Bible Study
By Cynthia Hyle Bezek
Note: This Bible study is formatted for small group open discussion. If you use this study by yourself, we suggest you journal your answers to the discussion questions. Also, please use suggested translations where indicated. Biblegateway.com is an excellent source for translations you may not have on hand.
During the first week of each new year, I like to set aside a few hours with God to do an inventory of my life. Together, He and I look over the year that has passed, and I thank Him for its gifts. I mourn losses. I celebrate the ways He has grown me. I confess the ways I’ve let Him down. And I ask Him what He would like me to focus on in the new year.
My way of looking forward often takes the form of what some Christians have called a “rule of life.” If you’re not familiar with a “rule of life,” you might want to give it a try. It’s a great way to work with God to bring order and cohesion to the various pieces of your life. And as we see throughout this issue of PRAY, a well-ordered life and prayer go hand in hand.
In the “Action Steps” part of this study, I’ll tell you how to create a simple rule of life. But first, the Bible study.
Discussion Questions
Dr. Tim Clinton believes our relationships can affect our prayer lives. Have you experienced this in your life? If so, how?
Conversely, Clinton also believes that our prayer lives can affect our relationships. If you have found this to be true, share an example.
Write one biblical principle for relationships for each of the following verses or passages. Circle the references that correspond to ones you’d like to make a prayer focus.
Matthew 7:3
John 13:14–15
Romans 12:9–10
Romans 12:19
Romans 12:20–21
Ephesians 4:26
1 Thessalonians 5:11
James 1:19–20
Rachel Cruze contends that finances can be a major distraction in prayer. Read the following passages. How could the truths they contain help someone pray through such struggles? Circle the references that correspond to truths you would like to pray about.
Proverbs 13:11
Malachi 3:10
Matthew 6:21
Matthew 6:24
Romans 13:8
1 Timothy 6:17–19
Hebrews 13:5
“As our spiritual lives go, so go the rest of our lives,” says Dr. Ronnie Floyd. Below, you’ll find a list of spiritual disciplines he wrote about. Put a check by those already a consistent part of your life. Circle those you’d like to enjoy more regularly and intentionally.
- Daily Bible reading
- Prayer
- Praying with fasting
- Listening to God
Scripture offers many other spiritual disciplines to help bring order to our souls. Which ones do you find in the following passages? Circle any you would like to practice more regularly in your life.
Psalm 119:11
Psalm 136:1–2
Psalm 139:23–24
Colossians 3:13
Hebrews 4:1, 9–11
James 5:16
When you’re 80, will you be healthy enough to give your all to the Lord the way you can today? If that’s what you want, Rachel McMichael says you’ll need to invest in some physical self-discipline now. What two or three physical goals (diet, exercise, etc.) can you set for yourself this year so that you will be able to serve the Lord well, even when you’re older? (If you are already 80 or older, talk about ways your earlier attention, or inattention, to your body’s well-being affects your ability to serve the Lord now.)
Action Steps
Try making a simple rule of life. From this Bible study you just completed, prayerfully identify your life priorities. You may want to include additional things that didn’t come up in your study.
Make a chart. It can simply be lines scribbled on paper. List your priorities in the horizontal rows. Above the vertical columns, write how often you would like to practice these: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. Fill in the squares with specific action steps that will help you bring order to these various aspects of your life.
For example, if God is challenging you to give more generously, in the “finance” row, you might record a certain amount you’d like to give every month.
Or if you want to be more hospitable, in the “relationships” row write a goal such as this: “Invite someone to coffee or lunch at least once a week.”
Perhaps you want to spend more focused time with God. In the “spiritual life” row you could write, “Take a personal prayer retreat” every quarter.
Clearly, this tool is only as effective as your follow through. Personally, I don’t ever achieve all my goals. But one thing is sure: although my life is never as well-ordered as I’d like, it’s a lot more balanced thanks to this simple practice I do at the beginning of each new year.
CYNTHIA HYLE BEZEK is a regular contributor to PRAY and director of curriculum for Community Bible Studies.
