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I hope you are encouraged by this perspective of discipleship based on God personally relating to us in the study and application of His precious Word, the Bible.
LOOKING FROM OTHERS SHOULDERS
The things you have heard from me
among many witnesses,
commit these to faithful men
who will be able to teach others also.
(2 Timothy 2:2)
The first phase of learning the Word of God is observation of the text, such as looking for key words and seeking to understand the original historical setting. These observations are linked to looking to see Jesus in a personal way through the Word. This is a most exciting treasure hunt!
For years I depended on "expert theologians" to do the observing for me. I was getting my view of God second hand. However, God led me to men and women who taught His Word in a way that helped me view Christ first hand. It was like standing on their shoulders as they lifted me up to gaze upon the glory of Christ!
Like John the Baptist in John 1:29, these teachers' hearts exclaimed as they lifted me up, "There He is Gregg! Look, it's Jesus. He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
We grow in knowing God the Father and His heart for us to gaze upon His Son. In Matthew 3:17, He audibly spoke these endearing words to people who were observing Jesus after His baptism in the Jordan River, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
 HEARING AT HIS FEET
Mary sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.
(Luke 10:39)
The second phase of learning the Word of God is interpretation. After gazing upon Jesus from the shoulders of men before me, I am drawn to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn directly from Him.
I used to sit at at the feet of other men to learn of Christ from His Word second hand. What a joy it is to grow in fellowship with Jesus as my personal Teacher!
Jesus teaches through the work of God the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised in John 16:13-14 that the Spirit will guide us in all truth and that He will glorify Jesus.
WALKING HAND IN HAND
Everywhere Your hand shall lead me
and Your right hand shall hold me.
(Psalm 139:10)
The third phase of learning the Word of God is application. This is where we take steps of faith hand-in-hand, and heart-to-heart, with Jesus. This is our journey in Christ, in our union with Him, through our daily walk.
We fellowship with God the Son through His resurrected life and His sufferings each day. We believe His Word to us and in us as we walk by faith with Him.
CLOSING
I am praying for the Lord to use me to lift up others on my shoulders to help them gaze upon Christ during the upcoming Romans study. May we all experience being led to sit at His feet and to listen at awe of His foundational and precious truths from Romans!
Your brother in Christ,
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The Anatomy 
