Articles
What Are You Consuming?
“WHAT ARE YOU CONSUMING?”
The story is told of a thrifty farmer who one day decided he was going to save money on the feed he was giving to his donkey. Every day, the man added increasing amounts of sawdust into the donkey’s feed. The process was gradual, and because of that, the donkey did not notice any difference in what he was consuming. The farmer’s plan seemed to be working well, until one day, the donkey suddenly died. The farmer had gradually reduced the good feed until the donkey was eating nothing but sawdust.
Similarly, spiritual food that contains the pure Word of God cannot be mixed with worldly food. Watered-down or social gospel will eventually lead to spiritual death. It is very frustrating to see members of the church abandon the Lord’s Church after being members for many years. They become spiritually malnourished consuming the words of the world and not the Word of God. This happens gradually as they strive to live with one foot in the church and one foot in the world, gradually adding more and more worldly thoughts and ideas that eventually cause spiritual death. Peter writes in 2 Peter 2:20, “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.” Do not straddle the fence when it comes to feeding upon God’s Word.
We are told in the Psalms that God’s word is a “lamp” to our feet and a “light” to our pathway. (Psalm 119:105) However, if Christians remain ignorant of that “light” and feed upon worldly words, they cannot apply that light in their everyday living. Chiding weak brothers and sisters about their little faith becomes futile when they refuse to get rid of the worldly feed in their lives. Strong Christians feed upon the pure Word of God and keep the spiritual “sawdust” out of their diets. All of the sermons, lectures, and encouraging words won’t do much for the weak Christian unless he/she decides to receive the pure Word of God. Don’t be destroyed by trying to mix “sawdust” with the pure Word of God.
The question this morning we need to ask ourselves is this. Is there any “sawdust” in your spiritual diet? If there is, then you need to get rid of it and start feeding on the “pure milk” of the Word. (I Peter 2:2) You need then to move on to the “strong meat” of the Word, growing spiritually into a mature worker for the Lord and His church. Be careful what you are consuming.
