{"id":377,"date":"2011-04-12T01:00:59","date_gmt":"2011-04-12T08:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/?p=377"},"modified":"2011-04-13T06:30:19","modified_gmt":"2011-04-13T13:30:19","slug":"read-and-study-1-corinthians-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/12\/read-and-study-1-corinthians-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Arming Yourself with the Word"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAnd these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise\u201d <\/em>(Deut. 6:6-7, ESV).<\/p>\n

God has told us to teach our children His Word as we go through our day. The more we, as parents, know and love God\u2019s Word, the easier and more natural it will be for us to use it as we train our children throughout the day.<\/p>\n

\"1I would like to propose a challenge<\/strong> to you for the next week. Let\u2019s devote just five or ten minutes<\/strong> a day (or more if you can), getting to know a Scripture passage better, and then next week, you’ll be armed and ready to put it into action in your home.<\/p>\n

From now until next Tuesday, April 19, read and study 1 Corinthians 13<\/strong>. We all have plenty of room to grow in loving each other. Probably many of the discipline issues that arise throughout the day stem from the need to actively show love to others by putting their needs above our own.\u00a0 For the next seven days, study this powerful and concise chapter on godly love. Then next week we\u2019ll talk about ways to train your children with the truths of this passage.<\/p>\n

Each day <\/strong>this week, read the entire chapter<\/strong> at least once. Read from different translations each day, if you would like. (www.BibleStudyTools.com<\/a> offers many translations if you don\u2019t own more than one.) Pray<\/strong> each time before you read. Ask God to teach you from these verses.<\/p>\n

In addition, select a different task each day to complete from the following list:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Try to memorize<\/strong> one verse each day. If you don\u2019t think you can memorize the entire chapter, focus on verses 1-8. If that is still too much, try to at least memorize verses 4-8. It will make next week\u2019s project easier.<\/li>\n
  2. Read at least one commentary<\/strong> on the passage. (Go to BibleStudyTools.com if you don\u2019t own a commentary. Matthew Henry\u2019s Commentary on the Whole Bible <\/em> is a good commentary. You can even view the complete version<\/a> or the concise version<\/a> online. Other commentaries, in addition to these two, are also available at BibleStudyTools.com<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. Pray<\/strong> at least once, using the passage as a basis for your prayer. Put the pronoun \u201cI\u201d in place of the word \u201clove\u201d as you read, especially in verses 4-7. Does your life demonstrate godly love? Confess<\/strong> your faults and weaknesses and pray for God\u2019s grace to grow in love.<\/li>\n
  4. Write each separate verse on a card and carry the stack of cards with you to review while in the car, the bathroom, or the grocery line. Or write the verses on sticky notes to post over the sink, on the bathroom mirror, on the car dashboard.<\/li>\n
  5. Draw little pictures<\/strong> that help you remember the different phrases of the passage and post them around the house (i.e., a little stick figure pushing at mountain can help you recall\u00a0 verse 2, or two cymbals clanging together can remind you of verse 1).<\/li>\n
  6. Meditate<\/strong> on the passage. How can each aspect of love be practiced in your own life<\/strong>? What areas of love are most challenging for you? Write a specific list. Pray for God\u2019s guidance and grace to help you grow in these areas.<\/li>\n
  7. Meditate <\/strong>on how the passage can be practiced in the lives of your children<\/strong>. What circumstances challenge your children\u2019s faithfulness to love each other? Should you work on demonstrating love through better manners at the table? Are tattletales \u201cdelighting in evil\u201d instead of \u201crejoicing with the truth?\u201d Are some \u201cinsisting on their own way?\u201d Pray for God\u2019s guidance, and make a specific list of ideas.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Don’t give up if you can’t do all the projects. Do your best, and study the passage as much as you can. Make the most of every opportunity you can get. \u00a0You are preparing yourself for next week’s training opportunities.<\/p>\n

    If possible, do your studying while your children are awake and aware of what you are doing. Let them see that you are reading and studying God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n