How often should Christians pray and read the Bible?
It is imperative for the growth of every believer to spend time praying and reading the Bible. God provided all of the tools necessary to live a Christian life and to learn about Him; it is the responsibility of the individual to utilize those tools. Going to church and listening to a sermon is a wonderful addition to a life filled with personal Bible study and prayer time; it should never be the only source for a believer’s spiritual growth.
Just as a person’s body will die without proper nourishment, so will a spiritual life wither without the nourishment that God provides through the Bible and through quiet times with Him. You can see examples of how Jesus lived this truth by making prayer a priority in His own life. See Mark 1:35; 6:46; and Luke 5:16; 6:12; 22:41,42.
There are many tools to help you begin a path through the Bible. Bible study aids are available in Christian bookstores or online. You may choose study aids that are either topical or based on particular books of the Bible. You can also purchase a One-Year Bible, which provides a plan for reading Scripture each day so that you complete the entire Bible in one year. Or, you can just start reading. But, don’t read the Bible from cover to cover; it is not in chronological order. You will want to begin in one of the Gospels or in the Book of Romans.
You can begin a prayer life in much the same way. A good idea is to open your Bible study time with prayer, asking God to reveal himself to you through the Scriptures you read that day. Then, when you are finished reading, pray about what you read, asking God to help you apply it to your own life. You can then spend some time, even just a few minutes, praying for other people in your life. Your prayer time will eventually grow as you become more intimate and personal with the Lord.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:12-14).
“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Ac. 6:4).
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”(Php 4:6).
Check out what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
What should a believer do in order to not be "conformed to this world"?How does the believer transform their mind so that they have the mind set of the Lord? The answer is found in a couple of ways; namely reading God's word (the Bible), meditating on what the Bible says and how you can apply it to your life, and through prayer. The other morning while filling up my vehicle with gas, I read my little pocket Bible (Gideon). I love reading the Bible. I know that the more I read and meditate on different passages of Scripture, the more I will become like Christ. ......... & the less frustrated I will be with rude drivers!
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" (Ephesians 6:18)
Is it possible for the believer to be continually praying? No! It is difficult if not impossible to pray while you are sleeping. I think what the Apostle Paul is trying to communicate is that Christians are to have an attitude / a mind set of prayer. When a soldier goes into battle, they are to be constantly on the look out for danger. The same is true for believers with respect to prayer. We should go through our day with a praying mind set. As I walk from my vehicle to my office in the mornings, I often thank the Lord for the sunshine, that I can walk without pain, that I have a job, for my wife & children, for those I encounter as I walk to my office.
How often should a Christian pray and read their Bible? As much as much as you can!
