I challenge every believer to dive deeper into the Bible than ever before and to truly develop a relationship with the Lord in prayer. You may read the Bible now but I encourage you to break out of your habits and even comforts zones just a little. Not only go to church but also find and attend Bible studies. This way, you will be able to fellowship with other people in the faith and learn from them. You will be able to see how God has taught them certain things through reading the Bible. These people have their insights on verses and will help clarify things in your reading. There are so many different nuggets of truth that we can all gain from these kinds of studies. These group discussions may be what you need in life, in order to jump start your faith in Christ. Listen to what Paul taught, 2“faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This is exactly what you will get in Bible studies. What is so awesome about these gatherings, is that prayer is also emphasized. However, if you ever go to a Bible study and there is not a whole lot of prayer then I’d ask the leader of the discussion why. The best study you will ever have is when prayer is invoked by not just one but multiple people in the group. To start off by inviting the Holy Spirit in the room is so important. This is where understanding from God’s Word takes place and if the Holy Spirit is not present, then the discussion may not be of God.
Be Leary about attending any Bible study where prayer is not emphasized. We never want to be led astray by men and women’s own understanding avoid from God. This is when doctrines and traditions of men pop-in to different churches. This is very sad and in affect corrupts the body of believers. Therefore, as a group of believers, we invoke the Lord in prayer before every study of His Word. We ask the Lord to lead and guide everything that is brought up and spoken of. Then, as the Spirit pricks our hearts, we allow it to happen and do as God says. We do not just stand idly by but are anxious to know and do as the Bible teaches. For example, if you are reading in John 14, and hear Jesus say, 1“if ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it,” you will also seek the Lord and ask Him direction for anything going on in your life. In that same chapter, as you hear Jesus say, 1“if ye love me, keep my commandments,” you will learn the ten and two greatest commandments and seek to obey them. This is the same concept for any chapter we read. We gain the insight of what God requires and then we do it. By doing this, we head what Paul said, 3“be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Learning and then doing as God commands will help your prayer life. Being used for God’s glory is how we develop a relationship with the Lord. Please take these things to heart and start doing God’s will today.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I love reading Your words in the Bible. I just need Your direction each time I read. I ask for the Holy Spirit to be present evert time I read and study. I’d rather not be led by my own thinking or the thoughts of one another but what the Spirit gives. I do not wish to be led astray Lord. Lead every Bible discussion that I am a part of. Yes Lord, teach us and prick our hearts to do Your will. We know that the Bible is a wealth of knowledge and through Your guidance, we can grow in the faith. We are all on our own different paths and need You to give us the understanding we need to go forward in life. Help intensify our desires to serve You and to do Your will. May our hearts be zeroed in on what You want to do for our lives and will us to do it. I know that I have missed the mark many times, when You have called my name and I am sorry. I regret the opportunities to do as Your word says and to truly love one another. Please forgive me Lord. Give me more opportunities to serve You and I will respond favorably. I love You. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1John 14:12-21 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
2Romans 10:13-18 (KJV)
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
3James 1:19-25 (KJV)
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.