JAM: Jesus And Me Time
Here are devotions to help guide you time with Jesus! All day we want to be aware of Jesus and talking with Him, but it is also so important to go to your room, close the door, and pray (Matthew 6:6). Jesus went away to be alone with the Father all the time (Matthew 14:23)! He never pursued the crow
Start Something: Dare To Dream
How To Study The Bible -- Day 5
John 17:17, Joshua 1:8, Romans 15:4, John 15:7, 2 Timothy 2:15
How Can I Understand the Bible? How can I understand the Bible today? How do I start? Where do I start? There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and that's okay because God is always speaking to us. However, He speaks to us differently, yet in a language and a love that we can all understand. So here are some things to do: 1. Pray Before You Read When we invite God into our time of reading His Word, He will reveal things to us that we couldn't find on our own. 2. Know Why to Read The goal of reading the Bible is to know God and what He is saying to you. 3. Question What You Read God is okay with questions, but He's not always going to answer all of them. 4. Talk About What You Read God speaks to us through His Word, but He also speaks to us through His people. 5. Do What You Read God doesn't just want us to read His word but put it in action in His world. 6. You Won't Understand Everything You Read We don't have to understand everything in the Bible to believe it because if I can understand everything about God, then would He be worthy of being God? 7. Use Tools When You Read There are many tools accessible to us that we have no excuse not to understand the Bible. (Podcasts, YouTube, YouVersion, Apps, Internet, Translations, etc.) There are plenty of resources available that will help us understand the Bible better. The primary way God speaks to us is through His Word.
How To Study the Bible -- Day 4
January 18, 2024 • Matthew 4:4, 1 Timothy 4:13
You are as close to God as you are engaged in His Word. Reading the Word has to be a discipline before it is a desire. If you want it to be a desire, it has to start as a discipline. It is impossible to know God without knowing the Bible. 1. Find a Plan 2. Find a Place 3. Find a Time to Practice Read and reread the Bible. It's not an assignment to complete but a discipline to continue. It's the manual for life. I promise you this, you can't read the Bible every day, and your life remains the same.
How To Study The Bible -- Day 3
January 18, 2024 • James 1:22, Romans 10:17, Psalm 1:1–2
The Power 💪 of 4️⃣ A person who reads the Bible 1, 2, or 3 times a week will have a life change, but those who read 4 times or more will have a significant life change per a recent study done from the Center of Bible Engagement. They have also discovered some pretty interesting statistics. Someone who reads the Bible more than 4 times a week is 256% more likely to share the Gospel than someone who doesn't. People who read the Bible are more likely to give. In fact, giving goes up 200%. 70% less likely to look at porn. 70% less likely to get drunk. If we can drive people to read the Bible, the Bible will help them live more victoriously. We need to read the Bible more because literacy comes in three levels. 1. Reading - Engage the Word (See James 1:22) 2. Speaking - Speak & Pray the Word (See Romans 10:17) 3. Thinking - Meditate on the Word (See Psalm 1:2)
How To Study The Bible -- Day 2
Luke 1:37, Isaiah 55:10–11, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20–21
🖐🏾 Reasons to Read the Bible 📖 1. The Bible is infallible. (Read Luke 1:37; Isaiah 55:10-11) Infallible - Incapable of mistake, never wrong, completely true, and certain not to fail in its teaching. 2. The Bible is inerrant. (Read John 17:17) Inerrant - Free from or without error, incapable of mistake or deceit, it is perfect. 3. The Bible is inspired. (Read 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21) Inspired - God-breathed, being guided by God, given directly by the Holy Spirit. 4. The Bible is incomparable. (Read Hebrews 4:12) Incomparable - It has no equal in literature or message. 5. The Bible is infinite. (Read Matthew 5:18; 24:35) Infinite - Never ending, ongoing, continuous, eternal. Why are these important? Because the Bible's qualities reflect the Author's character. These same adjectives reflect and describe God. So anywhere you see the word 'Bible' you can substitute it for God. Because: 1. God is infallible. He doesn't make mistakes. He is never wrong. He is just and good. He is completely true. 2. God is inerrant. He is perfect. 3. God is inspired. He is the Holy Spirit. 4. God is incomparable. He has no equal. 5. God is infinite. He is never-ending, eternal, and His love never fails. This is why you should read the Bible.
How To Study The Bible --- Day 1
January 18, 2024 • Hebrews 4:12, John 1:1, John 1:14, John 14:23
How you see God determines how you interact with His Word. Most people see the Bible as a book full of do's and do not's and think if I "follow" the rules, I will not go to hell. But, the Bible isn't about following rules. It's about following Jesus. The Bible is a reflection and revelation of who God is, what He does, and what He has promised. It's a love letter and a plan to save lives. We can trust this because the Bible and Jesus are synonymous and inseparable. So now I must have with the word the same reverence, respect, and relationship I have with God. To know God, I must know His Word.