Spending
time with God is the single best investment we can make in our lives.
As we grow to know God, we are able to grow to know ourselves; the
person whom He has created us to become. Reading the Bible is how we get
to know who God is. His character, how He views us, His Son Jesus
Christ, the Holy Spirit, and how God uses the most unsuspected men and
women to do great things in His name. Reading, studying, and meditating
on God’s Word on a consistent basis allows us to know Him intimately and
not just on a superficial level.
In
your courtship, it is most important that Christ is in the CENTER of it
ALL. All of your plans should be made with Christ in mind and through
prayer to obtain the direction you will need from God. Remember that
courtship is designed to lead to MARRIAGE, so use your courtship wisely
and as preparation for your lifetime commitment to your fiance or
preance (rhymes with fiance- because you both are pre-engagement :-).
In
my relationship with Greg, we have made an intentional effort to study
the Bible (God’s Word) together. We have varied the ways in which we
have studied God’s Word, including book by book (with our personal
notes), reviewing what God has revealed to us verse by verse, and
creating Google Docs for the book we are studying to type our revelation
from God as we studied His Word (then discussing what God has shown
us).
Together we have studied:
Old Testament books: Ecclesiastes and Habakkuk
New Testament books: 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, 1 John and Luke
It
is always beautiful to see how God reveals the same things to both Greg
and I during our studies and it is also beautiful when He reveals
things to Greg or to myself that we had not individually seen
previously. Greg uses Logos bible software (https://www.logos.com/) and various commentary as He studies God’s word before we discuss the books of the Bible together. I have found http://www.blueletterbible.org/ and www.biblegateway.com very helpful in not only my private bible studies, but in my bible studies with Greg.
As
a courting couple, studying the Word of God WILL sustain you! It will
help both of you “submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee.” It
will improve your attitudes toward each other as you continually seek
to be more like God. Studying God’s Word will give you both the
opportunity to grow closer to God, as you grow closer to each other and
it will also serve as preparation for marriage to each other, in which
bible studies together should continue.
Preance, lol Asia you are to cute. Are the bible studies you and Greg do separate from your own personal devotion reading or together?
ReplyDeleteHehehe! Thanks Nephtalie! I heard it recently and thought it was pretty clever. Lol. Great question. Yes, usually the Bible studies we do are separate from our own personal readings or studies.
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