The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Pages and Prayers"
Of the many reasons born again believers consistently read the Bible, none more apply than our calling to pray.
"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us" (I John 5:14).
No consistent reading of Scripture results in no confidence in our fellowship with God in prayer. We must know His truth to the best degree possible in order to pray "according to His will." As we trust the Lord to lead and guide our communion with God, the Holy Spirit personally leads us, no doubt (Romans 8:26). He leads us, however, in accordance with the propositional truth of the Bible. "Lead me in Thy truth" (Psalm 25:5).
In a generation wherein the authority of the Bible suffers continual attack not only from without, but also from within the camp of Christendom, the Spirit of God works to lead us to the Word of God. He does so for reasons of faith, obedience, ministry, and the faithful communication of the Gospel to believer and unbeliever alike. This also profoundly includes our personal life of prayer, flowing from our personal life of devotion to the Bible. Consider:
How can we adequately praise God in prayer if we do not know who He is, as revealed in the light of His Word?
How can we rightly thank Him in prayer if we have little awareness of what Scripture declares He has done, is doing, and promises to do forevermore?
How can we pray for others and ourselves if not led by the light of God's Word guiding our requests and intercessions?
How can we seek God's grace to believe promises and obey commands apart from the light found only on the pages of the Bible?
How can we confess sins in prayer if we do not know the Scriptures' defined parameters of unbelief and disobedience?
How can we have assurance that our walk with God in prayer is genuine apart from the written Word originating, confirming, and perpetuating our fellowship?
Of all the reasons we will read and ponder the Bible today, none take a backseat to the motivation, guidance, and power found on the pages that form and inform our prayers. Certainly, we may pray if providentially hindered from time in the Scriptures. Morever, some believers around the world have no access to the Bible due to devilish hindrance and persecution. Doubtless, the Holy Spirit leads and guides such brethren in prayer, and doubtless, we do well to pray for them in this moment - as Scripture commands (Hebrews 13:3). However, the norm of prayer walks hand in hand, heart in heart with the norm of "Let my supplication come before Thee. Deliver me according to Thy Word" (Psalm 119:170). Yes, we read in order to pray. We pray in order to understand and respond to what we read. The Pages and prayer - united now and forevermore in God's purpose in our lives, and as we faithfully walk with Him, in our hearts.
"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me. Let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles."
(Psalm 43:3)
Weekly Memory Verse
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
(I Thessalonians 5:18).
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