My last post, “Are You Being Discipled?”, discussed the importance of allowing God to transform us through His Spirit and other Christ filled men (or women). This message, “Are You Eating His Word?“, is just as essential for spiritual growth. Just as our bodies do not grow without nutrition, neither will our souls…
Do you read much? What I mean is, throughout your average day, is there anything you typically read? Is it e-mail, websites, blogs, Facebook posts, the sports page, financial section, novels, magazines, technical journals, devotionals, Christian books, etc.?
Do you see where I’m going with this? There is a lot to read on a daily basis for many of us in this age of information overload. It’s crazy what the Bible has to compete with these days. It’s no wonder that much of our Church suffers from Biblical illiteracy.
What are we to do?
We have a culture that was at one time rooted in Biblical beliefs and understanding. Our schools (before the government took over) used to teach our children how to read using the Scriptures. Now, many decades later, the Bible is widely regarded as mostly irrelevant.
Maybe I didn’t have to tell you that, but I’ll get off my soap box now. 🙂
What I really want to get across is that there is no shortcut to spiritual maturity.
If our desire is to love God then we must get to know Him.
It’s kind of like buying my wife a green purse when her favorite color is blue. This simply means I don’t know her well enough to please her. Either she’s told me her favorite color is blue and I wasn’t listening, or she’s never told me before. It doesn’t matter, I’ve missed the mark. Do I still have that receipt?
Here’s a sobering thought:
John 3: 36 “And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
The question I have is:
How would we know how to obey Him if we’re not continually trying to know Him?
Read what Moses and Jeremiah had to say about God’s Word:
Deuteronomy 8: 3 “…man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.”
Jeremiah 15: 16 “Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” (KJV)
Yes, Jesus is the bread of life!
I think we’ll get it if we truly understand these passages:
John 6: 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
Tie that with:
John 6: 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”
And now with:
John 6: 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”
In Summary:
Spend your energy seeking that which gives eternal life by eating the bread from heaven, the bread of life.
OR:
Spend time daily seeking eternal life by reading your Bible.