You can use our resources in your daily quiet time to help deepen your relationship with God. Each of our resources has a different focus and can add something unique to your relationship with God and your understanding of the Bible. You can spend a day working through and reflecting on each different resource. Alternatively you can choose one or two specific resources and work through them over the course of several days. Take one section from the selected resource and focus on that in your time with God for the day.
Below is a breakdown of each of our different types of resources and how they can be used in your daily time with God. Please note that not all resources will be available for every week.
Reflections in Art, Poetry, and Prayer
The Reflections in Art, Poetry, and Prayer are designed to help you reflect on the readings and view them from a different perspective. One this page you will find paintings or photographs that illustrate various aspects of the text. There will also typically be a short write up about the image. Read the Scripture text then read the description and spend a few minutes prayerfully reflecting on the images. Think about what the artist or photographer is trying to illustrate. Think about how this reflects the message of the text. Ask God if there is anything he wants to bring to your attention or burn deeper into your heart and mind.
You will also frequently find poetry readings on this page. Approach these the same way that you would approach the images. Read the Scripture text then prayerfully read and reflect on the poem. Think about what the author is trying to say and how to reflects the message from the Scripture text. Ask God if there is anything he wants to say to you through the Scripture and poetry readings.
Finally, you will usually find a couple of prayers on this page. Don't just read over these prayers quickly but make them your own and pray them sincerely from your heart. Use them as a catalyst for your own personal prayer time as well.
Spiritual Practices
The Spiritual Practices are practices inspired by the text and are designed to help you grow in your personal connection with God. There may be prayers, meditations, or other activities to help you connect with God. Read over the activity and then prayerfully work through the steps. Don't just go through the motions but really try to connect with God through the activity. At first it may seem to be a little odd using a scripted spiritual activity to connect with God but the more you do it the more natural it becomes. Following these types of spiritual practices can also help you stretch and grow in new ways and can help you learn additional spiritual practices that you can use in your relationship with God at a later time.
Exploring the Text
This resource is designed to help you dive deeper into your knowledge of the text. This will provide commentary or background that will help deepen your understanding. Start by reading the related Scriptures, then read through the appropriate section on the Exploring the Text page. Think about any new insights that you receive about the Scripture passage. If you are someone who takes notes, this would be a good time to write down any new thoughts or insights that you receive. Read through the Scripture passage again. Pray that God will bury his truth deep in your heart and that you life would reflect your deeper understanding of him and his Word.
Living Out the Text
Living Out the Text is designed to help you apply the principles in the Scripture passages to your daily life. We are not just called to know what Jesus taught but live our lives as Jesus would if he were alive today. This is the essence of what it means to follow Christ. Start by reading the Scripture passages, then read through the Living Out the Text resource. Think about ways that you can apply the text to the way you live your daily life. Pray that God will give you the grace to conform your life to his pattern.
Modern Parables
Modern Parables are inspired by the Scripture passages for the week. They are written to help you think about the key themes of the passages in different ways. Start by reading through the Scripture passages. Then read through one of the parables. Think about the themes in the parable. Put yourself in the position of the different characters in the parable. Think about what passages might have inspired the parable and what the parable is trying to say. Ask God if there is anything that he wants to bring to your awareness through the parable.
Below is a breakdown of each of our different types of resources and how they can be used in your daily time with God. Please note that not all resources will be available for every week.
Reflections in Art, Poetry, and Prayer
The Reflections in Art, Poetry, and Prayer are designed to help you reflect on the readings and view them from a different perspective. One this page you will find paintings or photographs that illustrate various aspects of the text. There will also typically be a short write up about the image. Read the Scripture text then read the description and spend a few minutes prayerfully reflecting on the images. Think about what the artist or photographer is trying to illustrate. Think about how this reflects the message of the text. Ask God if there is anything he wants to bring to your attention or burn deeper into your heart and mind.
You will also frequently find poetry readings on this page. Approach these the same way that you would approach the images. Read the Scripture text then prayerfully read and reflect on the poem. Think about what the author is trying to say and how to reflects the message from the Scripture text. Ask God if there is anything he wants to say to you through the Scripture and poetry readings.
Finally, you will usually find a couple of prayers on this page. Don't just read over these prayers quickly but make them your own and pray them sincerely from your heart. Use them as a catalyst for your own personal prayer time as well.
Spiritual Practices
The Spiritual Practices are practices inspired by the text and are designed to help you grow in your personal connection with God. There may be prayers, meditations, or other activities to help you connect with God. Read over the activity and then prayerfully work through the steps. Don't just go through the motions but really try to connect with God through the activity. At first it may seem to be a little odd using a scripted spiritual activity to connect with God but the more you do it the more natural it becomes. Following these types of spiritual practices can also help you stretch and grow in new ways and can help you learn additional spiritual practices that you can use in your relationship with God at a later time.
Exploring the Text
This resource is designed to help you dive deeper into your knowledge of the text. This will provide commentary or background that will help deepen your understanding. Start by reading the related Scriptures, then read through the appropriate section on the Exploring the Text page. Think about any new insights that you receive about the Scripture passage. If you are someone who takes notes, this would be a good time to write down any new thoughts or insights that you receive. Read through the Scripture passage again. Pray that God will bury his truth deep in your heart and that you life would reflect your deeper understanding of him and his Word.
Living Out the Text
Living Out the Text is designed to help you apply the principles in the Scripture passages to your daily life. We are not just called to know what Jesus taught but live our lives as Jesus would if he were alive today. This is the essence of what it means to follow Christ. Start by reading the Scripture passages, then read through the Living Out the Text resource. Think about ways that you can apply the text to the way you live your daily life. Pray that God will give you the grace to conform your life to his pattern.
Modern Parables
Modern Parables are inspired by the Scripture passages for the week. They are written to help you think about the key themes of the passages in different ways. Start by reading through the Scripture passages. Then read through one of the parables. Think about the themes in the parable. Put yourself in the position of the different characters in the parable. Think about what passages might have inspired the parable and what the parable is trying to say. Ask God if there is anything that he wants to bring to your awareness through the parable.