I've heard it said that prayer and Bible study are two sides of a conversation. In prayer, we pour our hearts out to God and then He speaks through His word. If we're trying to get by with just one, communication breaks down.I know you've heard, and maybe even said, "I prayed, but I don't know what God's telling me to do." Then there's "I never get anything out of it when I read the Bible." Those are sure signs that only half of a conversation is taking place.
Looking for an example in my notebooks, I ran across a 'conversation' I had a few years ago. I had made some strides in writing and was entering a dangerous area of success. I asked God, is it wrong to want to be successful? I want to write what He gives me, and I want that to reach as many people as possible, but when does it cross over into ego?
So after asking God these questions in prayer, a few days later, He started answering them as I read:
Psalm 110 v.1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
Success depends a lot on timing. Christ has to wait for God's timing, for the fulfillment of His purposes. So it is making me more Christ-like to learn to wait for His timing. Christ waits patiently, confidently because He is that assured of God.
v.4 The Lord has sworn And will not relent,
God's purposes WILL be accomplished. I need to submit to whatever those may be and to wait patiently and confidently for them to unfold.
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Granted- My definition of success may not be how God defines it.
This particular conversation is far from over, as "success" in my writing career is continually refined.
As you read and study, bear in mind God desires to have a divine conversation with you, a two-sided conversation.
Have you have your own conversations with God? What have you learned?
(This is repost.)
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Amen.
My friends, you bless me in so many ways, ways you'll never know.
I've heard it said that prayer and Bible study are two sides of a conversation. In prayer, we pour our hearts out to God, and then He speaks through His word. If we're trying to get by with just one of those, communication breaks down.
There is a beautiful story in Mark 2 about four guys and their persistence in getting their paralyzed friend to Jesus. They knew Jesus could heal him. They just had to get him there. However, the crowds were huge and nobody would budge to let them through. Undeterred, they got some rope, climbed up on the roof (with their friend), pulled the roof back and lowered the man right down in front of Jesus. Verse 5 says, "When Jesus saw their faith…" Not just the paralyzed man's faith, but the friends' faith too. And in verse 12, the man was healed.