After carefully studying a passage to determine what it says and what it means, it is time to apply the message of God’s Word to our lives. Without such application, we may as well have never heard the message in the first place (James 1:22–25).

  1. Pray and ask God to show you something from His Word today. Ask the Lord to teach you from His Word. We cannot grasp or understand His truth apart from His work in us (1 Corinthians 2:1–16).
  2. Read the whole passage.
  3. Answer the questions. You may need to read the passage through for each question.
    1. Is there an example for me to follow?
    2. Is there a sin for me to avoid?
    3. Is there a command for me to obey?
    4. Is there a promise for me to claim? Is there a condition to be met?
    5. What does the passage say about my relationship with God?
    6. Is there a prayer for me to pray?
    7. What is the main teaching of this passage?
  4. Spend more time in prayer.
    1. Giving thanks for a blessing
    2. Claiming a promise
    3. Submitting to a command
    4. Confessing a failure
    5. Asking for the needs of yourself and others
  5. Work on this week’s (pick one) memory verse (Galatians 6:1–3; James 5:16).

How in the world can I stick with this kind of program? I have tried it before, and I always seem to quickly fade out. Without even realizing what has happened, I find that any daily time with the Lord is a thing of the past.

The answer to the question is twofold and both parts involve people. First, do not listen to those who would discourage you by saying, “Don’t sweat it, man,” or “It’s no big deal!” There are many of those kinds of people around, mostly they are just trying to cover up their own lack of self-discipline.

Second, listen to those that would help and encourage you. Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 state that Christians are like a body that needs all its various parts to function correctly. We all need help to get started on this type of project. Read Galatians 6:1–3 and James 5:16; then ask someone to be your spiritual inspector. Ask them to check up on you and to help you stick with this project for the long haul. You will be surprised how much more successful you will be doing it God’s way.