Talking About The Bible
In this episode, I will start sharing with you the method I use to study the Bible.
The first step is to read the Bible books as books whole and separate them from the rest of the books in the Bible. This process is to learn the author’s intent and achieve the correct interpretation of God’s Word.
If you have questions, you can contact me at bob@revbobwood
I am reading The Methodist Hymn Book with Tunes that I had purchased before I came to Honduras. The book was published in 1933 by the Methodist Publishing House of England. The hymnal has 984 hymns and then additional music to sing the Psalms. I started reading it as part of my devotional life on the recommendation of Dr. Matt Friedeman, who teaches at Wesley Biblical Seminary.
In this hymn, which I read as a poem, the writer is aware of his sinfulness, and the guilt weighs so heavy on him that he is in agony. Most people do not know the feeling of the anguish of Rev. Elven; they look at their lives and conclude, they are not so bad. Rev. Elven was a Baptist Pastor for fifty years in Suffolk, England, and I imagine his church, his neighbors, and his family thought that he was a good man. Why all this need for mercy from God? Rev Elven knew we are not to compare ourselves to other humans but the holiness of God, the purity of God, the goodness of God. When our lives are compared to God, we are all in need of mercy. The great joy is mercy is always given.
I feel in need of God’s mercy and these words while painful was so enriching for my soul.
Read what Rev Elven wrote.
1 With broken heart and contrite sigh
A trembling sinner, Lord, I cry:
Thy pardoning grace is rich and free
O God, be merciful to me.
2 I smite upon my troubled breast,
With deep and conscience guilt oppressed;
Christ and His cross my only plea:
O God, be merciful to me.
3 Far off I stand with tearful eyes,
Nor dare uplift them to the skies;
But Thou dost all my anguish see:
O God, be merciful to me.
4 Nor alms, nor deeds that I have done,
Can for a single sin atone;
To Calvary alone I flee:
O God, be merciful to me.
5 And when, redeemed from sin and hell,
With all the ransomed throng I dwell,
My raptured song shall ever be,
God has been merciful to me.
Cornelius Elven 1797-1873. https://hymnary.org/text/with_broken_heart_and_contrite_sigh
All week this hymn by Charles Wesley has been on my mind
And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
In this Episode Rev. Bob Wood give you an example of how to plan a week of meditation and give you practical advice on meditating on Psalm 23.
You can ask Bob a question at his website revbobwood.com by leaving a voice message by pressing the blue microphone.
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Learn about the Talking About the Bible Podcast
In this Bible teaching, Bob shares the results of his meditation on Psalms 1. Bob briefly gives an introduction on how to meditate on God’s Word.
Bible References in the episode: Psalms 1, Psalms 46:10
For more information about this podcast, check out the website at https://revbobwood.com
If you have questions about the Bible, contact Bob at bob@revbobwood.com
This episode introduces the series of podcasts coming in the next twelve weeks exploring all the areas of Christian Discipleship.
The verse for the day in Matthew 28:19 19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
The New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print. Matthew 28:19
If you would like to ask Bob questions, you can reach him by email at revbobwood@icloud.com or the website’s contact page, where you can send a text message or love a voicemail message.
Website: revbobwood.com
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Twitter: twitter.com/RevBobWood
Email: bob@revbobwood.com
Talking About The Bible is about helping you be a better Bible teacher.
In this episode, you will hear a Bible Study on Genesis 3:1-24,
Questions Answered
Genesis 2:4-25 has the Bible’s second creation story with Yahweh God placing man and women in the garden. The first couple is in a beautiful ideal situation humans are in the court of God.
In this podcast, I talk to my son Steven about scary things.
