Developing A Daily Devotional Time With God

For republication please contact Tim Richmond: tim@nycgrace.
org
For more booklets in this series go to nycgrace.org.
“Developing a Daily Devotional Time with God”
Tim Richmond
Copyright © 2018, Second Edition
Editors / Contributors – Andrew Snavely and Jessica Tanis
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New
American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972,
1973, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. All rights
reserved.
Table of Contents
Lesson 1 Introduction 1
Dependent Independence 1
Spiritual Breathing 7
Where We’re Headed 9
Lesson 2 Inhale: Bible Reading 12

Taking in the Word of God 12
Scripture Plowing Method 14
Scripture Plowing Plans 25
Lesson 3 Inhale: Bible Study, Part 1 32

Comparing Inhale Methods 32
Mining: Inductive Book Study 34
Scripture Mining Preparation 36
Scripture Mining Process 41
Lesson 4 Inhale: Bible Study, Part 2 51

Mining: Topic Studies 51
Mining: Verse Memory 58
Concluding Thoughts 60
Lesson 5 Exhale: Prayer 64

The Necessity of Prayer 64
The Activities of Prayer 67
Confession 68
Exaltation 69
Petition 77
Lesson 6 Practicalities 81
Stay balanced. 81
Choose a strategic time and place. 83
Mark in your Bible. 87
Utilize Resources 89
Appendices 94
TIME WITH GOD
Lesson 1
Introduction
Dependent Independence
Humans are dependent creatures. You are dependent.
Anyone who believes otherwise is fooling himself. Even
survivalists who grow their own food and create their own
energy are not as independent as they might think. The desire to
live independently of others can drive people to crazy extremes.
For example, you may have heard of the family that set sail from
San Diego in a small boat
in search of a life
independent from all
outside interference. Their
destination was a small
undeveloped group of
islands between Australia
and Hawaii, and they took their newborn and three-year-old
children with them! Two weeks into the trip they encountered
some storms and nearly lost their lives. Thankfully they were
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rescued by a fishing boat from Venezuela, but only after being
reminded that dependence is inevitable.
Every day of life you are dependent on outside help. How
did you get water today? Or food? Where did you put waste?
Did you work? Did you travel or use transportation of any kind?
These are all ways we depend on others in our society.
Beyond the human interdependence we all experience, we
have an even greater, deeper dependence on God. Have you ever
considered what it takes to beat your own heart? And yet this is
essential to life. Why take a pulse? Because if your heart is not
beating, then you are probably dead. And yet you have no
control over your heart beat. Your body does this involuntarily.
No big deal? Well consider these facts.
“Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and
about 35 million times in a year. During an average
lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion
times…
“…Your body has about [6 quarts] of blood. This… blood
circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day,
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the blood travels a total of [12,000 miles]—that's four times the
distance across the US from coast to coast.” 1
Who makes your body do that? You don’t; God does. What
about thinking? How did your mind read the next word on this
page? Even to this day scientists describe what is happening in
these processes but they can’t tell you why. Why do cells work?
Why do electrons continue to sail around protons and neutrons?
If the brightest minds don’t know why, I sure don’t. And yet I do
know that Christ upholds all things every moment by His Word
(Hebrews 1:3). You have to admit that you are physically
dependent. We are all dependent on God immensely every
second we live.
One more interesting illustration: breathing. Although
breathing is vital, your body is made to continue to breathe when
you are asleep or not aware of your breathing. This is especially
interesting because you can try to control your breath. You can
breathe more and you can breathe less (please don’t hurt yourself
trying). I just read through a Harvard Health publication
teaching how to breathe well. It was practical. So your mind and
body need oxygen to function. And God has made us both
dependent and independent when it comes to breathing. Your
NOVA Online: Amazing Heart Facts, (accessed 12/11/17):

1
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/heart/heartfacts.html.
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body takes over and keeps you alive when you are not even
thinking about it.
Let’s think about this spiritually; you are even more
dependent on Your Creator in this arena. You are dependent on
God for the beginning of the Christian life. I am assuming you
are reading this as a Christian. As a Christian, you have placed
your trust for your eternal life and your standing with God on
Jesus. That is dependence. You are depending on Jesus – His
perfect life and sacrificial death – for your spiritual life. When
you initially transferred your trust onto Jesus you were born
again. 2 You received spiritual life. That spiritual life is dependent
on what Jesus has done.
But that dependence continues after you received spiritual
life. Just as you are dependent on God for the beginning of your
physical life and every moment you live physically, you are also
dependent upon Him every moment of your spiritual life.
Now that you are born again—born spiritually through
faith in Jesus Christ—you should begin growing in that spiritual
2 “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not
receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were
born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but
of God” (John 1:11-13; emphasis mine).
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life. But the fascinating part is that in your spiritual growth, God
builds in a dependent independence. Without Him we can do
nothing. He grows us every step of the way. And yet he tells us
to grow.
One interesting passage clearly teaches this truth:
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for
His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
The idea of working out your salvation is not to work for
it. We know that Jesus worked to obtain our salvation. Instead,
the idea is to work it to its conclusion. Now that you are saved,
you must continue to work God’s work in your life until it is
through or complete. You are to continue to work out the
salvation you have been given. How? God is working in you to
work. So we are commanded to work because God will work in
us, giving us the desire and the ability to work. That may sound
confusing. But the Lord is telling us to live the Christian life – use
the means God has given to live “for His good pleasure.” And as
you work toward that end, you will find that He is working in
you to do that very work.
Are you growing? Are you taking a dependently
independent step toward growing in Christlikeness? I want to
encourage you to grow today. God will grow you, but you need
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to take the steps. The fact that you are reading this booklet is a
good indication that He wants to grow you spiritually – or
perhaps I should say He wants to continue to grow you
spiritually.
It is a little like breathing. God has placed it in your body
to breathe – He is doing it, and yet you are responsible too. You
can learn to breathe well. You can take over with deep breaths.
You can hold your breath and hurt yourself. Spiritual growth is
a dependent independence.
Did you know that God has shown us the methods to use
in spiritual growth? He has,
and you are responsible to

God has revealed
use them. In this booklet, I
the methods to
use for spiritual
want to lay out a primary
growth.
means that God gives to grow
you spiritually: a daily
devotional time with Him. You must grow – God will grow you
spiritually – but to do so you have to be taking the steps He has
mapped out for you. You can’t pull yourself off the spiritual
ground by your spiritual bootstraps. But if you work the way
God desires you to work you will find yourself growing by His
power.
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Spiritual Breathing
To help map out where we are headed, I’d like to use the
illustration of breathing. Just as you need to breathe in and out to
survive physically, so you need to breathe in and out spiritually
to survive. As you continue to breathe spiritually, God will
continue to grow you.
Breathe in, breathe out. These two spiritual actions are
outlined in the well-known children’s song you have heard for
so many years. “Read your Bible, pray every day and you’ll
grow, grow, grow.” We’ll use inhaling as a picture of taking in
your Bible. Exhaling refers to praying. Breathe in, breathe out
every day and you’ll grow!
So what I want to do in the following pages is share
practical guidance on how to develop a consistent breathing in
and breathing out habit in your life. Motivation gets us going, but
habits keep us going. What I’m after is your developing the habit
of consistent private communion with God: God’s speaking with
you (inhale/Bible reading), and your speaking with God
(exhale/prayer). I hope you are after this same thing in your life.
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INHALE
God speaks to
you in the Bible
Your Daily
Time with God
EXHALE
You speak to
God in prayer
While developing this in my own life, I’ve often missed
having a set of clear, practical instruction. I wish someone had
sat me down and shown me how to develop a personal time with
God. Oh, I was given Bibles. I was encouraged to read. But then
I was left alone. You may have the same experience as I did. Even
today, you can find many different Bible study strategies or
reading guides. You will be encouraged to pray this way or that
way. You may be given an outline to memorize and passages to
recite. But rarely will you find a practical discussion of this
special daily devotional time with God.
This study will be an overview of what is often called daily
devotions. We won’t be exhaustive on any one topic but provide
a basic survey. I’m more interested in painting the big picture for
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you. It is my prayer that after you finish these lessons you will
not feel alone. Although you will not know everything, you will
know how to begin this essential part of your spiritual life.
Where We’re Headed

Let me outline where we are headed. We begin the booklet
surveying how to breathe in spiritually, including two basic
categories: reading and studying. We will use the illustrations of
plowing and mining Scripture for proper Spiritual nutrition.
Plowing is normal Bible reading, while mining digs a little
deeper and involves several different Bible study methods.
Scripture memory also falls under this heading.
The second major section of the book is breathing out, or
praying. In this section we will consider the three main aspects
of private prayer – confession, exaltation, and petition.
In the final lesson we will survey some practical tips for
developing the habit of communion with God each day.
The following page will give you a bird’s eye view of
where we are headed throughout the whole booklet. Don’t be
intimidated. As we walk through the different aspects of Bible
study and prayer, you will see many different ways to develop
similar activities. These activities provide variety in the way you
listen to God’s life changing message, and how you speak to
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Him. Such variety can keep you fresh, and prevent you from
seeing daily time with God as a boring lifeless task.
As you develop this aspect of your spiritual life, you will
find that your life’s most glorious experiences come during this
time of intimate communion with God. Perhaps very soon you
will pray with David: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so
my soul pants for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1).
TIME WITH GOD
INHALE EXHALE
Listening to God Speaking to God
Con-fession
Mining Exaltation
Plowing Petition
Inductive Studies
Topical Study
Verse Memory
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QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. In what ways can you forget that you are physically

dependent on God and others?
2. Describe what we mean by being spiritually dependent

on God.
3. What are the two major activities involved in “spiritual

breathing?”
4. Which of these two do you find yourself naturally

inclined to enjoy? Discuss how both are essential.
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TIME WITH GOD
Lesson 2
Inhale: Read
Taking in the Word of God

How long can you
hold your breath? (No
need to try at this point.)
Stig Sverinsen, author of
Breatheology: The Art of
Conscious Breathing 3 holds
the Guinness World
Record for longest time holding his breath under water. After
hyperventilating for over 19 minutes, Stig then held his breath
under water for 22 minutes! What a feat!
I wonder who holds the record for spiritually holding their
breath the longest. Hopefully you do not. You remember that we
are comparing our daily time with God to spiritual breathing
(inhaling His Word, then exhaling in prayer). How long has it
been since you took in a long breath of spiritual oxygen? Perhaps
you in danger of blacking out because of an oxygen deficiency.
3 Idelson Gnocchi Publishers, Ltd., 2010.

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The lack of inhaling spiritually affects the way we think
spiritually. So let’s get back to the Bible.
We will use three lessons to cover this topic. Today’s lesson
will focus on Bible reading and lessons 3 and 4 will develop Bible
study. We are going to use two separate illustrations to help us
understand these two aspects of taking in God’s Word: plowing
and mining.
What do plowing and mining have in common? Both
activities involve effort and digging into the ground. They both
expect to receive something valuable in return from the ground.
Of course mining and plowing have many differences as well.
One major difference is that plowing unearths the top layer of
soil, moving quickly across the field. You cover more ground this
way. However, in mining you dig much deeper into the ground
to find treasures that are not apparent on the surface.
As we consider taking in God’s Word, we are going to
develop both of these methods. Although you will probably find
one or another more natural to you personally, I believe both are
very important. Let me encourage you to work both activities
into your regular breathing pattern.
In this lesson we will survey plowing. Plowing is reading
portions of Scripture. Plowing in Scripture allows you to
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understand the major themes of the Bible. You also develop a
well-rounded view of the character of God. If all you do is study
one portion of Scripture then you are missing the whole counsel
of God’s Word. You need to continue to plow over the whole plot
of ground!
Plowing – Bible Reading

So, let’s take some time to sharpen our plow blade. If you
are agriculturally challenged, plowing describes the process of
digging across a plot of ground in order to sow seed and
eventually harvest a crop. Plowing is hard work, but it needs to
be done in order to produce a precious crop. The same is true
spiritually. Reading the Bible is essential in order to bear precious
fruit. Below we will develop a method for Bible reading time, and
then outline several different Bible reading plans that others have
developed.
Scripture Plowing Method
I still have my first study Bible. It was given to me when I
was ten or eleven. What a joy it is to flip back through that
Scofield Reference Bible, black leather edition. My mom’s
handwriting is in the front flyleaf, and the back flyleaf shows
little marks for each time I read through the whole thing. Pardon
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my sentimentality driving down memory lane. I’m so thankful
for parents who encouraged and rewarded daily plowing!
It was not until many years later that I picked up on
different practices to help me plow effectively. These practices
can be divided into four basic stages. Even if you set aside ten
minutes each day for plowing, try to include each of these stages:
1. Pray
2. Read
3. Record
4. Apply
Pray
Most of our prayer time comes after the inhaling, and we
will develop this much more fully in the second major section of
our spiritual breathing. Don’t wait, though, until the end to pray.
You should pray before your time with the Lord. Known for his
prayer life, George Mueller said that the best way to study the
Bible was on your knees. That may hurt after a bit—so it may not
be a good idea to take him literally—but the idea is clear. As you
read your Bible, be in constant prayer.
Why pray? God has inspired the words in front of you, and
He chooses to speak through those words in a unique way. Paul
taught the Corinthian church that spiritual truths, truths taught
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in Scripture, cannot be understood by “a natural man.” They are
only “appraised” as God’s Spirit illuminates our spiritual eyes to
understand them. 4
So we must pause before spending time at the plow and
ask God to guide us. Before you jump in, ask Him to talk to you.
This may be a very short prayer. “Lord, I know that You speak
through these Words. Please give me spiritual understanding to
listen to You. I believe that You speak, and I ask for grace to obey
what You say. Thank You in Jesus’ name, Amen.” The Lord
answers that kind of prayer.
Read
This goes without stating. But it is important to gain a little
direction. You won’t want to pick a new spot, plopping the pages
open and reading for three minutes, every few days. That is not
enough oxygen! Instead, try to read chapter by chapter through
a book of the Bible. Be reading consistently day after day. You
may find it helpful to read out loud (especially if your brain is
“prone to wander” like mine). Later in the lesson we will spell
4 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of
God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them,
because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
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out a few reading plans to take up. But for now just be sure you
have a plan.
As you read, don’t get too bogged down in details and side
trails. Quickly turn aside from the path if you need too, but it is
best to plow in a straight line. Use the side trails for your study
time (the mining process we’ll discuss later). If you are given to
study, perhaps it would be best to write down questions and
study ideas you would like to consider later. For now, enjoy
letting the words of Scripture wash over your mind and soul like
purifying water (Ephesians 5:26-27).
We take for granted the
ability to read the Bible in our Allow the

own language so easily. Scripture to
Charles Spurgeon tells the wash like clean
story of visiting a poor, water over your
illiterate, but devout church mind and soul.
member. He saw the man
turning the pages of a well-worn Bible. Spurgeon asked the man
if he could read. He replied that he could not read the words but
at least he could count the pages. Such devotion puts us to shame.
You have the resources to own a copy of God’s Word. You live
in a time of history where you are able to read, and the Lord has
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blessed you with sight. So plow away! Read God’s Words and be
transformed.
Record
Once you have prayed and read you are not through
plowing. You must keep what you have found. What would you
think of a farmer who spent all of his time plowing, sowing,
weeding, watering, and finally had a harvest, but then let the
fruit lay on the ground to rot? Senseless! So, when you take the
time to harvest out precious truths from Scripture, do not let
them lay aside. Capture them; record them! Write about what
you read.
You will want to record some discoveries directly in your
Bible. I enjoy using a Bible with margins wide enough to record
my notes and thoughts right in the Scripture. That way I am sure
to have it for the next time I come across that passage. You can
find some suggested Bibles below. 5
5 (1) Kay Arthur’s New Inductive Study Bible has great space for
margins. We will look at this tool in a little more depth later.
(2) The Cambridge Wide Margin Bible series is one of my
favorites.
(3) The English Standard Version has a journaling Bible with
sidelines to help keep your writing neat.
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You will also want to internalize what you have learned
and apply it to your current situation. The margin of your Bible
may not be the best place for this kind of recording. Purchase a
notebook that you can use specifically for your Bible reading
time. You will use it like a journal. 6 At the beginning of your
plowing time put the date and portion you are reading. Putting
the date on the page is also a good way to remind you how often
you are breathing. If you look at the page and realize it has been
several days since you last breathed, your journal can remind
you to be more consistent. However, as you look back at a full
notebook with daily entries, you will be able to thank God for
helping you form a long-term habit. Make that your goal—a
whole notebook with each page full and no dates missing.
For each entry, ask yourself three questions:
1. What does the passage say?
2. What does the passage say about God?
(4) The New American Standard Bible also has a wide margin
version that includes a large amount of space to record your devotional
thoughts.
(5) You can also look at Charles Stanley’s Note Taker’s Bible.
6 Tech-savvy people don’t need paper, but favor a Word
document, OneNote, Pages, etc. The essential items are the same. Even
if you are reading an electronic Bible, you should be recording what you
read.
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3. What does the passage say about how I should live
today?
These questions help us make the connection between the
original setting of the Bible story and today’s setting. We start by
trying to understand what the passage says, then focus on what
it means (how it reveals the unchanging God), then work to
connect the passage with our lives today. For question three,
you’ll want to focus on how you should reflect God (“What parts
of God’s character should I try to imitate?”) or how you should
respond to God (“What part of God’s character should I
worship?”).
As you answer these questions, you should not take a huge
amount of time on each. Let’s say you are taking fifteen minutes
in this portion of your personal time with God. You could pray,
then give ten minutes to reading and five minutes to recording.
That would be a healthy balance.
Writing about your reading not only keeps your lessons for
future reference, but also cements the thoughts for that day. As
you answer each question in the notebook, the truths are
imprinted even more in your heart and mind.
Let’s look at a brief example. Consider Matthew 9:1-9.
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Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came
to His own city. 2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying
on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take
courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow
blasphemes.”
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you
thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, 'Your
sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, and walk?’ 6 But so that
you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth
to forgive sins”--then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick
up your bed and go home.”
7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds
saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had
given such authority to men. 9 As Jesus went on from there,
He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's
booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and
followed Him.
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January 1st, 2018 Matthew 9
Jesus heals a paralytic man by forgiving him

of His sins. Jesus then confronts the scribes for
what they thought against Jesus’ authority.
God receives glory when people see miracles.
Jesus forgives sin!
Jesus is interested in helping those that others

may overlook.
Jesus knows my thoughts
3. What does this passage say about how I

should live today?
I should come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins.
At times, sin can cause illness (NOTE for

further study another day).
When I see God work in my life I should glorify

Him.
Notice the progression. We explained the passage in
Question 1, then drew timeless principles about God in Question
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2 before making application to ourselves in Question 3. You’ll
also see that we are trying to respond to God in Question 3. Yes,
we should try to look like Christ, but I don’t think that includes
trying to read people’s minds like He does. So instead of reflecting
Him in this story, we should respond to Him.
You could spend much more time in the recording process.
But we are not as interested in writing a novel as we are gleaning
the truths in a memorable way; you are keeping what you found.
If you find yourself recording too much, you are getting into the
mining process which we will develop in the next lesson. That is
fine, but be sure not to distract yourself from actually reading a
larger portion of Scripture than you would if you were studying
a text.
Live
You have prayed for guidance, read a portion of Scripture,
and recorded your gleanings. Good! Great start! But remember
that God has spoken to you. If you heard God audibly ask you to
do something, would you not aggressively obey? Well, this is the
same. In fact this is even more reliable. You know that this is
God’s Word. A voice from heaven may be your neighbor in the
apartment upstairs talking on the phone. But you have heard
from the Lord. Now, obey.
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James gives us a helpful illustration of this truth.
“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely
hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of
the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his
natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself
and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of
person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect
law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become
a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be
blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).
When we read the Word we must do what it says. Don’t
just hear, but change. Live out the answers to Question 3. As you
continue to read, you will find yourself being changed to look
and act more like Jesus, even without conscious effort. But that is
not an excuse for a lack of determination and effort. God
commands us to be doers of His Word. So listen and obey!
Remember that this growth is a dependent independence, so you
are promised God’s help as you try to obey.
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Scripture Plowing Plans
There are so many Bible reading
plans out there that it is hard to
pick just a few to highlight for
you. I’ve picked one of each size
to fit different time slots: Small,
Medium, Large, and Supersize
(Big Gulp® is trademarked or I’d use that).
Small – One Chapter a Day
Although small doesn’t sound all that great (and that’s on
purpose), it is a great place to start. Don’t despise the day of small
things (Zech. 4:10). If a chapter is all you can consistently read
each day then by all means read one chapter a day. One chapter
of plowing every day is much better than a seven chapters one
day a week. Again, we want to form a habit that will stick with
you the rest of your life.
If you are just beginning this habit I recommend you begin
reading through the first part of Genesis or the Gospels
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Once you have finished these,
you will want to read the rest of the New Testament and then
perhaps you will be ready to expand to one chapter from the
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New Testament and one chapter from the Old Testament each
day. That would be a good way to ease into this habit.
Medium – Three Chapters a Day
This is still a large portion of time to give to reading. It will
most likely take you fifteen minutes to read three chapters, so
don’t get discouraged if you are not able to read this much each
day. The goal is not to get to supersize. The goal is to gain a
consistent Bible reading time each day.
The reason the Medium size plan is a helpful goal is that
you will be able to read through the Bible every year if you take
this step. Perhaps it would be wise one year to commit to this and
then save Saturday for the mining portion of your time with the
Lord (see next lesson). Below you will find several tools that can
help you map out three chapters a day.
Our Daily Bread gives a Bible reading plan and a brief
devotional each day of the week. You can access their booklet
free directly from them, from their website (odb.org), phone app,
or from our church.
The YouVersion Bible app and website are extremely
helpful in providing multiple Bible reading programs. You can
map out three chapters a day using this app.
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Cover to cover. I find it helpful to read three chapters a day
starting in Genesis and go straight through to Revelation.
Sometimes simple is best. Read three chapters each day and use
a bookmark to keep your place.
One Year Bibles. Many versions offer this copy of Scripture.
These Bibles mark off a specific amount to read each day with the
day’s date. They often follow chronological order. You may
know that the Bible’s books are not ordered in exact
chronological order. Reading the Bible chronologically through
The One Year Bible can be a good way to learn the timeline of
Scripture. 7
More Variety. One other option I find helpful is to read one
chapter from the Old Testament, one chapter from the New
Testament, and one chapter from Psalms or Proverbs. You won’t
quite get through the Bible in a year, but the Psalms and Proverbs
are so precious that this is a very practical possibility. I would
recommend this option if you are just moving from one chapter
a day to three chapters a day.
7 Our booklet “What Does the Bible Say?” expands on this idea.
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Large – Five Chapters a Day
(M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading Schedule)
This pattern follows the schedule developed by Robert
Murray M’Cheyne. He was a godly pastor in Scotland in the
1800’s who greatly influenced his generation for Christ and His
kingdom, although he died as a young man. In this plan you
make it through the New Testament and Psalms twice a year and
the rest of Scripture once. A copy of the M’Cheyne schedule can
be found in Appendix 2.
You may say, “That’s a bunch of time!” That is true. I’ll let
M’Cheyne reply for himself: “Do everything in earnest – if it is
worth doing, then do it with all your might. Above all, keep
much in the presence of God.” 8 You will not be able to read this
much Scripture every day unless it is a high priority in your life.
And if you begin and are not able to keep up, that is ok; take on
this reading plan and stretch it to two years. Consistency is key.
Supersize – Ten Chapters a Day
I include this option because it is a helpful one to try even
if just for a few months, a vacation period, or in place of more
conentrated study. One way to devour Scripture reading this
8 Andrew Bonar, Robert Murray M’Cheyne (Edinburgh: Banner of

Truth Trust, 1960 reprint), p. 37.
28
way is to read a large chunk of Scripture (say ten chapters) each
day. As you do this, you will experience the flow and message of
Scripture very clearly. If you continue this for four months, you
will read through the entire Bible, and you will have many of
God’s themes fresh in your memory. This commitment does
demand more time, but it offers more returns. What a joy to see
the whole picture of Scripture rise out of pages as one painting! 9
Another way to apply this large chunk of reading is to read
a chapter a day in ten different sections of Scripture. Professor
Grant Horner of Master’s College has recently made this system
more popular. I have included this in the back if you would like
to try (Appendix 3). Although a bit more complex to stay on top
of, it will help you recognize how Scripture fits together perfectly
in all its portions. Horner has designed the reading in a way that
keeps you reading through some books of the Bible several times
a year and other portions of Scripture less frequently.
Conclusion
That’s it! We have made it through the survey of plans.
Please don’t allow the large and extra-large options to discourage
9Let me encourage you to get a Bible that is easy to read in order

to streamline the process. The ESV offers several Reader’s Editions;
other modern versions I would recommend for reading are the NLT or
NIV (preferable the 1984 edition).
29
you from taking on the first step. Even if you read five minutes a
day, record your findings in the way we outlined above, and then
make a conscientious effort to live what you read. You will find
yourself growing immensely in the months to come. Certainly
you can give time each day to the One Who gave His life for you.
There is a life-long bounty of wonderful fruit to enjoy for
those who consistently read. This oxygen is life-sustaining. We
will turn to some further practical considerations about time,
place, and other tools in the last lesson. For now, just get to
plowing!
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QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. Why do we use “plowing” to describe Bible reading?
2. What are the four stages of Bible reading?
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________
3. Let’s practice! Read Matthew 4:1-11 and answer the three

recording questions.
• What does this passage say?
• What does this passage say about God?
• What does this passage say about how I should live

today?
4. Which plowing plan seems most interesting to you?
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TIME WITH GOD
Lesson 3
Inhale: Study, Pt. 1
Comparing Inhale Methods

Breathing is necessary, both physically and spiritually.
Spiritually, we must be in the habit of inhaling God’s Word.
We have spent one lesson on the inhaling process: Bible
reading (illustrated by the idea of plowing). Now we will take
two more lessons to discover how to dig deeper into the
Words of Scripture (mining). Let’s mine out some deep truths
together!
Bible reading and Bible
study are similar in many
ways. They each consider
the same book and
require hard work!
Generally, they each
follow the same steps:
1. Pray – ask for God’s help to understand and change.
2. Dig: Read/Record – We will combine these steps for
mining purposes.
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3. Live – Be sure to do what you have just heard!
So what is the difference? Mainly, the mining process
covers less ground but zooms in to more details. This shows
up in step two, especially recording. You’ll recall that
recording asks three basic questions:
3. What does the passage say about how I should live?
For mining, we answer the first question in much more
detail. Recording your answers is even more valuable. Can
you imagine a person mining for gold but leaving what he
finds? After long hours of scooping dirt, sifting through it,
inspecting closely, he lifts up a gold nugget and holds it up to
the light; perhaps he gives it a kiss. “This is beautiful!” Then
with a twinkle in his eye he buries it back underground and
leaves the mine, never to return.That would be insane! So
33
why do this with spiritual treasures? Do your best to record
your findings for future use. 10
Let me encourage you to give priority to this process on
a regular basis. It may mean a greater time commitment or
pausing your regular reading schedule. It could also shrink
the amount of time you give to prayer. But—as in many areas
of life—the more time you give, the more you receive.
In this lesson, we will give our attention to inductive
bible study. The next lesson will focus on the topic/subject
study approach and Scripture memory as a study method.
Scripture Mining through

Inductive Book Study
Inductive Bible study is a valuable tool, a science really.
You may not be as familiar with this idea, but don’t worry.
Over time, you will develop the ability to study Scripture. The
Lord commends this to us as His people:
10 Although we will discuss using a notebook (either paper or

digital) to record your finings, let me encourage you to use a wide-
margin Bible as well. Then, you can easily collect and use these
findings every time you read the Scriptures in the future.
34
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a
workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately
handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
“Now these [Paul’s audience in Berea] were more
noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they
received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts
17:10-11, emphasis added).
So let’s learn how better to study the Bible inductively.
Inductive simply means that we are gathering all the facts
before drawing conclusions. By mining we gather as much as
we can find out about the book or passage we are studying.
Then, we read enough times to see how details work together
and patterns begin to
emerge. Finally, we try to Inductive means

summarize the theme of the we gather
passage, the chapter, or
information
before drawing
even the entire book.
conclusions.
Martin Luther
described his detailed study this way:
“I study my Bible like I gather apples. First, I shake the
whole tree that the ripest may fall. Then I shake each
limb, and when I have shaken each limb, I shake each
35
branch and every twig. Then I look under every leaf. I
search the Bible as a whole like shaking the whole tree.
Then I shake every limb--study book after book. Then I
shake every branch, giving attention to the chapters.
Then I shake every twig, or a careful study of the
paragraphs and sentences and words and their
meanings.”11
Ideally you will study one book of the Bible at a time,
giving a month or several months to each book (depending
on the length of the book). You will probably want to begin
with a shorter book. Start with several days of preparation to
begin the study, and then give one or two days to each chapter
in the book. We will divide the mining into those two steps:
(1) Mining Preparation and (2) Mining Process. Let’s get
recording!
Mining Preparation
You’ll prepare for the study by reading over the book
several times. Start by trying to gain the big picture before you
zoom into the details. To use a mining illustration, you’ll be
11 Quoted in The Westminster Collections of Christian Quotations,

compiled by Martin H. Manser (Westminster: John Knox Press,
2001), p. 363.
36
surveying the land and recognizing the different terrains
before you begin digging at one specific spot.
Book Survey
Read at least five times through the book that you are
going to study. I suggest that you read it once a day for a
week. Each day you read the book, however, you will
discover new treasures. You will still answer the basic
recording questions each day, particularly Question 1: What
does the passage say?
Right now, on Question 1, focus on recognizing the
major themes of the book. If the word “theme” scares you,
substitute “big idea”–what are the big ideas that come up
repeatedly? For this chapter, we’ll pretend that we are
working our way through Philippians. Each day you may
write something like this:
37
January 6,2018 Philippians 1 Study
Themes/Big ideas: joy, the gospel, living for

Jesus
Main idea: It seems like Paul is encouragin the

Philippian believers to live for Christ in hard
times with a joyful heart.
Once you have done this five times (ideally over five
different days), use a new sheet of paper to record the major
themes you have found. This will be your Master Sheet, a
summary page that stores your major conclusions. Also, try
to write what you would say the book is generally about. You
will definitely fine tune or even change this throughout the
process. For now, though, you have a working idea of the
themes. Net let’s answer two more big questions.
Book Background
Read back through the book at least twice more with
other questions in mind. This time, you are not looking for the
big ideas, but for clues to the background to the book.
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As you know, each book of the Bible is unique. God
used specific individuals writing in unique styles to different
groups at different times. So we need to recognize the book’s
unique background at the beginning.
1. Who is the author?
2. To whom is he writing?
3. Why was this book written?
4. When and where was this book written?
Some helpful clues to look for – does the text tell you
the author’s name or the intended audience? Do you see any
clues about the attitudes or actions of the author or audience
(people receiving the book)? Does the text give you any
references to time or place of writing? Can you get a sense of
the emotions the author or audience has as they read or write
(for example, joy or sorrow, discouragement and confidence)?
All these are helpful considerations as you read.
You would record these things daily in your notebook
like this:
39
January 8, 2018 Philippians 1 Study

Author: Paul
- Joy!
- In prison
Audience: Church at Philippi
- with elders and deacons
- hounded by false teachers
Record the answers to these questions on your Master
Sheet. You may find in your research that there are more key
words you would like to add now.
Now you can cheat. :-) Compare your answers with
other believers who have studied the book more thoroughly.
Almost any major study Bible will discuss these background
questions. You will usually find the information at the
beginning of each book of the Bible in the introduction section
to that book. 12
12 Besides Study Bibles, NetBible.com is a valuable (and free!)
Internet resource for this type of study. If you are looking for all in
one commentaries, John MacArthur and Warren Wiersbe have
printed abbreviated commentaries of the whole New Testament
which would give you the information you would need. See the
closing lesson for helpful resources.
40
Mining Process
Now that you have done the preparation, you are ready
to dig even deeper into the text. The method stays the same.
Each day you go through the same basic steps 1. Pray, 2. Dig
(Read, Record) and 3. Live. In the dig section we continue to
answer three questions about the passage.
However, we will change our focus from the entire
book to one chapter at a time. The number of days you spend
on each chapter will depend on the amount of time you can
give (30 minutes a day will cover more territory than only 10
minutes a day).
Each day begin reading the chapter two times. After
reading, your goal is to summarize the chapter in one
sentence. What does this chapter say? Here is a general idea
of how to do that.
1. Go section by section. Divide the chapter into
sections (paragraph divisions can give you some
big hints), and summarize each paragraph in your
own words. You may find it convenient to cover
one paragraph a day.
2. Recognize the main ideas. You have already been
doing this for the whole book, but you will also
41
notice that the main idea often changes from
chapter to chapter.
3. Summarize the whole chapter. Be as simple as
possible. You will want to include the main idea of
each paragraph in your summary sentence of the
whole chapter. This will take time, and you will get
better at this as you practice.
I’d suggest recording these findings in your notebook
under the question “What does the Passage say?” Here is an
example of how you would survey Philippians chapter 1.
January 12thst 2018 Philippians 1 Study
1. What does the pasage say?

Chapter 1: Section 1 covers verses 3-11
A prayer of thanksgiving for the effect of the

gospel in the lives of the Philippian believers.
42

Chapter 1: Section 2 covers verses 12-20.
Paul rejoices that the gospel is being preached

and even if it means persecution, he wants
the gospel to go forward no matter if it
results in his living or dying.
As you look at the summary of sections one and two
you see that they both have to do with the gospel, and how it
relates to believers and their lives. Our summary will have to
include those themes. Let’s look at the third section.

Section 3 covers verses 21-30.
Paul rejoices that he can continue to minister

the gospel to the Philippian believers and
asks them to conduct their lives with joy in
a godly manner in keeping with the gospel,
even in the face of persecution.
For the sake of space we divided the first chapter of
Philippians in three sections. You might divide into six
43
sections to be more thorough. Now that we have the three
main ideas, we put them all together. The next day in your
study you might do something like this. I’ll answer all three
questions in this example.
January 15th 2018 Philippians 1 Study
1. What does the passage say? (all of ch. 1)
No matter what we face-life, death, persecution,

or peace-we should rejoice in the way that the
truths of the gospel transform us to live a life
pleasing to Christ.
Christ is worth living and dying for (v. 21)
God changes us (v. 6)
Jesus has affection for us (v. 8)
God allows suffering for His name (v. 29).
3. What does the passage say about how I should live

today?
Rejoice in Jesus no matter what happens to me

today. Think about my blessings in Him
Live in a way that reflects well on the gospel –

worthy of the gospel.
Anticipate the Lord’s changing me through

His power living through me…
44
Philippians chapter one is done! In the days to follow
you will do the same process with each of the chapters in the
book.
Be sure to read the chapter you are studying two times
each day. Reading is what changes you. Once you have
worked your way through a chapter, you can include that
chapter’s sentence summary on your Master Sheet (added to
the main themes and book background info).
SIDE LIGHT: “Normal” Reading
A journal is different from a fairy tale is
different from a hymn. In order to benefit from
each type of writing, then, we read it normally, or based
on the kind of writing that it is.
In the same way, we approach different parts of the
Bible differently, reading them as they would be normally
understood. Here are some broad suggestions:
1. Stories (Narratives): Try to understand how this story
fits the broader story of Scripture. Figure out the main
problem of the story and how it is resolved.
45
Also, are the human characters good or bad examples
(hint: look at how they interact with God). Lastly,
always spend time reflecting on God as the main
character.
2. Poetry: Expect to find imaginative language (the
Lord is our Shepherd, but we know He doesn’t carry
a staff; it’s a word picture). Also, see how the lines in
a verse connect to each other as parallel ideas. Finally,
prepare to be moved emotionally by transparent
writers!
3. Prophecy: You’ll need to recognize the historical
setting and the audience that the prophet is
addressing. How does your life parallel that setting?
Is it prediction of a future event or a message for his
present setting? Is this prophecy quoted or explained
in another part of Scripture?
4. Letters (Epistles): Why was this letter written?
What parts of this letter are explanation, and what
parts are instruction? See if you can follow the
thought progression of the book, since this often gives
greater impact to familiar verses.
46
You have one final step in the mining process. Just as
you connected the paragraphs together for each chapter
summary, so now you’ll use all of the chapter summaries to
explain the entire book. Tell the main idea of the book in one
sentence, and include in that sentence a summary broad
enough to cover each of the main ideas of the chapter
summaries. Consider the following diagram as an eample of
this process. Sections merge into chapter summaries which
then merge into one entire book summary.
47
48
QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. What are some differences between plowing and

mining God’s Word?
2. What are the three stages of Bible study (Three

Words)? (We combine the middle two into one)
3. What three questions do we ask when approaching a

text?
4. Read the following paragraph, pick out the key

themes, and summarize the paragraph in a sentence.
49
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God;
and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The
one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has
sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might
live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but
that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for
our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love
one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love
one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because
He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that
the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1
John 4:7-14).
Key Themes:
Paragraph Summary:
50
TIME WITH GOD
Lesson 4
Inhale: Study, Pt. 2
Before we begin this lesson, take a moment to review
where we are in the booklet. We want to grow in our spiritual
life. That takes commitment! It also takes spiritual breathing,
both inhaling and exhaling. Lessons 2-4 survey inhaling,
taking in the oxygen of God’s Word. Lesson 5 surveys
breathing out, or prayer. There are two major ways of
inhaling God’s Word: reading and studying. We illustrated
those with two different pictures. Reading is like plowing,
and studying is like mining.
We have begun now to survey three different ways to
develop our mining ability. The most common is the
approach that we learned last lesson–the inductive book
study. However, this is not the only effective Bible study
practice. In this lesson we will survey mining through topic
studies and Scripture memorization.
Scripture Mining Through Topic Studies

At times you need to gain an understanding of a topic
of Scripture that is not found exclusively in one book of the
51
Bible. A topic study will help you discover what the entire
Bible as a whole teaches about that topic.
This type of study can take several days of your
personal time with the Lord. Because of the nature of the
study, it will be more difficult to divide the steps into daily
increments in which you ask the three study questions each
day. But keep the questions in your mind. As you study
through each passage, keep asking: (1) What does this
passage say? (2) What does this teach me about You, Lord? (3)
How can I live out this text today?
Let’s walk through an example of how to study a topic
of Scripture. Perhaps you are reading in your daily plowing
time in Genesis and you read of the Angel of the Lord
appearing to Hagar in the wilderness when Hagar fled from
Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
“Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of
water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to
Shur. He said, ‘Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you
come from and where are you going?’ And she said, ‘I
am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai’”
(Genesis 16:7-8).
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Your quickly wonder, “Who is the angel of the
LORD?” 13 That is a great topic study. There are four steps to
studying a topic in Scripture.
1. Gather all the occurrences of the topic (try to be
exhaustive).
2. Summarize what each passage teaches about that topic.
3. Group these main ideas into categories or headings.
4. Synthesize what Scripture teaches about the topic.
Gather passages that mention the topic.

We start by gathering data across all of Scripture. In the
“good old days” (not too “old” because I did this when I was
younger), you would have to use a Strong’s Exhaustive
Concordance to get this information. Strong numbered every
Greek or Hebrew word in the Bible, then listed every
occurrence of that word in the Bible. If you find the Strong’s
number you can locate each occurrence of that word. This gets
a little complicated, but at this point you would go through
and compare all the times that the Strong’s number for
“angel” and the Strong’s number for “LORD” occurred
together in the same passage. This can be a very difficult
13 If you don’t have time for this detailed study, perhaps your
Bible will give you sample results through cross-references..
53
proposal given all of the occurrences of the name “LORD” in
the Bible (7,836 occurrences in the KJV!).
This study has become much easier because of modern
technology. What took hours of searching through an
exhaustive concordance can now be done by typing a few
words and clicking “search.” BibleWorks and Logos are both
powerful (and expensive) software research tools for this type
of study. To be honest, most of what you will need to study a
topic like this is easily accessible on the Internet. Two valuable
resources are biblegateway.com
and lumina.bible.org. 14 I typed
“angel of the Lord” in the topic
search of Biblegateway.com and
in the twinkling of an eye, I had a
list of 78 references where the phrase “angel of the LORD”
occurs. We are so blessed to have such easy access to study
tools like this.
14 More references are suggested in lesson 6. You may
also find these three free resources helpful: net.bible.org;
bible.com; and biblehub.com.
54
This list is not complete, though. We now have to figure
out which references actually mention the Angel of the Lord.
Different programs will be more helpful and give you an
exact list. A more exact list gives us 68 occurrences in about
30 different passages. That is our complete list.
Be careful not to take shortcuts at this stage. If we do
not take the time to look up each reference, we may not have
a complete understanding of the entire topic. Sadly, an
incomplete topic study can create a misunderstanding about
an aspect of Scripture or even leave us open to false thinking.
Summarize what each passage teaches

about that topic.
Now we want to learn what God is telling us about that
topic. We don’t have the space to look at each occurrence, but
let’s look at one example to demonstrate how to do this. The
third major passage of Scripture that mentions the angel of
the Lord comes from Exodus 3.
“Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his
father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock
to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God. The angel of the LORD appeared
to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he
looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet
55
the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, ‘I must turn
aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is
not burned up.’ When the LORD saw that he turned
aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the
bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’
Then He said, ‘Do not come near here; remove your
sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are
standing is holy ground.’ He said also, ‘I am the God of
your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob.’ Then Moses hid his face, for he was
afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:1-6).
As you read through this passage you record what this
passage teaches you about the angel of the Lord.
January 22nd, 2018 Exodus 3:1-6

Subject study: angel of the Lord
• The a/L appeared to Moses in the burning

bush.
• The a/L was called God by Moses.
• The appearance of the a/L causes fear.
Each passage will give you one or more key ideas about
the angel of the Lord. Record those principles on a separate
56
sheet of paper (or perhaps a computer) with the reference next
to the principle.
When you have finished going through all 68 passages,
you will have at least 100 principles on this topic. Some topics
will be much smaller; however, you will find that other topics
are impossible to exhaust (more on that later).
Group these principles into main categories

or headings.
Looking at all of these big ideas at one time will help
you see several that say the same thing. Some of these
passages teach about the character of the angel of the LORD.
Others teach about the activities of the angel of the LORD; still
others focus on how he is described. You can try to categorize
these by what they share in common.
Synthesize what Scripture teaches about the topic.
Similar to our summarizing in the inductive method,
now we need to look at all the categories and try to come up
with a one-paragraph definition of the topic. This paragraph
then becomes a pack of gold for future reference. You have
combined what the Bible teaches on that entire topic in just a
few sentences!
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In our example above, we find that at times the angel of
the LORD is the Son of God, Jesus. He speaks as God and
accepts worship like God does. At other times the angel of the
LORD seems to be a regular angel. Here, the angel speaks for
God and points the individual to God instead of accepting
worship.
At this point, let me recommend a few other helpful
tools. Websites can give you a list of every time a word or
phrase occurs in Scripture, but what if that list is pages and
pages long? Nave’s Topical Bible (available in print and free
online) offers a consolidated list of Scriptures for key topics,
as do many other study Bibles. Although those are not as
exhaustive they can give you the most important verses to use
of the topic. Another key resource is a systematic theology, a
book written to systematize what Scripture teaches on all
major topics and organize that teaching in an accessible way.
Scripture Mining Through Verse Memory

A third valuable, vital mining activity is Scripture
memory. I’m sure you have experienced the value of having
a memorized verse pop into your head at just the right time.
If a passage is committed to memory, you can take it with you
throughout the day for constant reflection (in an elevator or
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subway car, during a slow work day, etc), not just in your
private time with the Lord.
In times of temptation, memorized Scripture is like a
dagger that you can quickly pull out to put the temptation to
flight (Eph. 6:17) . We find Jesus doing this during His time of
temptation on earth. Each time he was tempted, Jesus
responded by quoting Scripture. And each time He was
victorious.
“Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11)
It is helpful to memorize single verses of Scripture for
these moments of temptation. Perhaps you would like to
memorize three verses on lust, or three verses on anger or
worry. A list of 50 good dagger type verses and the topics
which they address is listed in Appendix 1.
It is also helpful to try and work on memorizing a
longer passage of Scripture. I’d suggest trying to memorize a
verse a day, adding it to the chunk you have already stored.
What has helped me is to read a section of five verses, with
the new verse at the end. After repeating this passage for 25
times, the words will stick; you’ll be memorizing by accident!
Over time, you will find yourself able to recite entire chapters.
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This is especially helpful for important chapters like Psalm
139, Isaiah 53, or Romans 8.
One final thought regarding Scripture memory: use it
or lose it. If you do take time to memorize Scripture, make the
most of that time by reviewing and re-reviewing until it is
firmly in your mind. If you do not review what you have
memorized it will leave as quickly as when you crammed for
a test the night before. Make the best use of your time.
Concluding Thoughts
Now you know three ways to mine out Scripture in
deep study: inductive book study, topic study, and memory.
We could survey more ways as well, but this will be sufficient
to give you a few different varieties of Bible study. You may
try memory for a month and then switch to an inductive
study of a book of the Bible for another two months, and then
try a week on a topic. This helps you keep variety in your
Bible study.
Let me challenge you again to keep up with the
plowing (reading) even while you are mining. When you
want to spend more time studying, you can always trim back
to a lighter reading plan, but always keep up with a regular
reading program like ones we discussed in the second lesson.
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QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. What are the three mining activities that we have

surveyed in the last two lessons?
2. List the four major steps in a topic study.
3. If you cannot list all the references where a topic is found,
then you cannot know what the Bible teaches about that
topic (True/False).
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4. Sample topical study: see if you can identify seven
principles that this passage teaches us about the Holy
Spirit.
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these
are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of
slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a
spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba!
Father!" 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that
we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also,
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we
suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with
Him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that
is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the
creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of
God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not
willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope

21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its
slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the
children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation
groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until
now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having
the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan
within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as
sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have

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been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who
hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for
what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly
for it. 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our
weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we
should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with
groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches
the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because
He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God”
(Romans 8:14-27).
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TIME WITH GOD
Lesson 5
Exhale: Prayer
Your personal time with the Lord is
spent quite a bit in the Bible, but you
must think of God as more than just
a book. He speaks through the Bible
because He is ultimately a person. And like any other person,
God expects us to respond to Him in prayer. He longs to be
worshiped by His children in private prayer.
You will gravitate toward either inhaling or exhaling –
either Bible reading/study or prayer. Yet, both parts are
essential. God talks to me from my Bible, and I talk to Him
through prayer. Any healthy relationship has give and take in
communication.
In this lesson we will survey the necessity of prayer and
then summarize the three types of prayer that a Christian
should develop in his or her daily devotional time.
Necessity of Prayer
Prayer is often described as “the Christian's vital
breath,” with emphasis placed on the word “vital.” Prayer is

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a vital sign. If you do not have prayer then you are not alive.
If you are not praying then you are not breathing properly.
A quick survey of Scripture,

Prayer is the shows that God’s people are a
Christian’s
praying people. Enoch spent so
vital breath.
much time in God's presence,
talking with Him and walking with Him that God took him
directly to heaven. We read of Noah, Abraham, and Moses
walking and talking with God. Moses’ assistant, Joshua,
followed the same pattern and remained in God’s presence,
even after Moses would return to his public duties:
"Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face,
just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned
to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young
man, would not depart from the tent" (Exodus 33:11).
David's prayers, recorded in Scripture as beautiful
poems, overflowed from a vibrant private prayer life.
Jesus prayed as well. He developed regular patterns of
private prayer. In addition, He would devote entire nights in
prayer. If God's perfect Son needed to pray and commune
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with His Father, certainly you and I do as well. 15 The early
church constantly devoted themselves to four activities, and
the first one mentioned is prayer. The early church leaders
gave up many administrative tasks so that they could devote
more time to prayer. 16
We could give many more examples. But let me turn to
you: are you in a habit of praying? I’m not asking if you
mumble blessing for dinner or recite a short script before
sleeping. Do you really pray? Consider a few Scriptural
reasons why prayer is so essential.
1. Some victories can be won only through prayer.
"When He came into the house, His disciples began
questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’
And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything
but prayer’" (Mark 9:28-29).
2. The believer is commanded to pray at all times.
"Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
15Consider Luke 6:12: "It was at this time that He went off to
the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to
God." Mark 1:35 is another great example.
16 Acts 2:42; 6:4
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[Be] "devoted to prayer..." (Romans 12:12).
"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the
Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all
perseverance and petition for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).
"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an
attitude of thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2).
3. Prayer unloads your burdens onto the Lord.
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand
of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all
your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-
7).
4. Prayer accomplishes much.
"The effective prayer of a righteous man can
accomplish much" (James 5:16).
Activities of Prayer
Perhaps you know the essential nature of prayer and
have seen God work powerfully through prayer, but you
have never been taught how to develop sustained time in
prayer. Let’s do that now. As you talk to the Lord, try to
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communicate with Him in three ways: (1) Confession, (2)
Exaltation, and (3) Petition.
Confession
As we come before the Lord the first stop is confession.
We are taking off our shoes as we approach holy ground. John
tells us:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Before you come to the Lord in petition or praise, you
should spend time confessing sin. The word confession in this
verse is made up of two words in the original language –
“speak” and “same.” Confession is to speak the same thing
about an issue as another. We must agree with God about the
ugliness of our sin. We agree with the Lord that it deserves to
be punished. Then we must turn again to the cross and thank
Jesus for dying for that sin. It is with sorrow mixed with relief
that we confess and forsake our sins in prayer.
A prayer of confession would include something like:
“Lord, I know this ________ is sin, and it displeases
You. It is sin like this that sent your Son, Jesus, to the cross to
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bear your wrath. I am so sorry. But I trust the forgiveness
obtained through Jesus’ death on the cross to cover this sin
and thank you for His blood that continues to cleanse me from
my sin.”
It is important to preach the gospel to yourself each
day. Don’t meditate on your sin in order to grovel in guilt.
Confess it, forsake it, and turn to the comfort of the gospel of
Jesus.
Exaltation
Devote another portion of your prayer time to
exaltation. To exalt is to glorify or praise. All these verbs have
reference to making much of the greatness of something else.
That is what you will do in this time. Lose yourself in the
glory of God. Rejoice in the glory of His presence. Meditate
on His character and thank Him for Who He is. At first, this
sounds kind of mystical and New Agey, but it is actually the
natural response to the truth we understand about God in
Scripture. Let me take a few moments to encourage you to
exalt in God.
Although all of the communion with God we have
examined so far in this booklet is soul-satisfying and will fill
your heart with joy, prayers of exaltation can be especially
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rich. I say that based on both biblical warrant and also
personal experience. If you will develop a time of quiet
meditation on the glory of God you will not find anything else
in life that will satisfy. When you have tasted the fruit from
the glorious trees of heaven, no earthly taste can satisfy. They
leave you hungry and thirsty for something more. Only God
can satisfy that thirst. 17
Let me share some favorite quotes from Matthew
Henry that can encourage your exaltation of God:
“A holy, heavenly life spent in the service of God, and
in communion with him, is, without doubt, the most
pleasant and comfortable life any man can live in this
world…. Here is bait that has no hook under it, a
pleasure courting you which has no pain attending it, no
bitterness at the latter end of it; a pleasure which God
himself invites you to, and which will make you happy,
truly and eternally happy….
17 “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of

this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I
will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will
become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.’” (John
4:13-14).
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I have found that satisfaction in communion with
God, which I would not exchange for all the delights of
the sons of men, and the peculiar treasures of kings and
provinces.” 18
He is absolutely right! This is the greatest draw of
Christianity, not that God takes all of our problems away, but
that joy in Him is greater than pain in even the worst of
problems!
Glorying in God is at the

“I have found
heart of the Westminster
that satisfaction
Confession’s opening question.
in communion
Question: What is the chief with God,
end of man?
which I would
Answer: The chief end of
man is to glorify God and not exchange
to enjoy Him forever.
for all the
As you read Scripture and delights of the
the writings of church history, sons of men” –
you realize that God’s glory and
Matthew Henry
our joy are linked together
inextricably. As you glorify God you enjoy Him. God has
18 The Pleasantness of a Religious Life: Life as Good as It

Can Be (Christian Heritage, 2002), p. 43, 45, 98.
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made us to fulfil our purpose of glorifying Him by enjoying
Him. Or to repeat the familiar phrase, “God is most glorified
in us when we are most satisfied with Him.” 19
To help you develop this satisfying practice in your
own life I want to answer two questions: (1) What is the Glory
of God? (2) How can I exalt God in my private prayer time?
What is the Glory of God?
Do you remember when the Lord appeared to Moses in
Exodus? In the text we get a good glimpse of what the glory
of God is.
Moses asked to see God’s glory. God responded to
Moses’s request in the affirmative. “And it will come about,

while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the
rock and cover you with My hand…” (Exodus 3:22). So God
promised to show Moses His glory – although just a portion of His
glory. God’s glory would be seen. So what happens? Read on.
“Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to
Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he
took two stone tablets in his hand. The LORD descended
in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon
19 John Piper, used in multiple books and sermons
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the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in
front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD
God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps
lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity,
transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the
guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the
children and on the grandchildren to the third and
fourth generations.’ Moses made haste to bow low
toward the earth and worship” (Exodus 34:4-8).
Do you see what God’s glory is? God’s glory is His
Name. More specifically, God’s glory is His character –
compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, truthful, forgiving,
keeping covenant promises, punishing the guilty. These are
all manifestations of God’s glory. And Moses’s response was
to do what? Bow and worship.
God’s glory is Who He is, His unique excellence. God
is unique in how forgiving He is. God is unique in how
truthful He is. These are all extremely bright and colorful
beams of glory bursting forth from the pages of Scripture.
God’s glory is His excellence, His greatness in the sum total
of all His character qualities. One word we use to refer to
God’s unique excellences is His attributes.
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How can I exalt God in my private prayer time?
Now we need to apply what we have learned about the
glory of God to our private prayer time. To worship God, to
glorify Him, is to be awed with His glory. It is to look at His
glory, just as Moses did, and to bow in holy reverence.
Practically, what does that look like? We see God’s
glory in the Bible. God speaks to us just as He did to Moses.
He reveals His glory to us just as He did to Moses. We read in
Scripture that God is gracious. And we think about that. We
think about what that looks like and how that is demonstrated
in our life. Then we respond in thanks and praise. Look; Think;
Respond. As you begin to do this on a regular basis you will
find that you don’t have much time for other activities in your
private devotional time with God (you can tell I’m biased
toward this activity).
Let me give you a practical example. Many passages of
Scripture are bursting forth with God’s glory so that we are
almost overwhelmed with the light! Look at a Psalm like Palm
145.
• Step 1 - Look
“I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your
name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will
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praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and
highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One
generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall
declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your
majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate”
(Psalm 145:1-5).
In the first step you may look at any attribute in the
verses above. They are packed with God’s glory. His name is
blessed; He is great; His greatness is unsearchable; His actions
are great. We could go on and on. But let’s look at one
attribute in particular. The passage says that God is a King.
• Step 2 – Think
Let’s think about the ways that God’s Kingship is true.
God is King, so He is in charge. God is King, so I need to obey
Him. As King His authority goes over the head of my boss or
my political leaders. I am not in control. God is King, and He
is in control. You could go on and on in your thoughts about
God’s kingship.
• Step 3 - Exalt
Once we have looked and thought, we need to express
our praise and thanksgiving to God through Jesus. You may
be on your knees before an open Bible, or you may be on the
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subway having this verse memorized. But in your soul, you
are like Moses in front of the burning bush or just glimpsng
God’s glory on the holy mountain. You are praising your
Creator. This is a glorious gift given uniquely to humankind.
We can voice praise to God for Who He is. You may pray
something like this.
“Holy Father, I come to you through Jesus Christ and
Him alone. I praise You for You are King. I do not dread the
future for You are in control. I praise You for the kings of the
world are nothing compared to You. You alone are King of
kings. I praise You for your Kingship will never end. Earthly
kings have limitations through life. But I praise You for I serve
an everlasting King Whose rule will never end. I praise You
for you are King over everything. There is nothing that is out
of Your control. When I face a difficulty today I glory in the
fact that You are King over that difficulty. You rule. Lord, I
give you my sovereignty. I have no rule in my own life. I
simply wait for your direction and guidance. My will is
nothing. I worship and adore You as King. Thank you for
revealing Yourself to me in this way today. Help me Lord to
keep Your Kingship in front of me today. In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.”
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These three steps–look, think, and exalt–are the essence
of meditation. Meditation on the glory of God is a soul-
satisfying joy. You will find yourself relieved when you finish
this meditation. Stress and anxiety can’t coexist with comfort
in God’s control. Earthly considerations will lose their claim
on your spirit. You will be free.
This is what changes you from the inside out. I believe
this to be the heart of change. Paul explains that when
considering the Moses story as well.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into
the same image from glory to glory, just as from the
Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
As we meditate on God’s glory He changes us step by
step–“we are being changed”. As we meditate on God’s
forgiveness, He makes us forgiving. As we meditate on God’s
truthfulness, He makes us more truthful.
Petition
The final aspect of prayer is what normally comes to
mind when we consider prayer. Prayer is asking. It is
fascinating that the Lord chooses to work through our
prayers. It is puzzling. And, actually it is scary. There are
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some things that God waits for us to pray and ask for before
He provides it. He wants us to demonstrate our dependence
on Him before He works. He sometimes works only after we
ask. I understand this as a father with my children. I enjoy
providing all they need, but I especially enjoy when they
kindly ask for something that I’m waiting to provide for them.
When you come in petition, remember the gospel
again. You have no right before God’s throne apart from the
mercy that is brought to you through Jesus Christ. Jesus
makes God’s presence a throne of grace. You can expect grace
every time you come before God because Jesus has died for
your sins and lived a perfect life in your place. His perfection
is yours, your sin is His. So you come before God in His Son,
in Jesus. This gives us great boldness. Now we are ready to
bring petitions to our Heavenly Father. 20
Let me encourage you to keep a prayer list handy,
perhaps in your Bible. If you don’t list your requests, you will
probably not remember each one. And you won’t remember
how the Lord answers each one (remember, He can answer
with “yes,” “no,” and sometimes “wait”). Instead, try to mark
20 If you would like more information on praying through the

Lord’s Prayer, please pick up one of our booklets that walks through
this pattern.
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and track your requests and how God remains actively
involved in response to your prayer.
God wants to work through you in prayer. Pray for
your friends, family, and church. Pray for your government
leaders. Pray for the persecuted church around the world. It
will not take long before you have a long list of things to pray
for.
Also, pray specifically. The more specific your prayer
request, the more glory the Lord receives from saying yes to
that prayer.
Finally, be sure to thank God for answered prayer.
When the Lord does answer your prayer, be sure to thank
Him for what He has done. It is instructive that two of the
times we are told to pray in the New Testament we are told to
pray with thanksgiving. 21 As we bring our petitions before the
Father, let’s not forget to thank Him for the blessings He has
already given us. Petition; and in your petitioning, thank.
21Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by

prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God.”
Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it
with an attitude of thanksgiving;”
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QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. What are three activities involved in prayer?
2. What is God’s glory? How can we see it?
3. What three steps are involved in the exaltation process?
What is another name for this?
4. Group Discussion – Discuss how and why God
chooses to wait for our prayers to work on our behalf.
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TIME WITH GOD
Lesson 6
Practicalities
In our final lesson together, I want to pass along various
tips and thoughts that others have passed along to me in this
practical area of instruction.
1. Stay balanced.
Don’t be crazy.
There is a large amount of information in front of you
now. We have gone through several different ways to get into
the Bible and pray. You have to pace yourself.
Professional marathon runners start at 5K’s. They
slowly work themselves up to an increased level of
endurance. In the sam eway, don’t try to be so devoted to
devotions that you set impossible goals for yourself. If so, you
won’t enjoy your daily devotional time with God. That would
be a horrible result of this booklet! I speak from experience in
this area. At times I’ve tried to accomplish such a big portion
of memory or reading that it actually had a negative effect in
some ways.
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On the other hand, don’t finish this book, then ignore
its advice. I am trying to present a pattern of spiritual
breathing that every believer must practice. This is not just for
pastors and extra-spiritual people. If you are a believer, God
calls you to breathe. Don’t be crazy and throw it all away.
I want to encourage you to attack this with zeal. Often
the best things of life are attained through greater effort. The
Lord wants you to pursue Him in His Word. And yet He
wants the pursuit to be enjoyable. Don’t be crazy and bite off
more than you can chew or refuse to eat altogether.
Do be intentional.
If you are just beginning, start small and work your
way to more time and more involved time. Let’s overview
each of the things we have spoken about so you can get a look
at what would be a good plan for you.
If you are just getting started in this, let me encourage
you to pick one of the reading plans in the plowing section to
commit to daily. Also, develop the prayer time in all three
areas of prayer. The Scripture mining may need to be saved
for one or two days a week, perhaps on the weekend.
Most people will divide their time with God in half,
between inhaling and exhaling. Regardless of the amount of

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time, try to do this consistently. If you have thirty minutes,
plow or mine for the first fifteen minutes, then pray for the
last fifteen. Using the suggestions in this book, you will find
more than activities to occupy those moments. The reason I’ve
included several different study habits is so you can
experience different ways to study your Bible. Mix and match
these in different ways for variety’s sake; just make sure you
are inhaling and exhaling every day. That is the essential
thing. Breathe, Christian, breathe!
2. Choose a strategic time and place.

Setting or situation may not appear to be important, but
experience tells us otherwise. Our environment does affect
the way we perform. If you have a distracting work space or
a cluttered office, your productivity and ability to concentrate
will be affected. Set aside a strategic place and time for this
private communion with the Lord each day.
This principle applies not just to your job, but to your
time with God. I’m spoiled in that I have access to a private
office for my quiet time. Yet I still need a strategy to maximize
each day. You may not have ideal settings. Your family may
cram six people in a two-bedroom apartment; your
coworker’s loud lunch room chatter may keep you from
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concentrating in any meaningful way. For your specific
situation, try to meet the following practical, strategic goals.
A Private Place and Time
It is helpful to pray and read out loud. You will want to
find a scenario where you can express your emotions without
embarrassment or reservation. For this reason, sitting in the
subway on your morning commute may not be ideal since it
does not give you great privacy (unless you use headphones
and pretend to be on the phone). If that is your only time in
the day, it is better than nothing, but try to carve out a private
time where no one but God is around.
A Quiet Place and Time
This is similar to having a private place. Here, though,
I want to highlight the absence of noise, not just absence of
other people. Try to find a place and time where there will be
the least amount of distractions.
You will be surprised by the amount of things that
happen as soon as you begin to pray. The enemy knows the
power of private worship and will distract you. Your phone
has been silent all day; but when you begin to pray, you will
receive a text, notification, phone call, knock on the door, or a
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natural disaster in that moment. Take these interruptions as
faith-building. What you are about to do is most important. 22
So plan ahead – find a place and time when you will
experience the least distractions. Many people find the
quietness of the morning or just before bedtime as ideal
because of this principle. Just as important, try to eliminate
technological distractions. Try to put your phone on airplane
mode or, if using your phone for Bible reading, turn off
notifications from other apps. You must do your best to give
undistracted attention to God.
A Consistent Place and Time
Be consistent. We are creatures of habit. Repeating the
same time and place each day will go a long way in helping
you develop this habit. Some people have more obligations
than others, but we all have the same amount of time. You
need to carve out of your busy schedule a slice of time that is
22 D. Edmund Hiebert puts it well in his book Working with
God through Intercessory Prayer: “[Prayer] is the essential element for

Christian victory. Without it, all other means are powerless and
ineffectual. Without prayer, toil we ever so hard, our labors for God
are vain. The Devil cares but little how many activities we engage in
or how many organizations the churches develop, so long as he can
keep believers from intensive prayer. Without prayer all the
machinery is useless for lack of power” (Greenville, SC: BJU Press,
1991, p. 9).
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holy – put a wall around that time and allow yourself to spend
time doing what is best.
You remember Jesus’ instruction to Mary and Martha.
Mary set aside time from the busyness of serving and sat at
Jesus feet, listening to Him. Martha confronted Mary – “Lord
rebuke her for she is not doing she is sitting before you.” What
was Jesus' response? He praised Mary for choosing the best
thing. Activity is not always good, especially if that activity
distracts you from the glory of a personal devotional time
with the Lord.
“But Martha was distracted with all her preparations;
and she came up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care
that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?
Then tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered and
said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and
bothered about so many things; but only one thing is
necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which
shall not be taken away from her’" (Luke 10:40-42).
An Optimal Place and Time
You need to find the time that is best for you. I won’t
belabor this point, but some people believe it is extra spiritual
to get up at 4:00 am for devotions, as if that is the only time
the Lord listens to us. And that may be the best time for you.
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But that may also be placing temptation in front of you – the
temptation to fall asleep.
9:00 am may be the most productive time for your mind
and body that you can give the Lord. You need to find the
point in your schedule that is optimal for you in both your
ability to think and your ability to be alone.
If you choose an early rise—that is often the most
practical—then you must choose an early sleep. The key to
getting up early is going to bed early. It’s that simple.
3. Mark in your Bible.

It took many years and many times reading through the
Bible before I felt comfortable marking my observations in the
margins. You still may have a hard time doing this. But be
assured; God’s people have been doing this for ages. If it helps
you, consider that the earliest copies of Scripture were all
hand copied. God is holy, His Word is holy, but pages are not.
As you record your communication with Him, you are
recording your heartfelt thoughts and experiences you have
had with the Lord.
It is convenient to have that record for future study.
Another benefit is that the inductive book study (Lesson 3) is
much easier if you are recording these things right in the
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margin. You can highlight the themes of a book with different
colors allowing the themes to jump out in front of you.
Computer programs can do this as well, but it is nice to have
that page in front of you for the rest of your life. You will
forget your discoveries if they are not recorded. But if you
don’t record them where you will see them, then you will
forget them anyway.
If you do not have a Bible to use in this area, let me
recommend again the New Inductive Study Bible. This Bible
actually walks you through this process and outlines how to
study each book of the Bible inductively. I have found it an
extremely helpful study tool personally.
Let me encourage you to begin writing, even if you use
mechanical pencil that can be erased if needed. Eventually,
you will want to find a quality, fine tip writing pen. This may
sound simple, but I have to recommend this or you will run
into some problems. The Micron Pigma series of art pens are
great for this purpose, and they are not too expensive. They
come in different thickness and colors. I find .005 to be a good
thickness to help you write small and neat. You can also use
the different colors to mark different themes in your book
studies.
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4. Utilize resources.
We have examined several resources in this booklet. Let
me give you an overview of these resources and information
on ways to purchase or utilize them online. We are so
privileged in our day to have God’s Word in our hands. Now
we have it on our phones! Don’t miss out on the wealth that
is yours.
Study Bibles
Each of these study Bibles can be found at a local
Christian book store, Amazon, or CBD.com. Each of these
study Bibles will help you answer the questions that we
suggested in Lesson 4.
New Inductive Study Bible (Harvest House) – As I’ve
mentioned before, this is extremely valuable. This is a true
study Bible. The others are “studied Bibles” that share with
you what someone else has studied. This one walks you
through how to study the Bible yourself. You’ll also benefit
from Kay Arthur’s How to Study Your Bible as a partner guide.
ESV Study Bible (Crossway) – With over 250 pages of
extra material, this Bible gives numerous notes, charts, maps
and articles. It offers several interpretational options for
controversial passages, so I would disagree with some of the

89
notes; still, this is probably the most substantial study Bible
available.
Life Application Study Bible (Tyndale)) – This is a
practical resource with helpful notes.
Other helpful study Bibles are: MacArthur Study Bible
(Thomas Nelson), Ryrie Study Bible (Moody), Scofield Study
Bible (Oxford University Press), and NIV Study Bible
(Zondervan).
Websites and Apps
There are so many of these available. I will name just a
few, but you can find many others.
www.lumina.bible.org – Valuable for searching topics as
well as a commentary on each passage that is usually more in
depth than others that are available free. It is usually Biblically
accurate.
www.biblegateway.com (and app) – Both the website and
the free app allow you to read and search Scripture in several
different versions, as well as basci commentaries. It also gives
a great audio option for the ESV.
www.youversion.com (and app) – Valuable in providing
both text and audio Bibles. The app and website also work
90
together to help you keep track of your Bible reading plan.
This is extremely valuable for those of you who are trying to
read during a commute or lunch break along with other study
time at home.
Commentary Series
The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Thomas Nelson) –
This is a shortened edition of John MacArthur’s NT series.
Bible Exposition Commentary by Warren Weirsbe (David
C. Cook) – A condensed edition of Wiersbe’s practical
commentaries on the books of the Bible.
Other commentaries are available for free online. If you
would like recommendations for single commentaries on any
one particular book please contact me. You cn find valuable
insights or bankrupt heresies in human opinions, so choose
these carefully.
Reference Books and Software
BibleWorks Bible Software – This is a heavy-duty
program that helps you search and understand the Bible,
including the original languages. This is for serious students
who love to examine the details of the Scriptural text. As a
91
pastor, I use this daily and consider it an essential tool for
sermon preparation. Go to www.bibleworks.com to order.
Logos Bible Software (and app) – If you want to build a
robust digital library, this is the program to consider. You can
order just about any Christian book or series of books through
this software. It is also a valuable resource for searching and
studying texts (similar to Bible Works). Warning: this can be
costly, depending on the package. Go to www.logos.com to
order.
Naves Topical Bible (Hendrickson Publishers) – A helpful
summary of different topics in Scripture. You may have one
in the back of your study Bible, but this is more exhaustive.
You can also use this online for free.
Introducing Christian Theology by Millard Erickson
(Baker Press) – This systematic theology is the abbreviated
edition of a longer work. It includes detailed explanations for
essential Christian Doctrines.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) – R. A.
Torrey’s valuable resource gives hundreds of thousands of
cross-references for every theme in Scripture. After a phrase,
the Treasury will give you a list of several other verses that
are related to the verse you are studying. It is available in
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print and also free online as well as in most Bible software
packages.
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Appendix 1: Memorization Verses
1 Psalm 119:128 My Opinion of God's Word

2 Numbers 23:19 God Will Do As He Has Said
3 Matthew 4:4 God’s Word Above Daily Eating
4 Daniel 4:35 God's Providence: Sovereignty
5 Job 23:14 God's Providence: Personal
6 Romans 8:28-29 God's Providence: Transformational
7 Hebrews 13:5-6 God's Presence Suffices
8 Psalm 23:4 God's Presence Comforts
9 1 Corinthians God's Presence Obligates
10 Psalm 56:3 Faith
11 Hebrews 11:6 Faith
12 1 John 5:4 Faith
13 1 Samuel 15:22 Obedience: the Priority
14 1 John 5:3 Obedience: the Motive
15 Psalm 40:8 Obedience: Christ's Example
16 Proverbs 21:23 Guarded Speech
17 Proverbs 25:15 Soft Speech
18 Proverbs 31:26 Kind Speech
19 Philippians 4:8 The Christian Mind: Its Subjects
20 Isaiah 26:3 The Christian Mind: Its Effect on the
21 James 1:8 The Christian Mind: Its Singleness
22 1 Peter 5:5 Attitudes: Humility
23 Proverbs 22:4 Attitudes: Humility
24 1 Peter 4:8 Attitudes: Christian Love
25 Nehemiah 8:10 Attitudes: Joy
26 Philippians 4:4 Attitudes: Joy
27 Colossians 1:11 Attitudes: Patience
28 Ephesians 4:32 Attitudes: Kindnes/Forgiveness
29 Colossians 3:15 Attitudes: Peace
30 Psalm 27:14 Tempted To Be Discouraged
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31 Proverbs 19:11 Tempted To Be Angry
32 Proverbs 23:17 Tempted To Envy Sinners
33 Proverbs 20:4 Tempted To Be Lazy
34 1 Corinthians Tempted To Sin of Any Kind
35 1 John 1:9 Need for Forgiveness & Cleansing
36 James 1:5 Need for Wisdom
37 Matthew 6:31- Need for Material Things
38 2 Thessalonians Need for Protection From Evil
39 Psalm 84:2 Need for Soul-Satisfaction
40 Proverbs 27:6 Need for a Friend's Correction
41 Proverbs 4:14- Relationships: To Evil People
42 Jude 22-23 Relationships: To the Unsaved
43 Romans 16:17 Relationships: To False Teachers
44 2 Thess3:14-15 Relationships: To a Brother in Sin
45 Philippians 2:1- Relationships: Within a Church Family
46 Hebrews 13:17 Relationships: To Spiritual Leaders
47 Psalm 42:5 Praises
48 Psalm 51:15 Blessings
49 2 Timothy 4:18 The Future
50 Proverbs 11:3 Guidance
95
Appendix 2: M’Cheyne
Reading Schedule
96
97
98
Appendix 3: Horner’s Bible
Reading Lists
Cut out each of the following bookmarks and place
them in the sections as listed on the bookmark. These are the
ten different chapters you read each day from ten different
parts of Scripture. You can find a full explanation online.
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Appendix 4: Overview of
Devotional Time
Inhale
1. Read (plowing)
A. Pray
B. Read (small, medium, large, or supersize)
C. Record
1) What does the passage say?
2) …say about God?
3) …say about how I should live (reflecting or
responding to God)?
D. Live
2. Study (mining)
A. Inductive studies
1) Mining Preparation: Book survey and
background
2) Mining Process: Summarize sections, then
chapters, then the book
B. Topical studies
1) List all occurrences
2) Summarize each occurrence
3) Categorize and synthesize these into clear
descriptions
C. Verse memory
Exhale
1. Confession
2. Exaltation
3. Petition
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What are L.I.F.E. Groups?
In the blueprint for church ministry found in Ephesians 4,
God explains that He gives church
leaders who will equip each
individual in the church to do the
work of building others up. Look at
three primary principles from this
passage:
Loving—In the Ephesians 4 blueprint, all building is

accomplished through people who are speaking the truth in love.
Love is the great greenhouse of the church. Our motivation in these
groups should not be selfish. We must strive for another person's
spiritual maturity.
Individuals—In the blueprint found in Ephesians 4, the

spiritually maturing church is one where each joint in the body is
functioning properly. The church is like a clock filled with cogs,
gears, and other intricate moving parts. Each part in that clock must
be working properly for the goal to be reached. You are needed in
this clockwork—you are needed in God's blueprint for church
ministry!
Furthering Edification—In the blueprint in Ephesians 4, God

shares His goal for church ministry—that we are all building each
other up to be more like Christ. We are to think, act and live like
Jesus. So the end goal is that each person will be more like Jesus
through meeting together around God's Word.
101

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For republication please contact Tim Richmond: tim@nycgrace.

Lesson 2 Inhale: Bible Reading 12

Lesson 3 Inhale: Bible Study, Part 1 32

Lesson 4 Inhale: Bible Study, Part 2 51

Lesson 5 Exhale: Prayer 64

Anyone who believes otherwise is fooling himself. Even

energy are not as independent as they might think. The desire to

live independently of others can drive people to crazy extremes.

San Diego in a small boat

independent from all

outside interference. Their

destination was a small

islands between Australia

and Hawaii, and they took their newborn and three-year-old

reminded that dependence is inevitable.

Every day of life you are dependent on outside help. How

These are all ways we depend on others in our society.

Beyond the human interdependence we all experience, we

have an even greater, deeper dependence on God. Have you ever

essential to life. Why take a pulse? Because if your heart is not

No big deal? Well consider these facts.

“Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and

about 35 million times in a year. During an average

“…Your body has about [6 quarts] of blood. This… blood

distance across the US from coast to coast.” 1

page? Even to this day scientists describe what is happening in

Why do electrons continue to sail around protons and neutrons?

(Hebrews 1:3). You have to admit that you are physically

dependent. We are all dependent on God immensely every

One more interesting illustration: breathing. Although

breathing is vital, your body is made to continue to breathe when

you are asleep or not aware of your breathing. This is especially

trying). I just read through a Harvard Health publication

teaching how to breathe well. It was practical. So your mind and

body need oxygen to function. And God has made us both

dependent and independent when it comes to breathing. Your

NOVA Online: Amazing Heart Facts, (accessed 12/11/17):

thinking about it.

Let’s think about this spiritually; you are even more

dependent on Your Creator in this arena. You are dependent on

God for the beginning of the Christian life. I am assuming you

are reading this as a Christian. As a Christian, you have placed

Jesus. That is dependence. You are depending on Jesus – His

again. 2 You received spiritual life. That spiritual life is dependent

on what Jesus has done.

But that dependence continues after you received spiritual

dependent upon Him every moment of your spiritual life.

Now that you are born again—born spiritually through

faith in Jesus Christ—you should begin growing in that spiritual

builds in a dependent independence. Without Him we can do

nothing. He grows us every step of the way. And yet he tells us

One interesting passage clearly teaches this truth:

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

The idea of working out your salvation is not to work for

it. We know that Jesus worked to obtain our salvation. Instead,

you must continue to work God’s work in your life until it is

through or complete. You are to continue to work out the

salvation you have been given. How? God is working in you to

work. So we are commanded to work because God will work in

you to do that very work.

Are you growing? Are you taking a dependently

independent step toward growing in Christlikeness? I want to