How I read the Old Testament

I think a lot of times people get bogged down in the history of the Old Testament. And lets face it, it can be crazy confusing at times! So I'm gonna share a helpful way that I read the Old Testament.

1. Pick a book

Don't just randomly open the Bible and start reading. This is no way to get into God's word. Our God is a God of order. There's a reason that he put the books and chapters in a specific order. Plus when you read the entire book and not just random sections you get to see a bigger picture of God. Now who doesn't want that?

I'm reading Exodus right now, but Judges and Joshua are my favorites!

2. Read a chapter or two.

As you read, mark down things that jump out at you or things that are confusing. 

3. Summarize or Paraphrase what you just read.

This helps me really understand what I just read. Often times in order to summarize things I have to read it 2 or 3 times in order to really understand it. Don't worry if you have to also! 

4. Look up what you read.

Of the verses that stuck out to you, pick a few things and look them up in a commentary or background guide. Or look up the words in a Bible dictionary or lexicon. 

Hear me out, this doesn't mean that you have to go out and spend $50,000 on a collection of books that make you look like a recent seminary grad. If you have an extra fifty grand laying around and want to then by all means! Go for it! (And send me a few books while your at it!) But if you're like me and live on a limited budget that doesn't include a $700 commentary on a single book of the Bible, there are TONS of great free resources online! 

My very favorite Bible tool is BibleStudyTools.com

What's great about it is that you can create an account for free and save notes and things you've "marked" in your online Bible. There's tons of different versions and you can see the words in original Greek or Hebrew. If you don't use this, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you start. It's so great. (PS they don't know me, I just really love them!)

If you can afford a commentary, or just want one in a book form, I have the Wiersbe Commentary. You can buy it here.

5. Find principles that are true

Now look for some principles that stick out to you which are universal. Things like God's character, our sin, eternity, money, relationships, etc. One of my observations from Joshua 22 came from verse 20. "When Achan son of Zerah acted unfaithfully regarding the devoted things, did not wrath come upon the whole community of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin"

A principle that God showed me was that my sin affects others. 

6. Process what you read

Talk to God about what you read. Ask Him why He brought those principles to your mind. What is true about God and mankind from what you read? What would you be thinking or feeling if you were there? 

7. Apply what you read

How does what  you read and the principles you saw relate to your day-to-day life? How do the principles you saw affect you on a Thursday at 2pm? How can you respond with an action step to what you read? What is a goal you can set or something you can trust God for based on what you read? 

This is how I read the Old Testament. Especially the history books like Judges, Joshua, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, etc. Someday I'll blog about how I read the New Testament (it's mostly the same but there are a few differences!)

So this is what works for me! I'm linking it up here at We Are That Family

Well I guess it says 'nations'....

When Laura and I first started thinking about taking some girls overseas this summer I was anxious to say the least. Even though I've traveled a ton, I've never served overseas. I was not super excited and started selfishly looking for reasons I couldn't go.

I have to raise support, I want to go to Crush Fear, I'm not capable of leading, my heart is for college students not those in sex trafficking, I don't want to go to Asia

Some of these were valid, but most were just excuses. I started justifying the lies in my head verbally to others.

Well I want to go, but it just doesn't seem like I should with everything going on. I think I should focus on what God has called me to do (with college students) and just focus on support raising.

How crazy is that?!?! Here's what I was really saying to others:

Well I know God tells us to go to all the world but I don't really want to go to Asia so I'll focus on something else.

So then I started bringing it to God (why I didn't do that before... I don't know!) and He started convicting me of my heart towards the world.

Therefore go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS... 

Is Cambodia a nation?

Well yeah...

So should you go?

Well yeah...

So then why are you making excuses?

I don't know! Okay, I'll go!

 So in the beginning stages, I was going but was not at all excited. I had no desire to go to Asia at all and was nervous and insecure about leading a trip. But as I began to obey God in His command to go to the world, He began to change my heart. I started to learn more about the organization we're going with and the desperate need for people to go. I heard Laura talk about girls like Elizabeth and God began to break my heart. God began to show me His heart through His wonderful word. I was genuinely excited about how God was leading us!

As God convicted me of my disobedience and I repented (a 180 degree turn from my way to God's way) He began to actually give me a heart to love these women and a desire to go. When you and I become obedient to God's will we begin to get God's heart.

Thank you God for leading me into obedience. Thank you for showing me your heart for the broken and the captives. Thank you for leading Laura and I to Agape so that we might glorify you. Please use Your Word to comfort those enslaved by the sex trade and use us to love them as you would. Please continue to bring in all the support for the girls going and use in to accomplish your perfect will in Cambodia

Future Plans

I can't tell you all how much God has blessed me by doing college ministry this past year. I've got to see people come to know Jesus personally, take huge steps of faith, devote their time, talent and treasure to serve the Lord and see God provide for me in tons of ways.

I can't begin to explain the joy I have in doing ministry. I get giddy just thinking about the fact that I get to do this for as long as God has planned!! A few weeks ago at our Crush Fear summer project (read about it here and here) I had my official interview to join full time staff with Master Plan Ministries and I was accepted! This was a serious answer to my prayers begging God to let me serve Him in this way.

For months now, one of my biggest prayers was to be able to serve God full time with Master Plan. I remember begging God

"Oh please God, just let me do ministry. There is nothing I want more right now than to do ministry full time. Please Lord. If this doesn't happen, I know it'll be okay but You're going to have to pick up the pieces of my broken heart. There's nothing I want more God."

God tells us in his word, that if we ask according to his will it will be given to us. And oh, how He is faithful! He answered my prayers just as He promised. And not only that, the prayer He answered gives Him so much glory and gives me so much joy! How could anything be better?!

Like I said earlier, it's hard to explain the joy that one gets from serving God full time. I just smile thinking about it! The only way to share all the things I'm thankful for is a list! I'm linking it up with A Holy Experience

I'm thankful for:

1. Getting to talk about Jesus whenever I want!!!!
2. Hanging out with awesome college students all the time
3. Going to CAMBODIA this summer!
4. All my amazing supporters and their faithfulness
5. Having a front row seat to seeing God come through in student's lives (and my own!)
6. Seeing students like Aaron and Korina get married and devote their lives to serving God
7. The stinkin awesome staff that I work with in Denver (check out Laura's blog!)
8. The joy I get from just walking on campus
9. Getting to serve in the same ministry that brought me to Christ
10. The freedom that comes in college ministry (something I wanted in a job even before I walked with Christ!)

Man, God is so good. I can't believe I get to serve Him!! I'm now on the awesome journey of trusting God to bring in the financial support for my future ministry. I am so so excited about raising support for full time college ministry! God taught me so much about Himself last year, I know He'll show me so much more this year too! I would love your prayers! If you would like to know more about what I do in ministry or how you could be financially involved you can check out my Donate tab or email me at angipratt@hotmail.com. I'll be sure to keep you all updated on how God is working!

angi :)