“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” - John 15:7
There's an important link between prayer and the Scripture. A believer needs to emphasize both in his walk with God. While both the Word of God and prayer are foundational to Christian living, sadly, many believers omit one or both from their daily agenda.
In John 15, Jesus teaches us the importance of abiding in Him. Jesus said that if we abide in Him, we'll bear much fruit (John 15:5). I want to bear much fruit in my remaining days, don't you? In John 15:7, Jesus gives us insight about the fruit-bearing process. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” In this verse, Jesus teaches us the importance of prayer and His Word.
First of all, His words need to abide in us. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you ...” In other words, the Scripture needs to remain in us. We need to live in the Word. We need to stay in the Bible.
Secondly, we need to pray. If we abide in Christ and His words abide in us, “... ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Abiding in Christ and His Word leads to a powerful prayer-life. We need to stay in the Word and in prayer. Paul put it this way, “Pray without ceasing.”
In these dark days, we need more calloused knees and worn Bibles. We need to have our knees calloused by frequent kneeling in prayer. These days, it seems like many feel too dignified to get on their knees to pray. It is true that a person can pray without kneeling. Personally, I pray while driving, working, walking, and sitting in the recliner. Yet as I get older, I feel the need to kneel more in prayer. Kneeling is an act of humility. Kneeling is a position of submission and surrender. When we kneel in prayer, we demonstrate reverence toward the One we are praying to. I must admit that as I get older, it is getting more difficult to kneel (especially getting up from kneeling). Yet I have a desire to kneel in prayer more and more. Over time, the knees tend to get a little calloused from this position of prayer. We need to get back to prayer!
Secondly, we need more worn Bibles. Cheaper Bibles tend to fall apart rather quickly with use. Even a bonded leather Bible will show its age around the edges. Personally, I use a genuine leather Bible. Yes, it cost more, but it also lasts longer. Regardless of the binding, we need to own Bibles that show wear due to extensive, regular use. Every day, believers need to spend time in the pages of God's Word. We need the Bible for our spiritual growth. We need the Word for guidance and help. The Word of God gives us insight and wisdom. The Scriptures teach us about God, the world and ourselves. Not only does the Word of God contain truth, it IS truth (John 17:17). We need the Scriptures to help us recognize the difference between doctrinal truth and error. The Bible is the spiritual food that our souls need. An unused Bible is a sign of a lean soul. We need to have worn Bibles. Make it a point to have quality time reading the Bible daily.
The Church needs people with calloused knees and worn Bibles. I know that the world will mock such a statement, but their mockery does not change the truth of what I wrote. There are many things to do every day, but the most important thing is to spend time with God in prayer and in His Word.
Have you spent time with Him today?
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