15 Tactics for Cultivating a Fruitful Devotional Life
Dedicate the first part of the day to scripture and prayer. Keep it simple - Pick a book of the Bible. Read one portion at a time (your bible probably has helpful subdivisions). Ask yourself - What does this say about God? How does this point to the grace of God in Christ? How should I respond? Pray for God’s help to respond, pray for those closest to you, confess sin, and thank God for His blessings. 20-30 minutes, 5 days a week. Where will this take you in 6 months / a year?
When you lay down at night, take 5-10 minutes to meditate on one verse (maybe from your reading that morning). Thank God for specific mercies from that day. Confess any sins that stand out from the day and thank God for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us. Pray for help for tomorrow. I know you scroll on that phone - I do it too. What if you swapped that habit out for this end of day spiritual reflection?
Decide that you won’t pick up your phone for anything before you pray for something or someone. Make it a game - Today, I’m going to pray for my pastor (ha ha) before I pick up my phone throughout the day. Or, today, I’m going to pray for my spouse before I pick up my phone. Today, I’m going to pray for the Iveys before I pick up my phone. Every time, all day. What if you cultivated this as a lifelong habit?
Swap out that podcast for an audio bible or solid bible based podcast on your ride to work, or while you’re folding clothes, or while you’re feeding the baby. We have the dwell app, and the ESV app has tons of options for different voices, different background music, plans, etc.
Watch a “Look at the Book” Youtube series on a specific book of the bible. This is a series where John Piper puts a section of scripture on the screen, and just walks you through it by making notes, highlights, etc. They’re about ten minutes per video. Where in your day could you place these?
Get a few folks to agree to memorize a chapter of the Bible together. One verse a day. You’ll find you begin to really meditate on the deeper meaning of the passage as you repeat it to yourself throughout the day. Hold each other accountable, pray for one another in this pursuit, and text each other things God is showing you about the passage.
Practice family worship. Again, keep it simple. Read a passage of scripture, and ask: What does this say about God? The grace of Jesus? How should we respond? Then pray. 10 minutes, a few times a week.
Use our catechism, for yourself and your family. The New City Catechism app contains songs, the bible verse that accompanies the question/answer, and a devotional based on that truth from an older source and a modern source. Utilize this app, it’s free.
Talk about the sermon during lunch or dinner Sunday. What stood out? How did you see Christ? How should you specifically respond?
Keep a notes app that has a few specific ongoing prayer focuses. Before you scroll through social media or youtube, scroll through that list.
Keep a notes app with a few promises of scripture that speak to a specific situation you’re in right now. Before scrolling anything else, scroll through that list.
Read the Solid Joys devotional before you get out of bed. Or when you lay down. Or you can even listen to it while you brush your teeth.
Pray with and for your spouse at the end of each day.
Use Operation World or a similar resource to pray for an unreached people group everyday.
Fast from something once a week, asking God to help you know Him better and love Him more. For extra credit, ask another member of the church to do this with you.
When you lay down at night, take 5-10 minutes to meditate on one verse (maybe from your reading that morning). Thank God for specific mercies from that day. Confess any sins that stand out from the day and thank God for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us. Pray for help for tomorrow. I know you scroll on that phone - I do it too. What if you swapped that habit out for this end of day spiritual reflection?
Decide that you won’t pick up your phone for anything before you pray for something or someone. Make it a game - Today, I’m going to pray for my pastor (ha ha) before I pick up my phone throughout the day. Or, today, I’m going to pray for my spouse before I pick up my phone. Today, I’m going to pray for the Iveys before I pick up my phone. Every time, all day. What if you cultivated this as a lifelong habit?
Swap out that podcast for an audio bible or solid bible based podcast on your ride to work, or while you’re folding clothes, or while you’re feeding the baby. We have the dwell app, and the ESV app has tons of options for different voices, different background music, plans, etc.
Watch a “Look at the Book” Youtube series on a specific book of the bible. This is a series where John Piper puts a section of scripture on the screen, and just walks you through it by making notes, highlights, etc. They’re about ten minutes per video. Where in your day could you place these?
Get a few folks to agree to memorize a chapter of the Bible together. One verse a day. You’ll find you begin to really meditate on the deeper meaning of the passage as you repeat it to yourself throughout the day. Hold each other accountable, pray for one another in this pursuit, and text each other things God is showing you about the passage.
Practice family worship. Again, keep it simple. Read a passage of scripture, and ask: What does this say about God? The grace of Jesus? How should we respond? Then pray. 10 minutes, a few times a week.
Use our catechism, for yourself and your family. The New City Catechism app contains songs, the bible verse that accompanies the question/answer, and a devotional based on that truth from an older source and a modern source. Utilize this app, it’s free.
Talk about the sermon during lunch or dinner Sunday. What stood out? How did you see Christ? How should you specifically respond?
Keep a notes app that has a few specific ongoing prayer focuses. Before you scroll through social media or youtube, scroll through that list.
Keep a notes app with a few promises of scripture that speak to a specific situation you’re in right now. Before scrolling anything else, scroll through that list.
Read the Solid Joys devotional before you get out of bed. Or when you lay down. Or you can even listen to it while you brush your teeth.
Pray with and for your spouse at the end of each day.
Use Operation World or a similar resource to pray for an unreached people group everyday.
Fast from something once a week, asking God to help you know Him better and love Him more. For extra credit, ask another member of the church to do this with you.
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