Bible devotion: Meat, not Milk - Hebrews 5:12

Hebrews 5:12              In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

Recently, I took part in an online survey from a large Christian publishing house. The company was trying to promote yet another new version of the Bible, and the survey dealt mostly with the packaging and cover of the book. It was interesting to complete because the publishers were asking pastors their views on how the new Bible should be marketed to people in the congregations that we serve. I must admit, the whole process made me actually wonder whether or not we truly need another version of the Bible at all!

Never before in the history of Christianity has the Word of God been more accessible to people everywhere. Folks can read the Bible in traditional book form, or as e-books online, on their laptops and notebooks, as well as on their mobile devices and smart phones. It is instantly available, practically anywhere on the planet, so no one can have the excuse of not being able to find a Bible to read. However, it appears that people are actually reading the Bible less and less; even although we have it literally at our fingertips, Christians are become Biblically illiterate and so end up creating their own ideas, opinions, and beliefs about God.

You don’t think so? Ponder this: two generations ago, most church people could recite the Ten Commandments, say the Lord’s Prayer, name the twelve disciples, and quote a whole list of Bible verses. Three generations ago, they could do all of that, as well as listing the books of the Bible, and stating the chapters where you could read all of those things. Sadly today, people who often quote that we should not judge each other because Jesus said so, or that we should all love one another because He commanded it, could not tell where to actually find those sayings in the Gospels (Matthew 7 and John 13).

As Christians, we ought to be People of the Book, not for legalistic reasons, but because the Word of God needs to be cherished in our lives. Daily readings should be a constant in our daily lives because each day that we wake up, is actually a gift from God in the first place.

I think it is time to recommit ourselves to a quiet devotional retreat with God’s Word every day. It’s not hard to get back into the habit – think about it, there are things that we do each day without burdening ourselves – like reading the newspaper, catching up with folks on Facebook, or even watching a nightly TV show. It can be done, but only if we truly want to do it.

Questions for personal reflection

Am I really too busy to spend time alone with God in prayer and Bible reading? Who gave me this life I am living anyway?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we want to follow You and grow in faith. Help us to recognize how important the Scriptures were to You, and how crucial they are in our spiritual lives today. Give us the focus and determination to set aside some quality time with You, Your Words, and Your Way. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Lent bulletin drawings for this year. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Lent Bulletin Cover.

Devotions: God Will Find You - Ecclesiastes 7:29

Ecclesiastes 7:29         “This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”

When I was seventeen years old, I can remember deliberately telling God that I was finished with Him. I gruffly told Him thanks for all that He had done, but this was my life and He wasn’t welcome in it any more. I wanted to go my own way, do my own thing, and not be hampered by Bronze Age mythology or ancient morality.

God must have heard me because for the next 3-4 years I was on a path of self-destruction and joylessness. Like the writer of Ecclesiastes once wrote, I tried everything under the sun and found it to be meaningless. I got my fill of untold pleasures but my soul was empty. I ate and drank and made merry practically every night; in the morning, I hated the man in the mirror and just wanted to die, not because I was having a hangover, but because I was wasting my life.

At one time, through various people in my past, God had planted seeds of faith in my arrogant heart. Even as I was in search of many schemes to satisfy my body, mind, heart and soul, God was already making plans. And when He rescued me from my own rotting pit and nasty drunken self, He placed me back on the path that He wanted me to walk. I had dishonorably discarded God in the past, but He did not destroy my future. When I was unfaithful to Him, He remained faithful to His purpose. When I walked away, He kept an eye on me. And when I eventually turned back and surrendered myself to Him, God allowed me to get off my knees and work for His Son Jesus. I had searched many schemes, but Christ’s predestined scheme for my life was not discarded by God.

Perhaps you also have walked away from God. Maybe you have been hurt by the church or wounded by church people. It could be that you don’t want to be burdened by God’s commands or Christ’s demands upon your life. Or perhaps you just feel so far away, that you don’t how to get back into God’s good graces or Christ’s embracing welcome.

Wait for Him to come to you. You don’t have to run away any longer. God knows your weaknesses, your sin, and your secrets. Through Christ, you can be totally forgiven, completely restored and truly loved. Turn and wait. He will find you. He will rescue you. He will redeem you. You are a child of God’s grace and a beloved friend of Christ.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we’ve all gone astray at times and have done foolish things. We carry sinful regrets in our hearts and are burdened with shameful secrets. You have the power to forgive all things and You have the loving grace to grant that mercy to all of us. Thank You for such a wonderful gift! Thank You for such amazing love. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is John’s latest print of the month called “Fall Retreat.” It features a rustic cabin in the heart of the Smoky Mountains during Fall. A limited number (25) of signed prints (8x10 inches) are available. Just email John at the above address for details. You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following location: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/6014988935_76c01bd78d_b.jpg

Biblical Bunkum

We live in an age of biblical bunkum, where many people make up their own ideas about what Jesus said, and then claim that their own opinions supersede His. They don’t want to hear about judgment or sin, they just want to justify themselves and seek their own course through life. They ignore hell entirely and expect heaven completely. They live their lives accountable to no one, and expect God to turn a blind eye. Rather than having their names written in the Book of Life, they want to make their mark in the world, expecting to be rewarded for their renown. In other words, it’s not what Jesus has said that is important, it’s what they believe that He has said is important.

When I first started writing these devotions more than three years ago, I set out to help our church elders and staff find time to read the Bible and reflect upon God’s Word. I realized that we were all busy and under a great deal of pressure in our lives, so setting aside a few moments in the day to be at one with God was a special way of keeping connected to Him and to His people. After three and a half years, more people are using these devotions to share the word of God with their families and friends, their neighbors and co-workers. The Gospel is being preached across the internet and throughout the world in ways that even the apostle Paul could never have dreamed.

It is my fervent hope and prayer that your journey of faith is being enhanced and inspired through these weekday devotions. But I also pray that you share them with your email contacts, so that others around you may one day be greeted by God because they read the Gospel, received a lesson of faith, and applied it to their own lives, just as you do each day.

May God bless you all for being partners in this devotional ministry that stretches all around the world.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the many wonderful ways that You are using the internet to spread Your Word, to touch the hearts and minds of millions of people throughout the world. Bless us as we share this devotional together and help us to use it as a way of outreach to those whom we love, to those whom we care for, and to those whom we worry about. May You bless them and us with the power of Your grace and Gospel. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

P.S – could you send a comment to this blog and just write your first name and where you live? I’d love to share that with everyone.