6-4-23 Willisburg Bulletin
Let me ask… Have you spent time with God today? Have you prayed recently? Have you read the word lately? have you taken time to know the Lord?
A relationship is built with a two way communication street. God speaks to us through His Word. We talk to Him in prayer. It can’t be a one way talk; otherwise it won’t work, to our detriment (Galatians 4:8-9). We must talk to Him and read to learn about Him in order to trust, love, and serve Him. Hebrews 4:12 talks about it being the living Word, meaning it is a chance to grow to know Him and abide in Him. Let’s take the opportunity that resides right at our feet daily.
1) Read the word
Sometimes this step is the hardest. A lot of times we don’t want to read or take the time to pray because “we’re busy” or “I forgot” or “I just couldn’t today.” Does God ever say those words to you? Does He just forget about you? We know the answer is NO. Sometimes we don’t like to read because it can be difficult to understand or apply, but that doesn’t excuse my responsibility. And sometimes we read for the wrong reason. It’s for His glory, not mine. It’s also to prove Him right & not me. Dive into the word for the right reasons and listen to what God has to say to us.
2) Think about it
Once you read it, mediating on it comes next. Joshua 1:8 goes right along with Psalm 1:2-3, which states, “his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.” thinking about what the Word means will lead to you being able to put it into action.
3) Do it!
Finally, we must apply what we have read and thought about. Without applying it, we are failing the command of action. James 1:22-25 speaks about being hearers AND doers. Again in James 2:14-26, it emphasizes that “faith without works is dead.” You must have both. Applying can be hard too because we sometimes as humans are looking for instant results. However, it’s not always that way. Sometimes we aren’t going to receive what we want when we want. It’s in His time, not mine. But it’s the doing part that will lead to success and prosperity as the passage in Joshua and Psalms discuss. It takes time to read, understand, and apply.
Relationship Builder
So… let’s approach reading the Word, as time to listen to God speak to us. Give Him a chance to talk. Without the chance, you may never understand and you may even think he never answers you. But it’s right there, you have to read it.. come with an attitude of learning & humility to take the opportunity to talk & listen to God daily!