A Spiritual Diet Plan

 

Text:  Jeremiah 15:16

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”

 

Title:  A Spiritual Diet Plan

 

I.                     INTRODUCTION

A.      Most associate the term “diet” with physical food and drink, and there are different physical diets prescribed in the Bible

1.       Eat fruit of the trees in the garden of Eden

2.       Eat fruit and vegetables after expulsion from the garden of Eden

3.       Eat meat after Noah’s flood

4.       Eat only clean meat under the O.T. Law

5.       Eat anything under grace-1 Tim 4:1-5

B.      What is the correct answer as to becoming spiritually healthy?

1.       Philosophical answers: “look for deeper meanings,” “try yoga,” “travel,” “think positive,” “meditate, etc.”  These are all worldly answers.

2.       God’s answer:  A regular and consistent diet of the Bible!

 

II.                   EXPOSITION-A Spiritual Diet Plan

A.      Jeremiah 15:16-Find God’s words

1.        Don’t look in the books of men.  Most men do not write God’s words.

2.       Look in the 66 books of the King James Bible.

B.      1 Timothy 4:4-Just as you give thanks for physical food, also give thanks for the spiritual.

1.       Every word is “good.”

2.       “Nothing” in the Bible is “to be refused.”

C.      2 Timothy 3:16-17-All scripture is needed for spiritual health.

1.        Note in verse 16 Paul says “all” scripture is profitable, not just “some” scripture.

2.       For the “man of God” to be complete in the practical sense he must get nourishment from all scripture (doctrinally all believers are complete-Colossians 2:10).

D.      2 Timothy 2:7 & 15-To maintain physical health not all physical food is to be consumed in the same proportions and quantities.  The same is true of spiritual food.

1.        2 Timothy 2:15-Spiritual food is to be “rightly divided” according to prophecy and mystery.

2.       2 Timothy 2:7-The scriptures about the mystery (Romans-Philemon) must be considered first in order to have a correct understanding of all the other things found in the Bible.

E.       Although we are to give more time to Paul’s writings, Paul never said to only read Romans-Philemon!

1.       Romans 11:2-3-Paul expected the Romans to have read about Elijah in 1 Kings 19:9-10.

2.       Romans 15:4-Things written before Paul are to be learned.

3.       1 Corinthians 10:1-11-Things written in the O.T. are for our admonition.

4.       1 Corinthians 15:22 & 2 Corinthians 11:3-When Paul writes to the Body of Christ he assumes they would or had read Genesis because of the fact that he refers to Adam and Eve.

5.       Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16-Paul says to teach and admonish one another from the Psalms.

6.       1 Thessalonians 4:9-Paul says he does not need to re-write everything the Body of Christ needs to know.  For example, the principle of loving one another had already been taught in the O.T.

F.       Benefits of a Spiritual Diet-Study Psalm 119

 

III.                 CONCLUSION:  How Often to “Feast” from the Bible

A.      The Bible specifically commands to read and study the word.

B.      No time element in the way of a command is given, but the principal of daily Bible study is displayed in Acts 17:10-11.