Announcement

I hope you can join us Wed morning for our Christmas brunch and ornament exchange! We'll begin at 9:30 by watching the video for lesson 10. At 10:30 we'll enjoy our brunch...and then we'll find out who will go home with which ornament!

See ya Wed!

Announcement

This Wed will be our last lesson in Daniel. I hope you will be able to join us as we wrap up this wonderful study!!
We will have our Christmas potluck brunch next week, Dec 16. We will meet from 9:30 to 12:00. We'll watch the video for Lesson 10 from 9:30-10:25. Then we'll enjoy brunch...followed by our ornament exchange. For the ornament exchange, you'll need to find an ornament for $10 or less. Wrap it and bring it with you to the brunch.
See ya tomorrow!

Lesson 9

I'm looking forward to resuming our study of Daniel tomorrow! We will be working on Lesson 9. If you've missed some lessons and feel like you're too far behind to come to class, please reconsider! We will spend time reviewing....and I think you'll find that even if there are some gaps in your understanding, you will have enough info to understand the big picture.
Lesson 10 will be our last lesson....can you believe it?! What a study this has been!

See ya tomorrow morning!

Images

I really enjoy looking at images of the people I'm studying. So this morning I searched the web for images of Antiochus Epiphanes IV. I believe he is the 'despicable person' mentioned in Dan 11:21. We've read about this guy before in Daniel 8. Remember?
Check out this website for some images of this guy, as well as some info about him: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Bios/AntiochusIVEpiphanes.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Bios/AntiochusIV.html&usg=__OlAcbUgHsH72ZlJFIfSllshXJHw=&h=400&w=326&sz=8&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=TB-MkGIa6bxKKM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAntiochus%2Bepiphanes%2BIV%2Bimages%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1

Announcement

Next week, Nov 18, we will have a 'Mexican potluck' following class. So, bring a Mexican dish to share...and let's enjoy some fellowship!

We will not meet Nov 25 because of Thanksgiving. Our next class after Thanksgiving will be Dec 2. We will complete our study Dec 9.

We will meet Dec 16 during our regular class time for a Christmas brunch and ornament exchange. For those of you who are new to our group, start looking for a Christmas ornament under $10. Bring it wrapped on the 16th and get ready for a wild ride! Our ornament exchanges can get pretty wild and crazy...you won't want to miss it!

Lesson 8

Please mark your calendars: We will meet next Wed, Nov 18...but we will not meet Nov 25, the Wed before Thanksgiving. When we come back after Thanksgiving, we will have 2 lessons left and will finish the study Dec 9.

For the 1st 4 days this week, we'll be focusing on chapter 11. It's a long and rather complicated chapter...and a long lesson! Day 5 in our homework instructs us to observe chapter 12. If you have time this week to observe chapter 12....great! But, if you find that the 1st 4 days of the lesson take a long time, then I would suggest you wait and observe chapter 12 during the week of Thanksgiving. After all, we'll have 2 weeks to finish lesson 9, so it might be helpful to save Day 5 of this lesson for the break. If you decide to do this, be sure to make a note in your workbook to remind yourself to observe chapter 12! It'd be easy to forget! We will discuss chapter 11 in class next week.

Announcements

There is an international womens' group that meets at Providence on Wed mornings. They're going to be making Christmas wreaths as a craft project. The lady who organizes these meetings, Mi Jung, told me today that they need any kind of Christmas decorations that would work on wreaths. She specifically mentioned flowers and ornaments. So, if you happen to have any extra decorations to share with this group, they'd greatly appreciate it! Just bring them on Wed morning and we'll get them to Mi Jung.
This ministry is a wonderful outreach to international women who live in our area.
Thanks!

Lesson 7: Homework

This week we're working on lesson 7. Because of the content in Daniel 10, the lesson this week focuses on some information in the Bible about angels, Satan, demons, and the role of prayer. The lesson is not meant to be an exhaustive study of these topics by any means. But, hopefully we will gain new insights into the spiritual world that will strenghthen our prayer lives. The lesson has many cross references. So, pace yourself through it...it will take some time! It'll be interesting next week to discuss what we've read.

For the past few weeks I've been thinking and praying about what study our group will tackle after Christmas. I am very interested in your thoughts about our next study. Let me give you a few ideas to consider:

Several of you have suggested this would be a good time to study Revelation. Precept Ministries has divided Revelation into 4 separate studies. Each of those studies takes about 10-12 weeks to complete. So, if we choose to study Revelation, it will be a rather long commitment. After completing Daniel, it would be interesting to tackle Revelation, tho, wouldn't it?

I've also been considering Ephesians, followed by a short study of Ruth. Ephesians is packed with wonderful doctrinal truths as well as very practical instructions for how to live a godly life. It'd be rather different from our study this fall and I thought it might provide a good change of pace, so to speak. The study of Ruth is 3 weeks long and is a beautiful study of Jesus as our Kinsman Redeemer. We could do both of these studies next semester.

I'd love to hear from you about what you'd be interested in studying after Christmas. You may have other books you'd like us to consider besides Revelation or Ephesians. If so, please feel free to make suggestions! Just post a comment on the bottom of this entry and share your thoughts.

I'd love to know that you are praying with me about our next study! It's always good to see where He leads us!

Prayer Requests - November

Friends, if you have a need that we can pray for, then please share it in the "Comments" section of this post. Please check the post throughout the month to know how you can pray for the members of our Bible study. Thank you!

Lesson 5

The remaining lessons in our study will focus on chapters 10-12. When we overviewed Daniel, it became obvious that these 3 chapters are linked together. This week we'll be closely observing chapter 10...and looking for that connection to the other 2 chapters. These can be difficult chapters to understand...so we'll take it one step at a time.
In the midst of some challenging chapters, I hope we'll keep in mind something that is becoming very clear in our study of Daniel. One of the phrases used to describe Daniel is 'highly esteemed'. 'Highly esteemed' can be translated: precious, greatly loved. God cared enough to reach out over and over again and share knowledge with this man. Today we hold in our hands the very words God shared with Daniel....because He wanted it preserved. Do you know what I think that means? You are precious to Him as well....and He wants you to know these same truths.

Listen to what Peter says about prophecy: But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (1 Pet 1:20-21) When you sit down to study chapter 10 this week, remember that God moved Daniel to write these words...and as a result, you and I can read it today! We're not just 'doing Bible study'....God Himself is communicating with us!

What Daniel experienced in chapter 10 left him speechless and weak. But, God's messenger encouraged him, strengthened him, and then began to explain the message God wanted him to hear. We may feel a bit weak at the knees, too, as we dive into these chapters! But, let's keep in mind that God Almighty is talking to us....because He loves us! This is all about knowing Him!

Lesson 4 Discussion

As usual we ran out of time this morning...and didn't get to spend time talking about what we're learning on a personal level. I loved Emile's insights at the end of the class! Thanks, Emile!!

I thought maybe we could use the blog to share our personal thoughts about the various lessons.
For example:
-What kinds of insights about God did you see this week?
-Did you get any insights into Daniel from chapter 8?
-How does chapter 8 relate to us today? Why study it?
-What can this vision about the ram and goat teach us?

You may still have questions about some of the more technical parts of Chapter 8...but what about how it's touching you personally? Don't worry...you don't have to have some deep, uniquely profound thing to say! It'd be good to just share our thoughts with one another, don't you think?

So...let's talk!

Images

These are glazed tiles of a mosaic originally in Susa. The original mosaic is now in the Louvre in Paris.

Image: Tomb of Daniel In Susa

Thought you'd find this interesting! It's supposedly Daniel's tomb in Susa.

Homework: Lesson 4

This week we’re working on Lesson 4. This will be our only week to study chapter 8, can you believe it? The 1st 2 days of our homework are to be spent observing the chapter. Like chapter 7, Daniel has a vision and then receives an interpretation of his vision. It can seem rather confusing at 1st glance! So, here are some suggestions that will hopefully simplify things a bit:

1. Don’t worry about interpreting every detail immediately! Remember: focus on what is obvious, not the obscure. What’s obvious? Well, this vision involves a ram, a goat, and a small horn. (That’s right….we’ve got another small horn!) So, pick 3 different colored pens and mark each reference to the ram, the goat, and the small horn.

2. After you’ve marked those 3, make a simple list of everything you learn about each one on a piece of paper. Use Daniel’s words when making your lists….don’t add your own words. This helps us keep our observations objective. We want to become very familiar with the facts of chapter 8.
When you finish making your lists, look back over them and think about what you’re learning. We don’t have to wonder who the ram and goat represent…we’re told very clearly! When you look at your list about the small horn, notice which kingdom he comes out of. Is he the same guy as the little big horn in chapter 7? Reason thru your answer, using chapter 8.

Note: you may not want to mark the ram, the goat, and the small horn at the same time. You might find it helpful to just focus on one of those at a time. For example, you could mark the ram, then make your list on the ram. Look back over your list and think about what you’re learning. Afterwards, get up and go do something else! If you’re like me, there’s always laundry waiting to be done!! Come back later and work on the goat. Breaking it down into smaller steps can help.

3. After you mark the ram, goat, and small horn, you may want to mark all references to God and any other people or angelic beings mentioned in the chapter.

4. Read over the chapter and mark any time phrases you find.

5. After you've spent time observing chapter 8, look back over your notes from the 1st lessons about the history of the Middle East. Review what we learned about the Medo/Persian and Greek Empires. Who was Greece’s 1st king? Hmmmm....does he show up in chapter 8? What happened to his empire when he died?

6. There will be some challenging things to interpret in chapter 8. If you see things you just don’t understand, put a little question mark next to them in pencil. And then move on! If you have a lot of little question marks, that’s ok! Remember: focus on what is obvious! Yes, there are some confusing things…but there are many clear things as well.

As you study, keep in mind that this is a process! Sometimes we want it all to come together quickly and in a neat, orderly fashion. Well, that’s just not gonna happen in Daniel!! So, relax and enjoy the ride! Think about how much we're learning this fall! Isn't it amazing? Yes, we have many questions about what we're learning, but we also have many answers!

Paul prayed this prayer for the believers in Philippi:
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Amen!

Announcements

Next Wed is potluck day! We decided to have soup, salad, bread, and dessert. So, pick one of those categories and bring a dish to share. If you have little ones in the nursery, remember to pack a lunch for them.

Ancient Babylon: Lion

Last week we talked about how Babylon was once depicted with the image of the lion. Below are some pictures of artifacts from Ancient Babylon that show us some examples:

The Lion of Babylon statue, showing the strength of the lion over man.

Lions on the Ishtar Gate, built during the time of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Detail of a lion from the Ishtar Gate.

Prayer Requests: October

We have the joy of praying for one another. If you have a prayer need, please share it in the "Comments" section of this post. Please check the comments often to see how you can pray for the members of our Bible study group. Thanks!

Homework: Lesson 2

We have one primary goal this week: to observe Revelation 12 and 13 and look for information that relates to Daniel's vision in chapter 7. There are so many interesting details in these chapters that it's easy to get overwhelmed. Remember, though, we are not doing a study of Revelation; we are using these chapters as cross references to Daniel 7.

As you're studying, remember that our primary goal is to observe these chapters as objectively as we can. We will not interpret all the details, even though we may want to try! This week we're looking for information that sounds like things we read in Daniel 7.

You may be tempted to grab a commentary to see how someone explains the details in Revelation 12 and 13, but this is not the time. Keep them closed for now (that includes your wonderful study Bibles and all their notes!). Read these chapters over and over and try to stick with exactly what the text says. If you can't figure something out, that's okay. We need to observe, observe, and observe some more before we try to interpret! Put a little question mark next to the things you don't understand and move on. If you have a ton of question marks, don't worry about it. Maybe you'll find yourself erasing some of those question marks after awhile.

In the homework we're asked to interpret the woman mentioned in Revelation 12. You might find it helpful to grab a piece of paper and make a simple list of everything it says about her. After you make your list, look over it and think about what it says. You may not come up with a firm conclusion, but you could jot down your ideas. We'll talk about it on Wednesday. I've already had several conversations with some of you about this woman. So, if you're struggling to understand who she is, you've got company!! The process of figuring out who she might be is a good one. So hang in there and keep chewing on it!

If you will stick with this method of studying, you will learn what the Word of God says for yourself. It's definitely a process, so give yourself lots of grace and time. There are no shortcuts for becoming equipped in understanding the Bible and handling it accurately! It takes time and discipline.....but it's so worth it!

Remember to keep asking yourself what you're learning about your God as you study. In the midst of all your questions, is there anything that grabs you personally? Is God speaking to you through these chapters?

Homework: Lesson 1, Part 2

This week we are working on the 2nd part of the 1st lesson. This past Wednesday we reviewed the history of the Middle East as it relates to Daniel, and we did an overview of Daniel so we could see how the book is put together. This week we are diving into chapter 7. (For those of you who missed class, start working on assignment #2, page 5 in your workbook. This lesson ends on page 10.)

If you are new to our study, there is a copy of the entire book of Daniel in the appendix of your workbook. Each chapter is double spaced and has wide margins, so you can write all over it!

Our first assignment is to "observe Daniel 7" (page 5, #2a). The workbook instructs us to mark key words as we read Daniel 7. You'll need colored pens or pencils to do this, and you get to choose how you mark each word. Try to keep your markings simple - that helps! For example, you might just draw a blue box around Daniel. Remember to also mark any pronoun or synonyms for the words you're marking. This will take some time, so pace yourself. As you mark each word, think about what you're learning about that word.

After you mark the key words they give in the workbook, you will also want to mark all the time phrases you find. Time phrases help us keep the sequence of events straight, so they're helpful when we're observing a chapter, especially in these chapters. Again, keep it simple! I usually underline a time phrase with a black pen and draw a small clock in the left margin next to the verse (okay, so sometimes I don't draw a clock next to every single time phrase I underline...just the biggies).

There are a lot of time phrases in chapter 7. For example: verse 1 begins with the phrase "In the year of Belshazzar king of Babylon." That's a biggie, so we need to note it. Here are examples of a few other time phrases that aren't so big but are helpful to notice: v2: by night, v6: after this, v7: after this, v 8: while. This is just to get you started - there are a lot more of them in the chapter!

After you mark the key words and time phrases, it will be helpful to notice when Daniel is describing his dream and when he is given the interpretation of his dream. Next to verse 2 I wrote Dream in the left margin. When you find the verse that begins the interpretation, you could write Interpretation next to it. This will help you see the flow of the chapter.

After you've spent time observing chapter 7, there's a wonderful assignment at the top of page 6. There are pages in the appendix where you can record what you learn about God and about Daniel in each chapter. This is where things can become personal for each of us. We want to make sure we aren't just going for 'head knowledge' as we study Daniel but also let it sink into our hearts. Take time to think about what you're learning about your God in chapter 7 this week. How does all this apply to you...to how you think about God? As you watch Daniel in each chapter, what can you learn from this godly man? How does he respond to this dream?

I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and then write down your thoughts. This can become a journal of sorts as you go thru Daniel. Won't it be interesting to reread it when we finish our study in December?

The main point of everything we're doing is to closely observe the text of each chapter...this week, chapter 7. It's important to slow ourselves down and really look objectively at what the text says. This way of studying is all about the process. No one is gonna grade your homework! The goal is to know God more intimately.

I hope this helps a bit! If you've never done a Precept study before, it can seem rather overwhelming at first. If you're feeling that way right about now, you're not alone...trust me! But, if you stick with it and give it a try, I think you'll find that this way of studying God's Word is truly a blessing. Remember to give yourselve time and lots of grace along the way!

Do you have questions about your homework for week two? About marking Key Words or Time Phrases? If so, please post them in the "comments" section of this post.

Announcement: September Potluck

Next Wednesday (September 30) is our monthly potluck. We will have lunch at 11:30, after our lesson. Don't forget - If you have a little one in the nursery, be sure to pack a lunch for him/her. We decided this would be a 'true' potluck, so bring whatever dish you'd like to share. Also, keep in mind that we don't serve drinks, so bring something to drink.

Resource Recommendations

This morning we discussed how there are many great resources available on-line for our Bible study. If you find a Web site that is particularly helpful, why don't you share it with others? Let us know what you like about it and include its address in the "comments" section of this post.

Also, scroll down and you'll find a list of helpful Web resources on the right-hand side of the blog, including the site Nell Anne referred to this morning: http://www.preceptaustin.org/. Check it out!

Welcome

Welcome to the Fall Precept study: Daniel, Part 2. We're so happy to welcome all of those ladies new to the Wednesday morning Bible study and to welcome back all of those who are returning.

This blog is a tool that we use to keep Bible study participants informed and to communicate with one another. Please take a look through past posts and the "Subject Index" found on the right-hand side. You'll see that on the blog you'll find:

• Important announcements, including schedule changes and potluck dates.
• Prayer requests
• Bible study tips
• Homework observations from Nell Anne
• Links to helpful resources

To become a follower of Providence Precepts, all you need is a Google account. Go to the bottom of the right-hand side, and you will see a "Follow" link. Next, under each particular heading (i.e. "Announcements," "Prayer Requests," etc.) in the bottom left corner, you can "subscribe." You will then be notified when a new post is added.

We hope this blog will be an asset to our study this Fall and to our sense of connection within the group. Please feel free to make comments on it and respond to one another. Enjoy!

Prayer Requests: September

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillipians 4:6

We have the joy of praying for one another and knowing that we can share our needs and concerns with the group. If you would like to share a prayer request, then please write it in the comments section of this post.

Please check this post often to see how you can lift up members of our Bible study in prayer. Thank you!

Annoucement

Matthew Ryan Carlson arrived today!
He weighs 8 lbs and he's 20 1/2 inches long!
Grandma Jeanne says he has blond curls and definitely belongs to them!!

Congratulations, Nikki!! We love you!
Give him kisses for all of us, Grandma!

Announcements

Hope everyone is ready to play Daniel Jeopardy tomorrow morning! There will be a prize for the winner. Notice I said 'winner', not 'winners'. That's right ...there's only 1 prize and you're gonna want it. So, get out those notes and start cramming!

We will also have our semi-annual greed exchange as well. This time we'll fight over spring/summer decorations. Remember: there's a $10 limit!

I'm looking forward to good food....and alot fun! See ya in the morning....

Picture This

Last week as we discussed Daniel 6 we tried to imagine what it was like for Daniel as he spent the night in the den of lions. Here are a few examples of how various artists have visualized it. Do any of them compare with your own thoughts?

Announcement

Originally we planned on having a potluck lunch this Wed. But, we decided it'd be fun to get together Wed April 19 and 'party'! So, we will not have a potluck lunch after group this Wed. We will have a potluck brunch the following Wed. We'll meet at our usual time and childcare will be provided.

On the 19th, bring a dish to share....some kind of breakfast recipe. We'll also play Daniel Jeopardy....and there'll be a fabulous prize for the winner, I'm sure! So start studying!

We'll also have a spring/summer decoration exchange. Find something that's under $10...wrap it and come prepared to have some fun!

Homework: Week 9

It's hard to believe that this coming lesson is the final one in our study of Daniel, Part 1. Hasn't it been a rich study thus far?

This week we'll study another familiar tale from the book of Daniel - the Lion's Den. Let's dig deep and uncover the truths that we may have overlooked in the past.

Post your comments or questions here throughout the week as you study to help get our dialogue started. Thanks!

Bible Study Tips: Lesson 8

This is our last week in Daniel, Part 1. I've loved studying these 1st 6 chapters, haven't you?

In our homework this week on Day 3, assignment #3 instructs us to read some verses and look for 1 word that describes Daniel. The same word will show up in each verse. If you are using a New American Standard Bible, the word is very obvious. But, if you are using another translation, this assignment might be a bit confusing. So, I'm going to give you the verses in the NASB below.

If you have access to other translations, it might be interesting to read these verses and see other ways this Hebrew word can be translated.

Ps 7:8: ...vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

Ps 26:1: Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity...

Prov 11:3: The integrity of the upright will guide them...

Prov 19:1: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

Prov 20:7: A righteous man who walks in his integrity--How blessed are his sons after him.

I hope this helps!

Homework: Week 7

As we move this week into Daniel 5, we encounter a new Babylonian king - Belshazzar - and a very familiar story - the writing on the wall. Yet, we'll see, as we have with each week of this study and with each familiar tale we've read, that there's "more to the story." It's going to be fun to see what questions and what insights our homework this week raises.

We had a lot of great discussion this morning in our study, but please don't hesitate to post some of your questions and comments on the blog throughout the week. It would be wonderful to discuss our lesson with one another even before we meet together on Wednesdays.

"Blogging" may be new to you, but dive in, share your thoughts, and feel free to respond to others. Who knows? It may lead to some rich discussions and cool discoveries.

An Artist's Rendering

This week in our homework we were asked to sketch the "tree" dream as best as we could. It's interesting to imagine and to visualize these things we're reading about in Daniel. Here are some artists' renderings of what we've been studying:

The "statue" dream of Daniel 2. (Painting by John Hopkins)

The "tree" dream of Daniel 4. (Painting by Guy Rowe)

The humbled Nebuchadnezzar of Daniel 4. (Painting by William Blake)

Ancient Babylon Images

Today as we discussed chapter 4 of Daniel, we found King Nebuchadnezzar enjoying life in Babylon, completely at ease in his palace. (This was, of course, before his "tree" dream and before its interpretation became his reality.) Here are some pictures of Ancient Babylon to help us imagine the setting in which we find the king:

Remains of the original walls surrounding Babylon.

Looking down on the palace in Babylon.

Prayer Requests: April

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillippians 4:6

It is a priviledge for us to pray for one another. If you have a prayer need, please share it in the comment section of this post. Also, please check these comments often so you can join in prayer for the needs of our group members. Thank you.

Homework: Week 6

This week we are studying chapter four of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar is dreaming again, and once more Daniel provides the interpretation. As questions arise as you do your homework, or if you have thoughts you'd like to share, please do so in the comments section of this post. Thanks!

What Is Worship?

This morning in Bible study Nell Anne posed a question: What is worship?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bowed before King Nebuchadnezzar. Why was this action different than bowing to the golden statue on his command? We discussed how bowing before the king was a sign of respect; bowing before the statue was an act of worshipping an idol.

How do you define "worship"? If you're not sure, then give it some thought this week. Write your ideas down, perhaps in your journal. Then, consider sharing your definition with the group as a response to this post.

Worship: (v) [you fill in the blank.]

Video Feedback

If you were in Bible study this morning, you know that we did things a bit differently. We started by watching a video of Kay Arthur. Please give your feedback about this: Did you like watching the video? Did you not like it? Why? How could we integrate the videos into our study -- any suggestions? Thank you for providing your input.

Homework: Week 4

I hope everyone is enjoying spring break this week! I'll miss seeing all of you on Wed morning, so I thought it might be fun to 'talk' to one another via the blog this week.

To get things started, here are a few questions for you to think about and post your thoughts:

• Did anything in particular stand out to you...about Daniel or God...in chapter 2?
• Do you see any relevance to your life in this chapter?
• Are you finding the dream overwhelming and confusing...or is it really interesting to you?

Let's talk! What are you thinking this week?

Announcement

Just a reminder that we will NOT meet on Wednesday, March 18, due to Knox County spring break. We will pick back up with Lesson Four on Wednesday, March 25. This is also the date of our next potluck. Please bring your favorite Mexican dish or a dessert to share. See you in two weeks!

Prayer Requests: March

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillippians 4:6

It is a priviledge for us to pray for one another. If you have a prayer need, please share it in the comment section of this post. Also, please check these comments often so you can join in prayer for the needs of our group members. Thank you.

Announcement

Friends, if you would like to send Sandy a note or a card as she is recovering from her knee replacement surgery, here is her mailing address: Sandy Bryant, 118 Arkansas Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

Homework: Week Three

We survived the overview of chapters 7-12 of Daniel, and it certainly whet our appetite for a deeper understanding of what we're reading. This week we will dig in and chapter by chapter gain that understanding through observation and study. We start with Chapter 1 (obviously). If you have questions as you work through your homework, please post them here. Chances are if you are wondering about something, others are too! Good luck, dive in, and have fun!

Announcement

For those of you who would like to learn how to do chapter studies, bring a lunch on Wed (March 4) and plan on hanging out for an hour or so after class. We'll enjoy lunch while we discuss some study skills that will help you do your homework for the rest of the study.
(Please note: There won't be any childcare provided.)

Study Tip: Week Two

On day 5 of this week's lesson, assignment #2 tells us to find 'segment divisions' in Daniel and to record them on the 'Daniel At A Glance' chart. It tells you to consult Kay Arthur's book How To Study Your Bible (the book I told you not to buy!). Well, here's my suggestion: don't worry about doing this assignment, we'll do it together in class.

But, if you just can't stand it and feel compelled to give it a try, here's a (somewhat) simple explanation of a segment division:

After you overview a book, try looking for major divisions (segments) in a book. For example, in Daniel chapters 1-6 are chronological. They cover a large span of time. Chapter 7-12 are also chronological but they occur within the time frame of chapters 1-6. So, there is a division or 'segment' between 1-6 and 7-12 in regards to the timing layout of the book. It's very helpful to realize this when you're studying Daniel.

Let me give you some examples of segment divisions in other books. In many of Paul's letters, the 1st chapters are usually very doctrinal....and the last chapters are very practical applications. Chapters 1-11 in Romans are doctrinal, chapters 12-16 are concerned with practical application. Chapters 1-2 in Colossians are doctrinal, chapters 3-4 are very practical.

In some Old Testament history books, you can see segment divisions in the reigns of various kings....or the stories of particular people. Sometimes a book moves from 1 event to the next event....so you can segment the book according to the events.

In John, we saw a segment division between chapters 1-11 and 12-21. The 1st 11 chapters covered 3 years of Jesus' earthly ministry. Chapters 12-21 covered the last week of His ministry.

I like to think of segment divisions as ways to outline a book. In Daniel we see various people having dreams or visions in chapters 1-6 and Daniel interprets them. In chapters 7-12, who is having the dreams and who is interpreting them?

In Daniel we see various kingdoms and kings. Various chapters occur during the rule of a specific king or kingdom. So, you could list the chapters according to the kingdom that was ruling during that chapter.

As you can see, there can be more than 1 way to divide or outline a book.....in other words, more than 1 kind of segment division. In Romans, you can segment the book according to doctrine and practical application. You can also segment it into 5 divisions: sin (chapters 1-3:21), salvation (chapters 3:22-5), sanctification (chapters 6-8), sovereignty (chapters 9-11), and service (chapters 12-16). Remember our Romans' aerobics...those of you who studied Romans with us? Of course you do....whoo hoo!! We were just dividing Romans into segments.

Ok, I told you it'd be a 'relatively' simple explanation! So....if you're totally bogged down right now, skip #2 on Day 5....and remember that your salvation does not depend upon finding segment divisions in Daniel!!! Or, give it a try and see what you come up with. Call a friend in the study and brainstorm together a bit. You might have some fun with it! Besides, if you look back over this explanation, you'll find several ways to segment Daniel. But hey, you might just think of a few more!

Homework: Week Two

Did the Week One overview of Daniel chapters 1-6 excite you about what's to come in our study this Spring? Now, let's continue with an overview of Chapters 7-12 in Week Two. Remember, keep it BIG PICTURE.

If you have questions or comments as you work through the lessons, please write them in the comments of this post. Check back throughout the week to read the responses to your comment/ question and to respond to the comments/questions of others.

If you'd like to be notified when someone makes a new comment in the Homework section of the blog, please click on "Subscribe by e-mail" at the bottom right of the Comments page.

Announcement: Upcoming Potluck

1st Potluck Lunch...next Wed!!

After the lesson next week (2/25), we'll have our 1st potluck lunch for our Daniel study. Our menu is soup/salad/bread/dessert. So, pick one of those and bring a dish to share.

The babysitters usually stay until about 1:00. So, plan on hanging around and enjoying some fellowship and yummy food after the study. Remember to bring something to drink....and a lunch for your preschooler.

Homework: Week One

How exciting to get started with Daniel! Have fun with your Week One homework, and remember to keep it BIG PICTURE. If you have questions or comments as you work through the lessons, please write them in the comments of this post. Also, check back throughout the week so that you can read the responses to your comment/question and can respond to the comments/questions of others.

Announcements

When breaking news hits, you'll find it here! Please check the announcements often to read about any updates that you need to know. (A simple way to do this is to click on "Announcements" in the Subject Index on the right side of the blog.) From potluck dates to schedule changes, this is where you'll find out what's happening.

Study Tip: Week One

Our 1st lesson is an overview of chapters 1-6 in Daniel. Next week we’ll overview chapters 7-12. An overview involves looking at the book as a whole. It’s meant to be a ‘big picture’ approach. We’ll study the details of each chapter later. We’re just trying to get a feel for the flow of the whole book these 1st 2 weeks. If you begin to feel a bit overwhelmed as you read through Daniel, just keep telling yourself that we'll sort out the details later! It'll be fun...I promise!

On Day 1 in this week's homework, assignment #2 (p. 2) tells us to look for key words in each chapter. Key words are words that are repeated and are essential to the meaning of the passage. They help us tune into the author's main message in that chapter. Significant people are always key words. In these 1st 6 chapters, I would suggest you just look for the main people in each chapter. For example, in the first chapter, the following people are key players: Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel’s 3 friends, Ashpenaz, and the overseer. Just remember: Keep it simple these 1st 2 weeks!

If you have questions while you're working on the lesson, want to comment on something in the homework, or are wondering how others answered particular questions, feel free to post your comments or questions. It will be fun to have some online discussions during the week!

Prayer Requests: February

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillippians 4:6

It is a priviledge for us to pray for one another. If you have a prayer need, please share it in the comment section of this post. Also, please check these comments often so you can join in prayer for the needs of our group members. Thank you.

Welcome

Welcome to the Wednesday morning Bible study blog! This blog is something new for our study group and we're excited about it!! We're hoping it'll be a great way for us to communicate with one another.

For those of you who might be new to the Wed morning study, let me tell you a little bit about our group. Our primary vision is Bible study. We usually study a book of the Bible using an inductive method. Simply put, 'inductive' means we use the Bible as our primary source.

This spring we'll be doing a Precept Upon Precept study of Daniel, chapters 1-6. Precept Ministries has divided Daniel into 2 separate studies. Our plan is to study Part 1 this spring and Part 2 in the fall.

Daniel is an amazing example of how to live a godly life in the midst of an ungodly society. He walked with great integrity and won the respect of every king under whom he served. How did he do that? What was his understanding of God that held him steady in times of great stress and turmoil? I have a feeling we'll be challenged, in a good way, as we study his life!

Daniel will also challenge us to grow in our understanding of what the future holds. We'll study the various visions described in this book and marvel at the sovereignty of God over history.... past, present, and future!

I look forward to our spring study...and hope you'll join us!
Nell Anne