Daily Devotions

While I’m studying but not ready to post yet, I thought I’d share how I do my personal Bible devotions.

This takes 3 years.

In the morning, read from the morning column, and in the evening, read from the evening column. Weekends are a time for reflection of what you have read. Use the study guide to journal for reading, thinking, studying, and applying the passage.

The table (not produced here) has a morning reading and an evening reading. The morning reading is 1 chapter in the Old Testament. The evening reading is 1 chapter from the New Testament. It takes almost 3 years to finish the Old Testament and in that time the New Testament is read through 3 times.

1. Pray that God would give you understanding of the passage you read.
2. Use a notebook or software notebook to record your studies. I use linux and my notebook is cherrytree. They have a Windows version, too.
3. Take at least 15 minutes to read and study.
4. Read the sentence slowly.
5. Pay attention to the prepositional phrases.
6. When you are done, thank God for the things you have learned.
7. Share your findings with others.

Questions to ask in your personal Bible study

• What does this mean?
• Why is this chapter in the Bible?
• What is God teaching us?
• How do I apply this to my life?
• What do we learn about God?
• What do we learn about humans?
• What do I learn about me?

An example of the template I use in cherry tree for writing some of my thoughts is this:

MORNING

Exodus 9

What does this mean?


How do I apply this to my life?

EVENING

Luke 15

What does this mean?


How do I apply this to my life?



Examples:
19 Nov 19

MORNING

Psalm 15

What does this mean?

Some societal norms that is in the Kingdom of God, and what He wants from us. Human society would be better off living this way.

How do I apply this to my life?

Help me to live this way, O Lord.

EVENING

1 John 1

What does this mean?

John testifies that he has seen and heard Messiah. Fellowship with God is important. One of the reasons John wrote was for their joy to be full. God is complete light, which means there is no darkness in Him. Darkness is evil in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. Fellowship with God entails being clean, that is, in light as God is. We cannot be sinless, of course, so we have the Messiah, our Savior, who has the authority and paid for our sins, thus He can forgive us.

How do I apply this to my life?

Forgive me o Lord.

22 Nov 19

MORNING

Psalm 18

What does this mean?

God had delivered David from Saul. In thankfulness, David praises and thanks God. All was lost. He felt that he was going to die. He had no hope. Then, God delivered him. In poetic language describing his fears and God's deliverance.

How do I apply this to my life?

Have hope.

EVENING

1 John 4

What does this mean?

Jesus is THE Messiah. He is God the Son. He is the 100% God and 100% man. This one thing must be freely admitted (confessed) to not be considered a false prophet. Not agreeing with this means agreement with false teachers, false ministers/pastors, false church members, etc. If their doctrine of Christology does not agree with this, they are false believers. These are of the world. They think like the world. They talk like the world. The world is attentive to what they say.

We are to love. God is the source of love. Love is a choice. The actions of love are found primarily 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. God's love for humanity is seen in His sending of Jesus Christ into the world as Messiah. He did not have to do this. Jesus did not have to come. It was a choice motivated by love.

Whoever freely admits that Jesus is the Son of God, is a believer, a Christian. Son of God refers to His deity.

We need to love the way God has shown us how to love. This is the way God loves us.

How do I apply this to my life?

Help me, O Lord. Please give me strength.

As you see, I don’t spend much effort in spelling or grammar.