I’m deeply protective of my relational equity. Not because I’m afraid to lose it, but because I know just how valuable it is. It’s the basis of my relationship with my husband, my children, my friends, and most importantly – my Heavenly Father.
I love the God of Israel and learning from His Messiah, my Rabbi: Yeshua. Yeshua, Jesus, is the most wonderful teacher to build relational equity with. The more time you spend in His teachings, hearing His voice, the more you grow to value His love for you and all God’s family. Likewise, the more time you spend in your WHOLE Bible, the more relational equity you build with the invisible and indivisible God of Israel, whose unfailing love bonds us all together as His children, generation after generation.
The more time I spend with God, reading, listening and pouring over the pages of my Bible, the more engaged my relationship with Him becomes. I understand Him better as I see the truths of the Bible manifest in my daily life. The goal of reading my Bible isn’t to figure Him out. I read the Bible to feel close to my Creator and discern the many ways He wants to help me build loving relationships with others by feeling secure in His love and devotion to my well being.
I don’t use the Bible as a measuring stick for others, I use my Bible to build a purposefully loving and committed relationship with my Creator. The new fancy term for that is “Scripture engagement” which I find hugely more exciting than ‘Bible Study.’
I recently discovered a set of fantastic, and expansive, studies called the Reveal Series by Parkinson and Hawkins – researchers who set out to learn what the Body of Messiah truly felt about their faith journeys. Here is my favorite quote from their section of takeways: “The Bible is the most powerful catalyst for spiritual growth.” Above worship services, children’s programs, retreats, classes, and so on, these studies determined that bible engagement – reading and living the Bible – was the one thing that thousands of people credit as their source of spiritual growth. We here at the TLV Bible Society heartily agree!
In the months ahead, you are going to learn how to build your own Bible engagement routines and personalized tools for building your relationship with God. We have said MANY TIMES: the TLV Bible Society is not here to teach you about what the Bible says. We are here to help YOU grow closer to God by spending more purposeful and committed time in your Bible. We want to see you enjoying your TLV Bible in a plethora of inspiring and creative ways.
Our hearts are focused on creating things that encourage people to dive deeply into their Bibles – living, breathing, and acting it out on a daily basis. Everything we do here at the Bible Society is aimed towards that purpose. Most of our Jewish traditions were instituted for the same reasons. Like putting a mezzuzah on your doorposts according to Deuteronomy 6. Or clapping our hands to praise God during worship. While those examples might seem odd, they’re actually ways for us to engage in the Scriptures with our hearts and bodies!
It’s our heart to make getting to know Him the focus of everything we do. So, we write devotions with more questions than answers. We create art to inspire you to re-imagine Bible stories and understand their reality. We provide weekly scripture passages that unite you to our Hebrew ROUTES through the deserts of life. We activate multiple learning patterns for building up faith – not only in adults, but in children as well! We provide and protect the sacred scrolls of the “words of Life” that the God of Israel then magnified through the Gospels and writings of Yeshua‘s disciples.
God’s big agenda is for YOU to know Him for yourself! Invest your time in building relational equity with God – spend as much time with Him as He longs to spend with YOU!
I must say, I find new jargon like “relational equity” and “scriptural engagement “ difficult to understand and off-putting. That aside, your article is exciting and I look forward to your new resources. Nothing replaces the wonder, thrill and sense of privilege when Ruach HaKodesh quickens His Word. He is real, alive and near. And all the Word says concerning His grace and affection for us is so wonderfully true. PTL.
This is beautiful! I am always hungry to know Him In greater depth and delve more deeply into His awesome Word! Thank you for offering this to us!
I love it! ❤️
Dearest Daniah ! ………. ( America’s Messianic MoM ! ) Adonai Bless You and Keep You for sharing this ‘critical’ insight with us. Ameyn, Ameyn, and Ameyn !!! Just the Manna we ALL need to remain ‘Clay on the Master Potter’s Wheel’ , and full of His light through troubling times. Bless You All for Blessing Us with the Keys to ‘ LIVING A SHABBAT LIFE ‘ ! humbly His , messianic pastor, william (bill) bayliss
Hello, I am so excited about this connection and opportunity to be encouraged to go deeper into the precious word of God.
“Scripture engagement rather than scripture study”
Love this, thank you.
This is what I need. Many times my quiet time becomes routine, but the Proverbs devotional is a blessing. I am praying for a closer walk with Yeshua.
Thank you, Daniah, for your very encouraging & engaging message in the article, Bible Engagement, Not Bible Study, which I just read! Especially I’m very thankful for the timing before the start of the Fall Feasts & because the Lord is reawakening a hunger in my heart to go deeper in His precious Word!
In Yeshua’s love & shalom,
Kathleen