For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
–Hebrews 4:12
One thing I’ve come to realize over the years is many people are content to be under the Word of God without being in it. What I mean is that you can be faithful in coming to church or even have a degree in theology without actually spending dedicated time reading the Bible.
It’s a paradox, really. On the one hand, you’re learning quite a bit about the Bible. You know the order of the books, and even what the Bible may say on many issues. Yet, if you’re not spending time in the Word, the application to your life – that move from head to heart – never takes place.
Here’s one way I like to think about it: If I go to the store and buy you five apples, you’ll get to enjoy them as you eat them. Yet soon enough, they’ll either run out or will spoil. But if you plant an apple tree and care for it, you’ll never run out of apples!
Don’t be content with just hearing good teaching or preaching. Open the Bible yourself regularly. Ask God to take His Word and apply it to your life. Live in the Word and you’ll be rewarded with enduring spiritual fruit!
ENJOY ENDURING SPIRITUAL FRUIT BY SPENDING TIME IN THE WORD, NOT JUST UNDER IT.
