BY MARTIN PURYEAR

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV) Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— [3] if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

THE TWO THINGS I SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK FOR WHEN I READ THE BIBLE

1. What truth is this passage teaching?
   2. How will I apply this principle to my life?

Note: Spiritual truth takes place when one begins to obey the truth he or she already knows.

John 7:17 (ESV) “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”

These are the words of Christ as He was teaching in the Temple.

HOW TO PRACTICE MY QUIET TIME:

1. Begin with prayer.

1 Cor 2:11-12 (ESV) “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him: So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

2. Read one or more chapters of the Bible.
   3. What is the one truth that stands out to me today?
   4. Record the key thought in that days journal page.
   5. Now, lift up a prayer to God for what He has shown you.

HOW TO WRITE AN APPLICATION:
1. I should PRAISE God for what He is like (HIS CHARACTER)
2. I should THANK Him for what He has done (HIS WORKS)
3. I should TRUST him to do what He has promised He would do.
4. I should OBEY His command.
5. I should IMITATE or AVOID this character trait.

MY RESOLVE TO THE TRUTH REVEALED

1. Does this truth reveal something about God’s character for which we should PRAISE Him?
2. Does this truth reveal something that God has done for which we should THANK Him?
3. Is this truth a PROMISE God has made for which we should TRUST Him?
4. Is this truth a DIRECT COMMAND that we should OBEY in our ATTITUDE or our BEHAVIOR?
5. Is this truth a GODLY (or UNGODLY) CHARACTER TRAIT that we should IMITATE or AVIOD?

HOW TO WRITE AN APPLICATION STATEMENT:

1. A response statement should include words like “I will” and “who” “what” “when” and “where.”
2. An example of this would be:

Someone might read Titus 2:9-10
“Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing…Not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

3. The key thought the reader may come to might be.
   “My work ethic is to be a reflection of the faith I have told others I have in Christ.”
4. The application statement may read:
   “Starting MONDAY, I will not pilfer time from my employer by taking 25-30 minutes for a break when he allows me only 15 minutes. I will be careful to watch the clock and return to work on at 10:15 and 2:15.”

In this example, the WHO is my employer, the WHAT is to be careful to watch the clock and return to work at 10:15 and 2:15, the WHEN is starting Monday, and the WHERE is at work.

THE BIBLE READING PLAN:

1. Start with the 10 week plan in the workbook and then the 500 plus day plan after.
2. Read the assigned reading each day and then record the key thought for that days reading. Lift up a prayer to God each day thanking Him for what He has shown you.
3. At the end of the week you should have seven key thoughts. Now, take the key thought out of those 7 and write an application statement based on that key thought. Pray this commitment back to God.