It is like eating. Food is not enjoyable if something else has already eaten it for you. Also, we are not birds who need a mother to chew and digest it for us and then give it to us to eat. After you’ve eaten, then it can be beneficial to see what others may have to say about the passage or even to compare what you wrote with theirs and learn even more. But each person should spend the sufficient time on their own with the word of God. Just you and the word of God. After that precious time, then you invite others to the eating fellowship. Others may have written something very good. Mother Barry or Dr. Lee may have written and expounded on the passage well. But surely Mother Barry or Dr. Lee would not approve of you substituting your own meditation and writing time with their meditation and writing time. They would be doing a disservice to you if that were the case. We need to come to the word of God first.

Mark 4:26-29 [26] He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. [27] Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. [28] All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. [29] As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” When we have the word of God stored up in us, we can bring out treasures later and it can grow. Please consider Mark 4:26-29. [26] He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. [27] Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. [28] All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. [29] As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” For this to happen, the word (the seed) has to get into the ground (your heart and mind).

Bible / You 85 / 15 or 90 / 10 In this way, the point is to get the word of God. I would suggest that what you write has this kind of ratio: 85% about the passage and its teaching(s), and 15% about applying yourself. If not, 90% and 10%.

“always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:7 “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” However, don’t neglect applying your heart to understanding. In 2 Timothy 3 we learn of people who do this and ends up making them so corrupt. 2 Timothy 3:7, “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.”

“How does this passage apply to you?” The first phrase, “How does this passage apply to you?” is biblically backwards, according to Proverbs 2:2, “apply your heart to understanding.” Thinking how the passage applies to us makes us the center, rather than God and the wisdom in the passage. It tends to limit what we understand of the passage and how to apply it properly. We do this making our situations match that of the Bible passage. For example, if we read the parable of the prodigal (the lost) son, and think, “How does this passage apply to me?” We usually write a testimony about how we once were lost or of how we may be lost in some way. We stretch and contort circumstances or situations to match. But when we do this, we miss out on the richer meaning and direction of the passage. And it limits the meanings and applications to just my situation and circumstance today. And then we don’t have the treasures for tomorrow as well as today. How did your testimony writing for the 2 Timothy passages go? Did you make the passage fit you, or did you apply yourself to the wisdom of the passage? If we apply ourselves to the passage, then the word of God can grow and bear much fruit today and tomorrow, for us and to others. The passage should light your feet and guide your path. learn the word. Then you can know what to do. Start with the passage. Then apply yourself to it. “How can I apply myself to this passage?”

“These are the Scriptures that testify about me” 2 Timothy 3:15 “the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” John 5:39 “These are the Scriptures that testify about me” Most importantly, we have to learn of Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15 says that “the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” And Jesus said that the Scriptures “testify about me” (John 5:39). This is especially important when passages, such as Old Testament passages, are difficult to understand. As a general kind of rule, whenever a passage is difficult, think about Jesus.

Ecclesiastes 8:7-8[7[ Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?[8] No man has power over the wind to contain it;     so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war,     so wickedness will not release those who practice it. We recently studied the books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. These can be very difficult to study on their own. Ecclesiastes could be depressing and Song of Solomon could be too sensual. For example, Ecclesiastes 8:7-8 says, [7[ Since no man knows the future,     who can tell him what is to come?[8] No man has power over the wind to contain it;     so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war,     so wickedness will not release those who practice it. When we think about Jesus, we can remember the passage about him that says, [39] He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.[40] He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”[41] They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:39-41). It says here that Jesus has power over the wind! And he has power over the day of his death. He was raised just as the Father commanded him. When we think about Jesus, we see that the book of Ecclesiastes was looking for and speaking ahead to Jesus. He can control the wind. He has power of death. He can release people from the power of wickedness, of sin and death. He knows the future and can tell us what is to come. So he said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39-41 [39] He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.[40] He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”[41] They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

What if I get stuck in a rut? In preparing this workshop, someone asked, “But what can you do when you get in a rut and just can’t do daily bread?” Many times we know that we should do it, and we want to, but for some reason we find that don’t. We get in a rut and stop altogether.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” My main suggestion in this case is to get a partner or two. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” I have experienced this first hand many times. As I shared already, I could start and continue daily bread for 2 years because of the commitment to my wife. Also, last summer, I shared daily bread with two brothers. One of those brothers also wrote daily bread every day for 1 year, without missing 1 day. Daily Bread changed my life in terms of my attitude and relationship with my wife, with my coworkers, with my neighbors and with God. I despised my neighbors. They double or triple park. They don’t scoop up their dog’s poo right away.

Proverbs 14:21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. But Provers 14:21 said, “He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.” I was made at them, but I realized that I was the one sinning! It was a shock. I should have been kind and saw them as needy people.

Concession Concessions: This is not the only way to meditate on the word of God. However, we do make this suggestion according to the Bible’s own advice on meditating on God’s word. Also, this is not the only kind of meditation one should do. Using the example, again, of a loaf of bread, if you only saw slices of bread every day, it would be difficult to imagine what the loaf originally looked like. In the same way, we come to the Bible in small passage and learn, and we also need to big studies and meditations to see the Bible as as a whole with a message. For example, meditating on what the entire book of Genesis is talking about. And then, thinking about parallels in the books of Genesis and Revelation. But for daily eating, we need to do daily bread and come to God's words. You, plus the bible, plus writing, plus everyday.

Conclusion Writing -- in 3 parts:1) “Accept and store up”: Learn what the passage literally says.2) “Turn your ear to wisdom”: Learn the teaching of the passage.3) “Apply your heart to understanding”: apply your to obey the passage’s teaching Provers 2:1-2My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, In conclusion, Writing -- in 3 parts: “Accept and store up”: Learn what the passage literally says. “Turn your ear to wisdom”: Learn the teaching of the passage. “Apply your heart to understanding”: apply your to obey the passage’s teaching Provers 2:1-2. My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” When we do this we can be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. “[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”