We are now in our fourth month on the regenerational power of the Holy Spirit. My focus is centered in the fact that many people profess to know the Lord but have yet to experience a genuine encounter with Him: being born again. In the past months we have looked at the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: His life transforming power, genuine worship as described by the Scriptures, the fruit of love as made manifest by the person of the Holy Spirit and this month we will look at Bible study and prayer.
The Scriptures exhort us to “Study to show (ourselves) approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15) We are also given the (non-optional) command to pray. “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes. 5:17) The Bible is loaded with exhortations to pray and know the Lord. We know Him by the power of His Holy Spirit as revealed in the Scriptures and for each time we are instructed to study or teach we are exhorted to pray an estimated 30 times. Prayer is communing with the Lord. Bible study accompanied with prayer enables the believer to build a relationship with the Lord.
Many Christians speak of having a personal relationship with Jesus. Correctly stated. A person, who is a genuine Christian, does have a personal relationship with God. However, there are far to many “professing believers” who have no personal interaction with the Lord. They neither pray nor study the Bible. Imagine a marriage relationship where a spouse neither speaks to nor listens to the other. As imagined, the “union” is neither a relationship nor personal.
The Bible demonstrates that a person who has been born again, has a relationship with the Lord. They are a people of prayer and the Word.
No sincere Christian will deny the fact that there are seasons in life when the disciplines of prayer and Bible study are faint, but all genuinely born again Christians have the desire to study the Bible and spend time with God in prayer. It is, in fact, God who inspires a relationship with us and draws us unto Himself. It is the Lord who causes us to desire Biblical understanding and intimacy with Him in prayer. Prayer is the life breath of a vital life in the Lord.
Are you hungry to know the Lord? Do you have a thirst to spend time with the Lord in the Scriptures and prayer? Are you unsatisfied when you neglect time with Him? If so, be thankful. This may indicate a genuine rebirth. If not, you may need to take another look at your “faith” and ask the Lord to invade you by His divine power!
Blessings to you all,
Pastor Paul