1-- About God

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Thought Provoking Bible Studies About God(developed by Bill Stevenson)Introduction:

One of my main concerns is that most Christian churches don’t have very much Bible teaching. So Ihave tried to encourage many to study the Bible more and even begin home group Bible studies.Recently, I have had opportunities to share about my logical indent method of formatting Scripture withsome leaders in a world-wide denomination and they thought it was good and could help the indicatedBible study revival. In the last part of August 2007, I re-organized about 140 complete and partial Biblestudies for making some MS Word files of Bible studies which could be used as “springboards” for personal or group Bible studies. Hope that you will enjoy all that follows.

Note:The following is about a way I have been logically formatting Scripture since September 1977.Many of my Bible study courses have it because it causes reasoning which helps for better retention. After reading the directions, try your favorite Bible chapter. The man I learned this from even did his personal letters this way.

Introduction:Proper Bible study is so important because it is the best way to discover "the mind of Christ" (Philippians 2) or how Jesus Christ thinks.That is the way to get to know Jesus Christ intimatelywhich the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3 is so important.For your e-mail ministry, you can share any of my Bible studies (which are free for the asking)or even uses parts of them in counseling or for your website.But if you want to develop your own inductive Bible studies or Bible study tools, below are some advice from me.Studying and using Scripture suggestions:First in responding to any Bible verse or Scripture passage you hear in a sermon,skim the verse or passage and then check the verses before and after to make sure that was is being said really relates to the verse quoted.Sometimes after the sermon and I am at my computer,I will download any meaningful verses' passages and at least do the indent formatting to themto understand better the logic of them.If you are just typing Scripture without using Bible software to copy/paste from, be very careful and double and triple check what you have written.One letter missing or one letter added can change the meaning of a verse.For each verse, think:“Does it just tell me something I believe alreadyor does it indicate something I should change in my life to be more Christ-like?”If it is the latter, you should copy it onto a 3 x 5 cardin your own words in a commitment form.Back in 1977-78, I learned to do a special logical formatting.The above and the below are samples of it:This method of Bible studywill help the formatter learn new understanding of God’s Wordand can be usedfor inductive teaching for Bible study discussion groups andfor easier memorizing of Scripture.

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This way of writing Scripture can be done using any translation of the Bible but please show respect in and capitalize the first letter of deity pronouns,Earth (for God’s special planet),Christian, andother words that indicate uniqueness (like "Bible" and "Apostle").This will almost look sort of like the outline formatwith the verses or groups of verses that seem to be of equal importanceindented the same positions from the left of the page.A definite paragraph should have a blank line above its first line.For producing inductive study for a Bible chapter or passage:Download the Bible chapter or passage into a MS Word document.Type the reference title above the first verse.Press the Enter key and that is where the first verse number goes.If the verse number is one digit, put a space in front of it.Then press the space bar 4 times.Be in the frame of mind as Proverbs 3:5-6 in order to be sensitive to the Holy SpiritDetermine how much of the first verse should be on the first line.Most likely there will be a comma or semi-colon at the end.In most cases, you will want to get as much on each line as possible,but any equal important phrases usually should be separate linesindented the same positions from the left of the page.Continue as this page indicates.Phrases or verses which seem to be just a clarification of a word in a previous versemost likely should be indented at least 7 spaces to the right compared to the previous line,so that the next line can start as it is a continuation of the previous line.Then sometimesI will bold or/and underline important verses or phrase or/andI will insert thought provoking questions.For producing subject studies:After I sense a need (from the Holy Spirit, a sermon, a TV program, a conversation, etc.),I use a Bible software to download verses using a key word to search with.I usually have to such several times using different tense forms of a key wordand synonyms of that key word.The software I usually use is from the free e-Sword downloads (usually KJV red letter edition)or from the Lockman Foundation downloads of the Amplified and NASB Bibles.Two other good sources for subject study verse references arethe Naves Topical Bible and Thompson Chain Bible References.

For Bible study #1

Ephesians 1 (NASV from the Lockman Foundation) and Bible Study Questions

*A) Read Ephesians 1:1-2 and Galatians 2:20.****What is being faithful in Christ Jesus?1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,To the saints who are at Ephesus and {who are} faithful in Christ Jesus:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and The Lord Jesus Christ.*B) Read Ephesians 1:3-14. [In the KJV version, this passage is punctuated as one sentence.]****Why should God be praised?

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****What spiritual accomplishments of His should we be thankful for?****What else are you thankful for?****How many past tense verbs are there in this passage?****How many pronouns (words that represent nouns) are there?****How many times is the word “all” used and what does each usage mean?****What is the major promise or guarantee for true Christians?****What are God's purposes in being involved with humanity now?****What excites you most about God's relationship to you?****How do you know if you are “chosen”?****When you are able to praise God freely, what are the reasons?****How can you feel like praising Him much more often?3 Blessed {be} the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessingin the Heavenly {places} in Christ,4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,that we would be holy and blameless before Him.In love5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself,according to the kind intention of His will,6 to the praise of the glory of His grace,which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.7 In Him we have redemption through His blood,the forgiveness of our trespasses,according to the riches of His grace8 which He lavished on us.In all wisdom and insight9 He made known to us the mystery of His will,according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times,{that is,} the summing up of all things in Christ,things in the heavens and things on the Earth.In Him11 also we have obtained an inheritance,having been predestined according to His purpose who works all thingsafter the counsel of His will,12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christwould be to the praise of His glory.13 In Him, you also,after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your Salvation--having also believed,you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance,with a view to the redemption of {God's own} possession,to the praise of His glory.*C) Read Ephesians 1:15-17.****In what ways do you think the Ephesus Christians showed their love for all the saints?****How do you give thanks for such Christians?****Why are they an encouragement to you?****What kinds of wisdom and revelation are there? Describe some examples.15 For this reason I too,having heard of the faith in The Lord Jesus which {exists} among youand your love for all the saints,

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