07/04/08

Strong teaching, Spiritual milk and Solid Food

Isaiah 40:4 - Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Whenever I ask people what is the difference between a strong teaching and spiritual milk, they could not draw the line between the two. During my teaching of the Word at different places, I found some people took the teaching very well while some were shaken up. Why the differences?

The explanation of this is given in the scriptures of Isaiah 40:4; when a Spirit filled Word of God is given it will not come back without doing its job. And the job that it does is:

It will uplift those who are low in spirit, the meek and humble. But the haughty in spirit, It will bring down. Those who have build structures in their hearts according to their understanding by the world, will feel a sledgehammer hitting hard against those structures. These are the mountains or hills, which the Word of God will bring down. And those who have doubts or those who misuse or twist the Word for personal desires will be made straight or bought to level.

Spiritual milk is the good news or words of hope or encouragement which brings us closer to God and to the start of study; of the Word of God.

Strong teaching brings down those illegal structures which we have erected by our own understanding or the understanding given by others, which are not based on the truth (God's Word).

Solid Food or 'strong meat' as Paul calls it, is similar to strong teaching not easy to digest, because there are so many things in the Bible which go opposite to human understanding. It defies human traditions, science, psychology and religious (theological) teachings. It can be digested by only those who have teeth, those who exercise their faith regularly. Unless you are baptized with the Spirit of Truth and are a doer of the Word you will not be able to understand them.

So next time when you receive a teaching of the Word that shakes you up, do not just reject it. Try to find out the area where it shook you, where did that structure come from and how right it is. If that area is not built on the Word, do not hold on to those structures let them come down. Do not harden your heart or else the effects will be most disastrous.


[ Prayer Starter ]

Father God, your Word is life for me. Make my heart like sponge that I keep receiving your World more and more. Break down those areas which is not build on your Word, but I have done so according to my own understanding. I ask this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]

Hebrews 5:12-14
12 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.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 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.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)