Devotional To End All Devotionals

WEEK ONE

Week One, Day One =

=93=85Followers of Christ should = learn to=20 study God=92s Word for themselves because, as they = study it, the=20 Holy Spirit will open their eyes=85and transform the = way they=20 think and live. Bottom line=85It is the chief way that = they will=20 come to know and understand God.=94 Jeremy, = Pastor

Introduction=20

Congratulations! You have just taken = the=20 first step in developing one of the most beneficial = habits=20 that you will ever develop. We encourage you to commit = right=20 now to see this journey through to the end. You have = obviously=20 made a commitment to learn more about God and ways to = follow=20 God=92s plan for your life. This study is written to = help=20 you;

Experience real life change as a result of = having=20 personal Bible study as a priority in your life.=20
Take responsibility for your own spiritual = growth.=20
Gain a strong foundation of Bible knowledge to = build on=20 as you grow and mature.

Because this study = is=20 designed to help you meet these very specific goals, = it is=20 very important that you work through the daily lessons = in the=20 order that they are presented. If you miss a day, pick = up=20 where you left off so that you don=92t miss any = important=20 information that you will need to build on later. Do = not skip=20 ahead! This study will start slow and then grow as the = weeks=20 progress. The goal of this study is to help you learn = to read=20 the Bible on your own, without an outside guide like = this=20 one.

Some tips as you get started=85

This study should take about ten = minutes each=20 day to complete. Take a hard look at your schedule and = decide=20 where you can carve ten minutes out of your day. If = possible,=20 pick a time that won=92t change from day to day or = week to week.=20 Consider this time your appointment with God, and = don=92t stand=20 Him up! The ten minute study time is a beginning = point; over=20 the weeks this time should grow as you learn to study = and=20 spend more time with God in prayer.

Come to your appointment with God = prepared to=20 learn. Bring your Bible (a study Bible with = concordance if you=20 have access to one), a pencil/pen (and a highlighter = if you=20 have one), and a notebook that you can use only for = personal=20 Bible study notes.

Meet with God in a private place with = as few=20 distractions as possible. Begin your time with God by = praying=20 each day to ask Him to clear your mind of = distractions.=20 Confess any sin that might get in the way of your = hearing Him=20 clearly and hand over to Him any worries that might = distract=20 you and cause your thoughts to wander.

Expect great things! God=92s Word is = powerful.=20 Turn in your Bible to Hebrews 4:12 and read the verse = at least=20 three times. Think about what you pray God will do in = your=20 life in the next few months of study.

Then, spend a few moments in silent = prayer.

Tell God how excited you are to learn more about = Him and=20 grow spiritually.=20
Thank God for speaking to you through the Bible = and ask=20 Him to give you a craving for truth.=20
Tell God when you plan to meet with Him every = day and=20 ask Him to bless your time together. =

Right now, begin preparing for your = time with=20 God tomorrow.

Gather together the items listed in today=92s = reading and=20 put them in the place that you plan to meet with God = tomorrow.=20
Write down the time that you plan to meet with = Him and=20 lay it on top of those items in plain sight.=20
Tell someone that you trust about your plan and = ask them=20 to check up on you to see if you followed through on = your=20 promise to God.

Week One, Day = Two=20

Before we begin, make sure you have = your Bible,=20 a notebook and a pen with you. Start the time by = asking God to=20 help you stay focused on the study today. Let=92s get = started!=20

Spiritual Disciplines =

Spiritual disciplines are =93the means = by which we=20 gain God=92s perspective and align with His will=94 = and include=20 things like Bible study and prayer. While the Bible = talks=20 about, encourages, and even commands us to practice = many of=20 the habits that we consider spiritual disciplines, it = doesn=92t=20 give us a definite list of spiritual disciplines to = follow and=20 does not actually use the term spiritual disciplines. =

Over the years, many believers have = used the=20 Bible to put together a list of habits that they = consider to=20 be the most important to the spiritual development of=20 followers of Christ. Over the next few days, you will = learn=20 about a few of these spiritual disciplines that we = consider=20 the most basic and most important to your personal = spiritual=20 growth. They are:

Bible Study=20
Prayer=20
Connection with a local church=20
Worship

It=92s important that you make these = spiritual=20 disciplines a priority in your life. They are the gas = in the=20 car of your faith and will help you get where you want = to go=20 spiritually. Without them, you are spiritually stalled = right=20 where you are and may begin to roll backwards, if you = aren=92t=20 careful. Don=92t let that happen! Great things are = ahead of=20 you.

Write today=92s date and the title of = today=92s=20 study in your notebook. Write the references of the = verses=20 that we read and the answers to the following = questions there.=20

Read 1 Timothy 4:7-9.

Look at verse seven. What is God = telling you to=20 do?

Look at verse eight. What promise do = you find in=20 this verse?

Do you have any spiritual goals? Think = for a=20 minute about what you would like God to do in your = heart and=20 life. Write down this spiritual goal.

Keeping today=92s verses in mind, how = do you think=20 that you will reach this goal?

Pray:

Read your spiritual goal out loud to God and ask = Him to=20 show you His spiritual goal for you as you study His = Word in=20 the days ahead.=20
Promise to train spiritually by making the = spiritual=20 disciplines a priority in your life. =

FOR FURTHER STUDY:
(This section = is for=20 those who want to learn more about the day=92s topic = and further=20 practice their Bible study skills.)

Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. How is = spiritual=20 training different from other training you may have=20 experienced? Which is more important? Why?

Week One, Day = Three=20

Ready? Get your materials together, = and let=92s=20 dive right in. Date and title today=92s study in your = notebook.=20

Bible Study

Some people hear the word =93study=94 = and cringe,=20 but studying the Bible is more exciting than many = other types=20 of study that we do because what we learn from it has = the=20 power to change our lives and the lives of those = around us. It=20 teaches us about our creator, the secrets of the = universe and=20 the purpose of our life=85real stuff, important stuff, = stuff=20 that we can actually use for the rest of our lives! =

Read Matthew 4:1-4 and Psalm 119:105. = (Don=92t=20 forget to write the scripture references down and your = answers=20 to the questions below in your notebook.)

Think about these two verses for just = a moment.=20 Why is it important to study the Bible?

Just so you know, reading the Bible = and studying=20 the Bible are two different things. We read the Bible = to hear=20 truth. We study the Bible to swallow truth and draw = strength=20 from it like food.

Pray:

Thank God for the Bible and for loving you = enough to=20 give you a road map for your life.=20
Ask God to help you want to really study your = Bible.=20

FOR FURTHER STUDY:

Read Psalm 119:105-112.

In general, how would you = describe the=20 writer=92s attitude toward God=92s Word? What can you = learn from=20 him?

Write down a verse that stands = out to you=20 from Psalm 119:105-112.

Week One, Day Four =

Feeding Yourself

Like food, God=92s word is meant = to be=20 chewed, swallowed, and used. We need it like we need = food, but=20 many believers are content to have one or two meals a = week=20 (Sundays and Wednesdays) and to eat those meals from = someone=20 else=92s hand (in the form of a lesson or sermon) like = a toddler=20 who can=92t handle a spoon yet. No wonder so many = Christians are=20 weak in their faith. They have starved themselves. = It=92s really=20 very sad because it=92s not hard to learn how to = handle =93the=20 spoon=94 of personal Bible study and get truth for = yourself.=20

During the course of this year, we are = going to=20 teach you how to feed yourself spiritually by = introducing you=20 to three different Bible study methods. They will be = your=20 eating utensils. We will start with the simplest and = move to=20 the more challenging. By the end of this year, you can = be=20 skilled at using each and then you can choose which = method to=20 use in order to get the most out of your personal = Bible study.=20 You may even choose to use all three in one sitting, = just as=20 you might use a spoon, fork, and a knife in a single = meal.=20 Sound good? Let=92s begin.

The =93God Follower=94 method of Bible = study is made=20 up of just two simple but powerful questions that can = be asked=20 of any passage of scripture:

What does this passage tell me about God?=20
What does this passage tell me about how to = follow God?=20

Let=92s practice this method.

Read Matthew 4:1-4. (Got your notebook = handy?)

You read this verse yesterday and = answered a=20 question about it. But, you will learn that each time = you read=20 a passage from the Bible, God can continue to teach = you new=20 things.

Let=92s find out by using the God = Follower method=20 of Bible study. (Try to answer the following questions = on your=20 own before looking at the possible answers.)

What does this passage tell me about God?=20
What does this passage tell me about how to = follow God?=20

Possible answers:

This passage tells me that every word that God = speaks is=20 important, and that God is the source of what I need = to=20 live.=20
This passage tells me that, as a follower of = God, I=20 should consider God=92s word to be at least as = important as=20 food and depend on God=92s word for guidance and = life. It also=20 tells me that God=92s word is important when I have=20 temptations to do things wrong.

Your answers may be worded = differently, and you=20 may have gotten a bit more or less information from = your study=20 of this passage. Don=92t be concerned. The important = thing is=20 that you to concentrate on the scripture and to allow = the Holy=20 Spirit to speak to you. Be careful not to read = anything into=20 scripture that isn=92t there, or to overlook what may = be=20 uncomfortable for you to think about.

Did you find that there was more to be = learned=20 in this verse than you originally thought? If so, then = you=20 have taken a step toward feeding yourself spiritually. = You are=20 beginning to understand what people mean when they = tell you to=20 =93dig into God=92s Word.=94 True Bible study is like = eating an=20 apple down to the core or getting the last bit of meat = off of=20 a bone. It requires effort, but it pays off!

Pray:

Thank God for speaking to you today. Tell Him = what you=20 learned and how you plan to use it.=20
Ask God to help you learn to hear His voice more = clearly=20 and to continue to get better at understanding what = you read=20 in the Bible.

FOR FURTHER STUDY:

Read Psalm 119:73. Practice the =93God = Follower=94=20 method of Bible study on this passage and thank God = for what=20 He teaches you.

Week One, Day=20 Five

Digging In

You can use the God Follower method of = Bible=20 study to study both individual verses and longer = passages of=20 scripture as a whole.

Let=92s practice doing both by taking = a look at a=20 passage within Psalm 119. We will start by asking the = God=20 Follower questions of just one verse within the = passage and=20 then ask the same questions of the passage as a = whole.

Read Psalm 119:97. (Don=92t forget = your notebook!)=20 Use the God Follower method of Bible study to study = this=20 verse. (Make your own notes in your notebook, before = you read=20 the =93possible answers=94 below.)

What does this passage tell me about God?=20
What does this passage tell me about how to = follow God?=20

Possible answers:

This passage tells me that God gave us the Bible = and=20 that it is good.=20
This passage tells me that God=92s truth should = affect me=20 all day long.

Now read Psalm 119:97-104. Think about = this=20 passage as a whole for a minute or so and try to get a = feel=20 for the overall message. Answer the God Follower = questions=20 about the passage as a whole.

What does this passage tell me about God?=20
What does this passage tell me about how to = follow God?=20

Possible answers:

God gave us the Bible to make us wise and to = protect us.=20
If I love the Bible and concentrate on what it = teaches,=20 it will help me become wise. Knowing the Bible will = allow me=20 to understand life even more than people who are = older than=20 me who do not study the Bible. The truth of the = Bible will=20 protect me from evil and from making dumb mistakes.=20

Compare the answers that you got from = reading=20 one verse to the ones that you got from reading the = passage.=20 How are they different?

Does it help to look at the verses = surrounding=20 an individual verse that you may be studying? How?

Now, let=92s move backwards. On your = own, practice=20 the God Follower method on one of the other individual = verses=20 (not verse 97) within the same passage:

What does this passage tell me about God?=20
What does this passage tell me about how to = follow God?=20

How are your answers different from = the answers=20 that you gave over the passage as a whole?

Does it help to stop and take a closer = look at=20 the individual verses within a longer passage you may = be=20 studying? How?

Pray:

Thank God for the Bible and the edge that it = gives you=20 over your enemies.=20
Ask God to teach you how to use His word to = fight=20 temptation.

FOR FURTHER STUDY:

Read Psalm 119:113-120. Using the God = Follower=20 method, study the passage as a whole first, and then = study an=20 individual verse within the passage.

The Weekend

Suggested Reading: 1 Kings 2:1-4, = 3:3-15.

This is just part of the story of King = Solomon.=20 Use the God Follower method to study these passages of = scripture and see how the truths that you have learned = in=20 Bible study this week play out in the life of Solomon. = How=20 essential is God=92s Word in a life that really = counts? Do you=20 treat it that way?

This = devotional is a=20 gift to you with no cost. You may make copies of = this=20 text, but you may not alter or sell this text without=20 permission from the copyright owner. For = more=20 information about this devotional go to http://www.skopos.org/. =