I was recently asked to answer a question in one of my classes, and found myself grieving internally over the modern state of the Christian.
I feel so spiritually lifeless when I try to study the Bible. Don’t you think it is more important that I spend my time praying and seeking God for insight and direction directly from the Holy Spirit?
At first I want to get angry with the believer who could ask such a question, and then I realize like the Apostle Paul, the writer of Hebrews, and some of the greatest preachers of past and present knew so well… that the gospel is foolishness to those who do not believe! (1 Corinthians 2:14)
The Responsibility of the Church
I would not propose to judge the person who could ask such a question as an unbeliever outright, but Jesus made it clear that every tree is known by it’s own fruit. (Luke 6:44) Before I can answer the question directly, I must ask some background questions of the person.
Later in the post here I will answer the question directly, but for now I am talking about the church leadership’s responsibility to preach the full, unadulterated Word of God. Unfortunately it seems the watered-down message of many contemporary churches aids not in the maturity of believers, but rather the demise of maturity all-together. The latest conclusions from Willowcreek and Saddleback churches state that it seems they have failed in the matter of discipleship. They have massive programs, but lack growth of the individual believer that sits in their pews.
This responsibility to preach that lies with the church is addressed in Romans 10:14-17
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
If a preacher, who has the honor of the pulpit, does not preach the Word of God to his constituents, but rather brings motivational speaches to the masses… their reward is sure to be as Luke 17:1-2 would say:
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
The Bible is also clear about those who are accountable as spiritual teachers in James 3:1.
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
The Responsibility of the Believer
Back to answering the question about studting the Bible versus just praying, I could write a book about it as some people already have. If the Christian believes that he will find personal blessing or some emotional high in every verse during the course of his daily reading and study, he will be duly disappointed.
Any mature believer who is in the Word of God knows that it may often take hard work and study to get living truth to 
jump out. Taking an orange and shoving it into a glass will not give you orange juice. You can almost taste it, because you remember what it tasted like at IHOP last weekend, but somehow tipping the glass leaves you disappointed.
The problem is that many Christians experience this in their own personal lives regarding the Bible. They go to church on Sunday (IHOP) and the pastor carefully prepared the message to make it easy for the believer to understand. The Christian then goes home pops open the Bible and expects truths to pop off the page just becuase they opened it. When a mighty wind and tongues of fire do not leap into the room they read in, they get bored and frustrated. If you actually take the time to cross-reference, use a study bible, and take notes (peeling the orange), you may find yourself with some pretty good orange juice (truth).
If a believer ignores his responsibility to study the Word of God, he will be like those whom the Apostle Paul adresses in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
The writer of Hebrews 5:12-14 goes even further to explain that by now some of them should have been teachers by now.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
When we obey God after being convicted through His Word, we are being built in maturity. When we ignore the Word of God through disobedience we are carnal and begin a process of tuning out the Holy Spirit’s conviction and discernment that is a gift from God. Let us have the testimony of Kinf David in Psalm 119:100-103
I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
