Food for thought…
There it sits, nicely bound in genuine leather with gold gilded page edges, colorful maps, silk ribbon page markers, printed on high quality paper, and the words of Christ in red! Oh, and did I mention it is the written word of God?
The Holy Bible is the most popular book in the world. Most homes in the United States have at least three or four of them and yet many believers not only lack a hunger and thirst for the word of truth but don’t really believe that the Bible they have in their possession is the inspired, perfect, preserved, word of God. This must be resolved if you ever expect to have any real growth in the Christian life.
I pray this post will renew your love and passion for God’s word if you’ve lost it. And I’m not talking about acquiring more intellectual knowledge of God’s truth either. I am referring to developing and cultivating a deep, intimate, personal love relationship with Jesus Christ. I pray you will return to diligently reading, memorizing, and meditating on His word out of love for Christ not duty. And most of all I pray you will purpose to make the vital connection between the person of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, with every truth, exhortation, and admonition found in scripture. I often say that if we have a desire to hear God’s still small voice we must be still and small. Slow down. Get still. Be small in your own abilities. See the grace, love, power, and person of the Lord Jesus. Seek Him.
In no way am I suggesting you should start the laborious and monotonous task of a daily Bible reading program where you can check the daily Bible reading box of accomplishment. I don’t care when or how you go about reading the scriptures. I’m not here to give you another formula for success. But I am encouraging you to diligently find and follow Jesus Christ! Your spiritual walk will have new life when Jesus Christ becomes your passion and central focus.
Nothing provides a source of genuine comfort like the written word of God does. And nothing instructs us better on how to live a meaningful and fruitful daily Christian life. But keep in mind that the Holy Bible is not simply a sound literary piece designed for our reading pleasure and mental stimulation. Nor is it a spiritual resource to help us acquire personal happiness and prosperity. God often uses the shears of His word to prune and purge our lives. We don’t like it very much when the word of God clips those unruly thoughts, words, or deeds in our life but it’s for our own good. The word of God brings life and provides spiritual nutrition for a life of genuine and abundant fruit. God the Father, who is the husbandman, will use the shears of His word to develop fruit in our life.
When you read and meditate on the word does God speak to your heart? Do you receive a personal message directly from God? Are you admonished to know, love, and follow Jesus Christ? Ask Him to open your eyes of spiritual understanding. If we do not prayerfully meditate on the Holy Scripture we are simply not growing and yielding genuine fruit. God’s word is not designed to beat us up, but rather, to build us up. To edify, exhort, and strengthen.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Forrest,
Whether you did or did not want to give a formula, you did give us the only one that makes sense and works every time one tries it. It is to be still and listen, and to find the message and hope of Christ in the words we read. Some may want to stay on the milk, but I know you and I, many of us, desire the meat of His Word.
Thank you again for this simple, and yet practical suggestion.
In our prayers daily,
Don DeSimone
Gal 6:10
May 20th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Brother Don, I say this “laughing” and in a spirit of friendliness. But I prefer to say I’ve given an exhortation, admonition, or edification rather than a formula. I never want others to think our changed behavior is a result of planning, performing, purposing, promoting, or processing. I always desire to simply direct others into a intimate and unbreakable bond with Jesus Christ through relationship not responsibility; through devotion rather than duty.
What causes us to pull aside, be still, and be small in our own eyes? Is it a “formula” or is it an inner passion, love, and desire to be with the Lord Jesus Christ? My love for Christ has resulted in many changes in my life that some people would consider to be a discipline, method, formula, or application. But as His child, it was God Himself who orchestrated and “allowed” the specific circumstances in my life that directed me to know, love, and follow His dear Son.
But the changes in my life were not a result of something I determined to start doing. My personal spiritual awakening was not from applying a “principle” or learning a new doctrine. The changes were a spontaneous result of my relationship with Christ. The more I grew in grace and in the knowledge of Christ as a result of my relationship with Him, the more I simply wanted to be with Him. My longing to be with Christ was as natural as a new born baby loving a mother and father!
So be still and small. Slow down and seek to know, love, and follow Christ. You’ll discover that as time goes on He will be all you desire!