My Bible Notes

The Secret To Pure Joy

2009-04-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

Everybody seems to be in search for happiness, or looking for the next exciting thing that will bring amazing joy to them. However, the joy you experience with things like riding a roller-coaster, catching a giant wave, or receiving a big promotion at work is only temporary. It's fleeting.

The real secret to pure joy (that is not temporary) is growing in your relationship with the Almighty God.

I came to this realization as I was continuing my Expositional study through the book of Ezekiel. And, the pure joy that was coming from the experience was unlike anything that I had felt before! It was the closest thing to Heaven that I have experienced, and it is exciting to know that Heaven will be so much more intense!

But, as for now, I will continue my study in God's Word, and experience the pure joy of growing in my relationship with Him. And, I look forward to the day when I will be dwelling in Heaven with Him experiencing the full brunt of joy that I have just a taste of here.

Joseph Goodrum
http://www.christianscrolls.com

P.S. I want to encourage you to read your Bible Daily, but don't just read it...STUDY IT! You will get so much more out of your devotionals, or time with God if you just take the time to dissect His Word. You never know what God wants to reveal to you until you take the time and think about what you are reading. God's will just POPS out at you.

TIP: Learn to study your Bible in an Expositional Manner. If you are unsure what this means, then check out www.christianscrolls.com for more information.

Ezekiel's Major Theme: The Sovereignty of God

2009-03-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

I have started my expository study of God's Word. Well, not quite. I have started reading the book of Ezekiel. I say reading because before I get started studying this particular Old Testament Prophet, I wanted to get an overview of what this book is all about.

It is interesting that I would be drawn to start reading this book because I have been told that God's Word is timeless, and that is the Bible is "living, and active".

You see, about a month ago, my family and I felt led to pick-up and move 5000miles to be closer to family. I left a good job, and had no idea what I would do for work when I got to our destination. It has now been a month, and I have filled out scores of applications and sent in many more resumes to any and everything I could find. Unfortunately, I have only heard from one possible employer for an interview! We will see how that works out.

But, I say it is interesting that I start my expository study in the book of Ezekiel because as I am reading it, I notice one of the biggest themes in the book. That is:

The Sovereignty of God

With this reminder, I recall another passage in the New Testament from the book of Hebrews.

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

So, Lord, just as you continually said to the people of Israel through your prophet Ezekeil... "I will do it so you know that I am the Lord". I trust your words and believe you will take care of me, and for this I will be thankful that You Are Sovereign! AMEN.

Humbly,

Joseph Goodrum
www.christianscrolls.com

My Study Of God's Word (The B-I-B-L-E)

2009-03-24T07:49:00.001-07:00

Every since becoming a Christian, and by this I am referring to that Sept day in 2004 in Al Asad, Iraq where I (alone) fell to my knees in realization that I was a broken, miserable, sinner, with no hope decided to give my life to Christ, and start anew being a "new creation in Christ Jesus"; I was taught that it was important for my Christian growth and development to read and study God's Word.

Being that, in Iraq, I had nothing but time on my hands, it was not hard for me to get into the Bible. I read it cover to cover, and thought that being a Christian would be easy (despite the Bible's reminder that being a Christian is difficult.) However, when it came to the study of God's Word, I did not quite understand what to do exactly.

I would read the Bible everyday, as I try to do even to this day five years later, but I would read it like I was reading a story. Soon I found out that I wasn't remembering anything of what as was reading. I could recall certain stories, or answer an obscure Bible Trivia question every now and again. But, now five years later, I recognize that I have not grown quite as fast in my Walk with Christ as I would have liked too; and as a matter of fact, it seems that I have plateaued, or even worse regressed some. This I can attribute to my lack of studying God's Word. Sure, I have been reading it (I try everyday), but I haven't been studying it! And, I seem to be on the computer more often, then reading my Bible nowadays.

So, it is at this point now that I am remembering a few classes I took on the expository study of God's Word. They were great classes that I felt I would benefit from if I would only apply it to my life. The structure of the expository study of God's Word was simple:

Observe what you read. (who, what, when, where, why, how)
Interpret what you read. (break down every word, line by line, what do they mean, what were the people in the story going through, thinking, etc...)
and, finally, Apply what you have read to your life.

This is now my plan, and the course that I believe is being laid out for me. That, in order to grow in my relationship with Jesus, I need to study God's Word systematically, and orderly, not just read it, and have accountability with accomplishing this goal. And, for accountability purposes, I will now be posting what I have been taught through my personal, and systematic study of God's Word, and journal my Christian walk here on this blog, or at my website: www.christianscrolls.com.

If I spend so much time on the computer, then I might as well have a stronger purpose and reason to be on it!

Joseph Goodrum
www.christianscrolls.com