Thesis #19: “The New Apostolic Epoch” By: P. Douglas Small
Last week: “Love affirms, but God’s holiness challenges us. Prayer centers us in God’s love, but, then His Presence exposes us to His holiness – and moves us by grace and consecration, into deeper levels of His likeness”…
This week:
…Prayer, then, is the basic context for Christian growth and development, not preaching, not left-brain discipleship programs.
The assumption here is that there is more growth in discipleship through prayer than any other personal effort. I agree with the assumption! I have personally grown more in my faith and my relationship with God from taking my Bible, opening it and reading it, and praying my way through what I read, to understanding and practice. What happens in a church worship service is of little consequence if it does nothing to command the way we live our lives outside of that worship experience. Prayer is more about personal change than any other practice in the Christian faith. When you pray, it is just you and God. One on one! There should be no distractions, no hindrances to hearing Him as you commune with Him and He with you in your session of prayer. With the Word of God before you, the Holy Spirit within you as your guide, through your prayers, and your own personal hunger for righteousness, for holiness…you will grow in your relationship with God!
Let’s pray: “O God, You are my God! I want to be your disciple, so I read Your Word and pray for understanding to apply what I read. I ask, Holy Spirit, that You would put a deep, abiding hunger in our hearts now, for more of the Scripture and for more of close encounters with the Father!
Lord, we have found this world to be a confusing, messed up place and we don’t want to be it’s next victim! So, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we turn to You, asking that you be our daily guide through the Bible so that each day we live is used to honor and glorify You before others. We will do our best to honor the appointment with You in prayer, each day, keeping it above all others.
We love You Lord, and desire Your Presence within, to heal us and prepare us for Your use in this world and for our future with You in heaven! AMEN!
