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Monday we
learned that God has given us the amazing power tool of his word to build us up
and those we mentor. When we taste of the goodness of the Lord in his word, we want more. But then
why is it such a daily battle to be daily in God’s good word?
We do have
an enemy who battles fiercely against the Bible. Satan has attacked God’s word
since the garden. I think one of his greatest efforts is to keep believers from
even opening its powerful pages. How can we fight back? Use this other amazing
power tool God has given us. It is your will. God has made us in
His image. We are not like instinctual animals. Like God we can choose. And he
tells us to choose His word- “Choose my instruction instead of silver”
Prov.8:10. Sadly, many would rather make money than make time to be with God.
Making time for something is always a choice isn’t it? Whenever we choose
something, we are saying no to other things. When we choose God's word and God's way, God's Spirit meets us at that point to energize us. We are not left to our own willpower. When you choose to workout your salvation (choose to obey God's word), God works in you. That's his promise! See this in Phil.2:12,13- "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." We wisely choose to skip a lesser thing
for a greater thing. You have chosen this day to be here with your brothers around God's word. Way to go! Keep making that wise choice every day.
But what if a protege of yours doesn’t want to choose God’s word on his own? Then he is not ready to coach and
be a teacher of others. He’s still a baby needing someone to spoon feed him. That's not my opinion, it is God’s word- “by this time you
ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of
God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still
an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who
by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Heb.5;11-14. This constant use of
God’s word helps us to mature. You are here because you are well beyond needing
to be spoon fed. You are a coach quality man.
People
often say they don’t have time to read and feed on God's word. Yet it’s really not a lack of
time, but a lack of desire and choice. As busy as we are, we still make time to feed our bodies because it's desirable. But a person often will not feed his soul on real soul food.
It's strange but true: The less you eat of physical food, the more you desire it.
But the less you eat of spiritual food (the Bible), the less you desire it. Yet the more you feed on God's word, the more you develop a taste for it. Jeremiah said, "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" Jer.15:16.
It's strange but true: The less you eat of physical food, the more you desire it.
But the less you eat of spiritual food (the Bible), the less you desire it. Yet the more you feed on God's word, the more you develop a taste for it. Jeremiah said, "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" Jer.15:16.
1.- Now let's read about Job and Jesus. Read
Job 23:12 and Matthew 4:3-4. What impresses you as you think about these two passages?
2.-Write out Job 23:12 on your 3x5 card, Post-it note, or such and carry it with you and review it today. Once you’ve written it down, please simply write “Did It.” in your Post a Comment response. (Don't forget to click Publish when you're done:)
2.-Write out Job 23:12 on your 3x5 card, Post-it note, or such and carry it with you and review it today. Once you’ve written it down, please simply write “Did It.” in your Post a Comment response. (Don't forget to click Publish when you're done:)
So for the protege or person who really wants to conquer his struggle of not feeding daily on God’s word, get him to use his power tool of choice. Tell him, "Choose, like Job and Jesus, that God’s word will be more important to you than even your daily food. Choose to live by the motto-
“No Bible, no breakfast or no Scripture, no sleep.” In other words, I will not feed
my body before feeding my soul on God’s word. Or if this works better for you,
I will not go to sleep before reading a portion of God’s word." Many find
the early morning or late evening hours the best time for their time with God. No matter how
late it gets, get into his word. I’ve seen my wife get up at night because she
realized she hadn’t yet spent time reading God’s word. You, my coach friends, are fulfilling the motto,
“No Bible, no breakfast; no Scripture, no sleep” by keeping your commitment to
be here daily on this blog feeding yourself on God's word. Way to grow!
PS- I’m open to ideas to keep our scoring fun and improving us while we
fight the good fight. For a while, we will square off based on alphabetical divisions. Feel free to email me with your ideas and feedback any
time- 708-543-6544. We still had a few that were having trouble getting things going with the blog Tuesday, so we're giving everyone credit for that day. So Tuesday was our last practice. Now it's game on going forward! May the most faithful team win! Feel free to cheer your teammates on. Some of you have already been doing that and it's a beautiful thing.
| G=God's Word | R | E | A | T | ||
| Tuesday | ||||||
| Alpha Force | ||||||
| 1 | Daniel Contreras | Y | ||||
| 2 | Dave Heidekruger | Y | ||||
| 3 | Eddie Morales | Y | ||||
| 4 | Gary Remson | Y | ||||
| 5 | Ismael Andrade | Y | ||||
| 6 | Israel Fuentes | Y | ||||
| Delta Force | ||||||
| 1 | Jack Rogers | Y | ||||
| 2 | John Pallozzi | Y | ||||
| 3 | Mark Estrada | Y | ||||
| 4 | Mike Pagan | Y | ||||
| 5 | Roger Vinlasaca | Y | ||||
| 6 | Sam Vargas | Y |
I have listed Job 23:12 "I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread."
ReplyDeleteThe passages impressed me in their perseverance and complete faith in God--that no matter what challenges we face, his word trumps everything. God's word is perfect and guides our life, follow it until our death which leads to eternal life and there is nothing more important than love in our hearts. We must know his heart and love, but most of all live it to encourage others to live for CHRIST!!
Yes Jack! God's word is exalted in both passages. It's our real soul food that we need more than our daily bread. Good!
Delete1. It is impressing that after Job had lost almost everything in this world, he was still faithful to God's word. Jesus highlights the importance of nurturing our spirit verses nurturing our bodies.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for me to go without eating for more to five hours. I can't image days without having something to eat. I agree that the more you read God's word the more you want to consume.
Yes indeed Sam!
DeleteI have added my third verse (Job 23:12) to my Color Note app. I read the verses almost every time I have to check something on the phone.
ReplyDeleteWow! Excellent Sam! Please show me how to do that with my new phone if possible next time we're together.
DeleteSure thing.
DeleteI think what I was impressed with is that both Job and Jesus realized the importance of investing in our spiritual life. This physical life is temporary, we are just foreigners passing through. Feasting on Gods word trumps feasting on earthly food. This depends on your attitude and approach to God. In both situations, both men were in a tempting or troubling time, but they both said that God Is worth more than anything this world can provide. They made that choice.
ReplyDeleteWrote Job 23:12.
"Wow!" is what I said out loud Eddie after reading what you wrote. "...both men were in a tempting or troubling time, but they both said that God Is worth more than anything this world can provide. They made that choice." Great insights!
DeleteYes bro,awesome insight. Building me up.
Delete1- What impressed me the most was the truth that spiritual food is so much more important than physical food. Reading of God's word is going to help me every day in all aspects of my life. Many times I feel that if I haven't had enough physical food to eat I cannot function well but actually the opposite is true. Feeding my spirit is going to help me have the right perspective in everything that I do in order to be obedient to what He wants me to do.
ReplyDelete2- Did it
Very good Roger! You are so right- we need God's word to function well. We were made to run his word, not without it.
DeleteThe first thing I can meditate on is the sacrifice that commitment will take. Just like choosing something for our lives and for the lives of others the sacrifice is against what I will naturally want. The most revealing example is food in the natural and in the spiritual. This reminds me now of the power of God through fasting.
ReplyDeleteDid it, I wrote Job 23:12 on my note card. My reflection in addition to sacrifice is the commitment to God and Hos word; dedicating myself to what He is commanding me on a daily basis
Yes Gary, and the great thing is that the sacrifice is always for our betterment, for a higher good. Food is certainly a good thing, it and other good things must be kept in their proper perspective- far distant seconds to God and his word.
Delete1) Jesus said that there is much more to life then just the physical. And just as man needs physical food as nourishment for his physical life, so also man needs the nourishment of God's Word for his spiritual life. Job said that he treasured or valued the spiritual nourishment of God's Word even more then the physical nourishment that his body needed. Like Job, we have the power of choice to treasure and value the spiritual nourishment of God's Word by daily feeding on it and doing what it says. We also have the power to of choice to treasure less and the things in life that compete against it.
ReplyDelete2) Job 23:12 Did it
Yes Dave, very good! May we make the wise and godly choices each day.
Delete1. I love the way that Job describes his relationship with God, by saying "I have treasured the words of His mouth..." Job doesn't grudgingly obey God's word when times are tough and when God seems far from him, he says that he Treasures God's word-- more than his own necessities! That means that Job regards or treats God's word as precious, thus he cherishes it. God's word is his security, his best Investment :)
ReplyDeleteThen Jesus takes it to a whole higher level stating, " Man SHALL NOT LIVE on bread alone, BUT ON EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God". Wow, that statement is incredible, Jesus rebukes the devil and then states "Man SHALL NOT LIVE on bread alone, BUT ON EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God". We are commanded to live not only on food, but on EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God! I absolutely need to treasure His word more and I need to learn to delight myself in His word more and to depend on His word more and more. We are so blessed in this country to have the Word Of God openly and freely, I am asking God to give me a heart like Job's and Jesus' :)
2. I did it
"Oh wow!" I said after reading your good words Israel. Great insights- you put Job 23:12 of the entire book of Job and his sufferrings and feeling alienated from God. Yet he treasured God's word. How many set God's wrod aside when they feel like God hasn't come through for them? what a great desire and prayer- I am asking God to give me a heart like Job's and Jesus' :)
Delete1. What impresses me is that I have a long way to go to hunger for God's word in the way that Job did, and in the way that Jesus took a stand. However, I'm encouraged by the brotherhood that is with me on my journey!
ReplyDeleteI also note that Job and Jesus both hungered for words coming from God's mouth... so seeking real-time direction and commands and a righteous listening.
2. Midnight hunt for 3x5 card over:.. Wrote Job 23:12
4. Sam: 5 hours? More like 2? :-)
1. I appreciate your honesty and confess that I also have a long way to go, but also am glad for you and the other brothers with us on this great journey. How wonderful that Jesus happily journeys with us despite our failings.
Delete2. Glad you found your card.
4. LOL!
I thought you might say something :) You know I'm a good eater. I thank God He blessed me with a good metabolism.
DeleteThis what I learned from today's passages. First Matthew 4:3-4 was place in the bible to show us what we need to do as men of God. God cannot and would not be persuaded by anyone or anything. He wanted us to learn how we too can over come any situation. He used Job as a prime example for man kind as you see in Job 23-12. He wants us to be more like Him and less like the men in the world. We have to live in the world but not conform to the world's ways. Also God stating that we cannot live on beard alone we have to feed our body and spirit.
ReplyDeleteI wrote the verse of Job 23-12 on a paper. I have to go to the store and get the 3X5 cards still.
Very good Mike!
DeleteAnd if you were my next door neighbor, I'd give you a bunch of cards:)
I wrote down Job 23:12
ReplyDeleteWhat impressed me most about both passages was that I see the need in scripture to feed your soul and have Gods Word be our daily bread. I struggle to put that into action at times but I pray that I would seriously internalize the need to feed my soul at all costs.
Yes amen bro.
DeleteVery good John! I'm praying that the passages and thoughts we cover will help us all internalize this need to feed our souls as top priority above anything else. Phileo.
DeleteWhat impresses me that Job in midst of his circumstances and trials he obediently kept God word dear to his heart. He uphold God's word daily and alway valued it by living selflessly " I have treasured the words of his mouth MORE than my daily bread". He didn't live on temporary filling but in God's truth.
ReplyDeleteMeditating on this tought me something... what is my heart treasuring more??
O God you are good in all your ways, if I'm not aligned to your ways align them and build me up! Thank you for these mighty men of God that they are also building me up in Christ. Amen.
P.s did it.
Hey Ismael! I like what you said that Job didn't live on temporary filling, but on God's truth.
DeleteI think you hit on a major problem for many saints. They have spoiled their appetites on things that only temporarily fill.
How sad to show up for a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast, but to have spoiled our appetites on cheap candies.
Good word bro!
DeleteI have always thought it to be an interesting metaphor regarding the conceptualizing of the Word of God as bread (in the case of Job 23:12, Matthew 4:1). Isn't it interesting that Jesus (the "logos"; the Word made Flesh, John 1:1) describes in the upper room the same thing about himself. The disciples were instructed to eat the bread that represented his "flesh"; the "flesh" that quite literally was the Word (Logos). Profound! Also, why the "eating" of the Word? Yes there is the idea that the word is our sustenance, yet I've often thought that perhaps there was something a little more interesting involved. Today in our modern technological society, we can describe many ways that things can impact us from the "inside out"; examples of this are viruses or inoculations. Agents that change us from the inside. First century mankind had no other concept to describe that type of relationship other than food. Food, products outside of us, somehow impact us when they're inside of us. In other words could Jesus have been illustrating to the disciples the importance of having Him and the Word within us to change us and guide us from the inside out?
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm going to enjoy having our philosophy prof joining us!
DeleteOops forgot to post that I did it...Done it!
ReplyDeleteGood!
DeleteOK. I am finally getting the hang of this.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say that when I read these passages, I am necessarily impressed. I am 'reminded' and 'concerned.' First, my dad used to frequently quote the scripture about "being an adult eating baby food (My dad's interpretation)." I am still 'reminded' of the sting that it has when I conduct self-analysis. The 'concern' that I feel when reading those passages is how I was taught that being thirsty is an indicator of dehydration. By the time that you become 'thirsty,' it's too late, you are already dehydrated. When we are 'thirsty' for the word, often times, it is too late, we have fallen. I am thirsty regularly. Thus, the need for this fellowship. I need some water….by the grace of God, I have not fallen as far as I have in the past. My 'trips' aren't nearly as reckless but they occur nonetheless. So, my prayer is that I am able to prioritize this time as i have other things. Keep me in prayer men!
ReplyDeleteExcellent Mark! You are in my prayers. I am committed to you. Thanks for making the commitment to us and this shared time in the word. We will succeed together.
Delete