Over-Fed && Under-Nourished

   I was watching a commercial today that was showing how many americans are obese and unhealthy. They eat a lot, but get no nutrition.

No, This is not a blog telling you what you've heard a thousand times about physical obesity, but rather about "Spiritual Obesity".

How many of us know that being fed does not mean we are nourished?

See, the bible IS FOOD and many think... I must read it to be fed.  Which is true...But how many of you know that if you aren't keeping the Word in your heart that you can be fed, but not nourished?

We may be reading it daily, scripture after scripture... verse after verse...chapter after chapter... but what happens when you are reading and not retaining. It's not just about how fast you can read the bible...but rather, maintaining your relationship with God and truly changing your life to walk the Christian walk, not just talk the talk.

Let's look at the definition of FEED and NOURISHMENT for a second...

FEED: To provide for consumption, utilization, or operation.

NOURISH: To keep alive; maintain.

Hmm... It amazes me that a lot of Christians are just consuming, but not maintaining. I've had my fair share of just wanting to read as quickly as possible to get it out of the way... but then I have been asked about what I read and I can't remember! Just as quickly as I read the scriptures, I quickly forgot.. That's not what Christ meant by using the bible as food, that's not how we get full.

So then you may say...How do we know if we are "Spritually full or Spiritually-Full-of-it?"

Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15)  

  If we are spiritually full we know God's commands and we obey them. If we are full of it, we know some of God's commands and we pick and choose what fits OUR lifestyle.

 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

If we are spiritually full, we hide God's word in our heart and we try our hardest to live a life of purity and worthiness. If we are spiritually full-of-it, we read scripture and forget it before we can even think about living it out.

¹⁵I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways (Psalm 119:15)

To Be Spiritually full means we try and discover new depths to the scriptures meaning and seek new applications of its truth... to be Spiritually full-of-it means we read a story when we are 8 and think it doesn't still apply to our lives now.

I just wanted to write this so I can encourage you to not only consume the word, but to maintain the word...to hide it away in your heart... so you may find yourself bearing fruit and becoming SPIRITUALLY HEALTHY instead of SPIRITUALLY HURTING. My prayers are for those of us who read the Word, but do not live the Word out. My prayers are for those seeking the potential in God's promise, but do not see the potential in themselves to seek that promise. My prayers are for those who feel as though they are seeking...as though they are doing everything right, but are still having a hard time because they are not full, just full of it.

Encourage each other to

Not only Eat the Truth, but use it as Energy,

Not only Consume Truth, but Correct greater Issues,

not only speak the truth, but live it.

God Bless.