Rockport Sermon

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Reading THE Book

As always, Scott's insight and advice on getting into the Word is very helpful. Let me add something. You mentioned getting fed, and seeing that Scott has mentioned digesting the Word in various ways, let me venture a little further. Reading the Word has to do with HOW hungry you are for God. It seems that when I have had to ask myself why I have not been hungry for God that answer has been pretty simply. I was feeding at other troughs.
Usually, hunger comes naturally to a man. Even a lazy man gets hungry. A man obsessed with his work will sooner or later have to stop and eat. It is natural. In the same way, a true believer will become hungry for God. Simply put, if there is no hunger for God, there has been no work of regeneration in the soul. Your question seems to signify a desire to have more of God.
It is God Himself who causes us to desire Him. If indeed we feed on spiritual garbage, it may temporarily dull our spiritual senses, but the desire to repent and feed on the Word of God will overcome any other desire. Actually, it is a common prayer of mine that God increase my affections, desires and hunger for Him. I am simply too often, too fickle. So I pray for grace. Grace so that I might hunger for God and enjoy His fullness. Once I am hungry, my spiritual appetite becomes voracious. I begin to not only read, but re-read, think about, and digest what I just read. Praying that God would show me Himself in His Word that seems to have my name written on it. It is to me, from Him. What a delight!
It is a common prayer of the Elders at Rockport, that God would give His people a hunger for Himself and His Word. And so I pray now, that God would give you grace, that you might have an insatiable craving to feast on the riches of his Word.
And then follow Scott's suggestions in your daily study. It will pay rich dividends. The growth takes place over the course of time, as God gives more grace.

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