GROW YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
PRAYER
Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)
“Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.”
ACTS Prayer Outline or Guide
Adoration: praise Jesus for one or several of His attributes (e.g., sovereign, gracious, holy, perfect, merciful, all knowing, loving, just, powerful, ever present, creative) both generally or as it applies to your circumstances. "Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." - Psalm 36:5
Confession: tell Jesus what you have done wrong and why, apologize to Him, seek forgiveness, and thank Him for it. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9
Thanksgiving: express your gratitude to Jesus for His love, mercy, grace, leading, sustenance, discipline, and blessing. "Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men" - Psalm 107:15
Supplication: ask Jesus to guide, heal, protect, comfort, sustain, or provide for you, or intercede for someone else. "...Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." - 1 Chronicles 4:10
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THE BIBLE
Joshua 1:8 (NLT) says “Study this Book of the Law continually. Mediate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed."
II Timothy 3:15-17 says "You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do."
From personal experience, I have seen how the Bible can speak to us about certain situations in our lives. During moments of any given week, I need encouragement, instruction, and correction. God gives that to me through his Word.
It is important to make Bible reading and Bible study a part of your daily routine. In this brochure we want to give you some practical ways that will help you form a foundation in this area of discipline.
When I first decided to start reading the Bible daily, I read a chapter a day which was a small and manageable goal. Setting a specific time of day for my reading was also helpful.
"For the word of God is living and active.”
Hebrews 4:12a
Questions to Consider
Before you begin reading, pray and ask God to reveal things to you from His Word. When you read a passage of Scripture, it might be helpful for you to keep certain questions in mind.
Who?
Ask yourself, who is speaking in the passage? Who is the passage written to?
What?
What point is being made in the passage? What stands out to you in the passage? What are the promises made to you in the passage ?
When?
In the passage, is time involved? (Does it require immediate action?) If it talks about a certain event, when does it take place?
Where?
Where does the passage take place?
Why?
Why do you think this passage is included in the Bible? What lesson is it illustrating?
How?
How do you apply this scripture to your life? How do you need to respond to this scripture?
If you read a passage and there are things you are not sure about, ask a Christian friend or pastor. Pray and ask God to make what you read more clear to you. A Christian bookstore also can provide many helpful Bible study guides. Your church or youth group may have a group Bible Study for you to get involved with as well. It is really important to get involved in a local church!
“Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
Psalms 119:105
Two Week Bible Readings on Selected Topics
Life and Teachings of Jesus
Day 1— Luke 1: Preparing for Jesus’ arrival
Day 2—Luke 2: The story of Jesus’ birth
Day 3—Mark 1: The beginning of Jesus’ ministry
Day 4—Mark 9: A day in the life of Jesus
Day 5—Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount
Day 6—Matthew 6: The Sermon on the Mount
Day 7—Luke 15: Parables of Jesus
Day 8—John 3: A conversation with Jesus
Day 9—John 14: Jesus’ final instructions
Day 10—John 17: Jesus’ prayer for his disciples
Day 11— Matthew 26: Betrayal and arrest
Day 12— Matthew 27: Jesus’ execution on the cross
Day 13— John 20: Resurrection
Day 14—Luke 24: Jesus’ appearance after resurrection
Life and Teachings of Paul
Day 1— Acts 9: The conversion of Saul
Day 2— Acts 16: Paul’s Macedonian call and a jailbreak
Day 3—Acts 17: Scenes from Paul’s missionary journeys
Day 4—Acts 26: Paul tells his life story to a king
Day 5—Acts 27: Shipwreck on the way to Rome
Day 6—Acts 28: Paul’s arrival in Rome
Day 7—Romans 3: Paul’s theology in a nutshell
Day 8— Romans 7: Struggle with sin
Day 9—Romans 8: Life in the Spirit
Day 10– I Corinthians 13: Paul’s description of love
Day 11— I Corinthians 15: Thoughts on the afterlife
Day 12—Galatians 5: Freedom in Christ
Day 13—Ephesians 3: Paul’s summary of his mission
Day 14– Philippians 2: Imitating Christ
Taken from The Student Bible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, Page 8
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WORSHIP
Find a local church where Christ is preached that you can grow in as you become active in both fellowship with other believers and service to others.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)
"Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.”
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WITNESS
In Matthew 4:19 Jesus told his first disciples, “Come, be my disciples and I will show you how to fish for people!"
As you share with people about any subject (your family, work, school, favorite team) the better you understand and can explain information about that subject. Philemon 9, Paul says “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of all the good thinks we have in Christ Jesus.” The more you share about Christ the more you will understand Him and be able to tell others about Him.
Becoming a part of the www.sharingthefaith.com will help you build your testimony of the impact having a personal relationship with Christ and then help you share it with individuals you know and want to tell about Christ.
Take the next step now
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