In the previous article in this series, we delved into the wild (and not so wild) world of bread making. This article is about a type of bread that is more nourishing than any bread any person can make.
Without this type of bread, there would be no saving faith, and no spiritual growth. I am referring to the Bread of Life, and the Spiritual Meat of the Christian.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. -Romans 10:17
The Christian homesteader need not only partake of their daily bread - daily food, but they also need their daily spiritual bread. The Word of God is the guidebook not only for Christian homesteaders and Christian homemakers, but also for everyone who will take it up:
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -Psalm 119:105
The Word of God is POWERFUL:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12
Those who are knowingly living in sin will have an aversion to the Word of God, and things of God:
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! -Matthew 6:23
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. -John 3:19
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. -John 8:12
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. -John 12:46
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. -1 John 1:5-7
We need the Word of God, and the Word made flesh. Jesus is the Word made flesh:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. -1 John 5:7
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. -1 John 1:14
Jesus is the Son of God, and is God, just as God's Holy Spirit is also God. We have the Holy Trinity in the creation, right there in the very first three verses of the Holy Bible:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. -Genesis 1:1
"God" = God the Father
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. -Genesis 1:2
"Spirit of God" = The Holy Spirit/The Holy Ghost
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. -Genesis 1:3
"God said" = The Word of God - Jesus is the Word of God made flesh.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all the One, Triune God. Jesus was born the Son of God, but is God. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh:
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. -1 Timothy 3:16
Along with having received Jesus Christ, one also needs to partake of the written Word of God, which is the Holy Bible. In Ephesians chapter six, we learn about the spiritual armor the Christian is given. Each part of the armor is for defence, but one thing is given for offence. The Bible. It is our Sword of the Spirit:
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. -Ephesians 6:17
Are you wearing the helmet of salvation? Are you weilding the Sword of the Spirit?
While we partake physically of our daily bread, let us not forget to also partake daily of our spiritual bread.
Jesus is the Bread of Life:
I am that bread of life. -John 6:48
Peter partook of this Bread of Life - faith in Christ:
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. -John 6:68-69
Jesus told us how to partake of this Bread of Life, also biblically referred to as "meat:"
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. -John 6:27-29
Faith in Christ is our spiritual bread and meat. In addition to faith in Christ, we also have the below spiritual meat:
The Bible is milk and meat:
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby -1 Peter 2:1-2
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. -Hebrews 5:12-14
Sisters, while the milk of the Word is a great place to start, may we partake daily of the Meat of the Word, which is far better.
