Devotional - Listening to God Daily

  1. One Proverbs chapter per day corresponding to the day of the month.
  2. Psalm(s) per day as follows:
    day | psalms day | psalms day | psalms
    1 | 1,2,3,4
    2 | 5,6,8,12,13
    3 | 15,16,17
    4 | 18,19
    5 | 20,21,22
    6 | 23,24,25,26,27
    7 | 29,30,31
    8 | 32,33,34
    9 | 36,37
    10 | 38,39,40
    11 | 41,42,43,44    		 12 | 46,47,49,50
    13 | 51,53,55
    14 | 57,61,62,63,65
    15 | 66,67,69
    16 | 71,72,73
    17 | 77,78
    18 | 82,84,85,86
    19 | 89,90
    20 | 91,92,93,94
    21 | 95,96,97,99,100,101
    22 | 102,103,104    		 23 | 105,106
    24 | 107,110,111,112
    25 | 113,115,116,117,118
    26 | 119:1-88
    27 | 119:89-176
    28 | 121,123,124,127,128,130,131,136
    29 | 138,139,141,142
    30 | 143,145,146
    31 | 147,148,149,150
  3. Bible Study Method
    After reading a small passage containing an entire though, usually a few verses, meditate and make notes on the following questions:
    1. What does it say?
    2. What does it mean?
    3. What does it mean to me?
    4. What should I do about it?

    Need NIV Study Bible and NASB Bible; Marshalls Greek Interlinear is very helpful.

    Suggested Studies
    1. James
    2. Matthew 5 - 7
    3. Ephesians 1 and 2; 3:14-6:20
    4. John 14 through 16:16; 17
    5. Romans 5:1-11; 6, 8, 11:33 through 13:14
    6. Philippians 1:27 - 4:20
    7. 5 John 3:11 - 5:6
    8. Hebrews 9:11 - 12:24
  5. This is something very personal that I have also been doing daily for about 10 years. I sat down one weekend in 1993 and determined the core Biblical themes that I needed to focus my life on. I then divided the themes in 31 daily units. I concentrate on one theme each day of the month. The repeated, focused meditation on one theme each day has burned these truths deep into my soul and has caused steady growth and change in my relationships.

My Vision - 11/93; 6/96; 8/96; 10/96; 8/98; 7/99; 12/03 - God's Parallel Promises

  1. The Center: Jesus' image
    1. By beholding/contemplating/reflecting Jesus' glory, to become more and more changed/transformed into Jesus' likeness/image with ever increasing glory which comes from the Spirit. (II Cor 3:18, 3:7-4:17, John 17, Col 1:3-4, 15-24; 2:2-3, 6-15; 3:1-4, 15-17)
    2. Know Jesus (Phil 3:7-14, 20-21)
  2. Thinking like Jesus - the Heart of Jesus
    1. Love the LORD my God with my entire heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) as Jesus loved His Father (John 14:31) and love my neighbor as myself (Mark 12:31) as Jesus love me (Jn 15:12-13)
    2. Fear the holy/awesome LORD. (Psalm 111:9-19; 112:1, 6-8; Ps 34:4-11; 103:11, 13, 17; 25:12-14; Prov 14:26-27; Rom 11:33-36, 12:1)
    3. Obey Jesus' commands (John 14:15-24; I Jn 5:1-5; Ps 19:7-11) as Jesus obeyed His Father. (John 12:49-50; 14:31; 15:10) His command is to love each other as He loves us (John 15:9-14, 17)
    4. Develop Jesus' mindset/attitude. Although continuing to be in the very nature God, He did not consider His Godness something to use to His personal advantage, but He voluntarily emptied Himself of His glory as God, taking the form of a servant; and becoming in the likeness of men, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto a despicable death. (Phil 2:2-8 & I Peter 4:1; Heb 12:1b-3)
    5. Cooperate with God as He works together everything in my life conform me into Jesus' likeness and image (Rom 8:28-30)
    6. Abide, stay, live, continue in Jesus. (John 15:1-14)
    7. Conform no longer to this culture/age, but be transformed/changed by the renewing of my mind. (Romans 12:2; Pro 4:23)
    8. Seek wisdom (Pro 2) & discipline & correction. (Prov 15:31-33; Heb 12:5-11)
  3. Living like Jesus in God's Kingdom and in the world.
    1. Give praise and thanks to the LORD daily; live in His presence in the morning, day, evening, and through the night. (Psalm 1:1-3; 119:97-99,147-148; Dt 17:18-20; Josh 1:8; i Thes 5:16-18)
    2. Ask my Father for every need (mine and others) each day. (Phil 4:6-7; 1:3-11; Eph 1:15-23; 3:14-21; Col 1:9-14; Luke 5:16)
    3. Radically depend on God.
      1. Trust in the LORD, dwell in the land, and feed on God's faithfulness. Delight myself in the LORD and seek His favor. (Ps 37:3-5; Ps 62:1,2,5-8)
      2. Be still before the LORD; wait patiently in hope for Him, rest in the Lord and do not fret. Take refuge in God. (Psalm 37:7-8, 39-409; 33:20; 46:1-2, 10; 130:5-6; 131:2; Mat 11:28-30)
      3. Deny myself and take up my cross daily and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23-25; 14:26-33; Mt 13:44-45; Jn 12:24-26)
      4. Do not store up for myself treasure on earth. Do not be anxious, but seek first God's kingdom. (Mat 6:19-34; II Cor 8:1-15; I Tim 6:6-10, 17-19)
    4. Respect fully the image of God that each person carries by allowing (or providing opportunity for) the freedom and ability too make responsible choices. (Mat 12:20; Mark 10:17-23; Gen 2:15-17)
    5. In all relationships at home and at work (relatives, friends, employee subordinates) be subject to/submit to one another under the continuous control of the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18b,21)
    6. Live a life of love just as jesus loves me and gave Himself up for me. (Eph 5:2; Jn 13:34-35) self giving, not self protecting & self promoting. (I Jn 3:14-18 & 4:7-21)
      1. In relationships - suffer long and be kind, not jealous, envious, boastful, proud, arrogant, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, irritable, recording wrong. ( I Cor 13:4-6)
      2. Love with Jesus' attitudes - cover, be confident, trust, hop, be optimistic, endure in all circumstances/things. (I Cor 13:7)
      3. Love my neighbor as myself be being a neighbor. (Luke 10:27, 36-37)
      4. Touch others/respect others as if they were Jesus. Mat 25:34-40; Is 58:6-14)
      5. Love other to full extent of Jesus' love by becoming their menial servant. (Mk 10:42-45; John 13:1-5, 12-16)
      6. In doing good, endure suffering on behalf of/in place of Jesus and others, entrusting myself to Him who judges justly. (I Peter 1:3-7; 2:20b-24, 3:13-18, 4:1, 12-16, 19; 5:1,10; II Cor 1:3-7)
    7. Forgive as Jesus forgave, do no return evil for evil, and don't be conquered by evil, but conquer evil by the good. (mark 14:65, 15:16-20, 25-32; Luke 23:34-37; Romans 12:14-21; Mt 6:12, 14-15)
    8. Fill my thoughts with the true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8; Pro 4:23-27)
    9. Be joyful, prayerful, thankful, and content in any and every situation. (Ps. 103 & 73:23-26; Phil 4:4-7, 11b-13; Hab 3:16-19)
    10. Practice Old Testament communitarian principles of (Psalm 112; Lev 25; Dut 15:1-15)
      1. Hessed - Steadfast compassionate love, mercy, devotion, faithfulness
      2. Shalom - Peacefulness within harmonious, caring community with God as center and sustainer, completeness, wellness, wholeness
      3. Misphat - Justice and fairness, humility (Pro 3:34)
      4. Sedagah - Relational integrity, righteousness, faithful to each other's expectations (Ps 112:3,4,6,9)
      5. Emeth - firm stable faithfulness.
      6. Chanan - kind, gracious merciful -- especially of strong to weak. (Ps 112:4,5)
      7. Jubilee - Equitable structure of asset/resource distribution and work
    11. Within the community of believers, as a citizen (of the kingdom) conduct myself/live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ standing firm together in one Spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and suffering (as a gracious gift of God) on behalf of/in place of Christ. (Philippians 1:27-29)
    12. Use my spiritual gifts as a member of Christ's body within and for the benefit of the body of Christ. (Romans 12:3-8; I Cor 12:4-27; I Pet 4:8-11)
    13. Glorify God by doing the good work God has called me to do (Eph 2:10; Titus 2:6-3:8; Col 3:17,23) like Jesus did. (John 17:4)
      1. Work riskingly and creatively with God's resources. (Mat 25:13-22)
      2. Use mammon (money) of unrighteousness to serve God with a single eye. (Matthew 6:22-24; Luke 16:9-13; I Tim 6:17-19)
    14. Be a steward of God's creation, the natural environment. (Gen 1:26-31; Psalm 24:1,2; Psalm 8; Ps 19:1-6; Ps 104)
      1. Live simply & sustainable. (Isaiah 65:21-25; Heb 13:5,6)
      2. Design and build communities and homes that are simple, communitarian, and sustainable. (Isaiah 58:12; Zech 8:3-5)