When David Wilkerson passed away, he was said to be giving a “tithe” of his day. He would pray for two hours and spend two hours in the Word of God reading and studying.
I am, more and more as time goes by being Jesus’ disciple, I am finding that I love the Word of God. Psalm 119:162 says, “I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.” That is me. I am longing for the Word of God, always looking in His Word to hear His voice (John 10:27-29) and know Him more (2 Peter 3:18).
I am finding that my passion for the Word of God also brings a hunger for prayer. When I study the Word, I see the promises of God to us and this makes me want to praise God and pray to Him. Both are essential for the disciple of Jesus. Jesus taught us to pray always and not lose heart (Luke 18:1) and He taught us to abide in His teachings (Matthew 7:24-27; John 8:31-32) saying that His Word alone is truth (John 17:17). Jesus said that His Word would not pass away (Matthew 5:17-18) and that the person who did His will would abide forever (Matthew 7:21).
My Bible goes where I go. When I go to work, I take my Bible. I have a Bible on my Ipod. I keep Bible by my bed. I take a Bible with me when I go to eat with my family. Wherever I am, I have a Bible close by. My little boy once asked me when I do this. I replied, “Well, if I have time I will read my Bible but you never know when you will have a chance to share the gospel with the lost so I take my Bible hoping and praying that I will be able to preach the Law to a person.” I am not out to be a Pharisee or to to impress anyone that I carry my Bible. At work, I want the men I work with to see that I am a man of the Word and that I don’t just carry my Bible but I live it (James 2:14-26). I want every person around me to see that I love God and His Word is precious to me.
For the disciple of Jesus there is nothing greater than to pray and spend time in the Word of God. The Apostles said that this would be their calling in Acts 6:4. I believe this is also the duty of the Church. We are to come together to worship God by prayer (which includes praising Him) and studying His Word. In Acts 2 we find the early Church was committed to this (see Acts 2:42-47). Their fellowship consisted of strong prayer and strong study of the Apostles’ doctrines (which became the New Testament). They certainly ate together (see 1 Corinthians 11:17-34) and they evangelized (Acts 1:8; 2:47) but this all flowed from seeking God in prayer and in His Word.
Do you find that same hunger for God in prayer and in His Word? I pray that you too will have that passion to pray and to study the Bible. Nothing draws us close to God like prayer and like knowing and studying Him in His Word that He has given to us. Delight yourself in the Lord in prayer and open the Bible and allow Him to reveal Himself to you more and more in the Word of God.
© 2011, Matt. All rights reserved.
