Withdrawing from the Word of God (Heb. 5:11)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-20-03

 

 

                                                                                               

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Withdrawing from the Word of God

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Hebrews 5:11

 

              Message of the verse:  “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”  (NASB)  “There is so much more we would like to say about this.  But you don’t seem to listen, so it’s hard to make you understand.”

            The writer has just mentioned that Jesus Christ was a priest after the line of Melchizedek in the verse before this one and probably desired to go on and write further on the subject of the priesthood of Jesus Christ, but he felt that these believers were unable to understand this because they were not making as much progress in their walk with the Lord as they should have been.  In this section, (5:11-6:20) the writer will deal with three topics that deal with spiritual maturity.  The first one tells about the four marks of spiritual immaturity, with the first one in the verse speaking of their dullness or slothfulness to the Word of God, now the word for dull is translated in 6:12 as slothful, which refers to “a condition of spiritual apathy and laziness that prevents spiritual development.” (From “Be Confident”) 

            There are many places in the Scriptures which speak of the benefits of the Word of God such as the 176 verses of Psalm 119.  However the writer of this letter has already written about the dullness of his readers concerning the Word of God in Hebrews two, and verses one through four which says:  “1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”  This section was speaking of drifting from the Word of God and in Hebrews 3:7—4:13 the writer speaks of doubting the Word of God.  In Acts 17: 10-12 we read of the people from Berea who had the right ideas about the Word of God.  “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.  Therefore many of them believed and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.”

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I know that sin will keep me from wanting to read the Word of God, when at that time it is truly what I need for in it, it tells me that “If you confess your sin He is faithful and just to forgive your sin and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.”  The Word of God has all I need to show me how I should live while on this earth and I need to make every effort to be in it and study it as much as I can every day that God lends me air to breath.

 

The Word of God was challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To have a good season of prayer, praying for my family, my church family, and the things that concern my nation.  I would like to get hold of Dick Vernon to invite him to our Bible Study, but first I want to pray about it.