--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Word we study has to be the Word we…" description: "\"“The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. My personal experience of the relentless tenderness of God came not from exegetes, theologians, and spir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png" --- # The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. My personal… ![“The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. My personal experience of the relentless tenderness of God came not from exegetes, theologians, and spiritual writers, but from sitting still in the presence of the living Word and beseeching Him to help me understand with my head and heart His written…” quote by Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png) > ““The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. My personal experience of the relentless tenderness of God came not from exegetes, theologians, and spiritual writers, but from sitting still in the presence of the living Word and beseeching Him to help me understand with my head and heart His written Word. Sheer scholarship alone cannot reveal to us the gospel of grace. We must never allow the authority of books, institutions, or leaders to replace the authority of \*knowing\* Jesus Christ personally and directly. When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited.”” [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True understanding of scripture comes from personal encounter with Christ, not just academic study. **In simple terms:** Know Christ personally, not just through books. Key Takeaway Seek living experience over mere scholarship. Themes faith spirituality personal growth Mood contemplative reverent Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - personal prayer - Bible study groups - spiritual retreats - pastoral counseling Key Concepts theology practical mysticism Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance study with personal prayer? - What habits help you encounter Christ directly? A Different Perspective Academic study alone cannot replace personal relationship with Jesus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Head and heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-and-heart/) [Knowing jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-jesus/) [Personal experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experience/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-views/) [Travel agent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel-agent/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Sheer scholarship alone cannot reveal to us the gospel of grace. We must never allow the authority of books, institutions, or leaders to replace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/sheer-scholarship-alone-cannot-reveal-to-us-the-gospel-of-grace-we/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“We must never allow the authority of books, institutions, or leaders to replace the authority of knowing Jesus Christ personally and directly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/we-must-never-allow-the-authority-of-books-institutions-or-leaders-to/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“Because salvation is by grace through faith, I believe that among the countless number of people standing in front of the throne and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/because-salvation-is-by-grace-through-faith-i-believe-that-among-the/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/when-i-get-honest-i-admit-i-am-a-bundle-of-paradoxes-i-believe-and-i/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Nevertheless, the central affirmation of the Reformation stands: through no merit of ours, but by his mercy, WE HAVE BEEN RESTORED to a right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/nevertheless-the-central-affirmation-of-the-reformation-stands/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“Our huffing and puffing to impress God, our scrambling for brownie points, our thrashing about trying to fix ourselves while hiding our pettiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/our-huffing-and-puffing-to-impress-god-our-scrambling-for-brownie-2/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [By and large, the gospel of grace is neither proclaimed, understood, nor lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/by-and-large-the-gospel-of-grace-is-neither-proclaimed-understood-nor/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [The gospel of grace nullifies our adulation of televangelists, charismatic superstars, and local church heroes. It obliterates the two-class citizenship theory operative in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-gospel-of-grace-nullifies-our-adulation-of-televangelists/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“On a blustery October night in a church outside Minneapolis, several hundred believers had gathered for a three-day seminar. I began with a one-hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/on-a-blustery-october-night-in-a-church-outside-minneapolis-several/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“The bending of the mind by the powers of this world has twisted the gospel of grace into religious bondage and distorted the image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-bending-of-the-mind-by-the-powers-of-this-world-has-twisted-the/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Our huffing and puffing to impress God, our scrambling for brownie points, our thrashing about trying to fix ourselves while hiding our pettiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/our-huffing-and-puffing-to-impress-god-our-scrambling-for-brownie/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [This is the God of the gospel of grace. A God who, out of love for us, sent the only Son He ever had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/this-is-the-god-of-the-gospel-of-grace-a-god-who-out-of-love-for-us/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“The gospel of grace calls us to sing of the everyday mystery of intimacy with God instead of always seeking for miracles or visions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-gospel-of-grace-calls-us-to-sing-of-the-everyday-mystery-of/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [The Good News of the gospel of grace cries out: We are all, equally, privileged but unentitled beggars at the door of God's mercy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-good-news-of-the-gospel-of-grace-cries-out-we-are-all-equally/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [I'd grown up in a Presbyterian church, but I really didn't know Christ personally in my heart. I knew him, but I didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-d-grown-up-in-a-presbyterian-church-but-i-really-didn-t-know-christ/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) ## More by Brennan Manning > [Accepting the reality of our sinfulness means accepting our authentic self. Judas could not face his shadow; Peter could. The latter befriended the impostor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/accepting-the-reality-of-our-sinfulness-means-accepting-our-authentic/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Trust is our gift back to God, and he finds it so enchanting that Jesus died for love of it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/trust-is-our-gift-back-to-god-and-he-finds-it-so-enchanting-that/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Genuine self-acceptance is not derived from the power of positive thinking, mind games or pop psychology. 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It may be that Christians, notwithstanding corporate worship, common prayer, and all their fellowship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/he-who-is-alone-with-his-sins-is-utterly-alone-it-may-be-that/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [God not only loves me as I am, but also knows me as I am. Because of this I don't need to apply spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/god-not-only-loves-me-as-i-am-but-also-knows-me-as-i-am-because-of/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Grace abounds in contemporary movies, books, novels, films and music. If God is not in the whirlwind, He may be in a Woody Allen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/grace-abounds-in-contemporary-movies-books-novels-films-and-music-if/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [My trust in God flows out of the experience of his loving me, day in and day out, whether the day is stormy or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/my-trust-in-god-flows-out-of-the-experience-of-his-loving-me-day-in/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [I you think you've done it, then you're wrong. Because you're not finished until you have achieved everything that you never thought you could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/i-you-think-you-ve-done-it-then-you-re-wrong-because-you-re-not/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [May all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/may-all-your-expectations-be-frustrated-may-all-your-plans-be/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Our identity rests in God's relentless tenderness for us revealed in Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/our-identity-rests-in-god-s-relentless-tenderness-for-us-revealed-in/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“When I get honest I admit that I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/when-i-get-honest-i-admit-that-i-am-a-bundle-of-paradoxes-i-believe/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“At Sunday worship, as in every dimension of our existence, many of us pretend to believe we are sinners. Consequently, all we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/at-sunday-worship-as-in-every-dimension-of-our-existence-many-of-us/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“You tell others about Me - that I am a loving God. Your words are glib. My words are written in the blood of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/you-tell-others-about-me-that-i-am-a-loving-god-your-words-are-glib/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) [Explore all 320 Brennan Manning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. 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When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brennan Manning" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we-pray-my-personal-experience/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we-pray-my-personal-experience/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/brennan-manning-959_christianity_the-word-we-study-has-to-be-the-word-we_2748185.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. 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