I suppose I, as well as Shakespeare “…..find tongues in trees, sermons in stones, and good in every thing.”
While helping my friend feed his heifers this morning, I told him how shiny their hair shone in the sunlight. They are well fed, and about to calve. He always makes sure they have plenty of salt, mineral, high quality hay and feed, cottonseed, supplements of syrup, and his pastures are always of the highest quality throughout the year. The grain has a majority of corn with other nutrients, and along with that he feeds cottonseed, a high source of protein for cattle. He gets back in dividends, strong healthy cattle, strong high quality calves and when they are sold, he always makes a profit. He sees to, and studies the best feed for his cattle. They are always fed on schedule, rain or shine, blistering hot, or freezing cold. It is consistency, study of the best feed, and diligence that produces his high quality Angus cattle. I thought about that in the realm of God’s Word, and how we should apply those same principles to our spiritual lives.
God’s Word is the best feed for our souls and will surely get us from this temporal world to the eternal realm. In His Word we find our way in life.
“Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105
If we don’t study His Word we will be lost. The world will tell you there are many paths to heaven, but God’s Word teaches otherwise. I have seen many become ensnared by that very thought, that God accepts everyone that believes in Him. ”
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Proverbs 14:12
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
James 2:19
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits…….” Matthew 7:13-16.
This world is not our home, and we as Christians are to prepare for eternity. God tells us in His Word to lay up treasures in heaven.
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
We cannot accumulate treasure in heaven if we know not where we are going. Preparation for heaven is done here on earth, and we are required to study His Word to know His will.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” II Timothy 2:15
…..and we cannot be prepared for eternity if we only give God’s Word a cursory glance during the week. Our souls have to feed upon His Word. Consistency and diligence is key, and no one can do it for us. I once heard a sermon on how shameful it would be if someone asked us how to become a Christian, and we did not have the knowledge of Scripture to teach them. A sobering thought indeed!
“So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
“It doesn’t make any difference what we have accumulated here. It doesn’t even make any difference what we leave here. If we don’t have our treasures accumulated in heaven, friends,we have done nothing, absolutely nothing except foolishly waste our time as we have been walking around in circles here on this earth.” David Harris
Eileen Light