Monday musings
Everyone eventually trades in formula for forks and knives. The process of growth demands that we eventually nourish ourselves with solid food. And, the same goes spiritually:
"For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." (Hebrews 5.13-14)
The habit of feeding on God's word equips us to distinguish between good and evil. But, we can digress. The original audience that Hebrews was written to had done that very thing: "you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food." (Hebrews 5.11-12)
These believers had "tuned out" biblical instruction, and had digressed. While they should have progressed to being teachers, they instead needed basic instruction themselves. They had reverted back to a need for spiritual baby formula.
It's as basic as this: we either progress, or we digress, spiritually. No one stands still. We dig deeper into God's word, or we grow weary of reading, and gloss over familiar passages. And, as we grow "dull of hearing", we lose our ability to distinguish between right and wrong.
Where are you today spiritually? Do you have a genuine appetite for devouring God's word in study, or is it a casual pursuit? Or, does your Bible remain closed on a shelf or table much of the time? There is a direct correlation between time spent in the Bible and spiritual growth and progress. Basic as this truth is, it is amazing how many believe they can progress spiritually aside of personal Bible study time! Personal service, hearing sermons, listening to lessons, and reading Christian literature all are easily considered adequate for spiritual growth. While these may serve as supplements, they can never be one's main diet. God's word - and His word alone - is the necessary spiritual diet for growth.
The challenge before us today is to read, and dig in, to the word of God. Not a mere five-minute reading, but a study in which we grapple with word meanings, and consider cross-references. And, above all, a serious consideration of the question: "what action and response does this passage require of me?"
May we be spiritually progressive today as we intentionally feed ourselves on His word.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2013
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook devotional - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
"For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." (Hebrews 5.13-14)
The habit of feeding on God's word equips us to distinguish between good and evil. But, we can digress. The original audience that Hebrews was written to had done that very thing: "you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food." (Hebrews 5.11-12)
These believers had "tuned out" biblical instruction, and had digressed. While they should have progressed to being teachers, they instead needed basic instruction themselves. They had reverted back to a need for spiritual baby formula.
It's as basic as this: we either progress, or we digress, spiritually. No one stands still. We dig deeper into God's word, or we grow weary of reading, and gloss over familiar passages. And, as we grow "dull of hearing", we lose our ability to distinguish between right and wrong.
Where are you today spiritually? Do you have a genuine appetite for devouring God's word in study, or is it a casual pursuit? Or, does your Bible remain closed on a shelf or table much of the time? There is a direct correlation between time spent in the Bible and spiritual growth and progress. Basic as this truth is, it is amazing how many believe they can progress spiritually aside of personal Bible study time! Personal service, hearing sermons, listening to lessons, and reading Christian literature all are easily considered adequate for spiritual growth. While these may serve as supplements, they can never be one's main diet. God's word - and His word alone - is the necessary spiritual diet for growth.
The challenge before us today is to read, and dig in, to the word of God. Not a mere five-minute reading, but a study in which we grapple with word meanings, and consider cross-references. And, above all, a serious consideration of the question: "what action and response does this passage require of me?"
May we be spiritually progressive today as we intentionally feed ourselves on His word.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2013
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook devotional - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
posted by steve @ 7:24 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home