Spending Time With God Through His Word

Over the past few weeks, God has been working in me and teaching me through His Word like I have never experienced before. I have a hunger for His Word that cannot be satisfied. I am reading and digesting books by the score. My passion for prayer has been rekindled. My time with Him has become the dominate activity of my day and I praise God for all of this as I can feel His presence growing ever stronger in me.

This last week, I have spent much of my time reading about the regeneration we experience as we come to know our Lord. I have also been reading about the power of prayer as seen by E.M. Bounds. These thoughts were on my mind as I read the third chapter of Colossians this morning. I have probably read through it a dozen times or more over the years; but this morning it took me an hour to get through these 25 verses. I read it as a prayer to God to continue my regeneration as I mature in His love.

I have taken the liberty of writing out the 3rd chapter in such a way as to make it my daily prayer, and I want to share it with you so that it may be a blessing to you as well.

Having been raised up with Christ, I will seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and set my mind on the things above, not on the things here on earth; for I have died and my life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is my life, is revealed, then I also will be revealed with Him in glory.

I will consider the members of my earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amount to idolatry; for it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come upon me, and in them I also once walked, when I was living in them. But now I also put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from my mouth. I will not lie to my brother or sister, since I laid aside my old self with its evil practices, and have put on my new self that is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created me — a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

And so, as one who has been chosen of God, holy and beloved, I will put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with others, and forgiving others, whoever has a complaint against me; just as the Lord forgave me, so also should I. And beyond all these things I shall put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in my heart, to which indeed I was called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within me, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing others with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in my heart to God. And whatever I do in word or deed, I do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

I will love my wife, and not be embittered against her. I will not exasperate my children, that they may not lose heart. In all things I will obey those who are my masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever I do, I will do heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord I will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom I serve; for if I do wrong, I will receive the consequences of the wrong which I have done, and without partiality.

Based on Col 3:1-25 (NASB)

The remarkable thing about God’s Word is how it speaks to us concerning the present circumstances in our lives. We may have read a particular passage a dozen times, but because of something going on in our life at this particular time, it can speak right to the heart of the matter. God’s Word applies to us everyday.

My prayer is if you are not spending time with God through His Word, that you would begin to do so. And if you are already doing so, take a little extra time and allow the Holy Spirit to bless you even more. I know for me, it has changed my life, and will continue to do so.

Blessings to you!