“A wise son heeds and accepts [and is the result of] his father’s discipline and instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to reprimand and does not learn from his errors.”

Proverbs 13:1 AMP

Proverbs 13 opens with an important statement which sets the stage for all that follows; “A wise son…” The word wise here is the Hebrew word which describes a person as having “a capacity for understanding and discernment or one who has a fear of the Lord and a capacity for understanding that leads to a blessed, prosperous life,” WOW! That should remind you of where we started out journey,

“The wise will hear and increase their learning, And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth]” 

Proverbs 1:5 AMP

One of the requirements of acquiring the promises of God is to be willing to be taught. As a child grows, so does their nutritional needs. The body cannot survive without food and water. Now, there are many choices as to what to eat and drink. Good choices lead to a strong body that is healthy. Bad choices lead to a body that is out-of-shape and sickly. We see the evidence of this as we see the growing size of our children because of the bad food choices and lack of activity in their lives! If you want to stay in shape you have to eat right and be active! That my friends mean a choice must be made! The same is true of our spiritual lives! The Scripture describes the Word of God as food and water! Peter encouraged the believer to,

“like newborn babies [you should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation [its ultimate fulfillment],”

1 Peter 2:2 AMP

Jesus said, I am the bread of life; If you drink of this water, you will never thirst again; Out of you will flow rivers of living water! So, just as we have physical choices to make about what we eat and drink, so it is with our spiritual food! You chose everyday what kind and how much spiritual food and water you take in! Satan is offing a McDonalds Christianity that results in spiritual laziness and malnutrition. God warned us of a time such as we live now.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “When I will send hunger over the land, Not hunger for bread or a thirst for water, But rather [a hunger] for hearing the words of the LORD.”

Amos 8:11 AMP

 Notice first that it does not say that it will be a famine of the word of the Lord, but a famine of hearing. God’s words will still be available, but it will be rare that those words will be heard. The truth will still be obtainable; His inspired messages will still be accessible. However, as a curse on the land, God will cause truth not to be heard. This “hearing” is far more than just being aware of words or concepts. It is a hearing that includes focused, careful attention that, taken to its logical conclusion, ends in obedience. The kind of hearing that will be in such short supply is one that causes right action—in fact, the Hebrew word is often translated as “obey.” The book of Romans reminds us that this “inability” to hear the Word of God is a result of a hardened heart against the things of God! We see this clearly at work in the world today.

Let me encourage you today to “taste and see that the Lord, He is good!” Make good choices about your spiritual diet and grow in the grace and knowledge of who Christ is! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken