Dwell Deeply - One Thing Alone

Dwell Deeply

2

LEGAL INFORMATION

©OneThingAlone. All Right Reserved.

This eBook may not be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part,

without written permission from OneThingAlone.

(But it’s easy to get permission; just email us at [email protected])

Dwell Deeply

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome …..…………………………………………………………………………………… 3

Bible Study …………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

Prayer …………………………………………………………………………………………... 6

Scripture Memorization ……………………………………………………………………… 8

Worship ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

Biographies …………………………………………………………………………………… 12

Afterword ……...……………………………………………………………………………… 14

Dwell Deeply

4

WELCOME! Thank you for downloading this resource guide. I pray it will inspire you to dwell more

deeply with God, because that is the One Thing above all else worth pursuing.

Although I grew up in the church and spent my childhood on the mission field, I didn’t

know what exactly to do in my “quiet time” with God. I spent years oscillating between

an overly academic to a lackadaisical approach.

But God gently and persistently called me to Himself, and over time I came to approach

my relationship with Him as a relationship instead of an assignment. I’m still learning

what this means, but I’m enjoying the freedom that comes from approaching Him in

many different ways, connecting with Him throughout the day, and knowing that He

delights in my desire to seek Him and dwell in His presence.

As I started spending time with God in this latter manner, I’ve come to use several

resources over and over again. Though not an all-

inclusive list, this guide includes many resources that

have been life-transforming or are daily go-to’s when

it comes to deepening my relationship with God.

All recommendations are resources I have personally

found to be useful, and I believe they will benefit you. Remember to always filter

information through the lens of Scripture; just because a resource appears in this guide

doesn’t mean I endorse all its content. But I have personally benefited from each

resource listed in this guide, and I believe you will too.

I pray these resources will inspire you to become the person God has created you to be

and to complete the good works He has called you to in your lifetime.

I would love to hear what your favorite resources are as well. You can email me at

[email protected] or catch me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+.

May God richly bless you as you seek to dwell deeply, love recklessly, and live fully.

Because you get only one shot at impacting eternity—so make it count.

~Asheritah

Because God has made us for

Himself, our hearts are restless

until they rest in Him.

― Augustine of Hippo

Dwell Deeply

5

BIBLE STUDY Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)

SOFTWARE FOR BIBLE STUDY

One of the primary ways we encounter God is through His written word. When you’re

looking to dig deep, here are some resource you may find helpful:

YouVersion Bible: Both website and app, this resource offers multiple

translations of the Bible, reading plans, audio versions, and more. I use this every

day for my daily Scripture reading and to

listen to Scripture throughout the day.

Biblegateway.com: This is my go-to reference

when I’m looking up verses in multiple

translations (including Romanian!). It also

offers

Logos Bible Software: I’ve used Logos since

my Bible college days, but since then I’ve

switched to the free platform. When I want to check commentaries, do a word

study, or do a topical study of the Bible, this is the resource I use. Logos also

offers free books to download to the app interface so you can deepen your

understanding of Scriptures.

DEVOTIONAL GUIDES

The Holy Spirit illuminates our minds to understand the Bible, and I’m a big proponent

of personally studying the Bible for myself instead of simply reading what others think

Whilst we are in the body, we need a

change even in spiritual things; and

this change the Lord has graciously

provided in the great variety which is

to be found in His word.

― George Mueller

Dwell Deeply

6

about a text. However, there is definitely value in engaging others in the process of

discussing the Word of God—what it means and how it applies to us today. These are

my favorite devotional tools to get to that place.

Today in the Word, from Moody Bible Institute: This is the first devotional guide

I used on a consistent basis. Moody professors and alumni write engaging

commentary and questions to help guide you through either a book of the Bible

or a topical study. It’s available in print, online, and in podcast form (you can

also sign up to receive the daily devotionals in your inbox).

Hello Mornings: I first heard about HelloMornings while reading Kat Lee’s

incredible ebook Maximize Your Mornings. I like that the challenge encompasses

not just reading the Bible (which is definitely important), but also time to plan

your day and get moving, with accountability and fun mixed in. Challenges run

6 weeks with a 2 week break in between. Thinking of joining? Do it!. Awesome!)

SERMONS AND PODCASTS

OnePlace.com: I go to this online library to

stream sermons and radio programs when I want

to hear what other trusted preachers have to say

about the book of the Bible that I’m studying. You

can easily search by ministry or topic. The website

is easy to use, and they now offer an iPhone app so

you can listen on the go.

Consecutive reading of biblical books

forces everyone who wants to hear to

put himself, or to allow himself to be

found, where God has acted once and

for all for the salvation of men.

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dwell Deeply

7

PRAYER The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

PHYSICAL JOURNAL

I’ve been journaling my prayers since I was 15. This habit alone has been the single

most effective way of keeping me engaged in prayers, and keeping my mind from

wandering. It’s also wonderful to go back over the years and remember God’s

faithfulness in the midst of great crises and mundane life. If you haven’t tried

journaling your prayers yet, I would highly encourage you to get a simple spiral

notebook and begin.

VALLEY OF VISION

A Collection of Puritan Prayers: I grew up believing that prayers need to be

spontaneous to be sincere. Not so. I’ve relied on this collection of prayers to give words

to my heart feelings when I simply had no words.

Arranged topically, the prayers are beautifully

written and theologically rich. I typically find a

prayer that seems to fit where I’m at, read it

through casually once, and then read it again

more slowly, using the written words to give

flow to my own words. Those prayers then become my own heart’s prayers.

The function of prayer is not to

influence God, but rather to change

the nature of the one who prays.

― Søren Kierkegaard

Dwell Deeply

8

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE MULLER

If prayer seems boring to you, then you need to read this book. This man’s story has

inspired me to pray bigger prayers with more faith. I’ve never looked at prayer the

same way again.

THE POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE, BY STORMIE OMARTIAN

If you know you need to pray for your husband

but you find yourself praying the same boring

prayer (“Please be with him at work and help

him be more romantic.”), then you’ll find this

book incredibly helpful. Stormie covers 30 areas

of prayer for your husband, offering a brief

explanation, a sample prayer, and key verses to

empower your prayers for your husband. I

know she’s also written books for praying for

one’s children, but this is the only one I’ve

personally read so far.

PRAYING GOD’S WORD, BY BETH MOORE

There’s incredible power in praying the promises of Scripture. In this book Beth Moore

addresses fourteen common strongholds and presents Bible verses in prayer form,

helping the reader learn to incorporate the Bible in his or her prayer life. I can’t

recommend this highly enough!

The most important thing we can

pray about for others is that they will

know God better and that He will

help them understand His will, grow

in spiritual wisdom, and live lives

that honor Him. We can pray that

they will become more like Him and

bear the fruit of His Spirit.

― Stormie Omartian

Dwell Deeply

9

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be

careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

INDEX CARDS

Simple, but so effective. My favorite method of memorizing a Bible verse or passage is

to write it down on an index card. I still have cards from my high school years that I

periodically review; they’re dog-eared, torn, stained, but so cherished. I clip several

together and carry them in my purse. Waiting in

line somewhere? Instead of checking your

Facebook feed, pull out these cards and hide God’s

Word in your heart. Those words seared into your

soul will last even after your friends’ breaking

news is forgotten.

IF MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, BY JOHN PIPER

Whenever I lack motivation in memorizing

Scripture, I come back to this sermon. John Piper

offers several reasons why we should memorize,

but what I find more compelling is his personal

testimony. If you’re just starting out in this

discipline, I encourage you to listen to this sermon this week.

“I know of no other single practice in the

Christian life more rewarding, practically

speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . .

No other single exercise pays greater

spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be

strengthened. Your witnessing will be

sharper and much more effective. Your

attitudes and outlook will begin to change.

Your mind will become alert and observant.

Your confidence and assurance will be

enhanced. Your faith will be solidified”

— Chuck Swindoll

Dwell Deeply

10

AN APPROACH TO EXTENDED MEMORIZATION OF SCRIPTURE, BY DR. ANDY DAVIS

Have you ever wanted to memorize an entire chapter or book of the Bible at a time? As

a teenager, I memorized Isaiah 53, 1 Corinthians 13, and other whole chapters. Then I

kind of cruised for several years and didn’t work on any long passages. My goal right

now is to memorize the Sermon on the Mount by the time I’m 30. Sound

overwhelming? Dr. Davis offers helpful advice and encouragement in this difficult (but

oh so rewarding!) endeavor.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION FOR THE REST OF US, WITH ANN VOSKAMP

#JESUSPROJECT MEMORY CARDS

I usually make my own, but this

collection of Jesus’ words is so beautiful, I

couldn’t resist. I’ll be working on

memorizing them this year. Join me?

SCRIPTURE TYPER

This is one of the coolest tools I’ve used

to memorize Scripture. It’s a simple tool:

you type the verse(s) you’re trying to

memorize, and the system corrects you as

you go. The interface makes it feel like a fun game and the email reminders help keep

me on track. Plus, you can choose from several different translations and review verses

you’ve memorized previously.

Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to

spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all

the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose

Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental

way of filling our minds with what it needs. This

book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth.

That’s where you need it! How does it get in your

mouth? Memorization.

—Dallas Willard

Dwell Deeply

11

WORSHIP One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days

of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

THE PSALMS

Jesus used the psalms to worship (like Psalm 110 in Matt

22:41–46), so why wouldn’t we? The psalms are full of

raw emotion and examples of David, Moses, and others

preaching truth to themselves even when they don’t feel

like believing it. When I’m filled with emotions

(whether positive or negative), I tend to turn to the

Psalms and allow my worship to be framed by those

words.

AN OLD HYMNBOOK

I’m a fan of projected song lyrics in church for many reasons. But there’s something

beautiful about pulling out an actual hymnbook and singing my way through the old

pages, especially when it’s just me and Jesus. I take time to think through the words of

the songs and there’s something beautiful about acapella singing. This has made for

many memorable mornings with Jesus at my house.

PANDORA WORSHIP STATION

I know this is quite the opposite of the recommendation above, but I’ve found it so

helpful! I created two worship stations on my Pandora app and listen to them

throughout the day; one is a peppy upbeat station called Morning Worship, and the

Worship is our response to the

overtures of love from the heart

of the Father. Its central reality

is found “in spirit and truth.” It

is kindled within us only when

the Spirit of God

touches our human spirit.

—Richard Foster

Dwell Deeply

12

other is a more contemplative track based on musical selections from chapel services in

college (check it out here: SGA Worship ’08-’09). You can do the same thing on youtube

and other music streaming apps.

YOUR VOICE

Now I’m not saying everyone needs to be a musician, but I know there’s power in

verbalizing my praise, even if it’s off-key or I make

up half of the words because I can’t remember the

lyrics. Remember that the enemy can’t read our

minds, but he flees at the mention of Jesus’ Name.

This resource is easy to forget, since we carry it with

us everywhere, but it’s one of the most important in

our worship.

These mountains, which have seen

untold sunrises, long to thunder praise

but stand reverent, silent so that man's

weak praise should be given God's

attention.

― Donald Miller

Dwell Deeply

13

BIOGRAPHIES Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us […] run with perseverance

the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

TORTURED FOR CHRIST, BY RICHARD WRUMBRAND

Richard Wrumbrand is best known for founding Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian

organization aimed to raise awareness about our brothers and sisters in chains for the

cause of Christ, rally prayers among believers, and offer relief where possible.

Wrumbrand was a Romanian pastor, so I feel a special bond with him, as he writes

about places that are familiar to me. If you haven’t yet read this book, get your hands on

a copy. It’s offered for free by Voice of the Martyrs.

AMY CARMICHAEL, BY ELIZABETH ELLIOT

Amy Carmichael was my hero growing up. I wanted to be just like her, and for a while,

I thought I’d be single and work among orphans the rest of my life. God had other

(more wonderful) plans for my life, but I am still deeply indebted to Amy Carmichael’s

example of reckless abandon in her pursuit of a deep relationship with Jesus and

utmost love for others.

GOD KNOWS MY SIZE, BY SILVIA TARNICERU

Silvia is another childhood hero of mine, and I had the privilege of knowing her since I

was a child and having personal conversations with her before she went to be with her

beloved Groom in 2013. Silvia’s harrowing story of surviving a labor camp and harsh

persecution because of her love for Jesus will move you to tears, and sometimes laughs

too. This is one of the best-kept secrets of Christian literature.

Dwell Deeply

14

HIDING PLACE, BY CORRIE TEN BOOM

As a child I always wondered if I would have the strength and courage that Corrie had.

It wasn’t until I was a college student that I heard Corrie’s story again and was deeply

marked by her father’s gentle encouragement that God provides sufficient grace for

each day—no more, no less.

THROUGH GATES OF SPLENDOR, BY ELIZABETH ELLIOT ABOUT JIM ELLIOT

I can’t imagine going through the things that Elizabeth and Jim did. Of the biographies I

listed, I’m sure this is the most widely-known, but it’s still worth your time and

attention. You’ll be encouraged by this testimony of reliance on God’s grace and

strength to weather the very harshest storms.

Dwell Deeply

15

AFTERWORD Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of resources and have found a few that will

become new favorites. It’s comforting to know that God is the one who pursues a

relationship with me relentlessly, and calls me to dwell deep. From those depths, we

can then love others recklessly and live our lives fully. What a wonderful God we serve!

Not included in any of the categories above, but still incredibly helpful to me in my

general Christian walk are the following books:

DESIRING GOD, BY JOHN PIPER

1000 GIFTS, BY ANN VOSKAMP

CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINES, RICHARD FOSTER

DISCIPLINES OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, BY ANNE

ORTLUND

I keep a running list of the books I’m currently reading here in case you want to read

along. You can also print out lovely printables (like the ones below) found on

my Resources page here.

COMING SOON: I’m working on an eBook on learning to study the Bible and I’m

looking for readers who will give me their honest feedback. Interested in joining this

venture? Let me know by emailing me at [email protected]. I look forward to

hearing from you!

Read and listen to one thinker and

you become a clone; Read two and

you become confused; Read ten

and you get your own voice; Read

a hundred and you start to become

wise.

― Timothy Keller

Dwell Deeply

16

DWELLING WITH GOD

SO WE CAN

LOVE AND LIVE LIKE JESUS.