We should conduct ourselves before God as mature and capable of knowing and understanding God’s Word. As a young Christian, I didn’t appreciate the value of growing in the Lord and how much I needed it.
Read 1st Peter 2:1-8 to prepare for today’s lesson.
To get started, read the Reading Plan for 1st Peter, Your Identity in Christ, Conduct Before God, Part One: Holiness, and Conduct Before God: Mindset..
The Word of God, Maturity
There’s something wrong with a child who doesn’t grow. Malnutrition contributes to the problem and affects our mental ability.
When we look at ourselves as spiritual beings, then, spiritually, there is no difference. We need to grow – we must have the unadulterated spiritual milk of God’s Word. Want me to be honest with you? We cannot afford not to grow in the Lord and we are stunted in our growth without God’s Word.
Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it, you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the goodness of the Lord.
1 Peter 2:1-3
If you haven’t tasted the goodness of the Lord, then you will have no desire for maturity. The word of the Lord is satisfying, important for life, and provides the nourishment we need here, now, today, and tomorrow.
Seriously, being in or out of the word makes a difference in your thoughts and your day-to-day life. You will notice how it affects your behavior. The word, under the power of the Holy Spirit, teaches us, reproves our character, corrects our shortfalls, and trains us in living right (see 2 Timothy 3:16).
Without it, we are uninformed, misinformed, and conformed to the pattern of this world. Bottom line, we are ignorant.
Word of God, Active
For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as to the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
When we honest read the word, from our heart, we are exposed to the Living God. What happens when we are naked and exposed to Him?
When you read it from your heart, you will discover the heart of God.
The Word is powerful to create in us an unshakable faith. It reaches into the innermost parts of our personality and judges our inner thoughts. Believe it or not, but even the subconscious is open to the Lord and as we read His word, He reveals His truth to us.
The Word of God, Accurate
The word of God is accurate to deal with us as we mature. Furthermore, It exposes our thoughts and motives. Praise God, the Holy Spirit shows us our blind spots?
Understand this, the mature Christian knows their need for the Word and the Lord Himself. We require His instruction, correction, and ever-present help.
A hardened heart refuses to hear and turn to Scripture. Seriously, the immature doesn’t want to be bothered by Scripture, but if he has to, he most likely will choose passages out of context – causing even more harm to himself and others.
As we approach God’s Word with all our heart, we are naked and exposed. We can’t fathom runing away in disobedience. We need to draw near to Him as a child moves ever closer to her mother. His correction is hard, but good. His revelation genuine. There are no excuses—no blind spots. We are who we are in His presence and He makes us acceptable.
The Word of God, Protective
The protective power of God’s word is necessary for maturity. Without exposure to the Word, we will continue in our hatefulness, deception, insincerity, jealousy, and slander. The spiritual milk of God’s word is not something to be taken lightly—we should crave it like a hungry child.
… They stumble because they don’t follow the Word of God, as they are destined to do.
1 Peter 2:8b
Without the Word, we are unarmed, especially in spiritual warfare. The Word of God is defensive, but offensive as the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Without it, we’re vulnerable because our weapon is missing.
Those without the word stumble. If they have the word, they stumble at it for in their hearts they are unwilling to obey it – which makes stumbling a forgone conclusion.
God’s Word and our response are important.
The Word of God, PowerFul to Open our Minds
Who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time… So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor, at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:5 and 7,
The Holy Spirit opens our mind to receive what we need from the truth and nothing but the truth (God’s Word) and at times, it will test us increasing the genuineness of our faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
As we read God’s Word, we become obedient children not living in the ignorance of sin. Furthermore, we no longer want to sin for sin separates us from God, and such a separation silences the word of God in our soul.
The Word of God, Blessing
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26
In conclusion, God blesses us in His Word. He places His word in our soul so the name of the LORD would be on us and He would bless us.
God’s people are blessed because He keeps them as His own. They are secure because He finds delight in them. He is gracious and gives them peace. He is happy when he thinks of them.
When we grow in the Lord, we grow in God’s blessing!
God provides everything we need—especially His presence. Nothing guards the heart and mind better than God’s peace and steadfast love. God’s favor is priceless and available to the yielded heart.
Conduct Yourself before the Lord, Mature
Make every effort to present yourself to God as one who is approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, correctly handling the word of truth. .
II Timothy 2:15
Finally, let us remember that the knowledge of God’s Word helps us present ourselves right before God.
We require insight and understanding from the Holy Spirit if we to handle the word of truth rightly. The Holy Spirit shines light on the text and unwraps the secret hidden revealing the profound and deep things of God. Through knowledge of God’s Word, we receive discretion and can properly analyze, accurately explain, and apply Scriptures rightly.
In conclusion, If I haven’t convinced you yet the beauty of growing in the grace of the Lord by immersing yourself in God’s Word, then please take a few minutes and enjoy this poem I’ve dedicated to the One who speaks to the soul in His Word.
The Word of God
The Word of God is a searchlight. Examines the souls of men. Surfaces the deep-seated and desperate state. Exposes our true nature without Him. Brought face to face with our sin. Confronting the poison that seeps into our soul. No escaping the truth. No escaping self. The Word of God reveals. The root cause of our trouble. Origin of our weakness The foundation of our failure. The Word of God is powerful. Discovery. Invitation. Salvation. The Word of God provides. Rich provision of God’s grace. Transformation Encounter with the Lover of our soul. The Word of God instructs. Inspires, counsels, and leads to maturity. Separates us for His good purposes. He made a way. Where there was no other way. Death exchanged for life. Reconciliation. Alone, that would have been enough. But there is more. Much more. Die to self. Rise up in newness. Of life. Kept us safe by the power of His love. Because He lives. We live also. The Word of God is God!
Call to action
There’s not much here to do except to go to the Word and enjoy it.
- Let it nourish your soul.
- Allow it to be active in your life as it accurately shows your blind spots.
- Be protected by the power of the Word and carry the fragrance of the Author.
- Let the Word of God bless you and conduct yourself as a worthy workman, rightly handling the Word of truth.
What’s your takeaway? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Yours in Christ,
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