Bible study tools for vacation & travel season

June 4, 2013 by Julie 3 Comments

When temperatures rise, class schedules end, and daylight hours linger, most of us take time off from routines and work. Vacations call us to places of rest or adventure. The open road invites us to sigh deeply and hit our inner reset button.

If we’re honest, it can take a lot of work to get to those places of rest, but it’s worth it. Just one day of digging our feet in the sand, smelling crisp mountain air, or hearing unfettered laughter from those we love is enough to motivate us to do what it takes to go on vacation. After searching for the best deal for our budget, reserving our lodging, buying tickets or checking tires, making arrangements for the cat, stopping the mail, buying sunscreen, and more, we still hope and pray we haven’t forgotten anything. We might leave out what matters most.

If weighing luggage is part of your preparations, you carefully decide what goes and what stays. If children are part of your plans, you pack every crevice of a mini-van with tricks for every potential over the miles, and then you drive all night. With so much to think about to make a vacation all we dream it can be, all we pray it will be … it’s not hard to see why we might forget something that’s part of our routine lives, but still needs to be part of our time away. How can we keep up holy habits when we’re on the road and away from home?

Vacations are not only times for adventure, rest, and relationship. Vacations are also opportunities for a fresh infusion of truth into our tired lives.

While we probably don’t have room to take our study Bibles, prayer notebooks, concordances, and prayer partners, there’s an alternative to just leaving truth out of our time away. This month we invite you to open up your beach bag or backpack and pack some tools designed to help you make the truth a fresh and functional part of your travel plans. We’ll share some ideas for individuals and even for family. After all, Jesus beckons us to get away from our burdens and find rest … in Him.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28

The Do Not Depart team looks forward to taking a deep breath, closing our eyes, and enjoying a rest from work and routines. It’s not only a great chance to catch up on sleep, read good books, eat seafood, try a paddle board, sleep on the beach (Can you tell we really want to go on vacation?), or play games late into the night. It’s also a sweet time to quench our thirst with the Living Water and enjoy Him apart from the usual things of our days.

Will you join us? It’s time to get away for a little vacation together!

Click to tweet this post and share about the June theme at Do Not Depart.

Preparing your heart for Easter bookmarks

March 19, 2013 by Julie 4 Comments

The inspired, God-breathed words of scripture pack so much power for us to tap into as we prepare our hearts for Easter. As we provide Bible Study tools this month centered around the Resurrection, new life themed verses provide rich truths for us to use in our prayer life.

Praying new life scripture

Today we want to share a collection of 6 printable bookmarks. Each one provides a visual focus, along with a new life truth and a prayer of response. Just print off the 2 page PDF and cut the 6 bookmarks to separate them. You might print and use these in a variety of ways:

10 ways to use printable Easter bookmarks

tuck into your Bible as you prepare to celebrate the resurrection
attach one to a loaf of bread or bag of hot cross buns
laminate and share with a Sunday School teacher
include in your child’s lunch box
leave on the dashboard of your husband’s car
pin on the bulletin board at your coffee shop
attach to a bill payment you’re sending in
put under your neighbor’s windshield wiper
lay on your child’s pillow
tape to the bathroom mirror

Get your printable Preparing your heart for Easter BOOKMARKS here in a Word format.
Get your printable Preparing your heart for Easter BOOKMARKS here in a PDF format.

May the great truths of new life flow easily from our lips, settle into our hearts, fill our thoughts, and soak into our prayers as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus!

Father in heaven, there is nothing I could have done on my own to make my old life pass away. It’s all because of you that the new has come. Thank you for that you have moved me out of death and into Christ, making me a completely new creation in your eyes. I don’t fully understand it, but I’m so grateful.

By the name of the Christ who brings the new, Amen

Photos provided by free resources from visualbiblealive.org, turnbacktogod.com & Julie Sanders.

A Verse a Day – Personalized Gift Version

December 13, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 7 Comments

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with Lisa, wherever Lisa goes.
Joshua 1:9

Is there someone on your Christmas list that could use some real encouragement? A special touch? A personalized gift from God?

With a little time and thought, you can make an investment in your friend or family member’s soul that might remain long after Christmas 2012 has been scrapbooked and/or forgotten.

All it will cost you is a 7-day pill organizer, some paper, and PRAYER.

Here’s what you do:

1. Get a container

Find a 7-day pill box (or any container of your choice).

2. Choose verses

Click on the Verses-Original here or the box below. Pray as you read through these verses (or choose your own) and mark which ones would be meaningful to your friend. Decide on at least one verse per day (a total of seven verses) or up to five verses per day (a total of 35 verses).

You can choose verses by category (one for each day of the week) or ignore the categories and just choose randomly. If you don’t want to personalize (using step 3), print out the verses now.

3. Personalize verses

If you do want to take it one step further and personalize these same verses you’ve chosen, click on the Verses-Personal here or the box below (same verses as above, just reformatted).

Either write these verses by hand, inserting your friend’s name in the appropriate spots OR for computer printing, save the Verses-Personal as a Word document on your computer, then use the simple “Find and replace” command to have the computer make all the changes for you in one clean swoop, using–Find what: [NAME], Replace with: Ashley, and “replace all”. With one keystroke, all the verses are now personal.

Example:

Change this:
May the God of hope fill [NAME] with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit [NAME] may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

Into this:
May the God of hope fill Ashley with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit Ashley may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

4. Cut and fill

Cut the verses into individual strips. Fold and insert one verse per day (or up to five) in each box of the pill holder.

5. Wrap in prayer

As you wrap it up or place in a gift bag, pray for your friend to be blessed by the Living Word through your gift of these written words. It’s a gift of love and life that will be appreciated each day.

And don’t be surprised if you, too, are blessed as you put this gift together at Christmas or any time of the year!

What’s a favorite scripture you would recommend sharing with a friend?

The Word in Christmas Weekend Tools

December 8, 2012 by Julie 2 Comments

Though we’re usually quiet here at Do Not Depart over the weekends, we know that during the Christmas season, our readers might find weekends the perfect time to use two free printables we have for you. These tools will help you to celebrate with the Word. We hope you’ll enjoy using them with your family, local church, or neighborhood.

Free printable #1 ~ The Word gift tag stickers

This file is designed to print on a 2×4 inch sticker. Avery 18163 will work or these from Target; they come in a package of 100 for $4.44. As you being to prepare gifts to give, keep these stickers on hand to include the Word as a reminder with each gift you give!

Click here to download a sheet of 10 stickers: The Word in CHRISTMAS Sticker

Free printable #2 ~ The Candy Cane Christmas bookmark

We used these for an ESL Christmas party to share how a candy cane reminds us of what our Christmas celebration is all about. There are 3 on each sheet, and they work well printed on cardstock. Use them as a gift insert, for a Sunday School lesson, or for a party!

Click here for your copy of The Candy Cane bookmark PDF

“God rest you merry” readers as you enjoy celebrating the Word in Christmas!

Other helps this week included:

3 Simple Ideas for incorporating scripture into holiday decorating

Throw a birthday party for Jesus!

Bible Notebook: Prayer Album for Women on the Go

September 18, 2012 by Julie 11 Comments

I’m pretty sure I frequently look like a refugee. Women have a lot of “stuff” to take with us. Maybe it’s because we want to be prepared for any possible scenarios. Maybe it’s because we want to justify having large floral bags. Maybe it’s because people get used to us with a diaper bag appendage, and that matures into carrying extra snacks, random trash, and assorted fast food coupons. Or maybe it’s that we want to be ready to use our spare moments well.

When life is busy, we need to think ahead about how to make the most of time to turn our hearts to the Lord. There are many ways to organize simple devotional, study, and prayer resources we can take with us.

As a woman often on the go, there are times when I just can’t take my Bible Study materials with me. I want a handy, easy-to-carry, mobile tool for unexpected times I can turn my attention to the Lord. Imagine yourself sitting in a school pick up line … because you didn’t have time to go home. Think about waiting at the doctor’s office … because she was called away to an emergency. Or envision the 30 minutes wait during a music lesson, because it’s not long enough to leave and come back. Women have little time to waste, yet we have to learn to wait. In the waiting, it’s good to have a Prayer Album for Women on the Go. Pull it out of your purse, glove compartment, lunch bag, desk, diaper bag, or other case and use your time to do a little “praying without ceasing.”

We created these Prayer Albums as an activity at a women’s shelter. We talked about, “How do you really pray without ceasing?” It was a fun way to spend an evening with other women, putting together a tool we can all use to make the most of our time and help us abide in the Vine (John 15:1-11) in our busy lives, talking to God throughout our days.

Five sections for prayer include: Praises (giving thanks), Pits (temptations/sin), People (specific needs/hopes), Pleas (burdens/requests), Promises (scripture to guide/encourage).

Download The Prayer Album for Women on the Go here.

10 Steps to Make Your Prayer Album for Women on the Go

Purchase a 4×6 slide in photo book (Ex. $2 option & $4 option at Target) & index cards
Print out the 6 pages on to card stock
Carefully cut out the divider cards
Prepare 2 tabbed cards for each section: Praises/Pits/People/Pleas/Promises
Trim away extra words, preparing 2 cards per section
The final card can be used as a cover card
Put two cards, back to back, into a pocket, so that they show on each side
Fill 3-4 pages with index cards in between each section
Repeat for each section
Use index cards to write down requests, answers to prayer, and scripture, and update regularly. You can even add pictures or notes unique to the content.

Click here to download your free printable Prayer Album cards.

And when you carve out sweet time to open up your Bible Notebook, use the Bible Notebook tabs, the Meditation Worksheet, pages for Seminar and Sermon Notes, and Prayer Calendars to dig deep in God’s Word.

Bible Notebook: Tabs

September 13, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 15 Comments

What do you do with . . .

the sermon notes you took last Sunday?
the handouts from your ladies’ group book study at church?
the list of memory verses you’re hiding in your heart?

If you want to collect all those scattered papers and capture your insights in one place, we’re offering free printables all month to help you create your own Bible notebook.

Getting organized isn’t as difficult as you might think, and is less time-consuming in the long run than chasing down paper clutter or forgetting lessons you want to remember.

Here are 4 easy first steps:

Print this page of tabs (three blank tabs included)
Cut on the solid lines; fold on the dotted lines (makes the category visible from front and back)
Insert tabs into plastic tab dividers or tape onto a piece of paper (use only the ones you need)
Put all into a binder with loose-leaf notebook paper (or decorative paper if you’d prefer)

Then start collecting! Just by setting up the notebook, you’ve conquered one of the greatest hindrances to getting organized.

God wants us to remember and worship Him for what He’s done and is currently doing. Being organized makes that easier, as well as helps us serve others more effectively by accessing scriptures we’ve learned from.

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Psalm 77:11-12

Click here to download your free printable tabs sheet.

What categories would you include in a notebook? Please leave your suggestions here.

Intentional Bible Study in Fifteen Minutes a Day

March 22, 2012 by Katie Orr Leave a Comment

The Bible is so much more than just another book. It is living. Active. Life-changing.

That’s why you are here, at Do Not Depart. You love the Word. You know it’s value. You crave time with your Savior.

Announcing a New Study Series

I’ve created a new Bible study series to help you in your time with God in His Word.

Many of you have been enjoying the Run to Him study.

I am thrilled!

Lara and I appreciate the positive feedback about the study, and we JUST LOVE hearing about how God is using the selected Psalms to speak truth to your soul.

Focused 15: Intentional Bible Study in Fifteen Minutes a Day uses a method of study similar to the studies of the past, but I’ve taken it up a notch.

Through the use of different “lenses,” Focused15 will teach you how to dig even deeper.

Day 1 – Portrait Lens – Seeing the big-picture through cross-referencing.
Day 2 – Immersion Lens – Discovering the original language.
Day 3 – Zoom Lens – Finding truths, promises, and commands.
Day 4 – Wide-angle Lens – Looking at the sentence structure.
Day 5 – Personal Lens – Looking for God’s plan for us in these verses.

The first study—a four week study of 1 Corinthians 13—has “officially” launched today, and I would love to know what you think!

You can read all about it at the Focused15 site.

This Focused15 Bible study is available for immediate PDF download for only $3.99!

It is also available for Kindle and Nook, and every Kindle and Nook ebook contains a free download link to the PDF, for easy printing!

My prayer for this book is to equip you to study the Bible on your own—to take one more step toward becoming a self-feeder—so you can enjoy Him more and more every day!

Why Use a Bible Dictionary?

March 14, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 8 Comments

Little time, Big results

You barely have time to just read your Bible. Why would you add reference books on top of that?

Would you if the rewards outweighed your effort?

While there’s no guarantee that acquiring more knowledge will translate to greater insights or to spiritual transformation (it takes a work of the Spirit to do that), you can position yourself to be more open to growth.

That’s one reason I love Bible dictionaries. For a small investment of time, you can reap big benefits.

What is a Bible dictionary?

Bible dictionaries are concise reference tools that, at a minimum, provide a short definition of an English word. But they can also give definitions of the original Hebrew or Greek words. Some add scripture references, pronunciation guides, parts of speech, word derivations, synonyms, and brief contexts. There are also dictionaries for Bible names, subjects, places, backgrounds, and themes.

While a few are written specifically for scholars, the most popular ones are easily understood by those of us with no formal theological training.

Some well-established dictionaries include Strong’s Bible Dictionary, Smith’s Bible Dictionary, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Vine’s Expository Dictionary, and Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon.

Many dictionaries are free online from a direct site (ex: Easton’s Bible Dictionary) or embedded in broader Bible study sites (such as Bible Gateway or Bible Study Tools). [See resource list below]

My favorite source is the free Bible software from e-Sword.net. They offer fourteen free dictionaries and three paid ones, plus multiple other resources.

How to use

Here’s a simple example. I saw an interesting post here on “came” (translated “rushed” in ESV) in Judges 14:19. I wanted to know more.

So I looked up the verse in e-Sword and clicked on the Hebrew word tsalach, which is Strong’s number 6743 (each Hebrew and Greek word is assigned a number). Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary showed me the Hebrew spelling (okay, useless to me but maybe helpful to you?) and several definitions.

I then typed in 6743 in my favorite online Hebrew dictionary to hear the pronunciation, learn more definitions, see other words translated from this one, and get a quick glance at other verses where it’s used.

Faith-building

So what? Well, understanding more fully how the Spirit didn’t just “come” upon Samson in a passive way, but “pushed forward; rushed; advanced; broke out” teaches me I can be more confident in how He’s capable of working in me, too—all from a small piece of information easily accessed in a Bible dictionary.

While a dictionary won’t provide an all-encompassing study and won’t give you much context (other resources are available for that), it is a great starting point and is often all the extra information you need.

Understanding God’s message more clearly can help you see God Himself more clearly. The more you see, the more you’ll love and want to share His love with others.

So the next time you see an interesting word in your Bible reading (maybe one of these?), I encourage you to go look it up. See what new treasures you will find to build your faith to ultimately honor the Father!

Quick Links for Bible Dictionaries

Bible Gateway – Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary, Smith’s Bible Names Dictionary
Bible Study Tools—Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, King James Dictionary, more
Blue Letter Bible—multiple search tools
E-Sword – free downloadable software with 14 dictionaries
Katie’s Top 10 Online Bible Study Tools
Study Light—Hebrew and Greek lexicons based on Thayer’s Bible Dictionary and others

Do you have a favorite Bible dictionary? How do you use it? Please share comments and questions below.

Top Ten Android Apps for Spiritual Growth

February 29, 2012 by Do Not Depart 33 Comments

Heather’s “Top 10 iPhone Apps for Spiritual Growth” post was great, but I am an Android user. (I did send it to all my iPhone-owning family members and friends who found the post useful though.)

So, below you will find some Droid apps that I have found to be helpful for my spiritual growth. (Some are the same as on iPhone, but links are to Android apps.)

Best Bible Study Apps

Christian Droid Apps 1. YouVersion Bible (FREE)
*Read/listen to the Bible with over 150 Bible versions and almost 200 Bible reading plans to help you read the Bible and track your progress.
*Easily search the Bible for either a reference or a keyword.
*Connect Twitter and Facebook accounts to easily share Bible verses.
*Bookmark your favorite Bible verses and sync them with YouVersion.com.
*Make public or private notes on your bible reading.

Christian Droid Apps 2. Daily Bible (FREE)
*Daily Bible Verse with daily notification
*Daily Bible Reading Plan
*Easy & Fast Search any Bible verse or topic: Easily search any verse of any topic.
*Daily Bible devotionals: Choose from a huge list of podcasts. Read or listen from devotions. Save a podcast and listen to it offline.
*Save or share Bible verse or plan or devotions easily on Facebook, Twitter, email, text etc.

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 3. Logos Bible Software (FREE)
*Thousands of books and tools for Bible study
*Easy to read, verse preview, footnotes, and easy navigation.
*Includes powerful study tools: Passage Guide, Text Comparison, and Bible Word Study.
*When you download the app you get access to all features and more than 30 resources. When you sign up for a free Logos account, you get access to an additional 30 resources as well as access to over 16,000 resources for sale from the Logos and Vyrso libraries.

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 4. MySword Bible (FREE)
*Multiple off-line Bibles, Commentaries and Dictionaries
*Bible version verse comparison
*Highlighting
*Bookmarks
*Type your personal notes and insights
*Search (concordance) for Bible, Commentaries and Personal notes
*Dictionary, Commentary and Journal/Book picture support
*Paragraph or Verse mode for the Bible view

Scripture Memory Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 5. RememberMe Bible Verses Memory (FREE)
*Listen to verses
*Study flashcards and play word puzzles
*Obfuscate a passage and fills in the gaps
*First letter and placeholder methods
*Line by line practice
*Daily reminders
*Flashcard widget for your home screen
*Numerous Bible translations
*More than 100 verses preloaded

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 6. Fighter Verses ($2.99)
*Over 520 verses included
*Add ANY VERSE using “My Verses” and optionally define topics for topical memory.
*SIX Bible translations – ESV, NIV, NASB, HCSB, KJV, LBLA
*Fill in the blank QUIZ
*SONGS to help you learn verses (ESV only)
*TOPICAL index for topical memory
*Configurable SCHEDULE for weekly memorization
*REMINDERS to memorize daily or weekly

Best Prayer Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 7. Prayer Journal ($0.99)
*Keep a running list of topics that you are praying about
*Share entries or the entire journal with friends (email/text messaging)
*Set notifications to remind you to pray for the topic.
*Upload journal to Google Docs.
*When you feel you have reached an answer to your prayer topic(s), mark them as answered and keep them available for later viewing, to remind yourself of God’s goodness to you in those requests.

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 8. Prayers to Share (FREE)
*Share your prayers with people around the world
*Pray along with others
*Write out your prayers
*Keep track of those you pray for
*Share your prayers anonymously with others who can pray along on our Social Prayer Network
*…or just keep them private
*Receive inspiration from reading everyone’s prayers

Best Worship Apps

9. Pandora (FREE)
*Personalized radio streams music to your phone.
*Type in the name of a favorite artist, song, or composer and a station will be created to play their music and music like it.
*Here are some of the stations on my Pandora app:
Casting Crowns, Addison Road, Nichole Nordeman,
Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, and Brooke Fraser.
If you use Pandora, what stations do you have for your worship times?

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 10. 1000 Gifts (FREE)
*Quotes on awaking to the joy-filled power of grace and gratitude at your fingertips … to get you started
*Photo and video stream, texts, and voice recordings of your gifts … to keep you going
*A one-tap option to instantly share captured gifts to Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr … to keep friends and family inspired on their way to their one thousand gifts

Thanks Heather, for reminding me about this one!

11. And I have to sneak one more in here: KLOVE Positive & Encouraging (FREE). Commercial-free contemporary Christian music.

Which apps for spiritual growth would you add to the list?

_______________________________________________

Joyce is a business major turned PreK teacher turned stay-at-home mommy to 2 little girls (ages 5 and 2.5.) She likes to dabble in a little bit of everything, from writing newsletters (for our family and for MOPS) to crafting to trying out new recipes…basically just trying new things.

She loves God, family and friends, date nights, board games, books, and blogging. You can visit her over at Keeping Up with the Moys.

Ten Verses for Trying Times

February 6, 2012 by Caroline 9 Comments

What do you do when you start feeling anxious, troubled, scared? Do you pray? Do you run to a spouse, a friend, a family member?

I wish I could say I always cry out to Him first. But I don’t.

I feel like it’s up to me to fix something, deal with trouble, solve a problem.

But it’s not.

God is always there.

How can I focus every bit of my heart – in every moment of life – on Him first, rather than on worry or “self-sufficiency.” How do I train my heart to seek His shelter rather than scrounge for my own?

A few ways helping me so far (and maybe able to help you?): Store up His Word in our hearts! Seek out verses to memorize, leading to quick recall when those trying times occur. Place His Word first in our hearts over and over and over again so we form a habit of going to Him first.

How can we find these guiding verses?

Pray first for God to open your heart to His leading and heighten your awareness of applicable verses for your situation.
Use a concordance (found in most study bibles) to find a topic (I searched for grief, trouble, fear, worry…) and read verses listed.
Use online bible study resourcesto search a specific topic.
Image from Microsoft Clip Art
Study one passage (a chapter, a book) for several days in a row, asking God to lead you to needed truths at the right times.

Ten Verses for Trying Times

Here are ten verses I’ve found helpful in getting through hard times:

Hebrews 12:7 – Hardships train us.
Psalm 27:13-14 – Wait for and trust in Him in all things.
Psalm 16:7-8 – God counsels.
Psalm 34:2-5 – God hears.
Psalm 34:18 – Brokenhearted? He remains near. (Our Run To Him reading for this week speaks on His redeeming us from troubles!)
1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 – We need not hold on to grief for we have His hope and joy in the midst of grief.
Psalm 10:14 – God sees our troubles and helps.
John 16:19-24, 33 – Grief caused by this age will be wiped away in the age to come. (John 16:33 is one of my personal favorites.)
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – God comforts our troubles, and then we can share His comfort with others going through similar troubles.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – These troubles, no matter how severe they are, are nothing compared to the eternal glory coming. I have to remind myself of this perspective sometimes.

How does God share what you need through His Word?

How to talk to God with His words

January 11, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 18 Comments

Whose words?

We know God’s words are powerful. When He speaks, things happen (Psalm 33:9).

So what happens when we speak His words? Are things more likely to change if we pray His exact words?

Well, they’re not meant to be a magical “Abracadabra!” It’s only God’s power behind the words that make them work anyway. But when we reflect His words back to Him through our prayer conversations, we are ensuring we’re in agreement with His will.

Jesus said if we abide in Him, and His words abide in us, we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be done for us (John 15:7). Whose words? His words.

I’m not suggesting we forgo original prayers. God forbid. We need to talk things out using our own words with our heavenly Father just like we do in earthly relationships.

But we can effectively supplement those times by occasionally praying scripture.

How?

1. Pick out a scripture.
Find scriptures that speak to you. (Can you stop reading and go find one right now?)

2. Make it personal.
Personalize it by substituting “I” and by addressing God directly, instead of as “He.” For example, Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” You can pray that back to God by saying, “I will seek You, Lord, while You may be found; I will call upon You while You are near.”

3. Write it down.
Put a few in writing so you can pray more directly instead of converting in your head on the fly. Keep a notebook or a document on your computer with several scripture prayers you can automatically turn to.

4. Say it aloud.
You may find it helpful to say these prayers aloud. There’s something about hearing your own voice repeating God’s truths to Him that makes them even more real.

Where to find texts

1. Psalms
It’s easy to begin with Psalms. Many are already in the form of prayers. As you read them, address them to God. My personal favorites include Psalm 16, Psalm 27, Psalm 139, and Psalm 145.

2. Jesus’ example
Jesus was the master prayer. The example He gave His disciples to pray—including us—is in Matthew 6:9-13.

3. Other Bible prayers
By substituting their specific circumstances with yours, you can adapt the principles in prayers found throughout the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), including King Solomon’s prayer at the temple dedication (1 Kings 8:22-30), King Hezekiah’s prayer of deliverance from enemies (2 Kings 19:15-19), Elijah’s prayer for God to reveal Himself at Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:36-37), as well as the apostle Paul’s prayers in the epistles, including Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, and Colossians 1:9-12.

4. Favorite scriptures
But don’t limit yourself to scriptures already clearly articulated as prayers. Do you have a favorite Bible verse that proclaims truths or promises? Be careful not to take it out of context, but if it does apply, let God know you believe His words by exclaiming them back to Him.

5. Prayer books
You may already have a favorite book (please share below!); many are available straight from scripture. My favorites are compiled by Kenneth Boa in his Face to Face books: Vol 1: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship, and Vol. 2: Praying the Scriptures for Spiritual Growth.

Benefits

By grounding your prayers in God’s living and active words (Hebrews 4:12), you will honor the Father, you will pray effectively (James 5:16), and you will strengthen your faith, drawing closer to God through His truths, being transformed into the woman of God you are designed to be.

Use Spirit-inspired words for Spirit-filled prayers.

Lord,
Your word that goes out from Your mouth does not return to You empty. May it accomplish that which You purpose, and succeed in the thing for which You sent it.
~ Isaiah 55:11

Do you do pray with scripture? Have a favorite verse? A useful prayer book? Let’s share our experiences.

Five tips for setting goals for spiritual growth in 2012

January 9, 2012 by Kathy Howard 14 Comments

What do the following things have in common?

Exercise more
Lose weight
Improve my relationships
Pay off debt
Get organized

Every year these items pop up in lists of the Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions. Did you make any resolutions for 2012? The first of the year is a great time to start fresh, set goals, and begin something new. In fact, it’s the perfect time to evaluate our spiritual health and set some goals for growth.

We can’t cause our spiritual growth. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us into the image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18). But God does expect our obedient and active cooperation (1 Cor 9:24-27). One way we can purposefully “train ourselves to be godly” (1 Tim 4:7-8) is through spiritual evaluation and goal-setting.

Resolutions and goals can be hard to keep. Statistics show that, at best, only 46% of New Year’s resolutions are still kept six months into the year. Often, people lose their resolve so quickly because they set unattainable goals.

Concentrate your efforts. Set just one, two, or three goals at a time. Don’t spread yourself too thin. When you experience success then add another goal.
Be realistic. Set goals that are attainable. If you don’t read your Bible regularly now, don’t set a goal to read the entire Bible in three months. Instead commit to read it 3 to 5 times per week.
Think concretely. Set goals so progress can be measured. For instance, this goal is too ambiguous: I’m going to spend more time with God. Instead be concrete: I will read one Bible chapter and pray for 10 minutes five times a week.
Include strategies. Develop strategies designed to move you toward your goals. If one goal is to memorize Scripture, determine how you will do that. What verses you will memorize? How often you will tackle a new one? What memorization techniques will you use?
Create manageable steps. Break your overall goal into a series of smaller goals that are doable and will foster success.

To get started, first take a serious look at your spiritual health. You may use the free “Discipleship Evaluation” download. This tool covers 17 different key discipleship areas. Your weakest areas can be great growth this year.

Next, set spiritual growth goals using the five tips above. Planning is not unspiritual. Living a life that glorifies God will not happen by accident. The free “Spiritual Goals” worksheet lists specific areas of discipleship such as time with God, ministry, service, and Christian education.

Most importantly, ask God to guide you as you evaluate your spiritual health and set goals for growth. He will bring the spiritual transformation as you strive to live a live that pleases Him.

Let’s talk! What goals for spiritual growth have you set?

Run to Him Study Guide

January 8, 2012 by Katie Orr 34 Comments

The Study Guide is here!

This study guide includes a 5-day weekly quiet time plan, studying one Psalm a week, with options to add on scripture memory and 2 additional days of study. There is also a printable bookmark for easy access to the study schedule.

Anyone is welcome to join us in this study of the Psalms. We will be posting a supplemental Bible study on each Psalm on Friday afternoons. The study guide plan starts Monday, January 16th.

Click here to download the free Bible study printable.

Praying He uses this study to help us run to Him.

Make a Bible Timeline

November 10, 2011 by Lisa Burgess 11 Comments

“If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folks from digging into the Bible.”
~ James I. Packer

Which comes first?

a. George Washington becomes president
b. Christopher Columbus sets sail from Spain
c. Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation

Put these in order:

a. Moses parts the Red Sea
b. Esther takes a stand for her people
c. Solomon builds the temple

If we can get the first sequence correct with ease (b,a,c), why not the second (a,c,b)?

Know more to love more

And does it matter? Would better knowing the sequence of biblical events help us love God more?

It depends.
Do motives matter?

If you have your child in training to win a Bible Bowl trophy or you want to impress your Sunday School teacher or you’re trying to get an A in a seminary class, bone up on your Bible timeline. It will help you reach those goals, for better or worse.

But if you’re simply (simply?) trying to follow the greatest command (Matthew 22:36-40), then perhaps you also should consider a timeline.

Not to be smarter (1 Corinthians 8:1). But to love more.

Put it in order

Just as knowing the order of U.S. Presidents won’t necessarily make us a better American citizen, so knowing the order of Israel and Judah’s kings may not make us a better citizen in God’s kingdom.

But if the history of God’s people was recorded in the sacred Scriptures to build up our faith in Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15-16), every word God-breathed and valuable, then wouldn’t we benefit by putting it in order?

I admit, when I read through the Old Testament especially, I can lose track of where I am in the big story unless I look at a timeline of events and rulers. So I made a copy of a simple timeline (out of a Bible or reference book), and tucked it in my Bible. Now I pencil in my own cheat notes as I read and can quickly reorient myself from whatever Bible book I’m reading.

I can better see the finger of God writing his story, bringing his people to just the right place in time and space for Jesus to walk among us.

Our church participated in a Walk Thru the Old Testament workshop three years ago. It’s a memorable approach using hand motions (for kids AND adults) to sequence 77 events in the Old Testament. It gives you a great framework to piece together Bible facts. I highly recommend you attending one near you.

Just as the Israelites were told to rehearse their history often, we should too. I made a timeline of biblical dates for my children with important events. They then practiced each day putting the events in order until they (and I!) had them memorized.

Packaged products are readily available as well—as cards, strips, posters, etc. Many not only include biblical history, but incorporate concurrent world history as well.

And why not add in your own family’s spiritual heritage, too?

Then, Now, Later

When we see God’s faithfulness throughout history, we can trust him more in the present, and be more hopeful about our future with him.

While God is not confined by time, he has chosen to work through it.

I want to appreciate that more. Be more wowed by his wisdom. Be more awed by his sovereignty. And if that means following his story more closely, then so be it.

Because the more we know his story, the more we’ll know him.
And the more we know him, the more we’ll love him.
And the more we love him, the more we’ll love others.

His legacy of love marches forward.

Do you have a favorite Bible resource for timelines? Please share!
How has knowing God’s history helped strengthen your faith?

Walking in the Spirit {Book Review}

October 14, 2011 by Katie Orr 2 Comments

It wasn’t until my freshman year in college that I began to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in my life. Fifteen years later, and I still have much to learn.

So when the opportunity came along to review Walking in the Spirit. I jumped at the chance. Walking in the Spirit, by Kenneth Berding, is a great resource for those who long to know better how to keep in step with the Spirit of God.

Walking in the Spirit provides solid, Biblical teaching with helpful application tips to help us understand exactly what walking in the Spirit is to look like in our own lives.

Walking in the Spirit is the central metaphor for describing what it means to live as a Christian. Life lived according to the Spirit is not simply trying to do the right thing. Nor is it simply trying to live according to God’s Law. Life as a Christian is cooperating with the Holy Spirit in a daily walk. p. 19

Filled with real-life examples and other great analogies, Kenneth Berding teaches on practical doctrines like how to be led by the Spirit, how to put to death the deeds of the flesh, and how to set your mind on the things of the Spirit, to name a few.

If you want to be someone who brings glory to God (and I pray that there is nothing you desire more!), you must learn what it means to walk according to the Spirit. p. 16

If you are, like me, desiring to figure out how you can better depend on the Spirit of God on a daily basis, this book is for you. It is also a great complement to our Abiding Fruit study!

You can head over to Crossway to purchase your copy.

You can also enter for a chance to win a copy of Walking in the Spirit over at Inspired to Action, where I am sharing about how to experience the abundant life Jesus promised.

Disclosure: I was given a copy of Walking in the Spirit, in exchange for my review. Opinions stated are mine.