The Strand Study Bible

LEVITICUS

LEVITICUS

278

How to have daily devotions (How to stay on a spiritual schedule) A short prayer

* Pray to the FATHER (Lev 11:44-45/I Pet 1:15-16) The first thing a believer should do before reading the Bible is to ask the FATHER to make him holy through His Word. A simple prayer, much like the following one, will suffice: “ FATHER , before I pick up your Word and read it, I need you to aid me in becoming like you–holy. Fix me O LORD ” ( Amos 7:7 and Jn 17:17). * Pray to CHRIST (Lk 11:1 and Mt 24:1-4) The second thing a believer should do before reading the Bible is to ask JESUS (who is the Living WORD - Jn 1:1 and Heb 1:1-2, i.e., BREAD OF LIFE - Jn 6:47-51) to sustain him biblically (Lk 4:1-4) with good doctrine, good direction, and great deliverance. A simple prayer, much like the following one, will suffice: “ LORD , I’ve asked the FATHER to get involved. Now I’m humbly asking you to get involved (Mt 11:25- 30). Before I pick up your Word and read it, I not only need the FATHER to fix me spiritually, but I need you to sustain me biblically. Feed me O LORD .” * Pray to the HOLY SPIRIT (Rom 8:26-27) The third thing a believer should do before reading the Bible is to ask the SPIRIT OF GOD (who lives within him and knows his heart – I Chro 28:9, Psa 139:1,23, Jere 17:10, I Cor 4:5 and Heb 4:12-13) to enlighten him spiritually (I Cor 2:12). A simple prayer, much like the following one, will suffice: “ SPIRIT OF GOD , I’ve already asked the FATHER and the SON to get involved. Now I’m asking you to get involved. Concerning your seven-fold work ( I Cor 12:11 b ), what I need most from you at this time is for you to illuminate me spiritually and open up to me your Word. Inform me O LORD .” Read and study your Bible * Read and study the Word longer than you pray ( Jms 1:19a ) Our Heavenly FATHER isn’t interested in hearing from us (prayer) until we’ve first heard from Him (His Word). A believer that prays more than he reads and studies the Word… loves to talk more than he listens. A longer prayer * Pray to the FATHER according to the blueprint Jesus gave us in Luke 11:1-13 A simple prayer, much like the following one, will suffice: Then, throughout the day, reach out to each individual Person within the Triune Godhead as needed ( Lk 11:1 ). As believers, we are called to pray without ceasing (I Thess 5:17), i.e., to have an attitude of devotion about us at all times. Question is: Who are we to pray to (seeing there are three Persons within the Triune Godhead), and for what are we to pray? According to the Scriptures, we are to pray to all three Persons within the Triune Godhead: 1. We are to pray to the FATHER for help with holiness ( Amos 7:7 and Jn 17:17), provision (Lk 11:1-3), penitence (Lk 11:4 and Lk 6:28), protection (Lk 11:4, Mt 26:41,53, II Cor 13:7 and I Thess 5:23), people (Lk 11:5-8 and Lk 10:2) and power (Lk 11:9-13, I Cor 12:6 and Jn 14:16-17 & 16:26). 2. We are to pray to the SON for help with doctrine (Judg 13:1-8-23, Lk 11:1 and Mt 24:1-4), direction (Acts 9:1-6 & 27:21-25, Gen 16:7-9-13, Exo 23:20-23, Judg 2:1-5 and I Cor 12:5) and deliverance (Mk 5:23, Gen 18:1,23-33 & 19:15-24 & 32:24-26-30, Exo 3:1-8, Josh 5:13-6:3 and Judg 6:11-24 & 13:1-25). 3. We are to pray to the HOLY SPIRIT for help when praying (Rom 8:26-27), for help with the Word of God (I Cor 2:12), and for help with understanding our gifts (I Cor 12:1-4-11). Meditate * Meditate upon what you read and studied ( Psa 1: 1- 2 and Josh 1:8a ) We are to meditate upon God’s Word throughout the day. Pray without ceasing * Pray throughout the day ( I Thess 5:17 and Lk 18:1 -5-7) We are to maintain an attitude of prayer throughout the day. “ FATHER , I’ve only got a few minutes now before I have to go. I praise you for who you are, how you provide , and ask you to forgive me for where I have failed you. I beg your protection and your power for witnessing and ask that you put those people in my mind throughout the day that I am to pray for. Amen ( LUKE “MINI” SERIES).”