July 2018
We tackle common issues with prayer, our relationship with God, and, for mature believers, take you to a whole new level in your prayer life!
We tackle common issues with prayer, our relationship with God, and, for mature believers, take you to a whole new level in your prayer life!
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me many times, while we waited<br />
for the school bus:<br />
“Blessed is the one who does<br />
not walk in step with the wicked<br />
or stand in the way that sinners<br />
take or sit in the company<br />
of mockers, but whose delight is<br />
in the law of the Lord, and who<br />
meditates on his law day and<br />
night. That person is like a tree<br />
planted by streams of water,<br />
which yields its fruit in season<br />
and whose leaf does not wither—whatever<br />
they do prospers.”<br />
It’s likely I had heard the story of<br />
Adam and Eve by that time, but<br />
my strongest memory does not<br />
involve learning the Bible front to<br />
back. My strongest early memory<br />
of God’s word was being gently<br />
told I could choose my companions,<br />
God’s way is delightful,<br />
and I would prosper in my season.<br />
These were lessons I could<br />
use, and they made me want to<br />
know more.<br />
Later, when I began my own daily<br />
devotional time, I didn’t know<br />
where to start. As a child, I’d read<br />
Psalms and Proverbs because<br />
Mom encouraged me to. When<br />
she wasn’t sitting beside me, the<br />
thin pages were silent. Frustrated,<br />
I prayed the most powerful<br />
prayer I’ve ever prayed. “Lord,<br />
give me hunger for Your Word.”<br />
God answered that prayer. I became<br />
ravenous, but there is an<br />
endless buffet of truth in those<br />
66 books. Where was I to begin?<br />
Whether daily Bible study is a<br />
habit you’re beginning, or one<br />
that’s grown old, it’s about to become<br />
a lively time of connection<br />
with your Creator. Pray for hunger<br />
and choose from the following<br />
methods.<br />
Daily Devotional Studies<br />
This may be the most popular<br />
method. Your local Christian<br />
bookstore should have a variety<br />
of daily devotional books which<br />
include scripture, discussions<br />
and prompts for prayer and action.<br />
I believe in this study method<br />
so much I wrote Wisdom –<br />
Better than Wishing, a 31-day<br />
devotional based on the book<br />
of Proverbs. I even created a<br />
course so others can learn to<br />
write their own devotional books.<br />
For new study plans ranging<br />
from 3 to 365 days, check out the<br />
Youversion Bible App. At church<br />
or online, you can also get the<br />
tiny but timeless devotional, Our<br />
Daily Bread.<br />
Because they connect ancient<br />
text with modern examples, devotional<br />
studies can make old<br />
stories come alive again. The<br />
prayer and action prompts can<br />
spark an all-day conversation<br />
with the Lord. If you’ve been<br />
reading the Bible for years, you<br />
may notice certain verses recycled<br />
over and over again. If that’s<br />
the case, it might be time to read<br />
the rest of the Word.<br />
The Bible in a Year<br />
You could start at Genesis 1<br />
and try to read straight through<br />
to Revelation 22. Lots of people<br />
do it, but remember the saying,<br />
“Hindsight is 20/20?” The saying<br />
means it’s easier to understand<br />
events when you’re looking<br />
back at the complete story.<br />
The Old Testament is easier to<br />
understand when you’re reading<br />
the New Testament alongside it.<br />
For that reason, Biblegateway.<br />
com offers the M’Cheyne plan,<br />
in which each day’s reading includes<br />
some Old Testament and<br />
some New, as well as some<br />
Psalms or part of the Gospels<br />
each day. Like us, our Creator<br />
has a multi-faceted personality.<br />
Using this combination approach,<br />
we get insight into the<br />
whole Holy Person, and into ourselves.<br />
The plan aims to take the reader<br />
through the whole Bible in one<br />
year, but take two or three years<br />
if you need to. Have you ever set<br />
a weight loss or savings goal?<br />
Perhaps you gritted your teeth<br />
until you reached your goal—<br />
and then regained the weight<br />
or found yourself in debt by the<br />
following year. Permanent physical<br />
or financial health don’t come<br />
from setting a time frame and a<br />
single goal. They come when we<br />
incorporate healthy eating, exercise<br />
or budgeting into our days<br />
as long as we live.<br />
Spiritual health works the same<br />
way. Decide to incorporate time<br />
in prayer and the Word every<br />
day for the rest of your life. Then<br />
read an appropriate amount<br />
each day. What’s an appropriate<br />
amount? That depends on what<br />
God wants to show you. Start by<br />
praying, “Lord, cleanse my mind<br />
of distractions and sin. My time<br />
is Yours. Show me what You’d<br />
like me to see today.”<br />
Read until you see it. A verse<br />
might stand out, you might identify<br />
with a particular character, or<br />
you might find yourself thanking<br />
God or giving Him something<br />
that’s bugging you. Each day is<br />
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