life things and combining those things with our word for the year. So as you participate with us know this: you do not have to do things in the way that Valerie, Bernice or I do them. Feel the freedom to add your own twist and style!

We have a Pinterest board for Verse Mapping ideas here:  https://www.pinterest.com/marynbtol/everyday-journals-group-verse-mapping-ideas/

Watch for more examples of verse mapping on all three of our blogs throughout the month. Share what you do in the Facebook group.

Join Our Inspirational Facebook Group

Bernice Hopper, Valerie Sjodin and I are using one journal to record events, experiences and relationships and  to explore our word’s meaning in visual and fun ways. We are each blogging about our experiences and our art. If you would like to connect with others about creatively organizing your word, your ideas, thoughts, prayers, events, or your projects all in one journal, you are invited to join our Facebook group: Everyday Journals – Living Your Word of the Year.


Hashtags on Instagram: #everydayjournals2018, #livingyourword2018

Check out the other blogs:
Bernice: http://www.newlycreative.com/
Valerie: https://valeriesjodin.com/blog/

Products I'm using:
I'm loving these Sharpie Art Pens! They don't bleed through the paper, even in my Bible. There are 24 wonderful colors too.







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