One of the main objectives in my heart for leading us through this 52 day journey was for each of us to grow in our personal relationships with Jesus. We all know the primary way we grow in our walk with Christ is to pray and read the Bible. The question is, “Are we doing it?” Let us be reminded of the great necessity of these very basic disciplines.

• Read the Bible daily and with intentionality. Believers should read the Bible every day. We should not only read it but study it, memorize portions, and contemplate on the truths we read throughout the day. Where are you in your daily Bible reading? Are you skipping it altogether? Then start back reading the Bible so you can hear directly from God! Some of you may struggle like I do at times and you are mainly just checking the box of spiritual duty. This is not healthy either! Be still, read slowly, and with purpose to understand. I would suggest you read smaller portions of Scripture if it works better for you.
  • My plan: Right now I am working through a reading plan called Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional With Bible Reading Plan. Honestly the devotionals are not my main attraction to this work, but I love the reading plan because it is intentional in connecting portions of the Old and New Testaments.
    

• Have family devotions: Husbands and wives ought to pray together, families ought to read Scripture together, and parents ought to disciple their children and encourage one another in our walks with Christ. I know you are busy, so is our family. But can we say we are too busy to grow in Christ together. If you are too busy to read the Bible in your home as a family, or pray together, than you are too busy. It does not have to happen every single day, but it should be a normal part of what takes place in your home. For most families it is just a matter of leaving the television off a little longer to have time for family devotions.
  • Our plan: We strive to eat meals at home together as a family. The reality is some nights this is nearly impossible, but it is amazing how it becomes more possible when we make an intentional effort. When we eat our meal at the table, we read Scripture, maybe listen to a song, and then pray together as a family before leaving the table. In addition to this, Carol Ann and I are going through a devotional study together so we can have some discussion about what God is teaching us through the study.
    

• Have a prayer plan: Be intentional in your prayer life. I do not think there is any genuine believer who would say, “I pray too much”, or “I do not need to pray.” We all recognize the value, necessity, and power of prayer but like many other disciplines if we fail to have a plan not much happens. Be intentional in your prayer time. Certainly we should always be about a spirit of prayer, but this is more greatly developed by purposeful and consistent times of prayer.
  • My plan: My prayer life consists of journaling on a nearly daily basis, praying through the prayer cards I have my in-class students fill out, and a prayer list I started keeping at the beginning of this 52-day journey. I also pray through the Church Directory (Certain letters each day) and through the Scripture I am reading through a particular day.

We all know we should walk in these spiritual disciplines. Are you? Do you have a plan for reading the Bible, leading your family, and for praying? If not I pray you will establish one and God would grant you the grace and strength to follow through. If you do not keep it perfectly, walk in grace, and keep growing!