The breakwaters of Bible reading and prayer
Daily Bible reading is another breakwater of our faith. There are a number of scriptures that illustrate the importance of daily Bible study. One of the verses that has become my favorite is found in the book of Jeremiah. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts (Jeremiah 15:16). Jeremiah is talking about consuming the Word of God the way we look forward to eating our favorite meal. We have to hunger for it. We need an unquenchable desire for it that nothing else will satisfy. Daily Bible reading will change our outlook on life. There is a growing comfort that comes from being familiar with the Bible.
Prayer is another breakwater of our Christian faith. Paul wrote: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). Our prayer life is to be ongoing and continuous. I remember hearing a story about the late Billy Sunday. Shortly after his death, someone was interviewing his wife and asked what it was like to be married to such a man of God. She said that at times it could be a little confusing. She didn’t know whether he was talking to her or talking to God most of the time! Supplication is merely a descriptive word. It means we need to have a humble and earnest spirit as we pray. We can’t treat God as the great wish-grantor in the sky. He is our Creator, our Redeemer, and our King.
The breakwaters of Christian fellowship
There are two types of fellowship God intended Christians to have. First and foremost, our fellowship with Him is the most important. A couple of weeks ago I led a service at a senior home where I shared the importance of seeking God daily. Within that study, I highlighted Abraham, Hannah, and Daniel, three people who sought the Lord daily in their life. No matter what the day held, these three made sure to spend time with the Lord. Solomon wrote, I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me (Proverbs 8:17). If we make our fellowship with the Lord a priority each day the Lord will bless our efforts. We will be in the Lord’s presence.
The second type of fellowship is the one shared with our brothers and sisters of the faith. Who we spend time in fellowship and friendship with does matter. Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17). If I am going to sharpen a knife, I do not grab a chunk of clay or wood. I grab an iron file to sharpen it. If we want to sharpen our walk with the Lord, we should not rush out to fellowship with folks that aren’t saved. They do not know Jesus. Yes, you are to witness to them, but all of us know the power of peer pressure, especially from someone you like or admire. That’s why it is important to seek out other Christians for friendship and fellowship.
The breakwater of church attendance
The reason I know what I experienced in 1988 was not a real salvation experience is because I had no real desire to attend church. I had better things to do than attend every Sunday. After all, I believed I was just as capable of reading the Bible and gaining understanding as I could hearing a sermon. Now, since 2006, my favorite day of the week is Sunday. I look forward to the singing of hymns, of hearing God’s word preached, and being able to worship God with other believers. Paul wrote, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Yes, regular church attendance is that important.
It is at a local church where we can share the burdens and troubles of our heart and soul. The local church serves as our place to meet with other Christians, to worship the Lord together, and to minister and be ministered to. Since the days of the apostles, the local church served as a place where you could go to get your spiritual and physical needs met. It is the place where we hear God’s message, where we rejoice with those that publicly declare they’ve received Christ as their savior. The church is the center of the Christian community while we live on this world before He calls us home.
One breakwater is good, having them all is better
Each one of these breakwaters I have shared are good by themselves. Some may already exist in your life and some may be stronger than others. One of the television shows I regularly watched was Deadliest Catch, and on occasion, the show would either start or end in Dutch Harbor. On one show an areal view of the harbor was shown. There were four different breakwaters around the harbor’s mouth! The Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers knew the types of storms the harbor had to endure. They gave their best efforts to assure the harbor could handle all but the most severest storms that comes its way.
We need to take a similar approach in our daily life. We need as many of these breakwaters as the Holy Spirit will help us develop. Daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship with God helps to strengthen our faith. We need to surround ourselves with good, strong people of the faith. We need to be sure we’ve asked forgiveness for our sins committed, and we need to make sure we attend church as much as we can. If we make these things a part of who we are and what we do each day, it will strengthen our spirit, much the way breakwaters protect the harbor. No, it will not change how severe the storms are or how often they come our way, but it will allow us to enjoy the richness of our walk with Jesus.
