Conviction draws near

Condemnation shrinks away

Draw near. Keep growing.

-James 4:1-10

God’s word is supernatural. Unlike any other printed material, it’s alive. From a book thousands of years old you can find new insight for your 21st century life every day. That’s cool! Compare this to a newspaper which changes daily. It provides information and opinion but doesn’t free me from entangling sins I face. Unlike newspapers, God’s word doesn’t change with the weather. It endures. Every morning Genesis is at the front and Revelation is at the back. Yet reading those loving, unchanging words changes us from the inside out - eternally changed!

One danger of filling too much time with other things is your spiritual appetite becomes dull. Many church-goers are spiritually starving but have no hunger for the word. Entertainment and news take the edge off that craving that you can’t quite identify, but they don’t nourish you. To make a natural comparison: if you eat 3000 calories of Twinkies, Twizzlers, soda and potato chips and never have any meat, vegetables or water, you may not feel hungry at the end of the day; but you will feel draggy, edgy and have a craving for “something” that you’re not quite sure how to fill. Naturally speaking a steak and salad would hit the spot. Spiritually speaking you need some milk and meat from the Word!

God says in Isaiah 55:2 -

Why do you spend money for what is not bread
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me
And eat what is good
And delight yourself in abundance.

The good news is we can regain our spiritual appetite. Dig into the Word. At first it may be just a discipline, but eventually your desire for the Word will grow. Beware! This is a behavior-altering substance. It will cause you to love people you thought were unlovable, to behave with calm when you used to panic, and to be joyful for no apparent reason; and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Here are a few scriptures to whet your appetite: Psalm 1, Ephesians 5:26-27, 1 Peter 1:23-2:3

Alpha/Omega

Dwelling with His creation

Jesus, Word made flesh.

-John 1:1-14

The word of God is the only sure foundation in a world that becomes more unstable every day. Fall in love with the word of God. Let your heart throb with emotion at the thought of this beautiful gift we've been given. The creator of galaxies wrote you a love letter. You would be cheating yourself by not reading it.

Jesus was and is the word made flesh. Imagine Jesus walks up to your home, knocks on the door, and says, “I want to spend the next hour with you.” Your schedule would change in a heartbeat. You would question Him about God and heaven and everyday life. You might spend the next hour pulling advice from Him about your family or your work. If Jesus showed up physically on your doorstep, you would cancel appointments and let the laundry wait.

For many, Jesus isn’t waiting outside the door. He’s gathering dust on the coffee table or the night stand. If you have a Bible in your home and you’re not reading it you are neglecting the Son of God, because He is the Word. While you struggle to fix your own problems and change your own nature, He’s waiting for you to come. Every day He’s ready with answers. Don’t push Him aside.

Both our bodies and our spirits need daily food. God has more than enough for all His children. He wants to be involved in your life and to help you with the situations you face. Invite Him in. He speaks through His word. Spend time with Him today: Matthew 4:4, Matthew 6:11, John 6:32-35