DAILY DEVOTION
Spiritually
Full or Undernourished
By
Cathy Irvin
Have you ever said, "I am not being spiritually fed ... "?
Yet, find yourself not getting your own Bible study time
in by not being alone with the Lord each day? Are we satisfied in
thinking that all we need is for the pastor to give us a full
course meal on Sunday morning or shouldn't we find a Bible study,
Sunday school class, or a Care group to attend?
It is time for us all to take responsibility for our Christian
maturity. We can't blame the church for the emptiness we feel.
We need to recognize that what we get out of the local church
is what we put in. This would include our prayer life, our at-home
worship to the Lord, and our daily studying of the Word of God.
Then we will see real changes in our spiritual lives.
I am a firm believer that counseling is necessary for some people;
but not for every little thing. Many answers to life's
problems are already in God's Word. I have seen pastors and church
workers almost burned out from constant counseling sessions.
I pray for my pastor that he may not be overloaded. His job is
to concentrate on his study time, not being pulled in and out
of too many counseling appointments.
We are not to be unhealthy, undernourished Christians; but we
find that this comes about when there is a lack of getting into
the Word of God for ourselves. We need to do our part in nourishing
our spiritual lives. The Pastors and guest speakers give messages
and we are to have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to
the church. We are being fed the Word, but perhaps the problem
is that we are not "hearing" what is being said. If we do not
spend quality time with the Lord in prayer, worshipping, and renewing
our minds with the Word, then we will be weak Christians. It stands
to reason that if we become sensitive to the voice of the Lord
(fine-tuned in our spirit), then we will hear what the Lord is
speaking to us as individuals and as a corporate body.
The Lord tells us to grow up "In Him." Read the scriptures in
the book of Ephesians and Colossians 2 & 3. They are what some call
"meaty" chapters. They can help you if you are looking to get
fed.
You may say that you do all these things, but each Sunday you
seem to be hearing a watered-down message. In that case, ask the
Holy Spirit to guide you as to which church you should be attending.
If you are not planted in the right place, He will lead you to
the best church that will meet your needs.
He says we are to drink from the fountain of living waters - that
is Him. Get into the Word and you will be fed. Please know that
there are no perfect churches. None of us are without spot or
blemish; but if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, His
Word tells us we shall be filled. This means doing our part to
get spiritual nourishment during the week and then at our mid-week
or Sunday services, we will come away satisfied.
When we find our place and spend time with the Lord, believe
me, we will have more than enough on our spiritual plates to digest
during the week. That is because we will have opened our hearts
to the Lord and received what we need from God.
Related Links:
Can God change your life?
God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life.
Discover how you can find peace with God.
You can also send us your prayer requests
Cathy Irvin authored well over 50 Devotions for CBN over three decades where she served the Lord Jesus Christ at the Christian Broadcasting Network. Cathy loved telling stories and glorifying God in all that she did. On December 16, 2011, Cathy left this earthly dwelling to take up residence in the dwelling prepared for her in Heaven. Her Devotions minister with love and truth.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
|