God committed His will to writing. God speaks to us today only in this way! This shows the importance of reading the word of God. God doesn’t speak to the individual who doesn’t read His word! When the Hebrew writer said what is revealed in (Hebrews 1:1-2), this is exactly what He is saying. When God said to Peter on the mount of transfiguration, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, “hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5), this is what He meant, that we should study His revelation. I know this is so from what Paul instructed young Timothy in (2 Timothy 2:15) and from what he wrote to the Ephesian brethren in (Ephesians 3:1-7). Paul further instructed Timothy to “..give attendance to reading...” (1 Timothy 4:13). Paul also told Timothy to “take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16). From these passages we can learn the great importance of being filled with the word of Christ! In fact to the Ephesians Paul wrote, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit..(Ephesians 5:18). The parallel passage to this one says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs....” (Colossians 3:16). To be filled with the Spirit then is accomplished by allowing the word of Christ to dwell in us richly! Peter instructed us to “..lay aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-2). How filled are you with the word of Christ? This is a test as to how spiritual minded you are. See (Romans 12:1-2; 1 John 2:3-4; 1 John 2:16-17).  See also (Galatians 2:20)..Does Christ live in us? He does if His word abides within us and if we are “led by the Spirit through His word (Romans 8:5-17).

 When speaking of the change that takes place when folks turn to Christ by turning to His new law, the new testament, Paul wrote the following: “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:6-18).

 What a beautiful context of statements concluding with how we are transformed by the Spirit when we allow Christ word to work in our hearts.
 

 The Psalmist said, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalms 19:14).  It is so true that “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Jesus taught that those overt as well as covert or sins of the mind first dwelt in our hearts. That upon which our minds dwell due to what we read and or that to which we listen, determines how we think, and how we think will eventually be the way we will speak and act! You can mark it down. Hence Jesus said:
 
 Jesus said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All of these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Luke 7:20-23). See also (Matthew 15:17-20) for a parallel reading of this same thought. I suppose it is impossible to overemphasize the importance of a pure mind and clean thoughts! We are in fact what we think!
 
 This emphasizes the need not only to read, but to meditate upon the word of Christ. This is essential if we are to “think ourselves clear.” I know that many sermons that I preach are the result of what I have read and meditated upon for days and sometimes for weeks. Some lessons come as I lay in my bed. Some as I drive my automobile (especially on long trips) to meetings etc. We need some quiet time to ourselves so we can indeed “think ourselves clear”  on things that are of great importance to our spiritual progress as well as to be able to assist others in coming to a knowledge of the truth of Christ. Among the things which Paul wrote to Timothy in the two epistles we have preserved for our learning and instruction is advice to Timothy along this line. He wrote “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (1 Timothy 4:15).
 
The “sweet singer of Israel” said, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of the sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalms 1:1-2). The same writer also said, “O how I love thy law! it is my MEDITATION all the day” (Psalms 119:97). The question is: Is the law of Christ our meditation all the day?  It isn’t sufficient to “read ourselves full” as admirable as reading is. We must also “think or meditate ourselves clear.” How much time do you, my friend and or brother, spend in meditation? It is something  to  give some serious  thought  to.

 We read where James wrote about this subject, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). The New Testament abounds with admonitions for the Christian to pray. We should pray in faith nothing doubting (James 1:5-7). We should pray as one who does His commands (1 Peter 3:12); In (1 John 3:22) John wrote, “And whatsoever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
 
 Unless one is as dead as the proverbial mackerel (spiritually speaking) or the door nail about which we have all heard, one cannot pray fervently for anything and then sit idly by and do nothing to the end for which one has prayed!  Tell of the test I have often given in “personal work” classes.
 Get a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. Now think of all the people whom you know personally that you would like to see converted to Christ. Make yourself a list. Let me assist you here.  Think of the one who does your hair. How about where you shop each week? Your mail person. Members of clubs to which you belong. Teachers and coaches at school where your children attend. The service station attendant where you buy your gasoline etc. regularly. How about your neighbors? “They say” that everyone has a personal circle of friends that adds up to about twenty folks give or take a few either way. I haven’t exhausted the list. You can probably think of others whose life yours touches each week. Now list all of the wayward members of the Lord’s church in this community of whom you are aware. Now you have your list. To those in the sound of my voice it is a mental list. Now, let each of us pray fervently to our Lord that He will help you to reach and teach all on our list who are willing to listen. The results will be (if you prayed honestly) that you will begin to take steps to the end that you may offer the gospel of Christ to each of these.

 Paul asked for, engaged in, and taught us to, “pray”. He wrote in (1 Thessalonians 5:17), “PRAY  WITHOUT CEASING..”  He requested the prayers of the brethren on his behalf that he may “open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,...speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20).  A verse above these two he said, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (v-18).
 
 Paul wrote to Timothy who was to teach others what he was taught (2 Timothy 2:1-2), The following in (1 Timothy 2:1-4, 8): “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time...,”  Therefore I desire that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
 
 Likewise, Paul himself thanked the Lord Jesus who put him into the ministry.  He said, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry...” (1 Timothy 1:12). Prayer enlist the providence of God to work on our behalf in ways that we cannot comprehend and beyond our wildest dreams perhaps to fully understand. Paul wrote  “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:1-4).
 Now my brethren, having “read ourselves full,”  “thought ourselves clear,” and “prayed ourselves hot,” one thing remains as stated at the bottom of page four (4), we must then “let go.” By “let go” I simply mean put into practice that which we have indicated is of interest to us. James wrote this thought in the following inspired words: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

 Before one may become engaged in the things of which we have spoken in this lesson, one must first become a citizen of Christ kingdom as opposed to a child in the kingdom of Satan. This is done by a “New birth” of the water and of the Spirit (John 3:3-4; Colossians 1:13-14).  Jesus said He would build His church. He also promised the coming of the kingdom in the lifetime of some of His disciples to whom He was speaking (Mark 9:1). He informed the people that “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). This indicates that it is spiritual in its nature and not physical. Every accountable person is in one or the other kingdoms; Satan’s or Christ’s! (Matthew 12:30). One must avail one’s self of the blood shed on Calvary’s cross by obeying the gospel and being “reconciled unto God in one body by the cross” (Ephesians 2:13-17).  Have you “obeyed the gospel”?  Are you “walking in the light of divine revelation” (1 John 1:6- 9)?
 
 Those who “obey not” the gospel of Christ will be forever doomed to eternal torment! (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).  Consider if indeed you are “in Christ” and “in His blood bought church?”  If not let us assist you in coming to Jesus as He has prescribed in His holy word (Matthew 11:28-30).