Connecting with the Scriptures - Personal Devotion
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Transcript
Connecting with the Scriptures – Personal Devotion
How do I act when there is no connection to the internet? Would I also panic if
my connection with God was disrupted for a day?
We keep our connection with God alive by spending time in His Word and in
prayer. Then we are to be “doers of the Word” (James 1:22-24).
The writer of Psalm 119 recognized the importance of a connection to God. He
asked God to teach him His statutes and give him understanding of His law (Psalm
119:33-34). Then he prayed that he would observe it with his whole heart (Psalm
119:34), walk in the path of God’s commandments (Psalm 119:35), and turn away
his eyes from looking at worthless things (Psalm 119:37).
By meditating on God’s Word and then applying it, the
psalmist stayed “connected” to God.
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. —Psalm 119:105
We see how the Word comes alive through the Spirit (Nehemiah 8; Matthew 4:111)
Read the chapter and meditate on it.
Pray for God to open your heart and mind and then read through the chapter.
Whilst you read (you may need to do it twice) pause and try to understand each
verse. Getting hold of a good Bible commentary is excellent for helping you
understand the verses, offering additional insight, and confirming what you
thought.
Write out a simple outline of the chapter.
Break it down into related sections or verses. E.g. Vs 1-13 is about ……..
Analyze the chapter objectively.
What is God saying to the people in the text or to the person who wrote it? What
is the author of the book saying to the intended readers? What are the
implications of what the verses say? Are there other passages in the Bible that say
the same things? What does the chapter say about the character of God or the
condition of man? Write out your questions at this point. Is there anything you
don’t understand? Your pastor, youth leader etc. can help you find the answers.
Analyze the chapter subjectively.
Write out what you think God is saying to you personally. Be open to what the
Holy Spirit is saying to your heart.
Identify the key verse(s) of the chapter.
What is the best verse that sums up the chapter, there may be many like this in
one chapter?
Identify your favorite verse.
Select the verse(s) that stood out to you the most. This verse(s) will be the one
you want to memorize, share with others, meditate upon etc.
Apply the Word!
James 1:22 tells us to not only hear the Word but to do what it says. It is not
enough to just study, you must apply the word to your life.
Analyze the chapter objectively - Analyze the chapter subjectively - Identify the key
verse(s) of the chapter - Identify your favorite verse - Apply the Word!