1) A Bible
Obviously, as a part of your morning devotional routine, you would need a Bible.
Because, after all, it is through God’s Word that we learn more about Him, find spiritual sustenance, and hear His voice.
2 Timothy 3:16 has this to say about the importance of the Bible in our lives as Christians:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
(2 Timothy 3:16)
Which Bible Version Should I Use?
There are A LOT of Bible translations out there.
One website states that there are even more than 7,000 Bible versions out there!
So, since you’ve got basically 7,000 Bible options to choose from, which is the best one to pick?
Simple.
The best Bible version to read is…
The one that’s best for you.
Yeah, I know, what a profound answer, right?
But seriously, I believe that we are all on our personal journeys to learn more about the Lord through His Word, and not everyone may be ready to read through a KJV.
I totally get that.
So, when it comes to picking the right Bible version to read for your morning devotions, start off with something that’s easy to read and understand–especially if you’re a baby Christian.
Two easy-to-read Bible translations that have been personally helpful to me in my own Christian walk were:
- New King James Version
- Good News Translation
However, it is always best to choose the Bible translation that better suits your current stage of spiritual development and growth.
2) A Journal/Notebook
Having a journal as a part of your morning devotions is perfect to help you record things like:
- Prayers
- Answers to prayer
- What you learned during your devotional time
- Thoughts and impressions that the Holy Spirit gives to you as you read God’s Word
- And many more!
What Kind of Devotional Journal Should I Use?
This might sound weird to some people, but there are commonly six different kinds of notebooks one can use as their devotional journal.
From spiral bound notebooks to bullet journals, the possibilities are endless when it comes to finding the right devotional journal that suits your needs as you seek to grow your relationship with Christ.
But if you’re starting out, I’d recommend getting a journal that comes with its own bookmark (whether it’s a ribbon or an elastic band), so you can easily mark where you left off in your journal, and thus be better able to jump right into continuing your journey with Jesus the next day and onward!
3) Writing Utensils
Pens, pencils, highlighters, coloring pencils, and crayons are some of the many writing utensils that I’ve used in marking my Bible as I’d read and study it during my morning devotional time with the Lord.
Marking my Bible has been one of the key ways that has kept my Bible devotional time engaging for me, because it gives me a practical opportunity to really study God’s Word, make connections between certain verses, and even just highlight verses that God uses to encourage me.
What Kind of Writing Utensils Should I Use?
If there’s one type of writing utensil I’d HIGHLY recommend to anyone starting out in taking their morning devotional time more seriously, it’d be GEL HIGHLIGHTERS.
I remember the first time I used them.
They were the BEST things I’ve ever used.
They don’t bleed through thin Bible pages like most typical highlighters, and they glide smoothly on the page when you use them to highlight some Bible verse or passage.
The one caveat I’d throw out here, however, is just be sure you get gel highlighters that are specifically designed for Bibles.
4) Music
Now, while I wouldn’t label this as EXTREMELY essential…it is still something I personally would sometimes use during my morning devotional time.
Why?
Because the enemy would always try to throw thoughts into our minds to DISTRACT us from focusing on what God is trying to teach us through His Word!
And, besides asking for the Holy Spirit to keep my mind focused on reading God’s Word (more on that in point #5), utilizing sacred, Christ-centered music to play in the background as I do my morning devotions is a practical aid in keeping my mind fastened on the Lord.
What Kind of Music Should I Listen To?
An easy, quick answer would be is to simply play Abiding Radio.
They have spiritually wholesome and peaceful instrumental hymns that they play 24/7 with no ads or any other sort of disruption, so you can just focus on reading God’s Word and not worry about any pesky intrusions.
>>>RELATED BLOG POST: How To Use Audio Scripture To Enhance Bible Devotions
5) The Holy Spirit
John 16:13 says:
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
(John 16:13)
No matter how much we may do as humans to make morning devotional time with God easier or more engaging, it will still all be spiritually worthless as long as we neglect to ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13 makes it clear that it is the Holy Spirit’s job to guide us and to lead us to discover more of God’s truths for our lives in His Word.
Ephesians 1:17 also makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is the One Who gives us mental clarity and understanding to comprehend God’s Word:
I always pray to the great and glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that he will give you the Spirit, who will let you know truths about God and help you understand them, so that you will know him better.
(Ephesians 1:17 ERV)
Also in Ephesians we see that the Holy Spirit also gives us “inner strength” to know Christ and His love (Ephesians 3:16,19).
This also means that the Holy Spirit gives strength to our minds to focus on the loving truths and commands Christ gives to us in His Word, as I briefly mentioned earlier.
Are You Ready To Take God More Seriously?
Friend, I hope and pray that you’ve found value in today’s blog post, and have a clearer picture on where to go from here when it comes to practically developing a more serious morning devotional experience with the Lord.
May all of us, starting today, truly begin to take Jesus’ words to heart in John 17:3–
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(John 17:3)
Amen! Maranatha!