Milk or Meat - What's Your Diet?

We live in a world that is saturated with opportunities to be fed with the Word. It can be found anywhere you look - on the Internet, on the radio, on television, in every bookstore, in the library, on most newsstands, even in our mailboxes, if you so choose. The quality and level of teaching is as varied as the means of delivery. The messages can tickle your ears or challenge your faith. They can placate your spirit and make you feel good or they can cause you to examine your every move and every thought. Somebody out there has an answer to your every question and advice for every dilemma that you could possibly face. It can be overwhelming, but it does not need to be.

This time was prophetically anticipated in the Word for us. Each generation that has come before us has faced a similar challenge as the information vastly increased and the delivery methods accelerated. But the advice given in the beginning of the Church age remains the same and is as relevant today as it was then. Hebrews 5:11-14 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. The writers of Hebrews were encouraging this young church of new Christians to grasp hold of the power of what Christ had done and move forward with it. That is no different than where we are today. No matter where you are in your walk, there is a mandate on your life and on your faith to grasp hold of what Christ has done and move forward with it.

Reflect for a moment on when you first began this journey with Christ and needed to be fed "infant formula" - the basics of this new-found faith. Described in Hebrews we were "not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness." But how long does one stay on infant formula? How long is one fed from a bottle by someone else? Sooner or later you are expected to move on to solid food and then pick up the eating utensils and begin the process of feeding yourself. Sadly far too many believers have never made that move from the bottle to solid food. The expectation is that someone else via the pulpit on Sunday, the television screen in their living room, or the many conferences that they attend is going to feed them their formula. Where is the solid food?

I have listened to far too many individuals within the Body of Christ lodging complaints about the menu they have been fed in their given churches. The irony of these comments would be funny if it were not such a sad statement about the current condition of "church" in America. Have you ever heard a baby complain about his/her bottle? "Mom, you are going to just have to get me a different flavor. I am just not getting anything out of what you are giving to me." No, by the time a child is able to talk, they have moved onto solid food a long time ago. So why haven't believers made the same transition?

Hebrews states "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Did you notice the two actions within that statement? Constant Use and Trained Themselves. That is not sitting passively in a chair while in church or a conference. That is getting out there in the Body of Christ and using the knowledge with which you have been equipped and training yourself. Using - Serving - Doing what God has called you to in the Great Commission. Not just being a sponge soaking up the Word. (Water that just collects becomes stagnant by the way.) Training myself? How do I do that, you ask? Hmmm... do you remember that Jesus Christ explained to us that He was sending us a COUNSELOR? Study the WORD - directly from the SOURCE. Trust Holy Spirit to speak some revelation knowledge into you. He really can teach you.

Did you know that third world ministers have only the Bible from which to learn? There are no ministerial schools that they can attend for years to learn to do God's work. They have a passionate desire to serve the Lord and bring His Word to lost people. They study the Bible inside out, upside down, backwards and forwards. :-) Holy Spirit is their teacher. What is happening in those countries? Christianity is exploding and they are praying for America's salvation! Am I suggesting that you give up Bible study groups and other worthy authors who have been given revelatory knowledge from the Lord? No. I am suggesting that you make studying the Word daily your number one priority and equal to that you make walking out your faith in the World your second priority. Without these two actions, you will still be on infant formula.

A precious sister of mine in Christ made a powerful statement to me this morning. She said, "Eagles go after meat!" Eagles are referenced frequently in the Word. Many of us would like to think that we are soaring like eagles in our faith, striving to seek new heights for Him and with Him. We will never have the strength we need to go the distance if we are only feeding on milk. We must have fresh meat as the eagles do. So I challenge you to examine yourself and examine your diet. Who are you and what is your nourishment this day with the Lord?