Before starting your daily readings, begin with prayer. Otherwise, we are treating the Bible as if it was only a human document. The God who gave us Sacred Scripture must open our understanding to comprehend it, and our wills to believe it — and to obey it.
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
O Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart that I may hear your word,
and understand and do your will, for I am a sojourner upon the Earth.
Hide not your commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of your Law.
Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of your wisdon.
On you do I set my hope, O my God, that you shall enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of your knowledge; not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them;
That in reading the lives and sayings of the Saints I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration, enlightenment and sanctification, for the salvation of my soul, and the inheritance of life everlasting.
For you are the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from you comes every good deed and every gift.
Amen.
Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime.
www.catholicgallery.org
This lesson is part of Mel Lawrenz’ “How to Study the Bible” series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here.
Mel Lawrenz is away this week. “How to Study the Bible” resumes next week.
Below are two prayers that may be helpful in your pattern of reading and studying Scripture. And here is a sermon Mel Lawrenz gave a few days ago about how to make prayer a practical pattern in real life…
Real Prayer from Elmbrook Church on Vimeo.
A Prayer Before Reading Scripture
Open my eyes, gracious Lord, as I turn to your word.
I long to know you, to understand life, and to be changed.
Examine me, Lord, by the floodlight of your truth.
Amen.
A Prayer After Reading Scripture
May the word I have read, Lord, be planted deeply in my mind and heart.
Help me not to walk away and forget it, but to meditate on it and obey it
and so built my life on the rock of your truth.
Amen.
(Both prayers are taken from the 95 prayers in Prayers for Our Lives.)
Mel Lawrenz trains an international network of Christian leaders, ministry pioneers, and thought-leaders. He served as senior pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, for ten years and now serves as Elmbrook’s minister at large. He has a Ph.D. in the history of Christian thought and is on the adjunct faculty of Trinity International University. Mel is the author of 18 books, the latest, How to Understand the Bible—A Simple Guide and Spiritual Influence: the Hidden Power Behind Leadership (Zondervan, 2012). See more of Mel’s writing at WordWay.
www.biblegateway.com
Prayer Before Reading the Bible – God prepare my Heart for Bible Study
Prayer Before Reading The Holy Bible
Loving Lord and heavenly Father, how I thank You for The holy Scriptures and the truth within its pages.
Thank You for the opportunity to spend time in Your Word and I pray that You would prepare my heart for this time of Bible study.
Help me to set my mind on things above and not on earthly things. Keep away all that would distract me from Your word and develop in me a teachable spirit and ears that listen to Your still small voice,and I pray that the eyes of my heart be open to see all that You want to teach me.
I pray that I may study to show myself approved unto God. Give me insight and understanding as I read and reflect on Your Word and may I mature in the faith, grow in grace and come to a deeper knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through this time of Bible study, this I ask in Jesus name, Amen
Prayer Before Reading the Bible
Prayer Before Reading the Bible – God prepare my Heart for Bible Study
If you would like more prayers to follow these sites:
– Prayer of Protection from the Evil Prince of Darkness who seeks to deceive many People
– My Heavenly Father I Pray to You for Protect Me and My Family from Evils
– Start Your New Day with Morning Prayer to Give You blessing and Goodness
– Saint Quotes about the Cross – 25 Christian Quotes about Jesus Death
– I Pray to You My Jesus God for Safety in the Night, keep me from all Perils
– Heavenly Father Protect Me From the Devil!
– Prayer for Brotherly Love Towards Others
– Prayer for Spiritual Blessing
– Prayer for Humility and Patience
– Praise to Our Powerful God
– Prayer for Maturity
– Prayer for God’s Grace in My Life
– Prayer for a Sick Child
– Prayer for Holiness of Heart
– Prayer for Drug Deliverance
– Daring Prayer
Prayer Before Reading the Bible – God prepare my Heart for Bible Study Prayer Before Reading The Holy Bible Loving Lord and heavenly Father, how I thank You for The holy Scriptures and the truth within its pages. Thank You for the opportunity to spend time in Your Word and I pray that You would prepare my heart for this time of Bible study. Help me to set my mind on things above and not on earthly things. Keep away all that would distract me from Your word and develop in me a teachable spirit and ears that listen…
Prayer Before Reading the Bible – God prepare My Heart for Bible Study
Prayer Before Reading the Bible – God prepare My Heart for Bible Study
2017-10-07
Light Book
Prayer Before Reading the Bible
Prayer Before Reading the Bible – 91%
91%
Rate This
Follow User Rating: 4 ( 1 votes)
pray.lightbook.org
It is good to read a few verses from the Bible daily. Before reading the Bible, we need to pray for the blessings of the Holy Spirit so that we may comprehend the Word of God fully. The Word of God is so powerful as to remove all darkness and bondages from our lives. We need to believe firmly in the Word of God so that our lives may be transformed.
Father, anoint me with your Holy Spirit, so that as I read your eternal word, your word may penetrate my whole being and transform me. Grant me the blessing to be a faithful disciple in believing the Word of God and that I may be a light shining upon all who are in darkness. Amen
lordcalls.com
Monday May 2014
How can Holy Scripture be a means of grace in our lives?
That is a question I’ve been thinking a lot about the past few months as I’ve led a Bible study at my church. We read the Gospel of Luke, meeting weekly on Sunday evenings for about 3 months to discuss the biblical text together. Reading the Scripture in community can be an amazing experience—the insights and experiences of a group can convey a power to what John Wesley called ‘searching the Scriptures’ that is hard to match when reading alone.
One of the points Wesley makes about the use of Scripture as a means of grace that has always struck me is his focus on the active process of receiving the word of God. For instance, Wesley never says that the Bible is a means of grace. His phrase ‘searching the Scriptures’ is meant to emphasize the need to actively engage the biblical text in the rhythms of reading, hearing, and meditating upon it.
Wesley published a translation of the New Testament together with his NT commentary that differs in some respects from the Authorized Version (or KJV) that was the standard English-language translation in his day. Later in life, Wesley republished his New Testament separately. In that later 1790 edition, he included a prayer drawn from the Book of Common Prayer together with this advice: “I advise every one, before he reads the Scripture, to use this or the like prayer.”
Here’s the prayer itself:
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou has given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
It’s a beautiful prayer. The net effect of what he’s encouraging—to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest—is to truly embrace Holy Scripture in its fullness, that we might be transformed in the process.
We do not read the Bible so that we can master it. We read it so that, over time, it comes to master us.
www.andrewthompson.com
Before starting your daily readings, begin with prayer. Otherwise, we are treating the Bible as if it was only a human document. The God who gave us Sacred Scripture must open our understanding to comprehend it, and our wills to believe it — and to obey it.
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
O Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart that I may hear your word,
and understand and do your will, for I am a sojourner upon the Earth.
Hide not your commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of your Law.
Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of your wisdon.
On you do I set my hope, O my God, that you shall enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of your knowledge; not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them;
That in reading the lives and sayings of the Saints I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration, enlightenment and sanctification, for the salvation of my soul, and the inheritance of life everlasting.
For you are the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from you comes every good deed and every gift.
Amen.
www.catholicgallery.org
Оценка
5
проголосовавших:
1
4prayertoday.com
The last year has been a journey for me – mostly a journey in grace.
In resting.
In trusting fully in the finished work of Christ.
I am learning that the Christian life is less about doing and more about being.
Being loved.
Being forgiven.
Being free.
I am learning that Jesus is just as present when we pull out our kid’s juice box and snack-pack crackers and take communion alone in the corner of the kitchen collapsed on the floor in exhaustion, as He is when we’re gathered with friends around His Word.
Jesus is ever present, ever ready, and ever enough for my every day.
Because He is enough, I have learned that I desire to pursue Him all the more in His Word.
Spending time in God’s Word is of utmost importance as a Christian.
However, nothing can be more frustrating than to finally snag some time to commune with God, and then… stare at my Bible wondering what to read or what to do first.
I have found that creating a routine for my quiet time helps me focus and stay consistent in my time with God.
Here are 7 Practical Tips for Creating a Daily Bible Reading & Prayer Routine:
1. Pray for a hunger for God’s Word.
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” ~1 Peter 2:2
There’s no better place to start than in prayer when it comes to growing in Christ.
Pray that you might hunger for His word, so that you might know Him and honor Him with your life.
2. Choose a set time to read and pray.
When you sit down with God doesn’t matter.
It could be …
- in the morning,
- in the evening,
- after the kids are in school,
- while the kids do afternoon rest time,
- during your baby’s first feeding,
- or any other time that works for you!
Choosing when you will meet with God each day adds a layer of accountability that helps you to stay consistent.
And this time can change from season to season.
The time that works this month, may not work next month. That’s okay. Just adjust to the season you’re in right now and stick to it.
3. Start with a time of praise and worship.
I always start my time with praise and worship. This means I put my earbuds in and turn on some worship music.
The point of this time is to tune my heart to Him and away from myself, my needs, my worries, my troubles.
I simply want to worship Him.
Some songs I enjoy during this time:
- Speak, O Lord by Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli
- Good, Good Father by Chris Tomlin
- Lord I Need You by Chris Tomlin
- Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
- Be Still My Soul by Kari Jobe
4. Position yourself to hear from God through expectant prayer.
This isn’t when I start praying for everyone in my family or even my needs.
I’m simply asking the Lord to be present and draw near. I’m praying for the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scriptures and give me insight into His Holy Word.
I recorded a video a few years ago about positioning yourself to hear from God. I recommend watching it really quickly to learn more about this expectant prayer time. To save time, you can skip ahead to about the three minute mark where I get really specific about expectant prayer.
Click here to watch the video, or simply press play below.
5. Spend time reading God’s Word.
Next, I move into Bible reading and/or Bible study.
There is a difference between Bible reading and Bible study, and your time in His Word should have a healthy dose of both.
This is, also, when a Bible reading plan comes in handy. Having a plan to follow will help keep you motivated and consistent with your time in the Word.
If you need help finding a Bible reading plan, check out these ideas.
If want to learn more about how to study your Bible, then I highly recommend, Jen Wilkin’s book, Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Minds.
In her book, she teaches you (in depth and practically)
how to study with purpose, perspective, process, prayer, and patience. Reading this book truly transformed my time in the word of God.
Other posts that might help:
- 6 Simple Steps to Get Started Studying God’s Word
- How to Create Your Own Topical Bible Reading Plan
- 7 Steps to Get Back on Track with Daily Bible Reading
6. Offer prayers of supplication.
After I’ve spent time reading and studying God’s word, I move into prayers of supplication. I like to write my prayers, and I use my prayer notebook pretty heavily during this time.
This is when I begin to pray in response to the text I’ve read as well as praying for my family members and friends. You can read all about my system of prayer here.
Other posts that might help:
- 9 Ways to Organize Your Prayer Life
- 3 Simple Ways to Fight Distraction While Praying
- 10 Resources that Will Transform Your Prayer Life
7. Give thanks and praise Him.
Finally, I move into gratitude and praise.
I might continue writing my prayers of thanksgiving, or I might spend time worshiping through music again.
This is simply a time rejoicing in His abundant mercy and grace.
Creating a simple Bible reading and prayer routine has helped me be more consistent with my time in the Word.
I hope these tips for creating a Bible reading and prayer routine help you grow in the discipline of meeting with God through prayer and His Word.
If you want further encouragement for developing the habit of a daily quiet time, then head here: Developing the Habit of a Daily Quiet Time (No Matter the Season You’re In).
I think you’ll find it helpful.
What about you? Do you have a Daily Bible Reading and Prayer Routine? I’d love to hear it in the comments!
This post contains my affiliate links. See my full disclosure policy here.
intentionalbygrace.com
