Skip to content
A Stone In The Shoe
A Stone In The Shoe

Something you can't forget about

  • Home
  • Letters To My Children
  • Why Christianity
    • Biblical Discussions
    • Philosophical Discussions
    • Scientific Discussions
  • Beginners Bible Study
    • BBS: Start Here!
    • How To Read The Bible
    • Gospel of Luke
    • Gospel of Matthew
    • Gospel of John
    • Paul’s Letter – Galatians
    • Paul’s Letter – Ephesians
    • Letter of James
  • Teachings
    • General Teachings
    • How To Read The Bible
  • Mission
A Stone In The Shoe

Something you can't forget about

Beginner’s Online Bible Study 03: Becoming closer to God requires prayer – time communicating with Him.

Thomas Less, December 3, 2010December 28, 2016

Becoming closer to God requires prayer – time communicating with Him.

Knowing someone can only really come by being around them.  There is no substitute for spending time with God.  If we believe He is alive and loves us, we can be in His presence.  Take the time to get to know the person who died for You.

Think of the person you talk to on the phone the most.  Lets name this person Alex for the sake of discussion.  When Alex calls, does Alex have to tell you who they are?  No, you recognize their voice on the phone.  Did that happen the first time you spoke to Alex?  If I called you, assuming we aren’t close friends, would you recognize my voice?  No.  You know someone’s voice on the phone because you have spent time on the phone with them.  Give God some time on the phone.  Do you want Him to be surprised when He does hear your voice on the phone?  How will you know when He is calling you, moving in your heart and soul, if you never, or seldom, spend time on the phone with Him?

Spending time with someone helps you know what they think and what they would do in particular situations.  If I asked you, “Would Alex enjoy going to a Bengals football game?”, you would know the answer because you know Alex.  Now think about all the other questions I could ask you about Alex.

  • Does Alex like poetry?
  • Does Alex like to go to church?
  • Does Alex think murder is wrong?
  • Does Alex think abortion is wrong?
  • Does Alex think capital punishment is wrong?
  • Does Alex think a child dying from hunger in a world full of food is murder?
  • Could Alex ever let a child he loved die of hunger?
  • Could Alex ever kill his own son on a cross?

Did you notice how the questions progressed in complexity and significance?  The more time you spend with Alex, the more likely you will know what Alex thinks about more complicated questions.  Our relationship with God is like that.  If we want to know what God thinks about things, we need to be around Him a lot.  And if we know God well, won’t it be easier to understand the book He wrote?

Why do you think God both wants us to read about him and communicate with him?
Is reading the Bible just reading about God, or is it interacting with him?
Have you ever use the Bible to lead your prayer and how did that work for you?

Beginner’s Online Bible Study *obbs*

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Print

Related

Beginner Online Bible Study How To Read The Bible becoming closer to Godbeginner bible studycommunicatingprayer

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Comments (6)

  1. Anonymous says:
    December 4, 2010 at 9:16 am

    I think this is the first time I have ever been on a blog so I really don’t know how all this works, but I am at a time when my personal bible reading has basicly stopped and this coming along and a few other things in my life I think that it is probable that it is God asking me to get back into it. Writing which this blog is, is my least favorite way to comunicate so we will see how this goes, but it might be Gods way to get me started at something else I have been trying to not do, that I think he wants me to, that involves a lot of writing. Thanks for starting this.

    Reply
  2. Seeking God says:
    December 3, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    Could you elaborate on how you let the Bible lead your prayer? How do you go about this?

    Reply
    1. Dan Muhlenkamp says:
      December 4, 2010 at 7:02 am

      I find this to be a huge blessing in my life. I was once told to read try reading every word in the Bible as if it were written to me personally, like letter to from God. Then respond with letters back to God. When I put it into practice I found I could often only go a verse or two before I wanted to respond to God. It turned out to me much more like a conversation than a letter exchange.

      Computers helped immensely with this. I copied the text of a chapter into a word processor, then typed my prayers between the text in a different color.

      I actually have been using this website as my public “scriptural prayer journal” for over a year now, so you can see some examples by clicking the “Scriptural Prayer” menu above. You’ll quickly notice that I have been at a place in my life where everything in the Bible is calling me to change. I am obviously a very slow learner!

      Reply
  3. Seeking God says:
    December 3, 2010 at 7:13 pm

    This is so true, just as in courting your spouse you want to know all about that person, before you spend your lives together, so it just makes sense that if you want to spend eternity in heaven that you should have that best friend relationship that you have with your spouse with your father in heaven. Time spent learning, knowing and growing closer to God is exciting, and also really helps you know who you are.

    Reply
    1. Dan Muhlenkamp says:
      December 4, 2010 at 7:08 am

      Your marriage analogy is great because God does want to “marry” us. Jesus clearly expresses God’s desire to be one with us in the 15th chapter of John’s gospel. I think of how a child is genetically the complete oneness of two other people and I see that as the depth of unity God wants us to have with him and with each other. That will be heaven! Please pardon the expression, but I think it is so true: “That will be better than sex!” Just think about it a little. I mean the great intimacy between life-long married partners. The unity in heaven will be better than even that!

      Did I just digress! Sorry. But yes, we need to “court” God and be courted by him. Wow. Thanks so much for your comments.

      Reply
  4. Marlene says:
    December 3, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    We went to Mass this morning and the homily was a very similar message. The Holy Spirit at work! It must be something we really need to heed at this time.

    Reply

Take the discussion furtherCancel reply

My Worst Boss And How I Handled Them

My Worst Boss And How I Handled Them

Remember The Valleys

Remember The Valleys

If you had to go back in time and start a brand new career, what would it be?

If you had to go back in time and start a brand new career, what would it be?

Just Playing Games

Just Playing Games

What Am I Proudest Of?

What Am I Proudest Of?

So You Want To Talk Comfort Food...

      

Categories

Recent Posts

  • My Worst Boss And How I Handled Them
  • Remember The Valleys
  • If you had to go back in time and start a brand new career, what would it be?
  • Just Playing Games
  • What Am I Proudest Of?
©2025 A Stone In The Shoe | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes
 

Loading Comments...