You are what you eat
It is not just about knowing God’s Word.
It is about being changed by God’s Word.
D.L. Moody once said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge
but to change our lives.” The bible provides information, but even more- it
provides transformation.
The reason we study scriptures so diligently is because God’s Word
contains truth that is transformative today and every day. The scriptures were not
written as just great wisdom to live by, the map to Eternal Salvation, or to give us
strength for the day. It provides all of those things, but it is much more than that.
His Word sustains us through the ebb and flow of life. It teaches us of who God is
and who we are in light of who He is.
In Matthew 4:4 Jesus references Deuteronomy 8:3 saying “People do not
live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
As we consume God’s Word, it transforms us. And when we are
transformed by God, we help change the world.
How does God’s Word transform us?
The more I study His Word, I am naturally calmer, more patient, and
gracious. The more we are in His Word the more like Christ we become. I love
Acts 20:32 from The Message “Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvelous
God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give
you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends.” His
Word makes us into what He wants us to be.
I really want each of us to make a habit of studying His Word daily. It will
change your life. It will change Riverwood as a congregation. We must listen to
the Words God is speaking to us. It is not just an ancient text, but a living Word.
You want proof that it truly is living? Get in to His Word and you will start to see
more and more God speaking through it. It is hard to believe that we have been
given something so powerful, something life changing and yet can so easily
neglect it. If you have been neglecting it stop today. Open His Word. And when
you start to read it, trust that it is transforming your life. You may not see the
transformation instantly, but like the foods you eat. In time they have a great
effect on your body. God’s Word is alive and will transform our spirit, but we must
consume it for that to happen.
Daily Reading: You are what you eat
Matthew 4:4; Acts 20:32