Praying with the Bible: A Guide for Beginners
Updated: Jun 20
When I was a little kid, I was taught in Sunday School to pray by folding my hands, and closing my eyes. Most prayers that I heard demonstrated, didn't use the words of Scripture.
As I grew, and had a quiet time, or "devotions" as we sometimes called it, the gap between my "prayer time" and my "Bible reading time" was clear. One didn't bleed into the other. In other words, praying with the Bible wasn't something that I knew how to practice. I thought they were two separate things.
Can I invite you to join me in a different way of thinking?
Praying With The Bible Open
What if you prayed with the Bible open? And your eyes open?
I know, it may seem irreverent, if you were taught that you needed to pray with your eyes closed. :) But did you know, there's not any verse in Scripture that instructs you to close your eyes in prayer? While it might remove some distractions, it isn't necessarily a Biblical practice.
Praying with the Bible open before you can be a powerful way to deepen your faith and connect with God. Sometimes, people think of Bible reading and prayer as two separate activities. I don't! I think that we should pray with the Bible in hand.
By using scripture as a guide, you can gain a deeper understanding of God's word and find comfort and guidance in your daily life. Whether you're new to prayer or looking to deepen your spiritual practice, this beginner's guide will show you how to pray with the Bible and experience the transformative power of scripture.
Understanding the Importance of Praying with the Bible
Praying with the Bible is an important practice for many Christians as it allows them to connect with God through scripture. The Bible is the Word of God and contains teachings, stories, and guidance that can help us deepen our faith and find comfort in times of need. By incorporating scripture into our prayer practice, we can gain a deeper understanding of God's word and strengthen our relationship with Him.
Several benefits of praying with the Bible in your hand include:
Never run out of things to pray for.
Keep prayer from getting stale.
Be confident that you're praying for things that are God's will.
Better engagement with Scripture.
What Praying With the Bible Means
Praying with the Bible involves using scripture as a guide for your prayers. This can be done by selecting a passage or verse and using it as a starting point for your prayer. You can also use the Bible to find prayers that have been written by others, such as the Lord's Prayer or the Psalms. By incorporating scripture into your prayers, you can deepen your understanding of God's word and connect with Him on a deeper level.
Practice for Praying with the Bible
If you want to know more about praying with the Bible in hand, check out this series of posts about learning to pray the Bible using the Psalms:
How to Pray Using the Bible, Day 1: Psalm 1
How to Pray Using the Psalms, Day 2: Psalm 2
How to Pray to God Using Psalm 3
Praying With Scripture, Psalm 4
Praying with the Bible Turns Prayer Into a Conversation with God
You'll learn how to talk to God about what He just talked to you about, if you'll pray with the Bible in your hand.