Sometimes, the simplest Bible study is to meditate on each
word or phrase of a Scripture so that we derive the fullest possible
significance of what God is saying, what he is doing through his word and his
Spirit, and how we can join him in his work.
In this case, our focus is on a distinctive statement of
fact out of Romans 5 verse 5, where Paul declares, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who
has been given to us”.
Paul is speaking of a personal and intimate relationship
with God through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. As we meditate on
what this breathed-out word from God is telling us, we are drawn to make a
personal connection between what God is saying and doing, and what he is
showing us of our present experience of these things. All through God’s Book,
he clearly wants us to know him more and better than ever before. Meditating on
(studying) the words of God is the first step.
Method: Read each emphasized word in the sentence and
see how the emphasis of each word helps you understand the rest of the phrase.
For example, we know this is talking about a kind of love that has been poured
into our hearts, so what difference does it make that this is GOD’s love? What
about the fact that the thing God would want poured into our hearts is his
LOVE? Each of these things tells us something about God, but also about
ourselves in relation to God.
Prayer: Father
in heaven, may our meditation on this verse of your word give us “strength to
comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and
depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.”[1]
1. “GOD’S love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
2. “God’s LOVE has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
3. “God’s love HAS BEEN poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
4. “God’s love has been POURED into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
5. “God’s love has been poured INTO our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
6. “God’s love has been poured into OUR hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
7. “God’s love has been poured into our HEARTS
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
8. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts THROUGH
the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
9. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through THE HOLY SPIRIT who has been given to us”
10. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit WHO HAS BEEN given to us”
11. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been GIVEN to us”
12. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given TO US”
Summary:
1. What stood out the most about what God is
showing you about himself?
2. What stood out the most about what God is
showing you about yourself?
3. How would you describe your best understanding
of how to join God in whatever he is doing through this?
(Note: if you
copy/paste the questions into your word processor, save it is a document, you
can then add your prayer-journaling between each sentence. If you don’t get
through the whole thing, do a “save as” for that date, and then start again
when you next have opportunity.)
© 2016 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)
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