Dr. Dennis Wilkening shares three simple but encouraging Bible truths about God's Word and prayer, comparing our neglect of these spiritual resources to a FedEx commercial where a man protected a package for years without opening it to discover the life-saving contents inside.
Scripture Text
Jeremiah 33:3
Main Points or Ideas
- God wants to speak to me - Just as God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and called Samuel by name, the same God who created the universe desires to speak to each believer daily through His Word. We should view Bible reading not as a chore to be accomplished but as a relationship to be cultivated.
- God wants you to speak to Him - Prayer is meant to be a genuine conversation with God, not vain repetitions or the same shallow requests. Christ taught His disciples to pray using the Lord's Prayer as a model, showing us to express our complete dependence upon God, cast our burdens upon Him, and maintain a constant attitude of prayer without ceasing.
- Prayer changes things - Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, but He taught them how to pray. Historical examples of revival (Herrnhut's 100-year prayer chain, the Great Awakening with George Whitfield, Charles Finney's prayer partners, and the Hebrides revival) demonstrate that great and mighty works of God are accomplished through fervent, persistent prayer.
Conclusion
God desires to do great and mighty things in our lives, but it begins with drawing close to Him through His Word and prayer, creating a genuine relationship rather than going through religious motions.
