Women at the Well-H. E. A. R Journals and Scripture Memory
Good Sunday afternoon Ladies,
Do you have your beverage of choice and a comfy place to sit for a little while? I’m so happy to have you here. Let’s jump right in.
Did you have some time in the last week to think about the definition of disciple? Where do you see yourself at on this journey?
This week we are going to talk about Bible Reading and H. E. A. R. Journals. A HEAR journal is a simple way to help you read the Bible with the intention of applying it. By asking four simple questions, you can understand and apply any passage. In addition, journaling is a great discipline because it helps you retain three times more of what you read. Our goal is to pick a Bible Reading Plan. There are probably hundreds of them out there, so you are welcome to choose one for yourself, continue using the plan you are already using or join me in the one I am using. This year I will be reading through the Foundations New Testament – A 260 day bible reading plan for busy believers. If you would like to use this one along with me, just let me know I and I will get a copy for you. It is designed to be read 5 days a week, This week we will start with the book of Luke and the readings will be Luke 1, Luke 2, Luke 3, Luke 4 and Luke 5. There honestly are no set amount of HEAR Journals you MUST do each week but the goal with this discipline as with all the others is to improve as time goes on. Consider how often you currently journal and do +1 of that. So, if you have never journaled, just try to do a couple a week. If you occasionally journal, try to do three times a week. The hope is that as you get more comfortable with this discipline and the experience its benefit, you will want to increase this number throughout the year.
As you read through your reading plan this week, create a HEAR Journal by using these four questions.
H (Highlights): What is a verse(s) that stood out to you in what you are reading?
E (Explain): What is the author’s intended meaning in the context of the passage?
A (Apply): What is the principle to live by today?
R (Respond): How will i respond to the application in my relationships and or situations this week?
I have to say that in the few days I have been practicing this method I am noticing things that I have read in a different way.
Let me show you a sample HEAR Journal
Read: Philippians 4:13
Feb. 6, 2022
Title: Secret of Contentment
(H) I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
(E) Paul was telling the church at Philippi that he has discovered the secret of contentment. No matter the situation in Paul’s life, he realized that Christ was all he needed, and Christ was the one who strengthened him to persevere through difficult times.
(A) In my life, I will experience many ups and downs. My contentment is not found in circumstances. Rather, it is based on my relationship with Jesus Christ. Only Jesus gives me the strength I need to be content in every circumstance in life.
(R) Lord Jesus, please help me as I strive to be content in You. Through Your strength, I can make it through any situation I face.
This may be something you have several things in the passage you read for the day jump out at you. You might take only one for the day or you might spend some more time journaling several of the things that catch your attention. For instance, as I was reading Luke chapter one and found some pretty interesting things about the Holy Spirit so that is what I journaled about for that day.
(H) Speaking of John by the angel Gabriel: 15 He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. Then in verse 41 when Mary went to visit Elizabeth: 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And in verse 67 we find that when John’s father was asked what they were to name the baby and he told them John and his voice came back: 67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.
(E) During this time in history, the Holy Spirit was bestowed on specific people at specific times for specific reasons. For John, the Holy Spirit was bestowed at conception it seems. When he was in his mother’s womb, we have all heard the story, I’m sure, about how the baby lept in his mother’s womb when Mary greeted her, but I had never noticed the part saying that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit at that time. Then when Zechariah was asked for the baby’s name, and he did what he had been told to do his voice was restored. He was then, also filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy.
(A) What I see is that, during this time, there was a connection between the Gift of the Holy Spirit and faith and belief in the message from God. I know that now we are given the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ but my faith response and belief in God’s ability to take care of me in all circumstances is also part of my response to make it easier for the Holy Spirit to work in my life.
(R) Lord Jesus, please help me as I strive to trust and believe that you can care for all of my needs. Help me allow the Holy Spirit to work in my life. Through you I can handle any situation that I face.