Engaging with God: A Relational Approach to Scripture

Feb 06, 2023

Devotional

Day 1: God Speaks Through the Bible Daily

God desires to speak to you through the Bible every day, not just in rare moments of supernatural revelation, but in the ordinary act of reading His Word with an open heart. When you approach Scripture, even if you feel unqualified or inexperienced, God is not waiting for you to become smarter or more spiritual before He reveals Himself. The Word of God is powerful enough to make the simple wise, and as you ask honest questions and seek His gracious heart, you will find that He meets you right where you are. [00:42]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Reflection: When was the last time you expected God to speak to you through a simple, everyday reading of the Bible? How can you approach your next reading with fresh expectation that He will meet you there?

Day 2: Ask Questions and Pray as You Read

Engaging with the Bible is not about passively reading words on a page, but about actively asking questions and praying as you go. As you read, ask God to help you believe what you see, to make His truth more real in your life, and to reveal any sin to avoid, promises to claim, or attitudes to change. This interactive approach invites the Holy Spirit to illuminate the text and apply it personally, transforming your time in Scripture from routine to relational. [03:17]

Psalm 119:18 (ESV)
Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Reflection: What is one question you can ask God as you read your Bible today that might help you see His heart more clearly in the passage?

Day 3: The Simplicity of the Gospel—Don’t Add or Subtract

The heart of the gospel is simple: trust in Christ alone, without adding anything to what He has done for you. When you are tempted to seek approval from others or to add requirements to your faith, remember that deserting the simplicity of the gospel is a subtle but serious danger. Rest in the sufficiency of Jesus, and resist the urge to complicate your relationship with Him by striving for human approval or spiritual performance. [06:44]

Galatians 1:6-10 (ESV)
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Reflection: In what ways are you tempted to add to the gospel or seek approval from others rather than resting in Christ’s sufficiency?

Day 4: Repentance and Application—Responding to God’s Word

Hearing from God through the Bible always invites a response—whether it’s repenting of sin, changing an attitude, or taking a new step of faith. As you reflect on what God reveals, write down specific ways you sense Him calling you to change, and pray for the grace to walk it out. Repentance is not just about feeling sorry, but about turning from self-reliance or people-pleasing and embracing the freedom and simplicity of being Christ’s servant. [10:57]

James 1:22 (ESV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Reflection: What is one specific action or attitude God is prompting you to change after your time in His Word today?

Day 5: Trusting God’s Gracious Heart in Every Passage

No matter where you are reading in the Bible, God is always seeking to show His gracious heart—even in passages that seem difficult or challenging. Ask yourself how God is being gracious in the text, and look for His kindness, promises, and invitations to trust Him more deeply. As you do, you’ll discover that every part of Scripture is an opportunity to encounter His love and grow in relationship with Him. [01:49]

Exodus 34:6 (ESV)
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Reflection: As you read your Bible today, where do you see evidence of God’s gracious heart—even in unexpected places?

Sermon Summary

Hearing from God through the Bible is meant to be a daily, living experience, not a rare or complicated event. God desires relationship, not just a mechanical process of reading words on a page. When approaching Scripture, it’s not about how much you know or how smart you are—God delights to speak to anyone who comes with a humble, open heart. The Bible is designed to make the simple wise, and God is eager to reveal Himself to us as we slow down, ask questions, and listen.

A practical way to engage with God’s Word is to take a passage—any passage—and begin to ask honest, searching questions. How is God being gracious in this text? What sin is being exposed? What promise is being offered? What attitude is being challenged? These questions are not just academic; they are invitations for the Holy Spirit to speak directly to our hearts. As we pray, “God, help me believe this,” or “Make this more true of me,” we open ourselves to transformation. The process is simple: read, reflect, ask, and pray.

For example, in Galatians 1:6-10, Paul warns against deserting the simplicity of the gospel for something more complex or people-pleasing. This passage challenges us to examine where we might be adding to the gospel, seeking approval from others, or drifting from the sufficiency of Christ. The Spirit uses these moments to reveal hidden fears, misplaced motivations, and the subtle ways we try to earn what has already been freely given.

The key is not to force an experience or chase after a feeling, but to trust that God will meet us in the text. Even if we don’t get all our questions answered immediately, God knows what we need to hear. The invitation is to rest in the simplicity of Christ, confess where we’ve drifted, and let God’s Word shape our hearts. This is not a performance; it’s a relationship. As we practice this devotional approach, we find that God is faithful to speak, guide, and transform us—one passage, one question, one prayer at a time.

Key Takeaways

1. God desires relationship, not ritual. Approaching Scripture is not about following a formula or achieving a certain level of knowledge, but about coming to God as we are, trusting that He wants to speak to us personally and relationally each day. [00:42]
2. Asking honest questions of the text opens the door for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth. Questions like “How is God being gracious here?” or “What sin is exposed?” help us move beyond surface reading and invite God to address the real issues of our hearts. [03:17]
3. The simplicity of the gospel is easily lost when we seek to add to it—whether by striving for approval, performance, or complexity. Paul’s warning in Galatians reminds us that resting in Christ’s sufficiency is both the starting point and the safeguard of our faith. [06:44]
4. People-pleasing is a subtle form of deserting Christ. When our motivation shifts from serving God to winning the approval of others, we lose the freedom and effectiveness of true servanthood. Confession and repentance restore us to the simplicity of following Jesus alone. [09:05]
5. Transformation comes through slow, prayerful engagement with Scripture. As we reflect, ask, and pray, God reveals areas to change, promises to believe, and sins to confess. This ongoing process is not about getting it right, but about being honest and letting God shape us. [10:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - Why We Get Bored with Bible Reading
[01:49] - The Power of Asking Questions
[03:17] - Prayers to Pray as You Read
[04:44] - Choosing and Approaching a Passage
[05:24] - Reading and Reflecting Repeatedly
[06:44] - Galatians 1: Deserting the Gospel
[09:05] - The Trap of People-Pleasing
[10:06] - Resting in Christ’s Sufficiency
[10:57] - Application: Confession and Change
[11:52] - Practical Steps for Repentance
[12:37] - Practicum: Doing the Lab
[13:00] - Sharing and Honest Reflection

Bible Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Hearing from God Through the Bible

Bible Reading

Galatians 1:6-10 (ESV)
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Observation Questions

What are the two main things Paul accuses the Galatians of doing in verses 6-7?
According to verse 8, how serious is Paul about not changing the gospel message? What language does he use to show this?
In verse 10, what does Paul say about the difference between pleasing people and serving Christ?
According to the sermon, what is one practical way to approach any Bible passage to hear from God? [[01:49]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Paul is so concerned about the Galatians turning to a “different gospel”? What might this look like in our lives today?
The sermon says that God wants relationship, not ritual, when we come to the Bible. How does this change the way we read Scripture? [[00:42]]
What are some subtle ways people might “add to the gospel” or seek approval from others, according to the sermon and this passage? [[06:44]]
The pastor mentioned that asking honest questions of the text opens the door for the Holy Spirit to speak. Why is it important to slow down and ask these questions instead of just reading quickly? [[03:17]]

Application Questions

The sermon talks about coming to the Bible with a humble, open heart instead of trying to be “smart enough.” What holds you back from approaching Scripture this way? How can you change your mindset this week? [[01:49]]
Paul warns against seeking the approval of people instead of God. Are there areas in your life where you are more focused on what others think than on what God thinks? What would it look like to shift your focus? [[09:05]]
The pastor shared about confessing the sin of “deserting Christ for approval of others.” Is there a specific relationship or situation where you feel tempted to please people over pleasing God? How can you bring this to God in prayer? [[10:57]]
The sermon suggests asking questions like, “How is God being gracious in this passage?” or “What sin is being exposed?” Try this with Galatians 1:6-10. What do you notice, and how does it speak to your current situation? [[03:17]]
The process described is simple: read, reflect, ask, and pray. Which step is hardest for you, and why? What is one thing you can do this week to make it a regular habit? [[10:57]]
The pastor mentioned that transformation comes through slow, prayerful engagement with Scripture, not by chasing a feeling or performance. Have you ever felt pressure to “get something” out of your Bible reading? How can you rest in the simplicity of Christ instead? [[10:57]]
Is there a promise or truth from Galatians 1:6-10 that you need to believe more deeply? What is a short prayer you can pray this week to ask God to make it more true in your life? [[03:17]]

Closing Prayer:
Take a few minutes as a group to pray, asking God to help you rest in the simplicity of the gospel, to reveal any areas where you are seeking approval from others, and to make His Word come alive in your hearts this week.

Sermon Clips

16s

#RejectCulturalPressure

“Are there messages in our culture that are telling me you need to be more, Carter? You need to be more than you are. The way you are is not good enough. You need to be, okay, I know you trust Christ, but you need to be, you need to trust Christ and you need to like be up with all the trends.”

18s

#JesusIsEnough

“There is not realizing that I’m trying to add to who he’s made me, so I might write something like, Jesus is enough. And I might even just put, relax.”

17s

#FearGodNotMan

“If I fear people, I’m not fearing God. I’m less effective for him. I might do what they want instead of what he wants.”

30s

#SimplicityInService

“I want you to make it more true of me that I just, I’m not really worried about being other people’s servants other than unless it’s serving you at the same time. So I’m going to write that down. I’m going to repent for lack of simplicity. I’m going to repent for deserting Christ.”

26s

#BlessWithoutApproval

“Every time I see her, I’m just going to pray something like, God bless her, but I don’t care what she thinks. And make that more true of me, God. Because I’m Christ’s servant.”

16s

#HonestFaithJourney

“God was beginning to reveal to me, yeah, you’re fearing that chick. I don’t know why you’re doing that, that’s all you’re doing. You don’t have to force it, you don’t have to reach for it, all you have to do is go to the text and think about it, look at it, think about it and ask the Lord reveal anything else to you.”

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