Hungry Or Scrawny

I recently encountered a woman for whom I believe the Lord has a glorious future as a Christian. She received Jesus about a month ago. When I give her Bible studies she begins happily reading them before I leave the room. When I asked her if she had any questions about spiritual things she said she was just drinking it in. The Bible can provide exactly what we need at exactly the right time. Joyfully there have been many others like her.

I have also encountered Christians and individuals who claim to be Christians who have greatly differing attitudes toward the Bible. Some seem to have no appetite for it. They shush me (and other Christians) in various ways when we try to give them the Word of God. They don*t read it and they avoid churches where it is taught. I am deeply concerned about their future as Christians. It appears to me that they are going to be scrawny, carnal, troubled, luke-warm and unfruitful Christians at best. I doubt that they will be pleasing to the Lord or much of a blessing to others. I sometimes wonder if they really are Christians.

Appetite for the Bible is a pretty accurate indicator of a Christian life that is pleasing to the Lord and a forecaster of a glorious future as a Christian. Some that I have great concern for received Christ just moments ago and some claim to have received Him many decades ago. There are some I have encountered that acquired an appetite for the Bible or cultivated one years or decades after being saved. I believe that they too have the potential to become mature and faithful Christians. If you lack appetite for the Bible, I would suggest that you begin now to immerse yourself in it.

The Bible speaks volumes about those who reject it and those who eagerly receive it.

Proverbs 28:9: He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Psalms 50:16-22: But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. 18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother*s son. 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Nehemiah 9:26: Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

2 Peter 3:16b: . . . in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Job 23:12: Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Matthew 4:4: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Care to discuss Hungry Or Scrawny with Ron?

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