I can talk (or write) till I'm blue in the face, but of what good is it if it's not filled with power? The only thing that is truly powerful is what is based on the word of God. I can have a seemingly powerful presence speaking before a group of people, but unless there is power in my words to change lives, what good does it do?
I once heard Joyce Meyer refer to the influx of religious speakers (including herself) that we have access to in today's world. But that we can listen to speakers, speaking godly words all day every day, and unless we apply it to our lives it does us no good. She said, "I'd rather you take just one idea in all I have to say and do an in-depth study on it, than listen to me every day." I probably paraphrased what she said, because I'm going on my memory, but the same truth is there. The power is in a changed life.
I shared with a group of women just the other night, that there have been times in my life that I read God's word by rote. I was just doing what I was doing because I knew I should, because I wanted it to be a habit. But that is exactly what those seemingly dry days did for me--built in me a habit that was there when I was truly desperate for a word from God. Then, when I went to His word in desperation He met me EVERY time. I went for a season when I would not have been able to put one foot in front of another without a word from the Lord every single day. And although I should not have been surprised, I was truly amazed at how completely He met my need. No one person could have done for me what He did and He came through in power.
I want to encourage you to glean from Him every single day. Sometimes I don't even get through one chapter in the Bible when I am reading. I will get stuck on a single verse and realize God is speaking to me through that verse. So I will stop and meditate on it. I will go backwards and see what was said in the verses prior, to make sure I'm seeing it in its true context. If it is a promise I will look to also see the premise so I can have that promise fulfilled in my life. For you, like me, there will most likely be times you are only reading to build a habit, but God's word is so powerful, that even in those times He will plant His word inside you and it will be there when you need it.
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