The secret to true success is one's secret time. The quiet, hidden discipline of prayer is the common denominator with all genuine people of God.
"In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there." (Mark 1:35)
"Mr. Word", as we might call Jesus, was both a man of the word and prayer. People were amazed at his teaching because he taught with authority (Luke 4:32), but what was less evident was His careful cultivation of relationship with His Father, which was the source of of that authority. His life was characterized by the vital balance between study and knowledge of the word and communion in prayer with His Father. Both are essential in our lives as well.
The Apostles were resolutely committed to these priorities as well. Acts 6:4 says,
"But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
To be devoted to something is to give oneself to it completely. These men were devoted to the disciplines of both Bible study and prayer. The dynamic of their lives and ministries was their devotion to these secret practices, which was the pattern they had learned from Jesus their Teacher.
The true measure of prayer and Bible study is not necessarily the amount of time spent in each but the vibrancy found in them. Five minutes of genuine communion with the Father in prayer is more beneficial than a perfunctory hour of prayer. And yet the likelihood of real vitality in both prayer and Bible study comes through the generous practice of both.
I recently heard an interesting comment about time together with God. The Bible indicates that God initiates contact, such as with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Man's efforts to initiate contact have resulted in such disasters as the Tower of Babel.
Perhaps the best perspective on prayer is that it is simply placing oneself in a position of quietness whereby God can initiate contact and conversation. All too often prayer is viewed as rushing to God with a list of wants and needs that we want Him to answer and satisfy. And, while we are biblically admonished to bring our needs before Him, if that is all that prayer is then we are robbing ourselves of the joy that can only be found through waiting expectantly for Him.
May we so discipline ourselves that our Creator and Father can approach and speak to us in the quietness of time alone with Him.
Steve
"In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there." (Mark 1:35)
"Mr. Word", as we might call Jesus, was both a man of the word and prayer. People were amazed at his teaching because he taught with authority (Luke 4:32), but what was less evident was His careful cultivation of relationship with His Father, which was the source of of that authority. His life was characterized by the vital balance between study and knowledge of the word and communion in prayer with His Father. Both are essential in our lives as well.
The Apostles were resolutely committed to these priorities as well. Acts 6:4 says,
"But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
To be devoted to something is to give oneself to it completely. These men were devoted to the disciplines of both Bible study and prayer. The dynamic of their lives and ministries was their devotion to these secret practices, which was the pattern they had learned from Jesus their Teacher.
The true measure of prayer and Bible study is not necessarily the amount of time spent in each but the vibrancy found in them. Five minutes of genuine communion with the Father in prayer is more beneficial than a perfunctory hour of prayer. And yet the likelihood of real vitality in both prayer and Bible study comes through the generous practice of both.
I recently heard an interesting comment about time together with God. The Bible indicates that God initiates contact, such as with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Man's efforts to initiate contact have resulted in such disasters as the Tower of Babel.
Perhaps the best perspective on prayer is that it is simply placing oneself in a position of quietness whereby God can initiate contact and conversation. All too often prayer is viewed as rushing to God with a list of wants and needs that we want Him to answer and satisfy. And, while we are biblically admonished to bring our needs before Him, if that is all that prayer is then we are robbing ourselves of the joy that can only be found through waiting expectantly for Him.
May we so discipline ourselves that our Creator and Father can approach and speak to us in the quietness of time alone with Him.
Steve
posted by steve @ 10:36 AM
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