Psalm 25:4-5 is a great way to pray before studying the Word of God.
4Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 5Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.
1 John 5:14-15 tells us how to have our prayers answered.
14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
Since we KNOW that it IS God's will for us to know His ways and understand His Word, then when we pray Psalm 25:4-5, we can fully expect that He will lead, guide and direct us into understanding the Word so that we can know Him! Thank You, Lord Jesus!
Psalm 25:14 goes right along with this.
14The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning.
The more that we know and understand the Word of God, the more we will know and understand Him. Knowing Him intimately (Philippians 3:10 AMPLIFIED) will allow us to have that sweet and satisfying companionship WITH Him! AWESOME!
Matthew 25:15 contains a very important key to understanding how to be pleasing to the Lord! The key is found in the phrase "to each in proportion to his own personal ability". The abilities, gifts and talents we possess all came from God in the first place. He doesn't expect us to use something we don't have! But He DOES expect us to make full use of, for the Kingdom of God, all of the resources He has blessed us with! We will be rewarded according to how well we have used what He has supplied us with! Our goal in life would be to fulfill God's plan for us. That is REAL success - being where God wants us to be, doing what God wants us to do!
2 Kings 1:13-14 reveal to us the proper respect to be shown to those whom God has anointed!
13Ahaziah sent again a captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and fell on his knees before Elijah and besought him and said to him, O man of God, I pray you, let my life and the lives of these fifty, your servants, be precious in your sight. 14Behold, fire came down from heaven and burned up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties. Therefore let my life now be precious in your sight.
It amazes me that 102 men had to die before someone humbled themselves before God! Maintain a reverence for the presence of God and a respectful attitude towards those whom He has called and anointed! You WILL be glad you did!
Shalom in Him
