14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible, with James Coakley and Jen Johnson

Do you ever feel like you’re too busy to spend time in the Bible? Has your reading started to feel a little tedious? This episode of Grounded will reignite your passion for God’s Word and equip you to dig in deeper! Hear from James Coakley, a professor from Moody Bible Institute, who shares fourteen practical ways to help you truly enjoy your time in Scripture.

Episode Notes

• 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible book by James Coakley: https://www.moodypublishers.com/14-fresh-ways-to-enjoy-the-bible/
• “What’s the Goal of Bible Study” video with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR24ZD6wMRI
• Mary: Becoming a Girl of Faithfulness online study: https://mytruegirl.com/mary/
• Revive Our Hearts podcast: https://www.reviveourhearts.com/podcast/revive-our-hearts/
• Overcomers: Lessons from the Churches of Revelation booklet: https://www.reviveourhearts.com/donate/overcomers/

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Dannah Gresh: Hey there. Did you read your Bible today? I guess I want to ask it this way, though. Did you enjoy your Bible today? Hi, I'm Dannah Gresh. Welcome to Grounded.

Erin Davis: I'm Erin Davis. We're here to give you two things every week, two things you need every week, two things I need every week—and that's hope and perspective. 

And listen, we've been doing this a while now. We know you. And we know that you know that reading your Bible is essential to staying grounded. That's part of why we named this podcast that, we know that it's already a priority to you. You're not an audience of women that we have to convince to pick up your Bible. But we are also a place where we are very honest. And sometimes even for those of us who really really love God's Word, reading the Bible can feel a bit dry, a bit tedious. Today's program is all about reigniting your passion and not just making sure you read it, but making sure you passionately read God's Word.

Dannah: Yeah, once I'm in the Word, Erin, my problem is never passion. It is getting in the Word that sometimes is just what gets in the way. 

Erin: When you asked if we read our Bibles this morning, I got a little check because I haven't read my Bible yet. Grounded days can be extra crazy. And so I will affirm that it could be hard to even get it open. 

Dannah: That's exactly my problem. And to your point, I'm going to open God's Word today to show you a Bible verse that can be one thing that often keeps me from enjoying God's Word. And that is time. 

Erin: Right. 

Dannah: When the to-do list or the schedule is a little extra crazy. So, anyone else have too little time? If so, you need the verse I'm about to share today.

Erin: I say I always have more do than day, like there's just not enough hours to get it all done. I believe probably every woman can relate to that. So, I don't even know where you're going to take us in God's Word, but I will be taking notes sister. James Coakley is with us. He's got the street cred. He's been a professor at Moody Bible Institute for more than twenty years.

Dannah: See, hold on. Yeah, hold it. Street cred, and Moody Bible Institute?

Erin: Those can go together. 

Dannah: I don’t think they go together. 

Erin: He's got theological street cred. Can I invent that concept? The man knows what he's talking about. He is here with fourteen ways you can enjoy your time in God's Word. How's that for specific? We're gonna be talking about that. But before we meet with James, before we get grounded in God's Word, I want to tell you, Dannah, it feels like you've been away a long time. You were reminding me it really hasn't been that long. But Grounded. is not the same without you, and we missed you. What you've been doing? 

Dannah: Awe. Well, ironically, the topic today is appropriate, because I've been writing another Bible study for eight- to twelve-year-old girls this summer, based on the life of Mary, and I am so excited about that. Because, listen, if we don't get these little girls enjoying the Word soon, get them hooked on it as a habit of their life, It's going to be a much harder habit to build when they're older. 

But also, I went to Alaska. 

Erin: What?

Dannah: So, there's that.

Erin: What were you doing in Alaska?

Dannah: Bob and I, it was summer, Erin, you're asking about my summer?

Erin: Yeah, I know, but I said what were you doing there? Were you salmon fishing?

Dannah: I mushed sled dogs. I was there during spawning, so you weren't allowed to salmon fish. I really wanted to do it. But you weren't allowed. It's not fair. But mushing sled dogs . . . bucket list dream, crossed off.

Erin: How did I not know that? I'm one of your besties, and I did not know you were in Alaska mushing sled dogs. 

Dannah: I’ll send you a picture of a little puppy. The puppy had the cutest name ever, Lollipop.

Erin: Lollipop. I love it already. I’m glad you got to do that.

Dannah: Yeah, me too. 

Well, you know we'd like to start Grounded out with good news, and today we want to hear from a special good news correspondent. This woman has a front row seat to see college students enjoying God's Word. How important is that? Portia, what do ya got?

Erin: Of course, you're in for a treat. That's better than a Lollipop. 

Dannah: Yeah, I know. I love her.

Erin: This woman, she's gonna get you excited.

Portia Collins: Good morning, Dannah Banana. Hi, Erin. 

Erin: Morning

Portia: I echo Erin’s sentiments. I am so glad to see you. It hasn't been that long, but it feels like it has been. 

Erin: It did feel like a long time.

Dannah: You guys love me too much.

Erin: We do love you a lot. 

Portia: There’s nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that.

Dannah: I receive it.

06:25 - Good News (Jen Johnson)

Portia: Well, y'all know we love to tell stories of God at work. And God has been working in the hearts and lives of college students this summer. We have a special good news correspondent lined up to help us tell that story. Jen Johnson serves with the organization Student Mobilization. Welcome to Grounded, Jen.

Jen Johnson: Hey, good morning. It’s good to be with you.

Portia: Good morning. I'm so excited to have you. Okay, Jen. I'm a girl who loves a good Greek Word. So, tell me this. What does caleo mean? 

Jen: Yes, that’s a great question. We get that a lot. So caleo means “called.” And so, we really believe that each one of us have been called to follow Christ and to be able to bring that good news to other people. It's such an incredible opportunity that we get over this summer to invest in these college students for nine weeks.

Portia: Wow. So, tell me specifically, how did you see God move in the hearts of young people?

Jen: Yes, okay. Well, this summer, we have the opportunity to have about 215 college students with us. We were in Gulf Shores, Alabama. A lot of our campuses are in the Midwest. We're at the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Penn State in Pennsylvania, where Dannah is, and then also Northwest Missouri State. 

And so, a lot of these students are just saying . . . A lot of them have recently come to Christ. Some actually come to spend the summer with us who have not even surrendered their lives to Christ yet, but they're saying, “I want to know God more.” And so, they come to invest nine weeks of their summer. 

During those weeks, they work a full-time job, but in the evenings and on the weekends, they are in small groups called discipleship groups, where they're learning how to study the Bible. They are learning how to grow in holiness and character and convictions, learning what it looks like to give their lives away to other people. And it's just an incredible, incredible summer. My husband and I have worked with college students for over twenty-five years. And one of the things that we love the most is just getting to all live together, life on life. We hear these men and women's stories. It gives me a ton of hope for the future, to be honest.

Portia: Amen. Likewise, and I love seeing all those sweet pictures of all the students. 

So tell me, as I was listening to you, basically, you're sending students out as missionaries as they enter the workforce and as they begin to start their own families. Can you specifically tell us about some of the students that you sent out this summer?

Jen: That's a great question. I think one of the things that we love the most is just getting to hear each one of these students’ individual stories and how God has impacted each of their lives. 

I was thinking of one girl, her name was Chloe. I feel like every summer they're just students who grab your heart. She was one of them. She came from probably one of the hardest backgrounds that I personally have experienced. She grew up in a home where her parents had kind of been in and out of jail, they actually were homeless. And so, they would go from abandoned house to abandoned house where they would attach to neighbors’ electricity until they would get caught and then get moved on to other homes. 

She actually came to college to run track. But she instead met someone who shared the gospel with her and just she really realized, “Man, this is something I've never heard before. I want to hear more.” She came to Christ. She came to spend the summer with us and her whole life trajectory has been transformed. I spent some time with her this summer. And she just said, “I thought God brought me to college to run track. But what God brought me to college was to meet Him and begin a personal relationship with Him and to go back and to share that truth with other people. 

So to go back to campus, one of the things that we love as they're in the workforce over this summer, is that they're learning to relate their faith in a really personal way so that wherever you go, whether that's back to campus or whether they graduate and move on into the workforce or families, that they know how to walk with God; that they're self-feeders from His Word; that, again, they've grown convictions, not even just in walking with God, but in realizing that God has given them the gospel to pass it on to other people. And, and we absolutely love, love to see just what God's doing on the campus. It gives a ton of encouragement and a ton of hope for even just future generations.

Portia: I love that. So, how can we pray specifically for them for the students?

Jen: I think a huge thing is just to pray . . . One thing we love is that it's a spiritual greenhouse, it really is the perfect environment for them to grow in their faith and learn to share their faith. But you know, wherever they had after that, they go back into a war zone. So I would just say, huge prayer for their classes. That God would just keep them rooted and grounded and strong in their faith, that they would have a faith that's enduring. And that God would just continue to work in and through them wherever He takes them in life. And so, that's usually our biggest prayer request for each of the students that are with us in the summer.

Portia: I'm checking my comments, because we have an army of Groundedsisters who love to pray. So yeah, I'll just get your marching orders so you know how to specifically pray for the students for this next generation of Christ followers. I am just delighted that I get to share this story and that I get to hear about it and experience it. God is truly at work in every generation. And you know what? We always think that that's some good, good news. Thank you so much for being with us today, Jen.

Jen: Yes, thanks, Portia.

Portia: Alright Erin Davis, you are coming to get us grounded with God's people. Right?

Erin: I am. But that was good news. One thing I love about Grounded is we tell the other headlines that you maybe aren't getting anywhere else. And even in Christian publications, the headlines about young people are kind of gloom and doom. And you saw on Jen's face the sweetness and the excitement that God is raising up 20 somethings, rescuing them with the gospel sending them into their workplaces and community. So, I just echo that's good news. Really, really good news. So, thanks for sharing with us, Portia. 

13:41 - Grounded with God's People (James Coakley)

All right. As we get grounded with God's people, I'll reiterate a question that we pointed to in the opening of this program. What should you do when your study of God's Word falls flat? It happened to one Moody Professor. James Coakley is with us, and he's got a new book, 14 Ways to Enjoy… that word right there. It's really important not just to read the Bible, but to enjoy the Bible. This is an exciting conversation, and I'm ready to jump in. Welcome to Grounded James.

James Coakley: Oh, it's great to be with you and all of our listeners here this morning.

Erin: Thanks. You say in your book that there's a difference between reading the Bible and reading it. Well, what is that difference?

James: Well, I think you know, all of us, we know we should be engaged in God's Word. And so, we want to read it. And we do because we want to be in obedience. But at the same time, you just mentioned sometimes it becomes just a checkoff. You know, we're part of a Bible reading program, and we're really not really enjoying that process. 

And so even though the Bible I say is the most read book, it's not read well. A lot of it just falls on just some reading strategies that we’re not even attuned to. And that's really why I wrote the book, because it just gives us some tips on what to look for as you read. So, it's really about observation—what are the observations you should be making as you're reading, that makes you a more active reader rather than passive?

Erin: I love that approach. Because I think sometimes, we can think, What is wrong with me?I know this is the inspired Word of God. And yet, I'm not excited about it. And you're saying, maybe you just need a new strategy, a new tool in your tool belt. Maybe it isn't as big a deal as you're making it. 

So, we do want to give you some strategies. But first, let's get geeky. You're talking to some Bible geeks here on Grounded, how can understanding literary devices help us enjoy the Bible more?

James: Oftentimes, I think we have a great understanding that God's Word is true, it's historical. It's accurate. We can depend upon it. But we think of it more just as data of people, places and events. We don't really think about it being just a work of art on how beautiful it is. I use the analogy oftentimes that the fact that anywhere looking creation. I was just in the state of Maine. Dannah was just in Alaska. You just can't help but see God's beauty and creation. And to think that the same God who put all that beauty and creation into a world that we can enjoy, why would He not do the same thing and put things of beauty in the Word?

And all of a sudden, now you realize that the Bible is not just information, it is aesthetically stunning how it just relays all this information. And it's not just aesthetics. It really helps us as readers to become more in tune.

Erin: All right, I want to rapid fire through some of these fourteen ways. We're not gonna go through all of them. But I'd love for you just to give us the big idea on some of these. One of them you said is, “Read the label.” That's a strategy for using the ways the biblical author references the characters in the book. So, tell us more about reading the labels.

James: I heard Dannah was called Dannah Banana, whatever. It's like different terms. I'm Jim. I'm James. I'm Dr. Coakley. I'm Pastor. I'm Elder. I'm Grandpa. Some call me Jimbo. But if you call me Jimbo, our listeners might not be too respectful of a professor at Moody, who goes by the name of Jimbo. 

Erin: Dr. Jimbo.

James: Yeah, Dr. Jimbo, we have different labels. They're all true of me. But they all give a different facet of who I am, my roles, my position, my status, all those kinds of things. 

And so, one of the things that just really shocked me is just being aware of the labels that the biblical author attests to different characters as we read. And so oftentimes, again, we go back to, “Hey, I know this person.” But I don't really need to know all the different labels that are used with them. But now just by paying close attention to oh, they're called familial terms, Uncle Laban, brother-in-law Laban, or Laban the Aramean. And all of a sudden, you realize that Laban, who was very familial, at first, he's all in the family. But then when there's tension between Jacob and Laban, all of a sudden now he's now Laban the Aramean. 

And so, we talked about playing the race card. All of a sudden, we see oh, there's tension now in the relationship that wasn't there at the start. And so, we can pay attention that. Or Ruth the Moabite is, you know, we read that several times in the book of Ruth. We already know her more by ethnicity. So why would we want to keep stressing that? 

Well, when the biblical author wants to heighten the tension in the story, such as at the very end of chapter one, it says they only returned and with her Ruth, the Moabite. Well, again, we know that information if we've been paying attention, but all of a sudden, it helps us to realize, this has got more problems. Because here Naomi has to go home with this evidence that she left the land of Judah to go to Moab. She's got Exhibit A of that disobedience alongside her. And so all of a sudden, now we feel more the tension, because those labels help us to keep that white hot.

Erin: Oh, man, like, I want to get my journal out, and my Paper Mate flares and start diagramming these labels for people. That is a cool strategy. 

How about “step up to the mic”? I know that has to do with dialogue within the text. How do we execute that strategy?

James: This one is so simple, but yet so profound. Oftentimes, we read the Bible in kind of a flat way. We just kind of think it's all the same content. It doesn't matter who's giving it, it's all content from God. But when we realize that authors have the power to, in a sense, summarize the action, or they can turn over the microphone. That's why I call it step up to the mic. 

So, they can hear the words of the character themselves without it being filtered by the narrator by the author. And so just even now, in our interview, you control the mic. And so, you ask me a question, and I respond. I'm able to do that. You're not summarizing my book. The listeners are hearing me with my own words say what the book and the chapter is all about. And so, this is then the same thing.

The very simple technique that will guarantee will make your Bible reading more fresh. Look for quotation marks. Nobody ever told me that in Bible reading. Look for the difference between the narrator controlling the content and when the narrator yields over the microphone as it were to a character in the story. And oftentimes, you'll find that the main point or the foregrounded issues in a text are on the lips of one of the characters, not from the narrator. 

I had a colleague who studied the Gospel of Luke and all the big ideas for the different passages in the Gospel of Luke, come on the lips of one of the characters. And so, you have at the very end of the Gospel of Luke, you have the Centurion at the foot of the cross. Surely this was a righteous man. Now, Luke could have summarized that and said a crowd thought that he was righteous. But instead, Luke handed over the microphone to this Centurion, and we hear him summarize, and by extension, what we as readers should come to as well if we're reading it properly. “Hey Jesus was a righteous dude.” 

Erin: It’s so good I think of like why we enjoy a play so much more than a monologue. Because a play has that interaction. And that's what you're talking about in Scripture. No one ever asked me to look for the quotation marks either. So that's a helpful tip. 

What are “zones of turbulence”?

James: Sometimes biblical passages just unload the kitchen sink of literary techniques. And so, all the different ways to enhance the storytelling of an account are just thrown in. 

And so, for instance, I think all of our listeners know how important Genesis 22 is. But then when you realize it, basically, so many literary techniques are just stacked upon each other so no wonder why it's a literal peak in the book of Genesis. And so all of a sudden, now I have evidence to show oh, that should be a peak, because basically, the author Moses is putting everything into telling and enhancing the story—by using geography in a key way, by using repetition, by using labels. 

All these things that I've talked about in the book are all present in Genesis 22. And so, it's no wonder why we love Genesis 22 as compared to the next chapter, chapter 23, about Abraham negotiating to buy a cave for his dead wife, Sarah. And it's because the art form is now really helping you the readers who say, “Hey, this is a key moment in Abraham's life. And we are now in a sense enhancing that by putting everything into telling this story. And so that's what I call zone of turbulence.

Erin: I love it. I want to talk about one more strategy. We're going to leave some of them in between the covers of this book, because I want women to grab the book, but this one intrigues me. What is a “poetic diamond”?

James: Oh, poetic diamond. We talk about Bible study, and we talk about the fact that we have different genres. And so, we approach reading a psalm differently than we read a narrative or a prophet book or something like that. But what this is about is paying attention to when in narrative texts, poetic inserts are put alongside the narrative. And so like the song of Hannah was in the book of Samuel. 

Or all of a sudden, you have Mary's Magnificat, that really pops out, or you have song of Simeon. And all of a sudden now you realize that the key themes of the narrative around that are put into song form. 

And so, it's like you mentioned the fact that why do we like certain forms of art better than others is because song really heightens the message of the words. 

And so, when the narrator, in a sense, allows a character to go into poetic mode, like we see in Luke, or like we see in Samuel, and we see even in Genesis, the first six or so chapters of Genesis are full of these poetic insights. They're not just niceties. They really, in a sense, give the peak of each of those texts. And so, it's really important for us to pay attention to those poetic diamonds that are inserted among the narrative text. But it's really more than just poetics. It's really about what the peaks of these texts are.

Erin: So good. I want to hang up on Grounded and go on a treasure quest, which is what this book is supposed to do. It's supposed to energize us, but I think in almost any area of life, we tend to get stuck. This happens with our exercise routines. That can happen with our relationships. And we try something new, we know to do that. 

But I think a lot of times were resistant to taking that approach to our study of God's Word. We're resistant to try new things and seeing what works for us and finding something that works for us in this season, that might not have worked another one. Why do you think we resist trying new ways to study God's Word?

James: Because we tend to kind of have a rut that we think was meaningful at one point, but we kind of have gone down that track maybe way too many times. Or we think we know the content and we don't need to study it more deeply or in a different way. 

And so that's why in the each of the chapters I include examples from modern day film and fiction, where these techniques are prominent in all the things that we enjoy about, you know, art. It's not like these are hidden kinds of things. These are things all good communicators use. And so, it just helps for us to be more aware of them. 

But again, it's not just for the art form, it's really as a means to kind of make sure we're in the right lane. When we're reading through God's Word if we're observing what the biblical author is doing by using these techniques, it helps us to stay closer to him or her. If we have women speakers in the Scripture as to what they're really focusing on.

Erin: That's good. I always want to really nail the why. So, what is the end goal? It's not just read the Bible with more of a smile on our face. Why does it matter if we enjoy it? I mean, if we're just reading it, why isn't that sufficient? Why do we really need to know how to enjoy the Word of God?

James: Well, I think that's why I love the Bible. You know, hope and perspective, I want people to realize there is so much in God's Word. We cannot fathom its depth of content, but also its beauty. And so just by being aware of this can really enhance that, but also to give you new perspectives on what you're going to be observing. Because oftentimes, we make a lot of observations. 

So, we never know if they're what I call a discourse active, or the really what the biblical author is trying to really get the reader to focus on. Well, once you see these techniques, and you're aware that they're there, and they not only are there just for fanciful purposes, they're really there to help guide you to the reader to the more salient or important parts of the text. And boy, does that give you good hope and perspective when you do that!

Erin: Amen. All right. Dr. Coakley, one last step for our Grounded listeners and viewers, what's one tip you'd leave them with today?

James: Hopefully you become a more active reader. I think sometimes we become more passive. I understand we do believe this is God's Word. And we just kind of say, “Okay, You're speaking it, I'm just gonna receive it.” But I want us to have a more dialogical relationship. 

So, I have these conversations all the time, so to speak with the biblical authors, both human and divine. Why is this next to this passage? Is there a relation there that I'm missing? Why did the microphone get passed over to, you know, to the centurion in the Gospel of Luke? 

And so, I'm having these kinds of dialogue, political questions all the time, that get me into a deeper kind of awareness that sometimes the biblical authors are not always using straight line communication. They're very subtle. But once you pick up on what they're trying to do, you also see the paydirt in terms of really the heart change and the life change they're really looking for. 

So, am I my brother's keeper? Brother, brother, brother, brother. It's repeated seven times in Genesis 4. And so the biblical reader of that text today should be, yes, you are your brother's keeper. We are to be looking out for one another. And so that's then a more sermonic or practical application if we're reading the text, right? But I'm picking up on the clues that are in the text to be able to get there.

Erin: So good. I love that idea of hitting paydirt in the Bible. It's not just just scratch the surface. It is to mine until you get to that paydirt. You know, Grounded sisters, there are riches beyond measure. When we get to that page, Dr. Coakley, I wish I could take your class at Moody Bible Institute. You are a wealth of knowledge and information. I'm really grateful to have you on Grounded today.

James: Well, I am really privileged to be able to speak to your audience, to be able to encourage them. I know most of your listeners love God's Word. But let's see if we can just take it up a notch and just really smile, like you just said. But just really feel like my observation skills are going to go up to another level. That's gonna make me even more grounded in God's Word.

Erin: I'm in. We're gonna drop a link to this book because I know you're gonna want to get it: 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible by James Coakley. Thanks again. I appreciate your time.

James: You're so welcome.

Erin: Portia, take it away.

Portia: Erin Davis . . . girl.

Erin: I heard you ooing and amening.

Portia: Yes, I love everything about that interview. know you're a Bible girl, just like I'm a Bible girl. But I think the biggest thing that I took away from what you guys were talking about was first the enthusiasm that both of you had about getting into the Word. It made me think about how I truly believe that God has made me rich with His work, not just because I check it off and read it, but because I actually delight in it. That’s when we truly delight in God's Word and experiencing Him through His work, like that totally changes things. 

Erin: It does. And that is our true selves, for sure. We show up as our true selves. In the interest of honesty, I can say as much as I love it, there are definitely dry seasons where I need an infusion of just a new strategy. I love that. It's that simple. I've been overthinking it all this time. 

Portia: Oh, absolutely. I agree. I 100% agree with that. But man, it was just cool to see your face light up and to see Dr. Coakley talking about that. You can truly tell that, “Hey, I love God's Word.”

Erin: He got me with that label one. I was thinking David was King David, was son of Jesse. David was a shepherd. David was a giant slayer. Like, I was wanting to give him all the labels. 

Portia: Do I hear a new season of The Deep Well coming up out of this conversation?

Erin: I like it. 

Portia: Thanks, Erin. Well, Dannah is gonna be with us in about one minute to briefly share the Bible verse that helped her confront the challenge of having enough time to enjoy God's Word. So go ahead and get ready, turn to Proverbs 9. She's about to teach our socks off. Okay. 

But first, I want to repeat a question that Erin just asked James Dr. Coakley, and she said, “What is the goal of Bible study?” Keep that in your mind. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth says, “It is to become spiritual reproducers.” So, let's watch this short clip as she explains.

31:34 - The Purpose of Bible Study (Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth)

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: The purpose of Bible study in Bible teaching is not just to dispense more information. Now, we need information. There's a lot of information in this book. And we have a biblical illiteracy rampant today, even within the Church. So, we need the teaching, we need the information. But the goal isn't to stuff people's heads full of more information or to give them more notebooks to put on their already crowded shelves. 

The goal was that they would know that God can transform their lives from the inside out, that they would be conformed to the image of Christ, become fruitful believers, not just pew sitters, not just people taking up space tipping God in the offering, but they would become earnest fervent disciples of Jesus spiritual reproducers. That's the goal of our teaching.

32:35 - Grounded in God's Word (Dannah Gresh)

Dannah: Spiritual reproducers. That's my soapbox right there. I want the next generation to pass on the baton of faith. You know, my husband and I were there when Nancy delivered that message. There was so much power in it. It made us want to read the Word. 

My husband actually returned from that trip and devoured his Bible—read it cover to cover in about, if I recall correctly, ninety days. He enjoyed it, which is to the point of today's topic. It gives me chills even just to think about it. 

Now, I want to say this. It took time for my husband to do that. It was an investment of time. And that's what I want to talk to you about—time—as we get grounded in God's Word. 

I hope you've grabbed your Bible and opened it to Proverbs 9. If you have one nearby, I want to show you a Bible verse that helped me confront a lie that often keeps me from slowing down and enjoying God's Word. The lie is this: “I don't have time to be in God's Word today.” You ever think that? It's a lie. Maybe you don't think it, but you live it. Your intentions are to be in the Word each morning. But before you know it, you're sucked into other tasks, and you live as if you believe you don't have time for it. 

This is something I've really been battling lately. Ironically, as I finish up a Bible study I'm writing for tween girls to teach them to live faithfully. Those deadlines always make the do in the day so big. But this Bible study is based on the life of Mary. And it's going to just be a slap in the face of the enemy who is trying to teach our girls to live their own truth. Not on my watch! I intend to rise up to give these girls a love of God's Word, and invite them to live faithfully by the words of it. And yet, even as I worked on it over the summer, I found myself being tempted by the pressure of my to-do list. It was squeezing out my time with God. Please tell me I'm not the only one who fights this. You too? Okay.

So how much more insidious is it when our time with God is squeezed out? By time doing things for Him? It is a great deception of the devil when we think we don't have time to be in God's Word. Let me show you why. Proverbs 9:10–11 Let me read it to you. It says, 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life. 

That's Proverbs 9:10–11. Now if you turn to the next chapter of Proverbs, you'll see something similar, verse 24. It says the fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. 

Fear of the Lord, what is that? It's the quality of standing in awe of. No, let's say it like this: living in awe of the God of the universe. I find that quality when I slow down enough to enjoy His presence when I'm in the Word. 

And now listen, I don't get it from quick drive by in the Word. For me, it takes the long slow soak. I'm twenty minutes and before my to-do list gets in the backseat of my mind and God is in the driver's seat. But when I get there, I see differently. I see my day differently. I see the world differently. I see my relationships differently. I feel differently. The anxiety and the stress and the fears and all that stuff abate. I sense the presence of God. I feel the peace and the joy of living as a believer. 

I think differently. I think more obediently. I think more submissively. I think more faithfully when I've started my day and the Word. God gets bigger than my to-do list when I remember how big He is by being in the Word, when I fear Him. And here's the thing: that's where I get my wisdom, in my time with Him. And you see, that's because the fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins, the Word tells us that.

But consider this, these verses tell us how attaining wisdom benefits us practically. It says, “your days will be multiplied, years will be added to your life.” Basically, that means sin will shorten your life through its consequences, but by the same reason, right living will lengthen it. 

It's basic cause and effect logic. Being in the Word equals experiencing the fear of the Lord. Experiencing the fear of the Lord equals gaining wisdom. Gaining wisdom equals living righteously. Living righteously equals a long life. So, who wouldn't want to live righteously and lengthen our days? 

The woman apparently with a long to-do list. I'm raising my hand. You? Here's the thing. Every time I read this verse, and I read it once a month, because I read Proverbs, there's 31 of them. So, I read one a day. It usually works out most months. And every ninth day of the month, when I get here, and I read this verse, I'm reminded that my life will be longer if I live by this book, the book of God's Word. 

And every month, I have to repent all over again, of living like I believe I'm too busy to slow down and be in the Word where I gained wisdom. I get serious about slowing down to enjoy the Word. I recommit to starting my day in a long, slow drink in the Word to enjoy it. So, I get to that place of being in awe of God. And this is what I want to share with you today, because I marveled at it. I wonder if you've experienced it too. Would you believe that?

I think that my experience has been, I feel my life lengthening in the very minutes of those days. The days that I started in the Word, can you identify? Those days that you soak in the Word of God just seem even when they're hard to go more smoothly, to feel more at pace with peace? There's something about the days I start with God. They're longer, lazier, and lovelier even if I have a lot to do. Do you know what I'm talking about? Have you experienced the multiplication of your minutes when you start in God's Word? Yeah, I thought so. 

Well, friend, if it's been a while today, I'm issuing you a reminder and an invitation to a long life. It starts by enjoying God's Word. 

Portia: Hey, Dannah. . 

Erin: Come on. 

Portia: I know, I'm resisting the urge. 

Dannah: It's solid

Portia: It’s solid. So, and you know what I love? I love the fact that Dannah not only pours the Word into us big girls, but she also pours the Word into the little girls. 

Dannah: Yes, God’s little women.

Portia: I cannot wait until Emmy is old enough to do one of your True Girl Bible studies. I actually probably think she may be old enough now. 

Dannah: She's getting there. 

Portia: But until then, I want to share that with Grounded sisters. Here's how you can get your daughter or granddaughter a copy of Dannah’s new study. It's titled Mary: Becoming A Girl of Faithfulness. I love it, and I'm just so thrilled. I just love you Dannah. I love you anyway, but I love you as a Bible teacher. I'm thrilled that our young girls can be exposed to this at such an early age.

And so also guys, Dannah is leading a live online study through this book this fall. She has created a 20% off code just for you Revive Our HeartsGrounded sisters. You can use the code ROHMary. 

Erin: Better say it again P., gotta get the pencils ready.

Portia: ROHMary

I’ll put it in the chat too. You can use that when you register at MyTrueGirl.com/Mary. 

Erin: You got it right. 

Portia: Good deal. Good deal. And Erin, of course, every single day, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth invites women to soak in God's Word. This is what I love about the flagship Revive Our Hearts podcast is every day you are guaranteed to get an opportunity to soak in God's Word. And so, what's up this week on the Revive Our Hearts program, tell us a little bit about what's going on this week.

Erin: Well on Revive Our Hearts we’re in well into a series of on the book of Revelation, my favorite book of the Bible. This is in particular about the letters to the churches in the beginning of Revelation. That's happening right now on Revive Our Hearts. 

And to tie it back to what we've been talking about today. If you know those letters, if you know what John wrote to those churches, many of them had lost their love, their passion, their delight, their enjoyment, for knowing God and living for Him. And that's what we've been talking about today. 

And John even says some of them are busy engaged in religious activity, maybe to modernize it, they might have checked reading their Bible off, they might have read their Proverb a day. But they had forgotten their love and their passion for the Lord. So, it does dovetail nicely into everything we've been talking about. It's a really powerful series, we wanted to point you to it. You can listen to it ReviveOurHearts.com or on the Revive Our Hearts app, you certainly don't have to hope you catch it in your radio on the car. We have ways for you to make sure you get it, and P. is holding up her copy of Overcomers.

Portia: Yes, because I've been using a girl.

Erin: I got it. My binding hasn't even been cracked on mine. So, I have not been using it. I've been making excuses. But I'm going to. It's a little booklet that will it will help you engage with the series but it's takes that those letters into a short Bible study, you're going to study each of those letters. It's a new resource from Revive Our Hearts, and you can get your copy. When you make a donation of any amount to the support the ministry this month Overcomers. The way to give is at ReviveOurHearts.com. 

Portia, give me one thing you've learned or one thing that's jumped out at you since you've opened yours and been using it.

Portia: I love the letters in Revelation. I feel like every time I read them, I'm always honestly deeply convicted. Like, and so far. I'm like, "This is me, this is for me." Now, I was just gonna say a fun fact. If you look inside of my book, it's actually empty. You know why? 

Erin: Because you wrote in your Bible?

Portia: No, the digital version on my iPad.

Erin: So fancy.

Portia: So you can use the digital version. If you are a digital girl like me and like to note take from your iPad, then that is available for you. You can download it, especially for our Revive Partners, you can go in and claim that resource.

Erin: We always want to be the sisters and friends that carry the good stuff in our purse and have it available to us. So we pointed you to a lot of good stuff: a podcast weries, Dr. Coakley’s book, Overcomers. When you do the Bible study for your little women. There's lots of resources, so my purse is empty. I've dumped out all the good stuff and gave it to you. Let's go Dannah, it's time for us to wrap today up.

Dannah: You got a piece of gum in that purse? A girl can use a piece.

Erin: Yeah, I'm all out. 

Dannah: Hey listen, I love that we're live on Monday mornings because there's these wonderful comments that just give us feedback. Women have been saying wonderful things about Dr. Coakley. What I love, of course, is that they're saying, “Always amazed how much more I accomplished in a day when I start with my quiet time.”

Esther writes, “Yes, He multiplies our minutes when we soak first.” 

Erin: That’s true.

Dannah: Nicole says “I'm too busy not to get the Word.” And do you guys feel that? Do you feel the multiplicity in the minute?

Erin: When you said that I was like, "That is true. And I've never heard anyone articulate it." 

Portia: I like that. 

Erin: Totally true.

Dannah: I say it every ninth day of the month.

Erin: Lord, lengthen our days.

Dannah: If you are busy lady, today get in the Word. I am reading EM Bounds book on prayer, one of the best books on prayer I've ever read. It's so good. I just read a chapter this morning. He just goes through almost every great leader of the faith—Spurgeon, Moody, Luther, everybody—and describes how much time they spent in the Word. We're talking many will get three and four and six a.m. to be in the Word for two, three, and four hours. And they would say things like, "I have too much in my day, not to spend two hours in prayer. I can't do the day without it." So that's where you got to start in the Word. 

Portia: Amen, amen.

Erin: There's some perspective. I'm taking it in. I'm feeling some conviction, but it's good conviction. And, yeah, don't have more do than day to be with the Lord. So, let’s turn this ship around. 

Portia: I’m in too. Well, unfortunately, guys, we are wrapping up today's episode, but we've got a treat for you next week. Have you ever heard of the Cheese Ball Lady? 

Dannah: That was a hard.

Portia: Wasn’t it?

Dannah: That was a hard turn.

Portia: That was the only way that I could do it. 

Dannah: And you did mean you have a treat for us? The Cheese Ball Lady?

Portia. I did. Like, The Cheese Ball Lady.

Erin: I feel like I need to get one of those gigantic tubs of cheese balls so that I'm ready to study.

Portia: Yes. Hard turn. But I know I got I know the ears perked up and I got your attention. So if you've never heard of The Cheese Ball Lady, now you have. Guess what? She will be with us next week. And she's gonna be helping us to have the two things that we love: hope and perspective, particularly when we face criticism.

Dannah: So, we invite you to wake up with hope together with us next week on Grounded. 

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