A WORD FROM A FELLOW TRAVELER
The seed from which
this process grew was an invitation to facilitate a morning Bible Study for the
folks at Lake Erie Yearly Meeting. The
seed fell on good soil because I have a driving concern of the lack of looking
to God and the Bible as a source for all that is needed in the souls of people
in these post modern times; a source that is needed in the soul of our nation
in these post modern times; a source that is needed in the soul of our world in
these post modern times.
The Bible has been
gathering dust on bookshelves for too long.
I believe that is because it is seen as a dead, boring, irrelevant, hard to understand
testimony to a God that in these days is seen as dead, boring, irrelevant, hard
to understand, and not necessary in this world anymore. God is Alive, God is creative, God is
relevant, and God is easy to understand and love if people take the time to
know Him. That is His desire as much as
it needs to be ours.
If you picked this
book up and bought it home it says to me that you must be interested in looking
at the Bible as a tool for your Spiritual growth into a deeper, more personal
relationship with Jesus, with God, and with the Bible itself. It is my hope that you will be excited and
energized about the journey you are looking to go on for a year and that you
will find the growth that you desire manifested at the conclusion of your
journey.
The work you will
do in completing the exercises in this handbook will feed your individual
soul. But it is my hope it will do
more. Being called to be on a journey is
a theme that runs through the Bible. But
if you look at that call from God to a journey, it always includes others. Abraham was told to take Sarah and his nephew
Lot; Moses was told to take the whole nation of Israel
The process and
exercises in this book can be done alone but the fruit of your labor will be
enhanced if it is shared with others, also on the journey. So, I highly recommend this handbook be used
with the “one another’s” in your life. Journeys are fun and can be much more fun when
traveling with others, be they family, friends, church groups, Bible Study
groups, or just where two or three are gathered.
The folks at Lake
Erie Yearly Meeting enjoyed these exercises during their Bible Study for three
reasons. One, the process of getting
into the Bible through the encounters between Jesus and a particular
character’s journal entry was fun. Two,
as we read our assignments to one another we discovered a response that was
different and unique to each individual who shared their interpretation of the
event; no right or wrong, but equally rich insights into the scriptures. Third, they got to know one another on a
deeper, more personal level; a level that had not necessarily been reached in
the many years they had spent with one another in these meetings. Something
special happened during those early morning Bible Studies and people felt it.
There is nothing
new in this process; just some ancient and seasoned ways of strengthening
communion with God and enjoying being in His Presence as seen through my eyes,
as a pilgrim in this world on a Journey to follow Jesus and walk with God,
every day of my life.
This is the journey
I invite you to travel. It is a journey
that follows Jesus and the people he encounters face to face throughout the
four Gospels in the Bible. It begins
with his birth, wanders through his life, goes to his death, and ends with his
resurrection. Just as God had a promise
at the end of the journeys he put people on, I have a promise for you. As you look back over your journey you will
come to know the Story of God written in the Bible in a personal way, through
the face to face encounters the various characters had with Jesus. I hope you enjoy this journey through the
gospels as you follow Jesus and walk with God.
If you have enjoyed this introduction and want to receive the entire Study, please contact me by email at: pilgrimageoftheheart@gmail.com. I will send you a PDF file for free.
MIZPAH
Pat
MIZPAH
Pat
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