“Give us this DAY, our DAILY bread” [podcast]

QUESTION ASKED:

“Please provide scripture to support your statement that ‘if you aren’t in the word daily you are backslidden and not ready to meet Jesus’?”

REPLY:

The word “daily” appears 7 times in the Gospels directly spoken by or speaking of our LORD Jesus. “Daily” is found 63 times in God’s Word.

You are fooling no one except yourself to say that seeking, walking with God isn’t “daily.” And, that seeking the LORD doesn’t integrally involve reading, pouring prayerfully over, searching, studying, meditating up, and memorizing His Word.

Does God’s Word save us? Are we saved by God’s Word?

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter 1:23-25

“18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. … 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:18, 22-25

The mere act of being in God’s Word daily, in and of itself, doesn’t save us and yet, being daily in His Word proves we, who are born again, are remaining in Christ – continuing in “the perfect law of liberty” – both in reading and doing it (James 1:22). The abiding disciple is continuing in the words of Christ – seeking, desiring, worshipping, and obeying Him. Our obedience to God is our expression of love to Him – that is, if we truly love Him (John 14:15).

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalms 119:105). How often does the disciple, the wise virgin believer need his path lit? Weekly? Monthly? Daily?

Do you seriously believe that the 5 wise virgins who made it into the eternal bridal chamber, who endured to the end of their espousal period, casually got around to keeping their vessels full? Or, did they fervently, worshipfully, daily, diligently, obediently, and vigilantly keep their lamps, their lives, under the spout where the glory comes out? Have you read that parable of the 10 virgins recently? (Matthew 25:1-13)

3 Daily Essential Basics for Every Believer

God is not available to the casual seeker (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein DAY and NIGHT, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

“Day and night” is clearly referring to each and every DAY – and not only in the day but also in the night, God’s Word is to rule in our lives!

In Psalm 1, we see the contrast between the righteous and the ungodly:

“But his (the righteous man) delight is in the law (Word) of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. … the ungodly are not so…” Psalms 1:2, 4

Jesus says to those He has saved that we must “abide” (continue, remain) in and with Him to the end or be cast into the fire (John 15:6). Would you like to explain how that’s possible without the divine fuel of God’s Word?

God’s Word gloriously gets into us – as we get into it, daily. Make the beautiful, quality decision today, right now, that from tomorrow morning forward, you will awake to seek the LORD your God, to get into His holy Word, to give Him thanks for all He’s done and doing, and quality moments in prayer communion.

“It is written, Man shall not live (have life with God) by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

The LORD expects each of those He saves, to remain “nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine”…

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

Again, a statement I’ve often made is “Any person who was saved in the past and yet isn’t presently in God’s Word daily, is already backslidden.”

It’s interesting that the people who occasionally balk at such a statement, seem to prove they are in darkness and defending their own rebellion, instead of hearkening to the truth in repentance. Anyone who can get up daily and feed their face natural food, fill their mind with the world’s news, etc., and not desire and devour God’s Word, is clearly lukewarm at best, and ready to be spued (rejected) from Christ’s body as He promised to do (Revelation 3:15-16).

If a person who was saved by Christ doesn’t follow Him on HIS stated terms – they are backslidden, period.

Did Jesus say His true disciples follow Him and receive His bread (Word) weekly, monthly, or daily? (Matthew 6:11; Luke 9:23-24) Any person not walking with Jesus on HIS terms, is backslidden. And Christ’s stated terms include “daily.”

Jesus says His people are to pray “Give us this day, our DAILY bread” (Matthew 6:11). How do you suppose that spiritual “bread” is received, ingested, other than by reading God’s Word? Jesus quantified following Him as being “daily” (Luke 9:23-24). Anyone not following Jesus “daily” is not following Jesus.

“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

How is God’s Word going to get into me if I am not getting into it?

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2 

How is the believer going to “grow” if he’s not desiring and devouring God’s Word? He’s not. In fact, he’s going to grow weary, weak, and faint.

Growing in the grace of Christ comes from desiring and ingesting His words. Anyone not growing in Christ is and has fallen away.

BE NOT DECEIVED: YOU CANNOT SUSTAIN A LIFE WITH CHRIST WITHOUT DAILY FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM!

YOU MUST “DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD” AND FEED YOUR SPIRIT THE WORD OF GOD DAILY OR YOU WILL GROW WEAK VERY QUICKLY AND FALL AWAY (1 PETER 2:2). JESUS CALLS US TO BE “NOURISHED UP IN THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE” (1 TIMOTHY 4:6).

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

By definition, seeking “continually” would definitely be “daily”, and not casually as if He, the Son of God, were a mere hobby and not our “first love” (Revelation 2:4-5.)

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37

Is it not more than obvious that we love self more than we love Christ when we tend to self, and serve self daily and not the Savior?

What does this say for the person who can do many things daily but chooses not to seek God daily? He eats food and drinks drink daily, right? Why? Because they are important to Him. What people do DAILY is what they count to be important.

The reason we eat physical food daily is because we count it important to nourish our physical body, right? Well, do you count feeding our spirit (which is eternal) daily? If not, why? – because we don’t count our spiritual life with Christ important which means He is not our “first love” and also that we are lukewarm (Revelation 2:4-5; 3:15-16).

Daniel sought and served God “continually” and not casually (Daniel 6:16, 20). By this example we know that this godly man truly knew, loved, worshipped, and obeyed the LORD. The LORD was not a second class citizen in his life but rather his “first love.”

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” Daniel 6:10

Beloved Daniel, in the face of the threat of his very life, sought God “continually,” as “he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God.” Oh, and notice it says “as he did aforetime” which means that Daniel, in peace time, before the present threat he faced, always sought the LORD. Simply put, Daniel, like every other true disciple of Christ, puts God “first” and not self.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

When a man loves a woman, does he think about and communicate with her weekly, monthly, or daily? Does he want to hear her voice once in a while or daily? The answers to these questions are more than obvious.

If I am not into God’s Word, how can God’s Word possibly be getting into me?

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3

When God is speaking to His obedient disciple, through the ingestion of His words, there is a continual cleansing – “with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26). This is not happening unless one is truly continuing with Christ via His Word. Each and every abiding disciple of Jesus relishes, diligently devours, and lives by His words (John 8:31-32).

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

Christ makes it clear here that sanctification occurs in every abiding disciple of Jesus “through thy truth” which is His Word. In the divine economy, the truth and the Word are synonymous.

“Continual Feast”

“Searched the Scriptures DAILY”

Proverbs 4

“1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3  For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4  He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5  Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Pro 4:6  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8  Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9  She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10  Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11  I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12  When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13  Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14  Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16  For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17  For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19  The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20  My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 
21  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

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