Tag Archives: spiritual food

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Oranges Or Milk?

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Our Daily Bread

Hebrews 5:5-14

Solid food belongs to those who are of full age. —Hebrews 5:14

When I told my young daughter that a 3-month-old baby boy was coming to our house for a visit, she was delighted. With a child’s sense of hospitality, she suggested that we share some of our food with the baby; she thought he might enjoy a juicy orange from the bowl on our kitchen counter. I explained that the baby could drink only milk, but that he might like oranges when he was older.

The Bible uses a similar concept to describe a believer’s need for spiritual food. The basic truths of Scripture are like milk—they help new Christians thrive and grow (1 Peter 2:2-3). In contrast, “Solid food belongs to those who are of full age” (Heb. 5:14). Believers who have had time to digest and understand the basics can move on to investigate other biblical concepts and begin to teach others these truths. The rewards of spiritual maturity are discernment (v.14), godly wisdom (1 Cor. 2:6), and the ability to communicate God’s truth to others (Heb. 5:12).

Like a loving parent, God wants us to grow spiritually. He knows that feeding only on spiritual milk is not in our best interest. He wants us to move on so we can enjoy the taste of solid food. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Dear Lord, please deepen my understanding

of Your Word. Let Your Holy Spirit guide

me and enlighten my heart as I pursue Your

truth so that I might walk in Your ways.

Spiritual growth occurs when faith is cultivated.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 43-45; Hebrews 5

Insight

Today’s passage encourages readers toward maturity in Christ. Far from urging detailed knowledge of difficult Bible passages or in-depth understanding of doctrine, the writer says that “full age” is characterized by something straightforward and practical. It is being able “to discern both good and evil” (v.14).

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Medieval Meal

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 19:7-14

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! —Psalm 119:103

A while ago I attended a conference on the Middle Ages. In one seminar we actually prepared several foods that would have been common in medieval times. We used pestle and mortar to grind cinnamon and fruit to make jam. We cut orange rinds and broiled them with honey and ginger to produce a sweet snack. We crushed almonds with water and other ingredients to create almond milk. And, finally, we prepared a whole chicken to serve as a main dish with rice. As we sampled these dishes, we enjoyed a tasty culinary experience.

When it comes to spiritual food for our souls, God has given us a varied menu that we can chew on and savor. In doing so, we can be filled and satisfied. The historic books, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, and other parts of the Bible strengthen us when we are weak, give us wisdom and encouragement, and nourish us for the day’s journey (Ps. 19:7-14; 119:97-104; Heb. 5:12). As the psalmist tells us: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps. 119:103).

So what are we waiting for? God has set before us a banquet of delectable spiritual food and calls us to come and dine. We are all invited! —Dennis Fisher

Thank You, Lord, that You call me to Your

table to feast on Your Word. I know that I need

it for my spiritual nourishment and to grow

close to You. I open my heart to You now.

The Bible is the bread of life, and it never gets stale.

Bible in a year: Ecclesiastes 7-9; 2 Corinthians 13

Insight

Some scholars have criticized Psalm 19 as an artificially constructed piece, saying that the two halves of the psalm do not naturally go together. However, a case can be made that both portions of the psalm reflect on how God has chosen to reveal Himself to humanity. In verses 1-6, we see “general revelation,” where God is revealed through the creation He has made. The remainder of the psalm (vv.7-14) describes how God has revealed Himself through Scripture, which theologians call “special revelation.” In both cases, the psalm describes how God has made Himself known to us.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Most Vital Food

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“Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul. They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me. How proud I am to bear Your name, O Lord” (Jeremiah 15:16).

In my earlier years – as perhaps was true of yours – one thing that seemed to sustain me more than anything else was food: three square meals a day, and sometimes something in between. Food is still vital – I would not understate its value – but I have found something far more vital to my happiness and success as a believer in Christ.

Now, I can truly say with the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, that the very words of God are what really sustain me. They are food to my hungry soul. And they accomplish immeasurable good in my life, and thus in the lives of thousands of people whom I am privileged to meet throughout the world.

God’s Word brings joy to my sorrowing heart. Why? Because it has an answer – the answer – to every need, every burden, every problem I will face this day, and in the days to come. Furthermore, it will provide the answers for others whom I contact.

God’s Word truly delights me, as it did Jeremiah. When I need encouragement, I turn to the Psalms. When I need practical wisdom for daily decisions, I turn to the Proverbs of Solomon. And so on with every kind of need I face.

All of this being true – God’s Word sustaining me, being food to my hungry soul, bringing joy to my sorrowing heart, and delighting me – “How proud I am to bear your name, O Lord!”

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 15:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: My spiritual food must take priority over all other considerations in my life.

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God is at Work in Us

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Max Lucado

Howard Rutledge came to appreciate his time as a POW in Vietnam.  He wrote: “After twenty-eight days of torture, I could remember I had children but not how many.  I prayed for strength. During long periods of enforced reflection, it became so much easier to separate the important from the trivial.  My hunger for spiritual food soon outdid my hunger for steak.  It took prison to show me how empty life is without God.”

God is at work in each of us, whether we want it or not. He takes no pleasure in making life hard. Philippians 1:6 says, “He does not relish in our sufferings, but He delights in our development.”  No one said the road would be painless or easy. But God will use this mess for something good. God is doing what is best for us, training us to live His holy best.  Rest in this assurance…you will get through this!

From You’ll Get Through This

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Our Daily Bread — A Missed Lunch

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John 4:27-38

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” —John 4:34

For me, food is more than a necessity—it’s a wonderfully enjoyable part of life! I enjoy sitting down to a well-prepared meal, especially when I’m feeling hungry. I imagine that the disciples were hungry for lunch when they returned to the well where Jesus was interacting with the Samaritan woman. They urged Him, “Rabbi, eat” (John 4:31). His response? “I have food to eat of which you do not know” (v.32), which made them wonder if someone had already brought Him something to eat (v.33).

I wonder if the disciples were so consumed with thinking about food that they couldn’t see past their picnic. They didn’t understand the significance of what was going on at the well. The most important thing to Jesus was “to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (v.34). He was focused on the spiritual needs of this woman who desperately needed what only He could give.

It’s easy to become preoccupied with needs of the moment. But Jesus invites us to get beyond our own interests—our own little “lunch”—to open our eyes to the souls who are searching for answers to their deepest needs.

So, join Jesus at the well, and let Him use you to tell others about the spiritual food only He can give. —Joe Stowell

Dear Lord, may my eyes be fixed not just on the things

I am interested in, but lift my eyes to see the

needy souls around me. Give me passion for the lost

and the joy of seeing others satisfied in You.

Be hungry to satisfy the needs of others around you.