Sustenance

You feel hungry… you get something to eat. Afterward you feel better - yes? While we may cheat and have snack food too often, we also eat 'what's good for us' as well. If we didn't attend to this need, simply... we would starve. What about your spirit? Have you even thought about feeding it? Are you listening? Does it tell you - I'm hungry? Do you tell it - “2 more days and it’s Sunday and then you can receive some food”? How do you think your body would react if you treated it the same way? 7 days between feedings! Malnutrition! In this case... YOUR spiritual malnutrition. If you feed your body every day, and we do, why don't you also feed your spirit? Or, don’t you think your spirit needs feeding? Do you know what and how you need to feed your spirit? The answer - the Word of God. 

If you say you feed your spirit by reading a Christian book… or listening to a podcast by a well respected pastor… or watching a Christian program, all good and should be part of your daily spirit feeding. Remember though, our eating habits, when it comes to our body it isn't just one thing... it includes proteins, vegs, fruit, etc. So apply this principle to spiritual feeding makes sense. BUT if you aren’t starting with and including reading scripture then all those other ‘good’ things don’t have a foundation for understanding. 

The Bible IS your filter for understanding and growth… isn’t it? You aren’t your filter - are you? Your friend isn’t? If the Bible isn’t then how strong is your filter and how trustworthy? Have you ever asked yourself: 1. Why is the Bible the main target of attack by unbelievers? 2. Why did God make certain that His people had a Bible in the first place? What's the purpose for scripture? 

   "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured

    of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you

    have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation

    through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of

    God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in

    righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for

    every good work." [2 Timothy 3: 14-17. NKJV]

All Scripture, inspiration of God, profitable...  kinda covers everything, doesn't it? Does this also convince you how important reading and meditating on scripture is for your nourishment of your spirit???  You can read from a developed plan, you can use your own method. You can start anywhere because it ALL is important. Don't be misled that the Old Testament isn't necessary - it's the basis of understanding the New Testament. And it is continually quoted in the New Testament.

Do you have any idea how often the Bible is referred to as food, as ‘bread’? We humans don’t always get things right even with the best of intentions - the Bible ALWAYS does. Sometimes though, we need to hear what we read.

  

   “Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay

    alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”. 

    [Matthew 4:4. MSG]

These words were spoken by Jesus when He was temple by the devil after 40 days in the desert following His baptism. 'It is written' is a powerful weapon in our arsenal to defeat the devil in our lives. The Message states this strongly... 'words from God's mouth'! However... this can't happen if we don't have the Word in us to defeat the devil. Seems like a very logical reason to hide the Word in our hearts. The Word is sustenance for our spirit.