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Importance of Communication One of the most central parts in our relationship with any person is communication. If you have a spouse or a friend, you must communicate for the relationship to survive. Christianity is not so much a religion as much as it is a relationship. It is a relationship with God and with Jesus Christ. If you have a friend and you never listen to your friend or talk to your friend, then your relationship will die out. Satan is trying to do everything he can to get us away from God. If we are not reading our Bible everyday and praying to God then Satan will distract us away from God, and will lead us into sin. If you are a Christian, your goal and desire should be a close relationship with God. God communicates to us through reading His Word and through prayer. Spiritual Growth If you have a flowering plant, your desire is to see it grow and blossom. So, in order to see that happen, you must water it, and give it sunshine. As a Christian our desire should be a right relationship with God, and a growing relationship with the Lord. In order to achieve spiritual growth, we must read God’s Word and pray to Him daily. If you don’t water your plant for a day nothing may happen, but over the period of a week or a month your flower will die. We are the same way. If we are to grow, we must water our soul with the Word daily. If you miss a week or a month then Satan will find his way into your life and will cause you to stumble. In 1 Peter 2:2 it says, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”. If you miss a day in His Word, then get back the next day. Don’t let yourself get into a spiritual drought. Obedience through Reading Deuteronomy 17:19 is a great verse about the Word of the Lord. It says, “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of the law and these statutes”. It seems clear that this is a commandment to read God’s Word each day. Also in Joshua 1:8 it says, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night…” It seems clear that God wants us to be in His Word each day. There are also plenty of indirect reasons God wants us to be reading His Word. In Matthew, Jesus tells Satan that “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” This in itself should give us good reason to read God’s Word. If God tells us to “read it all the days of our life” then not reading it would be disobedient and therefore sinful. Reading for the Sake of Reading Reading the Bible is not just about reading for the sake of reading. It is about having a desire for God’s Word, and seeking Him with all your heart. Having a reading plan is a great tool to get into the scriptures. I have found that if I don’t have a plan to do something, I will not get it done. Make a plan to read the Bible! When you sit down to read it, ask God to open your heart and help you to understand. This is why I often start with a prayer before getting into God’s Word. This gives me a focus and puts me in the right state of mind. Does this mean that if we don’t have a desire we should not read? Absolutely not! I believe it is still better to read for the sake of reading than not to read at all. Check the tips section to help in reading more effectively. What are Your Priorities? We often misplace our priorities because we have so many things that we enjoy. Maybe watching TV, movies, listening to music, playing video games, or reading other books are just a few things we do before spending time in God’s Word. Which do you do more often or do first? How much time do you spend on entertainment? I’m not saying that these things are bad, but when they take time away from (or replace) your daily devotions, then you need to re-evaluate your priorities. A suggestion is to spend time in God’s Word each morning before you start your day. After a few weeks you will find that devotions become a habit. The eternal reward is far greater than anything you do for entertainment. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us to, “store up for yourself treasures in heaven … for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Taken From: Pastor Perry F. Rockwood (September 2005) |