Do You Love Spiritual Food - Part II

     This Article is a continuation from Do You Love Food - Part I
     This morning I decided to take a second pass at understanding, another walk through the menu of what the Holy Spirit has been teaching me this week.  I noted where I needed to stop for comprehension, what stood out differently, or what inspired me to think in a new way.  I appreciated the lessons learned.  I analyzed how I was feeling after taking in such good spiritual food which was intended for my wellbeing.   I will show you what I mean by inviting you to come along with me for the past seven days.  I will start with Saturday since that was exactly seven days ago.  How relevant is it that Saturday is the normal day I shop for food as I plan my weekly menu.      

Day
Meal Plan
Favorite Food
Delicious Leftovers
Saturday
1 Kings 3
2 Chronicles 1
Psalm 78
2 Thessalonians 2
Psalm 78
Specifically: Psalm 78:38-39
History Repeats Itself
Sunday
1 Kings 4-5
2 Chronicles 2
Psalm 101
2 Thessalonians 3
Psalm 101
Specifically:  Psalm 101:6
Knowing and Doing, Not the Same Thing
Monday
1 Kings 6
2 Chronicles 3
Psalm 97
Romans 1
Romans 1
Specifically:  Romans 1:32
Ignoring God’s Word doesn’t make it go away
Tuesday
1 Kings 7
2 Chronicles 4
Psalm 98
Romans 2
Romans 2
Specifically:  Romans 2:15-16
A Built-in Guidance System
Wednesday
1 Kings 8
2 Chronicles 5
Psalm 99
Romans 3
1 Kings 8
Specifically:  1 Kings 8:28-30
The “When & If” Prayer of Dedication
Thursday
2 Chronicles 6-7
Psalm 135
Romans 4
Romans 4
Specifically:  Romans 4:20-22
How to Move Unbelief to Stronger Faith
Friday
1 Kings 9
2 Chronicles 8
Psalm 136
Romans 5
Romans 5
Specifically:  Romans 5:3-5
A Chain Reaction



 As I feasted on the Word of God this week, the Holy Spirit had certain foods that He wanted to highlight for me.  That is what I mean by “Specifically” in the column labeled “Favorite Food”.  The "Delicious Leftover" is the primary lesson I found within the lesson. 

A Weekly Review:
     I think it is always good to take a week in review once you have walked through Scriptures.  A day-at-a time will give you wisdom for the day, but when we look back and pull the details forward, we often gain a new realization of what the Holy Spirit has been trying to teach us.  I will share what I mean by giving you access to my personal study this week.  Hindsight tells me that I've had a well-balanced program coming from King David, his son Solomon, a little Abraham, and a whole lot of Paul (whom I happen to love).  Paul is worth imitating.

Day One:  It is easy to see that we have a strong historical pattern of repeating history.  We often forget God, but He never forgets us and is acting always on our behalf.
Day Two:  We can have a great commitment to walking with God, but just like King David who indicated who he would surround himself with relationally and what behaviors he would not accept in his kingdom, just saying it in a Psalm and actually doing it were two different things.  Learning how to walk our talk is highly important.  Good intentions are not enough.  David’s sin brought consequences to his family, and the deceivers became his own family members.  He found it difficult to walk his talk.
Day Three:  Paul took me by the hand today and taught me that there is a long list of sins spelled out in the first chapter of Romans, and just because we choose to ignore God’s Word, doesn’t make the sin not a sin.  We will still be held accountable whether we read it or not.  Wouldn’t it be better to know how to walk by God’s wishes?
Day Four:  Paul came back and joined me at the table to teach me that we have a built in guidance system called our conscience, and that when we have conflicting thoughts it is a good warning system to see if we are being accused or excused from something.  Our conscience is meant to keep us mindful of how we are doing.
Day Five:  Today I was intrigued by Solomon’s dedication prayer of the temple that he built for the name of God.  He knew that this was not God’s dwelling place (which is in heaven—called the thick darkness), but still God showed his favor of the purpose behind the temple to remind people to call upon God and turn toward Him.  He even filled the temple with his glory (a cloud so thick that the priests had to leave the building!)  Solomon’s prayer had interesting phrasing using “when” and “if” followed by “then”.  Solomon’s dedication was for the inevitable (when), and the possibility that (if), and the causal (when-if, then).  My leftovers gave me an understanding that although Solomon’s temple no longer stands, that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it deserves the same kind of dedication prayer.
Day Six:  I was looking for the missing ingredient today.  How does unbelief turn into strong faith.  The Holy Spirit revealed the importance of giving glory to God in Romans 4.  He used Abraham to illustrate how his faith was strengthened by this missing ingredient which resulted in God ‘counting it as righteousness’ (salvation).  My lesson, I need to make sure that I give ample attention to this missing ingredient and make sure my pantry is well-stocked with it so that my food doesn’t become tasteless.  I need not skimp on praise and worship.
Day Seven:  What a tasty meal today with lots of ingredients:  I didn’t realize how satisfying each element of the meal would be today.  Although the dish was very delicious, no ingredient stood alone.  All things were needed to give this meal just the right balance.  Words like justification, reconciliation, rejoicing, and the chain reaction of suffering that leads to hope were equally important.
·        We are justified by faith and by the blood of Jesus Christ.
·        Justification received by faith leads us to hope which results from the love shown to us by God through his Son (faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love).
·        We were reconciled by death, we are reconciled by life, and we have received reconciliation through Jesus who restores our relationship with the Father.
·        Suffering moves us to endurance which improves our character which gives us hope in the promise that all leads to eternal life with Christ.  It is a chain reaction. 

      I am glad that I didn’t have to fast from food this week.  I received such great nourishment from the meals that I consumed.  I hope you have enjoyed many tasty morsels from God’s daily bread this week.  I am also grateful that I wasn’t consuming fast food this week but allowed God through His Spirit to feed me a full-course meal.  Bon Appetit! 

 Note:  If you are interested in learning more about the method of reviewing Scriptures that I have shared, please contact me as we are forming some “life groups” around this concept.  We will meet at a local coffee house once a week, no commitment necessary, to practice this technique. 

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