Reading God’s Words in the Bible and praying is about the relationship with Him. It’s about getting to know God, learning His ways, and being connected with God so He can guide us.

PRAYER

Prayer is a conversation with God and connecting in a real relationship. There are no special words you need. Be yourself and talk to God. Pray short prayers throughout your day and have regular planned times of prayer.  If you are new to praying, start by scheduling four times per week to pray for 5-10 minutes. Here are a few ideas to help you:

A.C.T.S. PRAYER GUIDE

Admire/Praise – Tell God what you admire about Him and praise Him (i.e. God you are loving, my hope, Savior, Creator, Father, etc.)
Confess – Confess your sin to God, ask for forgiveness and help to turn away from wrong paths
Thank – Thank God for specific things He has done and for His blessings
Share – Share your requests. God cares about all aspects of our life, so ask Him for help.

PRAY WHILE READING THE BIBLE

When reading the Bible, ask What does it say about God? and What does it mean for me? Then pray and thank God for who He is and for what He's done and ask Him to help you take steps.

WHY PRAY?

1 Peter 5:7 says we can cast all our cares on God because He cares for us. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to not be anxious about anything, but through prayer we can present our requests to God and His peace will guard our hearts and minds. It also talks about praying continually in 1 Thess. 5:7. This is about an attitude of prayer by going through life focused on God and His ways.

BIBLE

When you read the Bible, begin with prayer and ask God to reveal Himself to you. Open your heart and mind to explore God and think about what it is saying about God and His ways.  Try to gain an understanding of the Bible as a whole. The Old Testament points toward Jesus and our need for a Savior. The New Testament begins with the story of Jesus as the Savior and how we can experience real life through Him. Reading the Bible can feel overwhelming and you may not know where to start or what to do. We have a few resources and guidance to help you start or continue to connect with God through His word.

  • Develop a regular time to engage with the Bible. If this is new, start by scheduling four times per week to read. Try the book of Luke or James to start and read just a few verses or one chapter.
  • As you read, spend a few minutes reflecting on two questions: What does it say about God? What does this mean for me? If your Bible has notes before each book or in the margins, read them to gain more insight. Don't just walk away with some knowledge. Pray about what you read and apply His ways to your life.
  • The BIBLE APP has reading plans, verse of the day, and an interactive app for kids. Try the Luke or James reading plan to start.