Bulletin Board Article

From: Pastor Robert Cotton
25th October 2008

When we consider priorities in the Christian life, there is one which I think stands out head and shoulders above every other one. Sadly, however, it is a priority that many Christians fail to maintain.
This priority is known by various names; "having a quiet time", "daily devotions" , "time alone with God" and others. I am convinced that the reason we have so many immature, sickly, weak, anaemic and defeated ( you name it !! ) Christians is because they do not have this as a number one priority in their life. In order to stress the importance if this as a priority I would say that many Christians will have only a shallow relationship with God and will struggle to know and to do God's will for their lives.
Why do I consider this so important?

1. Let us consider first of all what the Lord Jesus said in Matt 6:11; that we were to pray daily that our Heavenly Father would provide our daily physical needs. Many of us don't of course because our fridges and cupboards are full! Now the Word of God is referred to among other things as milk, bread, honey, meat and water. If we are to seek God daily for physical food, how much more should we also be seeking from Him daily, spiritual food from His Word?
Imagine how we would be physically if we only ate one meal a week (perhaps Sunday!).

2. Now let us look at what the Lord Jesus said in Matt 4:4 as He quoted from the OT. The 'bread' that we are to ask for daily is to cover "every word". Imagine eating icecream every meal! We wouldn't grow too strong with just that. I know that I appreciate having different meals served ie a variety in my diet. We speak of having a balanced diet. How much more spiritually do we need a complete and balanced diet. For that we need "every word". (see also IITim 3:16,17) Sadly many Christians, even some who have been saved for years, have never read through the Bible, God's Word, even once. That is a tragedy. If you are one of those people let me encourage you to determine from today to read through God's Word once (it can be done easily in one year!), and then continue.