The basis of Christianity is recorded in the Bible.  The Bible is the word of God, recorded to be used as a PRIMARY resource by us all.  The Bible is “God Breathed” and can be used for many different purposes (2 Timothy 3:16).  The Disciple studies/consults The Word regularly, learning what God has to say about a specific situation or concern.   In order for the disciple to maximize time in The Word, there are three ingredients to follow:

• Observation, which requires an open mind and a willing spirit. Accurate observation is the result of reading with diligence, purposefulness, thoughtfulness, and inquiry. The question to ask is “What is it saying?”
• Interpretation – What Does It Mean? The step of determining the author’s meaning, clarifying the meaning of a passage.  Interpretation takes into account the context of the surrounding passages, genre (ie. poetry, historical, prophecy, etc) and intended audience.
• Application – Putting God’s Word into Practice in your life. The benefit of Bible Study is in obeying the voice of God and putting it into practice.  Application starts with a willing acceptance of truth. “What should I do?” The application should be a S.M.A.R.T. goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Sensitive.

Prayer is the way we communicate and build a meaningful relationship with God.  Prayer can be done at anytime and anywhere.  Prayer can be a short, “breath prayer” or a longer prayer.  Jesus encouraged his Disciples to pray and showed them how (Matthew 6: 9-13) in The Lord’s Prayer.  Paul encouraged constant/continued prayer (I Thessalonians 5: 17).  A guide of how to pray is the “ACTS method”.  Simply follow the A.C.T.S. acronym.

 

“A” stands for ADORATION.  Focus on who God is, His attributes, and character.

“C” stands for CONFESSION.  Tell God of your sins.  Don’t be afraid to name them and be specific understanding that there’s complete forgiveness through Jesus.    I John 1:9 tells us that He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

“T” stands for THANKSGIVING.  Thank God for forgiving you of your sins.  Thank Him for the basics of life, as well as the big and little things.

“S” stands for SUPPLICATION.  Submit your “requests” to God.  Lay down all of your concerns, worries, and troubles and ASK Him to move in a mighty way so that the peace of God may come upon you.

 

Prayer also involves “listening”.  Always be aware of God “speaking” to you through opportunities, words of others to you, and even miraculous happenings in your everyday life.

We have heard the phrase “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).  Money is an important tool that allows us to “transact” in today’s world.  However, money can test our integrity (Luke 16: 10-11) and also seem to make us less dependent on God (Mark 10:23).   It is important for the Disciple to gain a proper perspective of money, using it wisely to function in the world, while also using it as a resource to honor God and care for others.  Proper money management allows us be at peace by controlling the resource, rather than the resource controlling us.  We recommend to give first, save second, and then live off the rest, if possible.