I have gone to this church in Honduras for two weeks now. I have participated in worship for one of those services which involved trying to make words up to look like I could sing in Spanish. It didn’t have to take two weeks to realize something huge this church has. This church has the Holy Spirit. It’s the most incredible feeling knowing you are going to a church and will walk out changed. The congregation is praying for their leaders, to lead them better but ultimately lead them to Christ. Their passion to love each other and God is insane. They have welcomed us in as if we are instantly family. I can just feel the Holy Spirit all around. They have it. They have a deep connection with Christ.
In the US, there are so many dry churches. The routine is to attend church, sing the songs, pray the prayers, and go home and live like you did before the service. For many Americans, all they know about our Father in heaven is what they hear at church. That’s clearly not enough. Hearing verses or a sermon once a week is not enough. We must be fed everyday, whether it’s devotion or reading a few bible verses. What if we didn’t eat food all day? We will be hungry and little agitated right? That’s what happens when we don’t feed ourselves spiritually by getting in the Word and praying.
Challenge: Are you being fed everyday? Spiritually that is. Are you diving in deep to become closer to our Father or are you just okay with hearing it once a week at church? I challenge you to read at least a few verses a day, reflect on them throughout the day and see how your day changes just by getting in the Word. Just think, when you finally eat food, your body is satisfied and you are full of energy. When you feed yourself God’s word and soak it in, your spiritual energy will become stronger. Be careful though, don’t read too much to where you cannot comprehend and reflect on the scripture, it will become worthless. Focus on a few verses and reflect on them, you’re relationship with God will increase so much.
Check these verses out! Enjoy!
1. Matthew 4:4: Jesus answered, “It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
- Jesus was able to resist all of the devil's temptations because he not only knew Scripture, but he also obeyed it. Knowing Bible verses is an important step in helping us resist the devil's attacks, but we must also obey the Bible. Note that Satan had memorized Scripture, but he failed to obey it. Knowing and obeying the Bible helps us follow God's desires rather than the devil's.
2. Hebrews 4:12-13 ”For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
- God’s word is living, life changing and dynamic as it works in us. God’s word reveals to us who we are and what we are not. Nothing can be hidden from God. He is all knowing. He sees all we do and knows all we think. Even when we think He is not present, He is there. We try to hide from Him, but He sees us. There are no secrets from Him. It is comforting to realize that although God knows us intimately, he still loves us.
3. James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but dong it – he will be blessed in what he goes.”
- It is important to listen to what God’s word says, but it is much more important to obey it, to actually do what it says, we can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.
4. Revelation 22:18-19 “I warn everyone who hears the words of prophesy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophesy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
- This warning is given to those who might purposefully distort the message in this book. We too must handle the Bible with care and great respect so that we do not distort its message, even unintentionally. We should be quick to put its principles into practice in our lives. No human explanation or interpretation of God’s Word should be elevated to the same authority as the text itself.
So I challenge you if you do not have a strong prayer life or even if it's nonexistent, open your bible and start reading. I promise you, when you get in a routine of reading Scripture everyday your life will change. If you are wondering where to start, turn to James and go from there.
Thank you for your prayers, keep them coming!
God Bless!
