Discuss: 1) What excites you and what seems daunting as you think about establishing a regular time to read the Bible and pray? 2) What book of the Bible do you want to read/study first? 3) Write out your prayer today using the P-R-A-Y method. Make sure you give enough time at the end to sit quietly and listen to God. Don’t forget your Prayer Experience. You will be able to report on it tomorrow.
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
Introduction After rising from the dead, Jesus appears to His disciples on several occasions. Paul lists the appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. He appeared to many people individually — to His leaders on several occasions and even to a group of disciples numbering...
1) Like setting new resolution for the new year, I’m excited about starting a new Bible reading plan and Prayer with God, through Rooted experience; but just like any resolution in years past, I don’t want to fizzle out after a great start. The challenge of maintaining the Bible reading and Prayer throughout the Rooted experience and beyond is certainly daunting.
2) I & II Peter
3) P: Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness. You did not look down on my lowly position, but consider me Your precious child. The first month of the year 2024 is in the book, and You continue to shower me (literally and figuratively) with Your grace, peace, and mercy. You are worthy to be praised!
R: Forgive me for being rude to my wife. Help me to love her and serve her like You do.
A: Give me strength and wisdom as I enter the new semester at the Bible school. Remind me to trust You, do my best, and leave the result to You.
Y: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have continued My faithfulness to you.”
1) What excites me as I think about establishing a regular time to read the Bible and pray is simply the notion of drawing closer to God, and experiencing more of Him. At this point, I feel as if what I’ve come to know of Him has become the greatest motivating factor in stoking the fire of desire for more! I think I’d have to say that what used to daunt me about it in the past would have to be the thought that I was too busy. I once felt as if I just had too much going on to be able to fit a significant quantity of time into my hectic schedule. I’ve come to find that when I put time with God first on my list, everything else seems to fall into its right place. I’ve also found that I have much more time throughout my day than I previously admitted. In this, I’ve realized that my day seems less hectic and that which is truly important is less neglected.
2) I’m not sure how to answer this question. I’m currently going through a Bible reading plan that goes through the entire Bible in a year that I read in the morning, and a more in depth study of Zechariah that I do later in the evening after work and getting the kids all settled.
3) Heavenly Father, I give You praise and thank You for Your continued mercy and faithfulness! Thank You for revealing Yourself to us in such a way so that we can come to know You and know Your great love for us! I repent of my own lack of faith and reluctance to pray as I should! Forgive me, and help me to recognize my complete and utter dependence upon You for all things! I ask that You would open my heart and mind to the reality of who You are, that I would desire only You! Grant me the wisdom to discern what You are doing and be a useful agent of Your love, bearing fruit for Your kingdom. Lord, “I offer myself to You to build with me and do with me as You will!”
1) It’s exciting to learn more about who God is and His love for us through the Bible and prayer. It can be daunting because I tend to always fail at the consistency part and it can be discouraging.
2) Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been using the She Reads Truth app for daily devotionals and I’ve been consistent so far! I like how it’s very scripture based and has a community board to connect with others. Plus, getting reminders on my phone has been helpful. Currently, I’m doing the study on Judges.
3) God, thank you for your goodness and undeserving grace. You are so generous with your love and blessings, though I am so sinful and wretched. Thank you for receiving me with open arms. I repent of my sinful thoughts, my pride and self-righteousness, and selfishness. Please forgive me Lord. If it is your will, I pray for the transfer for Juliet to be in GGUSD to go through. We think it’s the best option for us, but you know best Lord. Time and time again you’ve shown us that your timing and will is far greater and better than ours.
What excites me is the fact that I’ll be speaking to my Heavenly Father who listens to His own children. Being to communicate with God in so many different ways brings a lot of joy and comfort in that I am one to initiate and if I dont hear from God, thats only because I didn’t ask, it isn’t God’s fault, the ball is fully in my court. What can seem daunting can be waiting to hear from God. I know God’s timing is perfect and He answers prayers in His just time, so just being able to sit still and fully trust that He is God is all.
I want to read Romans more.
P: God, I praise You for who You are, for being so real and good to me even when I am not close to You or have pushed you away. R: I come to You confessing the sins Ive committed in the past knowing the full consequences of my actions and I ask You would forgive me and those who Ive hurt in the past. A: I ask that You would fill me with pure thoughts and intentions, fill me with your word so that I can act and live accordingly to Your teaching. And Y: I want to hear You more, more intentionally and more closely. So help me God for this is my prayer.
Christine
1)Happy Friday Everyone! The truth is for me I hate reading, but ever since I’ve joined Bible challenge I noticed that I see myself more comfortable reading and looking forward to it. I do use the Bible app every now and then to go to scripture. I’ve set a time every morning after my workout to get into prayer in my alone time with God. And that is my set routine.
2) As suggested in today’s reading I will just start with the book of Matthew.
3) Write out your prayer today using the P-R-A-Y method. Make sure you give enough time at the end to sit quietly and listen to God.
P: oh, dear heavenly father, I come to you this morning with a grateful heart and praising you. Lord, I’m just so thankful you gave me life today. I’m so grateful that I do get to spend time with my kids today to celebrate Ashley’s birthday. Thank you Lord for granting me, the feeling of freedom and peace.
R: Lord, forgive me, Lord for lashing out on my friend this week. Forgive me for the way I reacted and said a lot of mean things to her. I pray that you compel our hearts with understanding and forgiveness. I want to be able to make amends and just let it go. As in my daily prayer I ask you oh Lord, to guide me with compassion, understanding, a forgiving heart those around me so that I can spread hope and peace to those around me not anger and madness, Lord.
A: Lord, please show me signs or speak to me as I go into my old work to talk to them as they want me to come back to work for them. Please guide me to make the right choices for my kids and to be able to provide for my family.
Y: Lord, thank you for blessing me with the loving church community and loving friends. May we continue to grow closer to you and to grow closer to one another. In Jesus name I pray amen.
(Dylan)
One of the things that excite me about establishing a regular time is that it will help me be more consistent about doing my prayers. Doing this challenge and having a regular time, gives me an opportunity to be closer with God and build a stronger relationship with him. I know that I’m not very consistent with doing this challenge. However, I think as long as I still try put an effort then God will hopefully understand. I’ve heard many good things about genesis so hopefully I can set aside time for reading it. I praise the Lord Jesus, as my savior. I repent, and let me be washed of my sins as I have made many mistakes in the past, and I will still continue to improve upon those mistakes. I asked God for forgiveness as I can see why I made those mistakes and I want to improve.
What excites me about establishing a regular time to read the Bible and pray is a deeper relationship with God. I think being able to clearly listen to Him and practice obedience. I think what’s daunting to me is giving up my old habits. Change is difficult and scary but following God and changing because I desire Him more is what motivates me.
I think I want to start the book of Job. Job went through so much suffering and pain yet still put all his faith and trust in Christ. I aspire to be like him in my times of uncertainty and fear.
God, thank you for another day alive on this beautiful Friday. Im so grateful for my life and all the blessings you have given me. You are almighty and all knowing! I come to you with an open heart and the sincerest apology that my desires take over and cause me to tune out your voice. I pray that you give me the strength to shed my old ways and desires to truly pursue you and your kingdom first.
what excites me is the potential growth i could have as a person. what’s daunting is the fact that God should not be a chore but i should also be active in seeking Him. active discipline is something i struggle with and need to lean on Him more. Lord continue to be with me and soften my heart. guide my words and actions and live through my daily thoughts. amen.
Calvin:
1. I’m excited by the way God surprises me in His responses whenever I’m reading the Bible. There was a time when I was consistently reading daily devotionals (usually a “Verse of the Day” on my Bible app). And most days, it was just an “okay” reading. Then there were occasions where I understood something really profound, or that particular passage was really connecting with me at that point in my life, and it would totally change my mood, usually for the better. So I’m excited by what surprises are in store if I were to go back to reading the Bible more consistently.
2. I used to be really fascinated by the books in the OT (except for Numbers…who likes reading that?!). As a kid, I really enjoyed those stories of Moses, and Joseph, David, and of Samson. I likened them to superheroes. But as an adult, I became a bit more pragmatic. So I think the Book of James would be really good, as there are some really practical and clear wisdom in that book.
3.
P: Thank you God for giving me this week that’s been full of joy, fun, and challenges. It’s been an interesting week as I’ve gone from a whirlwind few days of work retreats, team-building activities, campaign planning, and partying, to now being at home alone with my 3 kids.
R: I’ve been tired and a little sick. So I’m sorry for rushing through our time together.
A: But I ask that you give me rest and recovery, and a calmness with my children so I can spend this time cherishing them rather than being stressed about them.
Y: I can sense you telling me to take things one step at a time, so I will make sure to just take a moment to take a breath and just enjoy this gift of life you’ve given me. Thank you.
1. I do want to establish a regular time to read God’s Word, and pray to Him. Praying to Him is free, and I can do it whenever I want, but when it comes to setting a time to read God’s Word, I really want to but I have no idea if I am able to carry it out, but I would be down to set time to read God’s Word.
2. I really want to read more of the Old Testament, because I think that there is so much important things in the Old Testament, that I missed out on.
3. Dear God, I just want to thank you for all the things You have done in my life, like providing me with a community in GLA, Cru, and RPC, allowing me to serve at Cru as the President in FVHS, and giving me the opportunity to preach the Gospel to people through FOMO. I just wanna repent to You, oh God, of the times when I am not following you, of the times when I disregard everything You have given me in order to fulfill the desires of my flesh. I ask that You would continue to lead me and guide me in my walk with You, and as I’m transitioning to RP, I pray that You would continue to give me Your wisdom to know that RP is really where You are calling me to. Thank You, God. I pray all these things in Jesus Name, Amen.
Being able to spend time with God and growing in my knowledge of Him is what excites me as I establish a time to read and pray. What seems daunting is remaining disciplined in and making sure I keep my schedule consistent.
The book that I want to read and study first is John. It has been a while since I’ve fully studied this book and it would be good to return to John to study the life of Jesus.
Lord, I praise You and thank You for providing me with everything that I need. I thank You for Your goodness and Your faithfulness each and every day.
Forgive me Lord for not spending enough time with You. Help me to carve out time in my day to spend time reading Your Word.
I ask that You would continue to grant me wisdom and protection every day at work. Continue to guide with each job that I am assigned and help me complete to the best of my ability.