Devotional Guide

Make every day count in 2016

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Devotional Guide

Make every day count in 2016

why do a daily devotional?

‘Read your Bible, pray every day if you want to grow.’ That children’s song simply sums up how you can make every day count. Daily devotionals are essential for conquering in life and for your development as a fruitful disciple and faith filled leader.

Jesus taught us to pray to our Heavenly Father for daily bread. He showed us that we overcome the temptations of life by our memorisation, quotation and application of what is written in the Word of God.

In the Old Testament the busy statesman Daniel found time to pray three times a day. The military commander Joshua was told that he would be ‘prosperous and successful’ if he meditated on God’s word ‘day and night’ and was careful to obey it.

The apostles gave their ‘attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word.’

Daily private devotionals have been the foundation of my own life and public ministry. I hope this guide helps you to develop the disciplines and delights of your own daily walk with the Lord.

Wes Richards,
Senior Pastor

What is the Bible?

The Bible is not one book but a library of 66 books; 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

Both Testaments share common themes, and the whole Bible points to the saviour of the world, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is a prelude to the coming of the Messiah, while the New Testament reveals the Messiah to us.

The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years by at least 40 authors from different world empires including kings, scholars, philosophers, fishermen, poets, prophets, historians and doctors. All of these have a common thread, inspired by God; written by man. The Bible remains as true and relevant today as it has been throughout history.

The Bible has been banned and burned, ridiculed and rejected but today it is still the world’s bestselling book, with an estimated 1,250,000 copies sold each year in the UK. YouVersion’s Bible app has been downloaded over 100 million times, and on average 66,000 people open the app every second. The Bible can change your life every day.

Why Is The Bible Important?

1. The Bible is the inspired word of God
2 Timothy 3:16: ‘All Scripture is God-breathed.’

2. The Bible is relevant for every situation
2 Timothy 3:16: ‘All Scripture…is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’.

3. The Bible is a treasure store of wisdom
Psalm 119:98: ‘Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.’

4. The Bible has great power
Hebrews 4:12: ‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.’

5. The Bible will give you a God centred worldview
Daniel 6:26-27: ‘For he is the living God and he endures for ever; his kingdom will never be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.’

6. The Bible will teach you how to live right
Micah 6:8: ‘He has shown you, O mortal man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you. To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with the Lord your God.’

7. The Bible will show you what real love is all about
John 15:12-13: ‘My command is this. Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.’

8. The Bible will give you guidance and direction
Psalm 119:105: ‘Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path’

9. The Bible will give you strength in time of trouble
Psalm 119:114: ‘You are my refuge and my shield. I have put my hope in your Word.’

10. The Bible will keep you pure in an evil world
Psalm 119:9: ‘How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your Word.’

11. The Bible will bring you great blessing
Psalm 1:1-3: ‘Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.’

12. The Bible will reveal Jesus to you
John 5:39: ‘These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.’

How Do I Pray?

Jesus teaches us how in Matthew 6:5-15. We encourage you to follow this example of prayer in your devotional time.

Our Father in Heaven - Thank God that you can call Him Father through grace. Thank God that as a son or daughter of God you are an heir of His promises.

Hallowed be your name - Hallow means to set apart, praise and adore. In Psalm 86:12 it says we should glorify the names of God. We should pray and apply the truths that the Lord is righteousness, He sanctifies, is peace, is there, He heals, provides, is your banner and shepherd.

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven - Pray that God’s rule of righteousness, peace,
provision and healing will powerfully increase in your life, home, church, work, friends, nation and world.

Give us today our daily bread - God gives good things to you. Check there is nothing that will hinder God’s supply line such as disobedience. Believe it is God’s will to prosper you, be specific in your requests and don’t give up!

Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors - Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything you have done which may offend God. Ask God to forgive you and receive His forgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if you are holding a grudge against anyone and forgive them too.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - Pray for specific areas where you face temptation and understand that you have been given power to overcome. Also ask for God’s protection around you.

Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen - God reigns over everything. Praise Him for who He is, what He’s done and what He will do. Begin each new day with boldness and strength.

10 Tips To Improve Your Devotional Life

1. FIND A QUIET PLACE
A devotional is time between you and God. Find somewhere without distraction where you can maximise this time alone with Him.

2.BEGIN WITH WORSHIP
Praise, worship andwelcome the Holy Spirit. Focus on who God is before anything else. You may want to keep worship music on for the rest of your devotional.

3. READ TO UNDERSTAND
Read the Bible in a version you can understand.
Reading in the context it was written is important to understand what the original meaning was.

4. CONSIDER THE CONTEXT
What is going on ‘behind the message’? When in
history was it written? Why was it written? Who wrote it? What is the message all about?

5. DIGEST THE CONTENT
Don’t just read it, think about it. What are the
verses actually saying? How do they compare
to other Scriptures you know?

6. APPLY THE TEACHING
How is the daily reading relevant to you? How do you need to change? Make a declaration of how it applies to you.

7. READ COMMENTARIES
It may be helpful to read notes from Bible commentaries and devotionals from respected Christian leaders who can help apply the Word of God.

8. MEMORISE SCRIPTURES
Always be prepared to use the Word of God to help you succeed in your daily life and overcome
every challenge.

10. WRITE NOTES
Get a notebook (paper or digital!) and write a brief summary of what God has said to you. Refer back to it and implement every day.

9. SPEAK WITH GOD
Prayer is powerful! Always use the outline of the Lord’s Prayer, and be amazed by what God reveals to you.

Where Can I Find Help?

ON YOUR MOBILE
The YouVersion Bible App is available in 700
languages. Read, watch, listen, and share on your smartphone or tablet. To download, go to
bible.com/app. To read the Bible In One Year,
search under ‘plans’ at bible.com

THROUGH GREAT STUDY BIBLES
The Life Application Study Bible
Thompson Chain Reference Bible

THROUGH GREAT RESOURCES
The Lion Handbook of the Bible
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
Nicky Gumbel daily devotionals
Alpha Questions Of Life by Nicky Gumbel

OCTOBER devotional

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OCTOBER devotional

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1. 2 Samuel 1:1-2:7

2. 2 Samuel 2:8-3:21

3. 2 Samuel 3:22-5:5

4. 2 Samuel 5:6-6:23

5. 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18

6. 2 Samuel 9:1-10:19

7. 2 Samuel 11:1-12:31

8. 2 Samuel 13:1-39

9. 2 Samuel 14:1-15:12

10. 2 Samuel 15:13-16:14

11. 2 Samuel 16:15 -18:18

12. 2 Samuel 18:19-19:43

13. 2 Samuel 20:1-21:22

14. 2 Samuel 22:1-23:7

15. 2 Samuel 23:8-24:25

16. 1 Kings 1:1-2:12

17. 1 Kings 2:13 - 3:15

18. 1 Kings 3:16-5:18

19. 1 Kings 6:1-7:22

20. 1 Kings 7:23:8:21

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July Devotional

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August Devotional

1 Chronicles 11:1-12:22

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September Devotional

1. Micah 5:1-7:20 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Proverbs 21:17-26

2. Isaiah 1:1-2:22
2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 Psalm 105:1-11

3. Isaiah 3:1-5:7
2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1 Psalm 105:12-22

4. Isaiah 5:8-8:10
2 Corinthians 7:2-16 Psalm 105:23-36

5. Isaiah 8:11-10:19
2 Corinthians 8:1-15 Proverbs 21:27-22:6

6. Isaiah 10:20-13:22
2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5 Psalm 105:37-45

7. Isaiah 14:1-16:14
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 Psalm 106:1-15

8. Isaiah 17:1-19:25
2 Corinthians 10:1-18 Psalm 106:16-31

9. Isaiah 20:1-23:18
2 Corinthians 11:1-15 Psalm 119:1-8

10. Isaiah 24:1-26:21 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Psalm 106:32-39

11. Isaiah 27:1-28:29 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Psalm 106:40-48

12. Isaiah 29:1-30:18 2 Corinthians 12:11-21 Psalm 107:1-9

13. Isaiah 30:19-32-20 2 Corinthians 13:13:1-14 Proverbs 22:17-27

14. Isaiah 33:1-35:10 Galations 1:1-24
Psalm 119:33-40

15. Isaiah 36:1-37:38 Galations 2:1-10
Psalm 107:23-32

16. Isaiah 41:42:25 Galations 3:10-25 Proverbs 22:28-23:9

17. Isaiah 43:1-44:23 Galations 3:26-4:20 Psalm 108:1-5

18. Isaiah 43:1-44:23 Galations 3:26-4:20 Psalm 108:1-5

19. Isaiah 44:24-46:13 Galations 4:21-5:6
Psalm 108:6-13

20. Isaiah 47:1-49:7 Galations 5:7-26
Psalm 109:1-20

21. Isaiah 49:8-51:16 Galasion 6:1-18
Proverbs 23:10-18

22. Isaiah 51:17-54:17 Ephesians 1:1-23
Psalm 109:21:31

23. Isaiah 55:1-57:13 Ephesians 2:1-22
Psalm 110:1-7

24. Isaiah 57:14-59:21 Ephesians 3:1-21
Psalm 111:1-10

25. Isaiah 60:1-62:12 Ephesians 4:1-16 Proverbs 23:19-28

26. Isaiah 63:1-65:16 Ephesians 4:17-5:7
Psalm 112:1-10

27. Isaiah 63:1-65:16 Ephesians 4:17-5:7
Psalm 112:1-10

28. Nahum 1:1-3:19 Ephesians 6:1-24
Psalm 114:1-8

29. Zephaniah 1:1-3:20 Philippians 1:1-26 Proverbs 23:29-24:4

30. Jeremiah 1:1-2:30 Philippians 1:27-2:11 Psalm 115:1-11

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October Devotional

1. Jeremiah 2:31-4:9 Philippians 2:12-30 Psalm 115:12-18

2. Jeremiah 4:10-5:31 Philippians 3:1-4:1
Psalm 116:1-11

3. Jeremiah 6:1-7:29 Philippians 4:2-23 Proverbs 24:5-14

4. Jeremiah 7:30-9:16 Colossians 1:1-23
Psalm 116:12-19

5. Jeremiah 9:17-11:7 Colossians 1:24-2:5 Psalm 117:1-2

6. Jeremiah 11:18-13:27 Colossians 2:6-23
Psalm 118:1-16

7. Jeremiah 14:1-15:21 Colossians 3:1-4:1 Proverbs 24:15-22

8. Jeremiah 16:1-17:27 Colossians 4:2-18
Psalm 118:17-29

9. Jeremiah 18:1-20:18 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:16 Psalm 119:41-48

10. Jeremiah 21:1-23:8 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 Psalm 119:9-16

11. Jeremiah 23:9-25:14
1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 Proverbs 24:23-34

12. Jeremiah 25:15-26:24 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 Psalm 119:17-24

13. Jeremiah 27:1-29:23 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 Psalm 119:25-32

14. Jeremiah 29:24-31:14 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 Psalm 119:73-80

15. Jeremiah 31:15-32:25 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 Proverbs 25:1-10

16. Jeremiah 32:26-34:22
1 Timothy 1:1-20
Psalm 119:41-48

17. Jeremiah 35:1-37:21
1 Timothy 2:1-15
Psalm 119:49-56

18. Jeremiah 38:1-40:6
1 Timothy 3:1-16
Psalm 119:57-64

19. Jeremiah 40:7-42:22 1 Timothy 4:1-16 Proverbs 25:11-20

20. Jeremiah 43:1-45:5
1 Timothy 5:1-6:2
Psalm 119:65-72

21. Jeremiah 46:1-47:7
1 Timothy 6:3-21
Psalm 119:73-80

22. Jeremiah 48:1-49:6
2 Timothy 1:1-18
Psalm 119:81-88

23. Jeremiah 49:7-50:10 2 Timothy 2:1-26 Proverbs 25:21-26:2

24. Jeremiah 50:11-51:14 2 Timothy 3:1-17
Psalm 119:89-96

25. Jeremiah 51:15-64
2 Timothy 4:1-22
Psalm 119:97-104

26. Jeremiah 52:1-34 Titus 1:1-16
Psalm 119:105-112

27. Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 Titus 2:1-15
Proverbs 26:3-12

28. Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 Titus 2:1-15
Proverbs 26:3-12

29. Lamentations 2:7-3:39
Philemon 1-25
Psalm 119:121-128

30. Lamentations 3:40-5:22
Hebrews 1:1-14
Psalm 119:129-136

31. Obadiah 1-21
Hebrews 2:1-18
Proverbs 26:13-22

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November Devotional

1. Joel 1:1-2:17
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 119:137-144

2. Joel 2:18-3:21
Hebrews 4:1-13
Psalm 119:145-152

3. Ezekiel 1:1-3:27 Hebrews 4:14-5:10
Psalm 119:153-160

4. Ezekiel 4:1-6:14 Hebrews 5:11-6:12 Proverbs 26:23-27:4

5. Ezekiel 7:1-9:11 Hebrews 6:13-7:10
Psalm 119:161-168

6. Ezekiel 10:1-12:28 Hebrews 7:11-28
Psalm 119:169-176

7. Ezekiel 13:1-15:8 Hebrews 8:1-13
Psalm 120:1-7

8. Ezekiel 16:1-63 Hebrews 9:1-15
Proverbs 27:5-14

9. Ezekiel 17:1-18:32 Hebrews 9:16-28
Psalm 121:1-8

10. Ezekiel 19:1-20:44 Hebrews 10:1-18
Psalm 122:1-9

11. Ezekiel 20:45-22:22 Hebrews 10:19-39
Psalm 123:1-4

12. Ezekiel 22:23-23:49 Hebrews 11:1-16
Proverbs 27:15-22

13. Ezekiel 24:1-25:17 Hebrews 11:17-40
Psalm 124:1-8

14. Ezekiel 26:1-27:36 Hebrews 12:1-13
Psalm 125:1-5

15. Ezekiel 28:1-29:21 Hebrews 12:14-29
Psalm 126:1-6

16. Ezekiel 30:1-31:18 Hebrews 13:1-25 Proverbs 27:23-28:6

17. Ezekiel 32:1-33:20 James 1:1-27
Psalm 127:1-5

18. Ezekiel 33:21-35:15 James 2:1:26
Psalm 128:1-6

19. Ezekiel 36:1-37:28 James 3:1-18
Psalm 129:1-8

20. Ezekiel 38:1-39:29 James 4:1-17
Proverbs 28:7-17

21. Ezekiel 40:1-49 James 5:1-20
Psalm 130:1-8

22. Ezekiel 41:1-42:20
1 Peter 1:1-2:3
Psalm 131:1-3

23. Ezekiel 43:1-44:31
1 Peter 2:4-25
Psalm 132:1-18

24. Ezekiel 45:1-46:24
1 Peter 3:1-22
Proverbs 28:18-28

25. Ezekiel 47:1-48:35
1 Peter 4:1-19
Psalm 134:1-3

26. Daniel 1:1-2:23
1 Peter 5:1-14
Psalm 134:1-3

27. Daniel 2:24-3:12
2 Peter 1:1-21
Psalm 135:1-12

28. Daniel 3:13-4:18
2 Peter 2:1-22
Proverbs 29:1-9

29. Daniel 4:19-5:16 2 Peter 3:1-18
Psalm 135:13-21

30. Daniel 5:17-6:28
1 John 1:1-2:11
Psalm 136:1-12

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December Devotional

1. Daniel 7:1-8:14
1 John 2:12-27
Psalm 136:13-26

2. Daniel 8:15-9:19
1 John 2:28-3:10 Proverbs 29:10-18

3. Daniel 9:20-11:1
1 John 3:11-4:6
Psalm 137:1-9

4. Daniel 11:2-35
1 John 4:7-21
Psalm 138:1-8

5. Daniel 11:36-12:13
1 John 5:1-21
Psalm 139:1-10

6. Haggai 11:36-12:13
2 John 1-13
Proverbs 29:19-27

7. Zechariah 1:1-4:14
3 John 1-14
Psalm 139:11-16

8. Zechariah 5:1-8:23 Jude 1-25
Psalm 139:17-24

9. Zechariah 9:1-11:17 Revelation 1:1-20
Psalm 140:1-5

10. Zechariah 12:1-14:21 Revelation 2:1-17 Proverbs 30:1-10

11. Esther 1:1-2:18 Revelation 2:18-3:6 Psalm 140:6-13

12. Esther 2:19-5:14 Revelation 3:7-22
Psalm 141:1-10

13. Esther 6:1-8:17 Revelation 4:1-11
Psalm 142:1-7

14. Esther 9:1-10:3 Revelation 5:1-14 Proverbs 30:11-23

15. Malachi 1:1-2:16 Revleation 6:1-17
Psalm 143:1-12

16. Malachi 2:17-4:6 Revelation 7:1-17
Psalm 144:1-8

17. Ezra 1:1-2:67 Revelation 8:1-9:12 Psalm 144:9-15

18. Ezra 2:68-4:5 Revelation 9:13-10:11 Proverbs 30:24-33

19. Ezra 4:6-5:17 Revelation 11:1-19
Psalm 145:1-7

20. Ezra 6:1-7:10 Revelation 12:1-13:1a Psalm 119:24-120

21. Ezra 7:11-8:14 Revelation 13:1b-18 Psalm 145:13b-21

22. Ezra 8:15-9:15 Revelation 14:1-13 Proverbs 31:1-9

23. Ezra 10:1-44 Revelation 14:14-15:8 Psalm 146:1-10

24. Nehemiah 1:1-2:20 Revelation 16:1-21
Psalm 147:1-11

25. Nehemiah 3:1-4:23 Revelation 17:1-18
Psalm 147:12-20

26. Nehemiah 5:1-7:3 Revelation 18:1-17a Proverbs 31:10-20

27. Nehemiah 7:4-8:18 Revelation 18:17b-19:10 Psalm 148:1-6

28. Nehemiah 9:1-37 Revelation 19:11-21 Psalm 148:7-14

29. Nehemiah 9:38-11:21 Revelation 20:1-15
Psalm 149:1-9

30. Nehemiah 11:22-12:47
Revelation 21:1-27 Proverbs 31:21-31

31. Nehemiah 13:1-31 Revelation 22:1-21
Psalm 150:1-6

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