Thumbnail Theology: Devotional Bible Study

DAILY BIBLE READING

“Sword Drill“
(Eph 6:11)

P ray that you may hear God speaking to you

through your study of the passage.
R ead the passage carefully (not in a rush!).
A sk questions about the contents of the passage. (See below)
Y ield yourself in pray as you respond to God’s message for you
from the passage.
Memorize your MESSAGE for THE DAY.

QUESTIONS to ASK yourself

• What is the Passage about?
• Is there anything I find difficult?
• Does the passage teach me anything about
o God the Father?
o Jesus Christ?
o The Holy Spirit?
• What does it teach me about the Christian life? Is there…
o A command to obey?
o An example to follow?
o A promise to claim?
o A duty to perform?
o A warning to heed? (take pay attention to)
o An error to avoid?
o A prayer to echo? (Can I take something from the passage to apply in
prayer to my situation?)
• What is the main lesson here for me?
What six (or less) words from the passage
sums up this MESSAGE for THE DAY?
Example
LUKE 11:1-13

PRAY – for the Holy Spirit to illuminate my reading of this passage

to enable me to hear what God wants to say to me through it.

READ – slowly and carefully, thinking about each phrase as you read.

ASK – yourself the following questions about the content of the passage.

What is the passage about? Is it about

• Asking for things we need?
• How to pray to God?
• The purpose of prayer?

What did you find difficult to understand?

(Your answer)

What does the passage teach about:

a. God the Father?
• He is our heavenly father
• His name should be hallowed
• He is King who should rule us and our world
• He provides for our daily needs
• He forgives sins
• He gives the gift of His Spirit from heaven
b. Jesus Christ?
• He found it necessary to pray like us
• He was a good teacher, using easy illustrations
c. The Holy Spirit?
• He is a good gift from our heavenly God
Is there in this passage:
a. A command to obey?
• “Say” the prayer Jesus taught (i.e. use its method)
• We must forgive others
• Ask, seek and knock on God’s door
b. An example to follow?
• If your don’t know how to do something in your spiritual life, ask Jesus to
show you
• Pray for God’s honour to be recognized
• Pray for daily needs (not current greeds!)
• Pray for forgiveness for your shortcomings, etc
• Pray for protection from evil spiritual influences
• Be bold in your asking
c. A promise to claim?
• If we ask God (for the above kind of things) He will provide
• Especially He will give us His Holy Spirit if we ask Him
d. A duty to perform?
• We surely have a duty to pray regularly and in the right way
e. A warning to heed?
Not apparent in this passage
f. An error to avoid?
• Being slow to answer the requests for help of others
g. A prayer to echo?
• The whole pray that Jesus taught his disciples

MESSAGE for THE DAY: Which is the most appropriate for you? (Or have you
found another one?)
• Seek and you will find!
• Lord, teach us to pray!
• Everyone who asks receives.
• How much more will your Father!

YIELD
Give yourself up to God afresh in prayer
as you ask for His help to enable you to
put into practice
what your have learnt from this passage
and
what he has been saying to you through it.
Devotional Bible Study seeks to:

Find God’s will for our daily living

“My food is
to do the will of Him
who sent me
and to accomplish His words.”

Find help to prevent sin

“I have hidden Your Word in my heart,
O God,
so that I shall not sin
against You.”

Find guidance for the way ahead

“Your Word shall be
a lamp
for my path today,”