How to Feast

"Your words were found, and I ate them,

and your words became to me a joy

and the delight of my heart,

for I am called by your name..."

Jeremiah 15:16

 

“…man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 8:3

 

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12

 

Signs of Spiritual Nourishment:

Growth

Health

Strength

…and a Craving for more.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

1 Peter 2:2-3

 

Signs of Spiritual Malnourishment:

Stagnation

Sickness

Weakness

…and we stop Craving what we need.

 

Barriers to Overcome: Why might it feel SO hard to be in my Bible?

 

1.We have an enemy fighting against us.

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:14-17

 

2.We might be out of shape.

 

3. We might need help getting started: What Bible? How? Where? How much?

 

4.We might have the wrong expectation: Not every meal is memorable, but every meal is nourishing.

 

5.We might be doing it wrong.

 

Isaiah 55:10-11

10 As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

 

-It might feel hard because life can be so hard.

 

Different ways we engage with The Word of God: Psalm 119:9-16

-We Pray the word (vs 10)

 

-We Study the word (vs 11-12)

 

-We Memorize the word (vs 13-14)

 

-We Meditate on the word (vs 15)

 

-We Preach the word (vs 16)