God’s Word & Prayer: The single-most important thing you can do to be a disciple who makes disciples is to consistently spend time with God in His Word and Prayer. If this is a new thing for you, start small. Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier and treat this meeting as the first meeting on your daily schedule. If your boss called for a daily morning meeting, I doubt you would miss many of them and then only in true emergencies. You would simply make it a part of your normal daily routine. Why should God not be given at least as much dignity? He pays greater reward! (See Hebrews 11.6)

To get started, you only need:

• a specific place and time where you won’t be distracted (NO PHONES!)
• a study Bible in a translation you can easily read (I recommend the CSB Study Bible, but there are lots of good ones; Hilltop is happy to provide one if needed. Just contact us at admin@htopc.org.)
• a notebook
• maybe a strong cup of coffee

I suggest beginning with a shorter book of the New Testament like the Gospel of Mark or James or Philippians. After praying for the Holy Spirit to help you understand God’s Word (1 Cor 2.12; Psa 119.18), read a short passage, maybe a chapter or so, marking with a pencil or highlighter words and phrases that jump out at you. Then ask yourself 3 Questions:

• What’s the main point? Try summarizing the main point of the passage in your own words. There may be lots of things that are not clear, but try to get through the weeds to the author’s main idea. We are seeking to understand what the author meant to say, so whatever you write should reflect the actual words of the Bible. The illumination of the Holy Spirit will lead to a rational understanding of what the Bible says, not a spooky intuition of “spiritual truth” that’s only loosely connected to the text. Don’t read your own thoughts into the Bible, draw out from the Bible what is actually written.
• What difference does it make? Why did Mark or Paul or James write this to the church? What did they want the reader to do because of what they wrote? This may not always be easy or obvious because we don’t fully understand the situation behind what was written. If it’s not clear, ask a friend who knows the Bible their understanding. Study notes in your Bible can help in this way. They are not inspired like the words of Scripture (so they could be wrong) but are like asking a friend for their take. Occasionally, you may come away with more questions than answers and that’s okay. Keep chewing on it and asking God for the Spirit’s illumination. Stay curious. God rewards the one who seeks Him (Jer 29.13; Heb 11.6).
• How does it work? Once you understand what the author intended his reader to do because of what he wrote, ask for the Holy Spirit to reveal how He wants you to align your life with this biblical principle. Ask Him to help you envision what it looks like to obey God’s Word today based on your understanding of it so far. Write down what you feel He is saying and ask for His power to obey His Word.

After allowing God to speak through His Word, write or speak a prayer of response. A popular model for prayer is the ACTS model, which stands for:

• Adoration – Praise God for who He is—His goodness and greatness (Psalm 68.32-35; Romans 11.33-36)
• Confession – Invite the Holy Spirit to search and expose sin in your life. Confess and repent (renounce and resolve to stop) whatever He reveals. (Psalm 32.1-5; 1 John 1.9)
• Thanksgiving – Express gratitude to God for His blessings in your life. Be specific. (1 Thessalonians 5.18; Psalm 118.1)
• Supplication – Humble yourself by expressing dependence on God. Ask Him for His provision, strength, and deliverance for all of the burdens on your heart. Lay your worries at His feet and trust Him to care for your needs. (Philippians 4.6-7; 1 Peter 5.6-7; Matthew 7.7-12)

 
Evangelism Prayer List: Lewis Sperry Chafer once wrote, “before we talk to people about God, we must talk to God about people.” Take a 3x5 index card and try to think of 10 people you know who, as far as you can tell, do not have a personal relationship with God through Jesus. Write their names on the blank side of the index card and use it as a bookmark in your Bible, so it will be in front of you every morning with the Lord. Close your time praying for 1 or more of the people on your list and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what you could do to help move this person one step closer (or all the way!) to Jesus.