Discussion Questions

David Bercot contrasts the subjectivity of “thoughts brought to our minds” in prayer with the certainty of hearing God in Scripture; what does that claim reveal about how God intends to guide His people, and how does it challenge the way you currently evaluate “God told me…” impressions? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says feelings or thoughts in prayer can be unsure, but Scripture is certain. What does that say about how God wants to guide us, and how should it change the way you judge “God told me” thoughts?

Matthew Henry’s line, “The Bible is a letter God has sent to us; prayer is a letter we send to Him,” assumes a certain relationship dynamic; how does that reshape the way you structure a devotional hour, and what would have to change if you really expected God to “speak first” through His Word? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If the Bible is God’s letter to us and prayer is our letter to Him, how should that change your devotional time? What would you do differently if you expected God to speak first through His Word?

The chapter insists on “devotional reading rather than exegetical Bible study” during the devotional hour; what do you think Bercot is protecting (or trying to produce) by separating these, and where might modern Christians confuse “information about God” with “remaining in God’s presence”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Why do you think Bercot separates devotional reading from deep Bible study during a devotional hour? Where do Christians today mistake learning facts about God for actually spending time with God?

Bercot describes devotional Bible reading as “interactive,” involving praising, confessing disobedience related to the text, making commitments, and asking for power to obey; which part of that interactive pattern do you most avoid, and what might that avoidance reveal about your view of God’s commands and your willingness to be corrected? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says devotional reading should lead to praise, confession, new commitments, and asking for strength to obey. Which part do you avoid most, and what might that show about how you respond to God correcting you?

Bercot recommends reading “great spiritual classics” as insights from “fellow travelers along this narrow way,” yet insists they are fallible; how do early-Christian assumptions about learning from predecessors (without treating them as Scripture) confront modern evangelical instincts either to idolize teachers or to dismiss church history? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says we can learn from spiritual classics, but they are not Scripture and can be wrong. How does that challenge the way Christians today either put teachers on a pedestal or ignore church history?

He calls William Law’s *A Serious Call* the best book for “progress toward a fully surrendered life” and says it helped fuel the Great Awakening and Methodist revivals; what does that suggest about the relationship between personal holiness teaching and widespread spiritual awakening, and why might that make some modern Christians uneasy? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says holiness teaching helped spark big revivals like the Great Awakening. What might that show about the link between personal holiness and widespread renewal, and why could that make some Christians uncomfortable?

Bercot warns that Law “assumes the reader is already on the vine,” doesn’t address conversion much, and “doesn’t put enough emphasis on grace”; how does this push against common evangelical frameworks of assurance, grace, and obedience, and what do you think Bercot wants readers to do with a holiness-focused book that could be misused? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot warns that Law doesn’t talk much about conversion and doesn’t stress grace enough. How does that challenge common evangelical ideas about grace, assurance, and obedience, and how should readers handle a holiness-focused book that could be taken the wrong way?

He says Law “lived everything he wrote” and that it described the life Law and his companions were actually living; what does this imply about God’s expectation for integrity between teaching and lifestyle, and how should it affect who you trust as spiritual guides and what you’re willing to teach others? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says Law lived what he taught. What does that say about how much our lives should match our words, and how should it shape who you trust as spiritual guides and what you teach others?

Bercot uses the “eat a fish, watching out for the bones” approach to reading imperfect authors; what practical criteria would you use to identify “bones” without becoming cynical, and how would your criteria differ if you were reading like early Christians who expected costly discipleship as “the narrow way”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says to read imperfect authors like eating fish and spitting out the bones. What simple rules would you use to spot the “bones” without becoming negative, and how might that change if you expected discipleship to be costly and narrow?

The chapter ends by warning that Satan will “torpedo our devotional time,” and that Bercot has experienced it; based on the chapter’s description of what happens in a true devotional hour (confession, new resolutions, awareness of needs, worship), what do you think Satan is most trying to prevent, and what concrete safeguards will you adopt this week? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Bercot says Satan will try to ruin our devotional time, especially when it leads to confession, worship, and new obedience. What do you think Satan most wants to stop, and what specific steps will you take this week to protect your devotional time?