Prayer and the Bible

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

 

 

Many years ago I had a life-changing conversation with a pastor.  He said that if I used ordinary intellectual language to speak to people about Christianity, it could go in one ear and out the other.  To be really effective, he said, it was necessary to quote the word of God. The listener would not even have to know that the words were from God.

God inspired 40-some men to write the Bible.  So, the Bible is His word.  It is living and powerful.  Quote it, the pastor said, and it could change the way the listener thought about things.

So, I began collecting what I thought were the most important Bible verses for telling people about my faith.  I borrowed a book on Bible mnemonics and started memorizing verses.  Some, like Joshue 1:8, were paraphrases because they flowed off my tongue better that way.

I began saying all 31 of my Bible verses as soon as I woke up every morning.  The surprising result was that I was feeding myself more than anyone.  I found out that the word of God was sustenance.

One unexpected result was what happened after saying Galatians 5:22 (see it below) every morning for years.  That talks about nine fruits people can have in their lives by walking in the Spirit.  After a time I began experiencing love, joy, peace and so on every day.  After all, the Bible says that I am an heir of the promises.

"The rain falls on the just and the unjust."  I.e., I have problems just like anyone else in the world.  But, I guess I always assume that God would take care of me if I draw near to Him.  So, I started having peace in my problems.

I've heard that God will answer prayers without us knowing it.  He can answer them three different ways.  Sometimes it is yes, sometimes it is no and sometimes it is wait.

As I say the verses, I often turn them into prayers.  I figure that if I am praying God's word, I am more likely to be praying God's will and He is more likely to say "yes".

 

Here are my

31 Bible Verses
Mediate on the Word of the Lord day and night so that you will be careful to do what is written.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Joshua 1:8

Do not be afraid.  The battle is not yours, but God’s.
II Chronicles 20:15b

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:4

I have hidden Your Word in my heart so that I might not sin against You.
Psalms 119:11

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5,6

Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.  They will rise with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

You will seek the Lord and find Him when you seek Him with all of your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

Bring your whole tithe to the storehouse.  Test me in this and see if I won’t open up the floodgates of heaven with so much blessing that you cannot contain it.
Malachi 3:10

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4


Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

Not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 7:21

If anyone hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one will come and snatch away what was sown in his heart.
Matthew 13:19a

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  Those who believe and are baptised will be saved.  Those who do not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:15,16

The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
Luke 19:10

To all who received Him, to all who believed in His name, He gave the right to be called the children of God.
John 1:12

Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.
John 3:3

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6

If you love Me, you will do what I command.
John 14:15

Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus Christ].  There is no other name under heaven by which you must be saved. Acts 4:12

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23

The wages of sin is death.  But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Galatians 5:22

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10

Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

The Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6b

Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8

If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I John 1:9

Here I am, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and invites Me in, I will come in and sup with him and he with Me.
Revelations 3:20

Related Pages

Mathematics and the Bible

Meditating on the Word

Spiritual warfare

US disaster prophesied

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