Biblical Intake 1

In my quiet time, I am reading the book of Colossians. It is one of those books I really enjoy. I do things probably different than most people. I try to stay in one book for an entire month. I especially like to spend time in the Epistles this way. I am able to read the entire Epistle many times in a period of a month. As I do, I am able to slowly glean and mine amazing truths from God’s Word. However, there is also time for me to linger, meditate and simply consume God’s Word. I always begin with an entire reading of the passage I intend to delve into for the month. Sometimes it may be portions of scripture instead of a full book. For instance, I love to spend a month in John 13-21. I also break up books like Romans, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hebrews, and other longer books this way. But my favorite is to take books like Colossians read them in one sitting and then begin back in chapter 1 and read them slowly a few more times during the month. I find this way especially useful to learn of the author’s intent and to really be informed of the context of the letter.
The intake of God’s Word is so very important. Too many Christians simply peruse the Word with the same interest and passion they do a good novel, a cheap Harlequin romance, or an interesting news article. Too often we forget that the Bible is the very Word of God. It is God speaking to us. It reminds me of the letters I would receive from my wife, Heidi, while we were dating miles apart. I would consume those letters. I would take it, smell it, tear it open, linger over every word, read it over and over again so grateful for each and every letter. The Bible is God’s love letter to you and me. How do you think Heidi would have felt if I would receive her letters and they would have stayed in an unopened envelope for a week or two? How would she feel if I would have read those letters with no passion and feeling? How would she how felt if the only reason I read her letters was to appease her and put me on her good side? How does God feel when we treat His love letter the same way?
It has been said of Spurgeon that he believed “There is no such thing as reverence for God and faithfulness to Christ, without obedience and faith in their words” (Spurgeon v. Hyper Calvinism by Iain H. Murray pg 9). Murray goes on to write, “Spurgeon is only repeating what Scripture itself says when he writes: ‘Unless we receive Christ’s words, we cannot receive Christ; and unless we receive the apostles’ words, we do not receive Christ; for John saith, ‘He that knoweth God heareth us; he that knoweth not God heareth not us. Hereby now we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error’” (Murray pg 9). I would go so far to say that a person’s attitude toward the Word of God is a very good barometer of their faith and closeness of their walk with God. Let me ask you a question. Other than you’re your time at church, how much time do you spend in the Word? The closeness of your walk with God is in direct proportion to the time you spend with God in His Word. If you have no desire to immerse yourself in the Word there can only be a couple of things at work. I will give you a little credit and simply say the first reason is you are simply too busy. The other two reasons (and much more accurate) are you do not have the Spirit of God living in you or you have so quenched the Spirit that He is unable to influence your decisions. Both of the later reasons have very serious implications and leave you on very shaky ground.
So when you are not in the Word what are you missing? There have been volumes of work that addresses this question. Let me offer a very simple illustration. Since I’m reading Colossians, let examine verse 2 of chapter 1. I have already read through the entire book once. I have now come back and will slow down my reading and read the Book as if God is over my shoulder reading with me. I have a picture of a first grade teacher hovering over their student and teaching them what a word or passage means they have just read. God is with me, reading His Word and helping me to decipher what He wants me to hear and glean that day. I quickly come to verse 2 and stop. “To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse.” I would love to proceed without reading this verse again. But I can not and I dare not leave until I have thought about what this passage means. Paul called the church holy, faithful, and in Christ. I know I am in Christ. That occurs the moment I am convicted of my sin, repent, and place my faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I also know in my position before God, I am holy. I have been set apart from the world and I am different because Christ lives in me. Oh how I wish I could go to verse three. The more I am eager to proceed the more God’s Spirit whispers “stop!” As you read the Word, be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. He will show you what He wants you to take away for that day. For me it was very simple, I know in position I am holy, but in my practice am I holy? I know God is faithful; it is who He is. But am I faithful to God and His Kingdom?
The Spirit takes His surgical knife and begins to do surgery on my soul. In my spirit, He asks me tenderly and lovingly, is my behavior holy? Am I faithful? I stop reading and begin to look deeply into my life. With the aid of the Spirit, I begin to think of areas I have not been holy or faithful. I begin to confess those areas of sin and freely give them over to God. It is not easy but it is extremely beneficial and fruitful. In fact, it grieved my heart as I realize how unholy and unfaithful I am. But praise be to God, He is a God of forgiveness and he freely forgives those who come to Him in faith and repentance.
That morning I only read two verses of scripture. But God was able to take those verses and do a radical operation on my heart. You may think this sounds horrible, painful, and difficult. However, the opposite is true. In fact, it was one of the most freeing mornings I have experienced in a long time. Furthermore, I rose from my study refreshed, renewed, and revived in Christ. It was wonderful. That morning reminds me of John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Each and everyone one of us needs times of being sanctified and washed by God’s word. I challenge you to allow God’s Spirit to do surgery on you. Slow down when you read the Bible. Whether you read two verses, two chapters, or two entire books a day it matters not if you miss the direction and leading of God.