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Articles
Ready to Eat
3+ times a day most people make that simple part of life a success. We’ve made the preparations needed, saddled up at a favorite spot, and hopefully had a healthy rewarding meal. I wonder, though, how much we connect the same premise to the hearing of God’s message. All over the kingdom preachers and teachers are doing their level best to prepare a spiritual feast for their families, dutifully laying out a diet balanced on the razor fine edge of God’s word.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16–17
So following the obvious theme, here are a few simple suggestions.
Don’t Spoil It
How many times have we heard or said, don’t eat that, you’ll ruin your dinner? It’s a common refrain I’m sure. We’re really hungry, dinner is just around the corner; but sitting there on the table is that freshly made chocolate pie, just staring us down. We know that it would be unwise to eat it now… but the draw of the sweet treat is drawing us in. So it is too with our lives toward spiritual things. We can allow the sweet things of this life (even when they are “good” and “wholesome”) to so fill us up that we have no desire for the meat and potatoes of God’s word.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. – Hebrews 5:12–14
Don’t Avoid It
When the spiritual plate is unfurled and the meal is being shared, don’t allow the appearance of our least favorite foods to keep us from what they will bring to our soul. That grapefruit, those lima beans, and whatever else shows up is part of God’s plan for our growth and strength, and we need it like a dying man grasping for his last chance.
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. – 2 Timothy 4:1–4
Don’t Toss It
With the stubborn heart of rebellion, it would be a deep shame to have once tasted of such a holy feast, but then at the last chuck it all aside and return once more to the sorrow-filled pit of the world’s end.
21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” – 2 Peter 2:21–22
One more bit, perhaps as a sense of “dessert”?
Season it with Grace
For everyone at the table: (the whole family, preachers, teachers, and all beyond)…
5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. – Colossians 4:5–6
