Listening to God through Scripture! Were not our hearts burning within us while He was...explaining the Scriptures to us (Lk. 24:32)?  This book will guide you in letting God reveal truth to you as you meditate on the stories and teaching of those who have gone before you. Your heart will be set afire by God!

Jesus Desires to Illumine Scriptures to Your Heart and Mind!

As exemplified in the story of Jesus illuminating the Scriptures to the disciples on the Emmaus road (Lk. 24:32), true biblical meditation (Josh. 1:8) involves the Holy Spirit revealing the Scriptures to one's heart. The disciples on the Emmaus road were depressed: their theology had just failed them because of their misunderstanding of the Old Testament. They believed Jesus was supposed to set up a Kingdom and rule from Jerusalem, and instead He was crucified. They were despairing and their hearts were sad (Lk. 24:17).

However, Jesus enters the picture and begins speaking with them, reinterpreting their understanding of key Scriptures and showing that He did indeed set up a kingdom and He was ruling from within the hearts of men. They returned to Jerusalem, EXCITED (Lk. 24:33-35), because of the illumined truth they had received.

So in this Through the Bible workbook, you will be asking God to speak to you every single week of your study. Actually the Bible calls it "meditation," which is a deeper process than western study. Meditation involves prayer and reflection and the Holy Spirit teaching you.

In the introductory pages of Through the Bible, we will teach you exactly what Biblical Meditation is and how it is different from western study, and then our questions will guide you into meditating week by week throughout the entire Bible!

OK, so we won't get through the Bible in a month or even three months, but that's OK, because when we do get through meditating on the complete Bible, God will have spoken to you from every single page of His book. Wouldn't that be worth spending two or three years on in your morning devotions? Even better, how about your small group going through this process together? Wouldn't that be fun! As a matter of fact, I (Mark Virkler) have taken MANY home groups through exactly this process over a two-year period and they have testified years later that this was the place where they really established their foundational Bible knowledge which had served them for years to come and been one of the best experiences of their lives!

Why Our Through the Bible Workbook Is So Unique!

Mark Virkler’s Experience at Bible College

I attended a conservative Christian liberal arts college, hoping to be thoroughly trained in Bible. However, we were not even required to read through the entire Bible to graduate! We were only asked to skim various portions and we skipped other sections altogether. I was extremely disappointed, because I was hoping for more. I went to Bible school to learn the Bible. So I read through the Bible on my own, and my fiancee Patti and I read the entire New Testament aloud to one another.

Also, it was never suggested to me in college that I pray over the Bible as I read it, or ask God to grant me revelation This is something that Paul the Apostle and King David both did (Eph. 1:17,18: Ps. 119:18). So I read the Bible using my head and it never occurred to me to use my heart. Since I didn't know to pray over the Bible, I graduated from Bible college with a head full of theology, and no revelation knowledge. And as I have shared in our book on 49 Lies, once I was able to hear His voice and receive revelation insight, much of my theology was replaced and adjusted by the Lord. Of course, I am not alone in this experience. Paul the Apostle also left Bible school with theology so messed up he was out killing Christians (Acts 9:1) and had to be struck down by God (Acts 9:3-7). The Lord then introduced him to revelation knowledge as he spent three years in the Arabian wilderness (Gal. 1:17,18) being taught directly by the Holy Spirit (no books in the wilderness, right? - Gal: 1:12).

So wouldn't it be better to do it right the first time around? In our Through the Bible series, the student does more than simply skim portions of the Bible. He is guided in a meditation of every single chapter of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Yes, this takes about two years, but who cares? Is there any substitute for your having carefully examined the entire Bible yourself? Even better is to do it with a small group and share your insights together and pray for one another as you grow in the Lord.

The Prerequisite Is That You Recognize God's Voice

It is hard for God to get through to you if you don't know how to clearly hear His voice. So we ask that everyone begin with the training module on hearing God's voice. A brief overview of the four keys to hearing God's voice can be found here. There are only two choices: man's thoughts or God's thoughts; reasoned knowledge or revelation knowledge. Since our thoughts are not God's thoughts, we need to find a way to get beyond our thoughts. Since man cannot comprehend the ways of God, we need to discover a way to walk in revelation knowledge. We will teach you how to do this in the training module on 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice. Make that your step one. All of life works better when God is leading.

How to Get the Most Out of This Teaching

For maximum results, draw together some friends into a home group or Sunday school class and go through Through the Bible in eight 12-week series. We have a Through The Bible Teacher's Guide as well as a Through the Bible Handbook of Answers to help you. The Teacher's Guide provides suggested group activities for each week, and the Handbook of Answers gives you Mark and Patti's personal answers to all the research questions asked in the Through the Bible workbook. The idea is that once you have completed your own research, you could compare it to what Mark and Patti discovered to see if there were things you found that they didn't or things they found that you didn't. So it becomes an excellent confirmation tool for you.

The DVDs of Dr. Andrew Hardy teaching through the entire Through the Bible workbook are divided into eight series. Dr. Hardy, a British scholar and devout Christian, shares ten or eleven 20-minute weekly DVD teachings for all eight series. This brings an anointed scholar to your home group each week, after which you can all share your own personal revelations. This is an unbeatable combination.

We recommend you intersperse these eight quarters of Through the Bible with some of our other topical studies.

Some Free Extras for Downloading!

• How to Memorize and Why
• Spirit-Led Journaling Through John's Gospel by Andrew Hardy
• The Gospel of Matthew with Revelation-based journaling questions throughout by Andrew Hardy
• The Gospel of Mark with Revelation-based journaling questions throughout by Andrew Hardy

Examples of Journaling With Scripture

Stephen D. Gunnaway Hears God Through Scripture

“My journey with CLU began early in 2009 during my quiet time as I was pondering a future in biblical counseling. At that moment I heard ‘google Christian counseling for laymen.’ Immediately, I went to my computer and at the very top of the list was CLU. My journey toward learning to hear the Voice of God had begun.

“Since that time I have completed the class ‘How to Hear God’s Voice.’ The most exhilarating result has been learning to read Scripture using vision. Before the CWG course I would ‘study’ the Word, searching for the meaning of a passage or read a commentary to find the principle being taught. Now I read Scripture with my journal open and ready to receive whatever God has to say because I now understand that God wants to speak specifically to me about the things He wants for my life - not some dry theological platitude.

“Using vision to read God’s Word is relaxing because you learn to anticipate hearing Him speak into your heart. Imagining pictures of the events in your mind as you read provokes the vision which I find especially true for the Old Testament. You learn to read slowly, without deadlines or goals because now you are receiving information straight from the Heart of the Father and you bask in His presence as you read. The Scripture truly becomes a living Book as found in the following example.”

Journal Entry: May 28, 2010/Exodus 17:8-13
Lord, I see Your power flowing through the rod in Moses’ hand. May I accept You as the “rod” of my life in all circumstances.

I love to see you learning this way. It gives Me pleasure. Keep on trusting for I have plans for you. Do not turn to the right or the left, but see Me ahead of you. You are special to Me and My Father loves you as I stand before Him interceding for you.

May God bless the work of Christian Leadership University as they free other Christians from the shackles of religion while teaching them that God just wants to be their Friend.

River of Delights - Janelle Anderson

“They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; and Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights” (Psalm 36:8).

Vision: I see someone (me, I guess) reaching up and into something, like an invisible but very real place. It’s like sticking your hand into a bag that is filled with a thick, jelly-like substance.

What are You saying to me, Lord?

There is a richness, a fatness, an abundance I want you to reach out for and press into. This river of My delights, this abundance of My house will satisfy you to the depths. I want to satiate your being with My richness and My abundant delights and pleasure.

It is a place where you will no longer be in want of anything because in this place I totally satisfy your soul. You’re reaching out for it now but only with your hand. You are fascinated by it and interested in it, but to truly partake, you must be immersed and committed with all your being.

It is the Promised Land, it is Eden, it is where you were created to live, in My presence, totally immersed in My rich abundance of pleasures for your soul. I desire to satisfy you so completely and to pour out on you all of the richness of My glory. This is My delight and I delight in filling you with My life, My richness, My fatness, My fullness, My power, My love! It is all here for you, My daughter. Drink your fill! Come and partake of all My abundant delights.

Lord, please take me to this place in You, I truly want to go there! Bring me into this place of abundance and richness of Your presence and walking with You there in the river of Your delights! I surrender all of my being to You right now and I lay down anything and everything that hinders me from this place in You.

Happy Reflections by Jack Evans

“Harry And Joe (Or Joseph) Met Near the Zoo... He Had Zebra Mania.”

When you read those words, you just might wonder if you’re still on the right website! Actually, these words form an acronym to remember the Minor Prophets (Hosea, Amos, Joel, etc).  They’re written on a note along with many others taped to the wall over my desk.

I just completed the courses for CLU’s Doctor of Biblical Studies.  For the past 2 ½ years, I’ve been taping notes like this to the wall for quick reference, and I now have quite a collection.  For instance, there are scriptural quotes I just never want to forget, like: “You drew near when I called upon You; You said, ‘Do not fear.’” (Lamentation 3: 57), written at perhaps the lowest point of history for God’s people, yet full of hope even as Jeremiah walked through the smoldering ruins of Jerusalem.  And then there’s Dr. Virkler’s excellent article on Mark 11: 22, clear, informative, uplifting; that’s a keeper.  Another powerful quotation which seems to apply particularly to our world today is from Isaiah 5: 20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness”.  Come to think of it, these words probably have applied to every age in history.

I found that studying Scripture at CLU, while hard work academically, was spiritually rewarding.  We all know about the Lamad method; I read all about it when I was beginning my studies.  But experiencing its effect is something quite different – it’s essentially a matter of the heart and the soul.  I found the Lamad approach was marvelously ‘stealthy’ in creating a personal transformation in me.  It’s subtle and gradual, but also continuous and efficient.  I can testify to its positive effect in my own life and am grateful for it. My entire experience in these studies was a happy one. My Instructor and Director, Dr Karen King, helped my every step of the way.  The staff at CLU could not have been any more helpful or pleasant, including Charity who patiently put up with my mountain of emails. And, imagine, an institution  where you can call up and often speak to the actual University President (Mark Virkler) or to your Department Head (Patti Virkler).  While the courses could be demanding, I felt I had lots of friendly support.

Most of all, I found the greatest benefit of my CLU studies was a more intimate immersion in God’s Word.  As many of you have probably already felt,  God’s words and teachings to His people throughout Scripture are personal letters from Him to each of us and a daily source of strength: “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following” (1 Timothy 4: 6).  You know, 2 ½ years ago I thought I was getting old and was ready for the scrap heap.  But now, I’m convinced I’m getting younger.  Studying and meditating on God’s Word will do that for a person.

“O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation”.      (Psalm 95:1)

Seeing, Hearing and Feeling by Nora Flavin

Seven of us will continue in our final semesters in Through the Bible.

How freeing and powerful to read through the Bible seeing Jesus and hearing and feeling by the Holy Spirit!!!!

Take It to the Next Level

To ensure that this message transforms your life, we offer you four options. Any of these choices will assist you in internalizing this teaching, helping you to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only (James 1:22) and allowing you to produce a bountiful harvest in your life.

Opportunity 1 – Host a home or church group

This home group in Slovakia shows the excitement of learning to hear God's voice together!

We learn more quickly if we are surrounded by others who are seeking to master the same skill. Pray and ask God who you know who might want to grow in this truth also and open your home to them for 10-12 weekly sessions (or host a small group in your church). We provide several resources to help you present this powerfully and effectively in a group setting, including DVDs and application activities. Experience the joy of cultivating skills together with a group of friends! Discover how to create and post your group…

Opportunity 2 – Hire a Personal Spiritual Trainer to coach you

Coaching or discipling is the method Jesus used to train the twelve disciples.

When you team up with someone ahead of you in an area to mentor you, and you share your questions and steps of growth with them, receiving their counsel in return, you ascend more quickly into mastery in that area. We have trained coaches who have mastered this topic who will commit to working with you for a 90-day period.

• There are several PST Training Modules available in our Bible Focus
• Discover how to hire a PST for $1 a day to coach you in this training experience
• Click here for the steps to sign up for a Personal Spiritual Trainer module

Opportunity 3 – Take this as a college course from home

Earn college credit while being apprenticed to mastery in this area! This topic is available as a course which you can take from your home through the distance learning program offered at Christian Leadership University. You may enroll in this course as a lifelong learner or apply it toward an Associate, Bachelor, Master or Doctoral degree.

• There are several CLU college courses available in our Biblical Studies major 
• Learn how you can take CLU courses from your home
• Click here for the steps to enroll in the corresponding CLU course

Opportunity 4 – Host a seminar for your community

Transform your church and region by hosting a weekend seminar with an anointed trainer, where an impartation is released by the Holy Spirit into your community. Mark Virkler and others are available to be scheduled.

• Discover how to host a weekend seminar with Mark Virkler
• Locate a Certified CWG Facilitator near you