Nourishment – Daily Diet of the Word is the focus of today’s Boot Camp blog. Topics covered in previous blogs from My Top 10 List include Submission in “Boot Camp 1” and Gratitude and Praise in “Boot Camp 2”.
Most people that I know like something sweet to eat, at least occasionally. There are all kinds of sweeteners available. A few are cane sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, agave, stevia, saccharine, syrups of varying types, and honey. I love organic honey on a hot buttery biscuit, in a cup of hot tea, or on a piece of crunchy toast covered in a thin layer of ricotta and topped with fresh fruit. I tell you, I taste that honey and feel its goodness nurturing my body. Even better nourishment is the kind that nourishes the soul and spirit. Feasting on the Word of God does this for a person.
Matthew 4:4 (NLT) “But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Jesus Himself is called the Word. The living, breathing Word. God spoke to create the world through the Word as the Spirit hovered over the earth (Genesis 1:2). Then, the Word lived among us and revealed to us the heart of the Father in all that He said and did while on earth. The beautiful Trinity at work!
John 1:1-5, 10-14 (NLT) “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it… He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
How does one “feast on Jesus”? We believe He is God’s only son who lived a sinless life, died on the cross while bearing our sins, was buried, rose from the grave after conquering death, and makes it possible for us to live forever with Him in heaven by accepting the free gift of grace offered to us. We repent, confess Jesus as Savior and Lord, and are baptized in water and in Spirit. He promises to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit. We commune with Him daily, intentionally, through prayer, and by reading and meditating on the Bible – the Holy Word, the God-inspired, infallible written words of God.
It is necessary to pick up the Bible and read it for yourself – word by word, chapter by chapter, book by book – in order to get the whole picture of what God is saying and doing and to understand it in context. Conviction and revelation come through the truth of the Word. Everything we hear, think, feel, experience, and read should be measured by this standard.
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Year ago, I sat in a congregation where the Word was misquoted and mishandled, looking around me in astonishment that others hadn’t noticed – they didn’t even have their Bibles open, if they had their Bibles with them! Ultimately, we are individually responsible for studying, understanding, and handling the Word correctly. Don’t just sit back like a baby relying on being fed by someone else. Go after the meat of the Word and gain the full experience of salvation! Grow in God’s wisdom and let Him bring you knowledge and understanding of the revelation to be found in and through His Word.
1 Peter 2:2 (NLT) “Like newborn babes, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.”
Desiring to hear from God daily, consistently, points to the fact that you cherish a relationship with Him. As with any healthy relationship, the one with the Almighty, your Abba Father, needs to be fed. And, like a healthy two-way relationship, you receive nourishment to sustain and grow the relationship. So, be intentional daily about pursuing intimacy with the Lord through the logos [written Word] and the rhema [per Strong’s Concordance “an utterance (individually, collectively, or specifically) on a particular matter or topic” and per Thayer’s Greek Definitions “something that has been uttered, in either the past or present, by a living entity” such as through the work of the Holy Spirit in you and through others].
John 8:47 (NLT) “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
Warriors of Christ, are you listening daily to the Commander of Heaven’s army? He is ready to lead you into battle!
Raising Warriors 