Sometimes, someone notices that you are down, upset, and bothered by something and says, “What’s eating you?” “The idiom “what’s eating you” is commonly used in American English to inquire about someone’s emotional state or problems they may be facing in their personal life or work.” In other words, what are you so upset about? We all go through that and then if we can we like to go into vent mode. Have you ever done that? Thank God for good friends that we can talk to. Especially our Father in heaven. ( 1 Peter 5:7). Out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouth speaks ( Luke 6:45).
When life happens what is your default?
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things (Matt 12:35). God’s Word is a good treasure that we put into our hearts. In the Psalms we see King David venting many times. He was the King of venting. His emotions and feelings pour out of him like a fire hydrant. Yet the good thing about David was that he always returned to God’s Word. He was extolling and praising God for His goodness and His faithfulness. King David had a wonderful relationship with God! I don’t think God was moved when he vented. He loved David unconditionally. King David spent much time meditating on the Word of God, obviously the Old Testament. Psalm 119:97 (NKJV)-97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. He spent much time hiding God’s Word in his heart. Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)-11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! The Word of God is living and powerful! ( Heb 4:12). It is a deterrent to sin and corruption. God’s Word is just as alive for us as it was for David. I like Jeremiah’s love for the Word. Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV)-16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
- Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)-8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
- Psalm 103:5 (NKJV)-5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Our responsibility is to get into the Word of God. We need to eat it, digest it, and get it into our hearts. Notice he says that the Word was the joy and the rejoicing of his heart. How is that possible? Because the Word is alive. Maybe the Word of God needs to eat at us more than what is negatively eating at us in the natural. The Word of God brings joy to our lives! Even in the most challenging times! In John’s Gospel Jesus tells us that the Word he speaks is Spirit and life ( John 6:63). It is supernatural, the God-kind of life. Jesus is the Word. (John 1:1). The writer of Hebrews tells us the Word is living, alive, quick, and powerful. (Heb 4:12). Even though men wrote the Word of God as they were moved and carried along by the the Holy Spirit ( 2 Peter 1:21). It is just as relevant today as it was then. How is that possible? Because the Word is a living word. The Word is alive because Jesus is the Word. He is the same , yesterday , today and forever! ( Heb 13:8).
The Gospel has changed millions of lives throughout generations and continues today. It is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. (Rom 1:16-17). Satan hates the Word of God. He is a thief and he wants to steal it from you. He wants to hinder the Word in any way he can. The good news is even when Apostle Paul was in prison, the Word of God was not bound( 2 Tim 2:9). Why? Because it is a living Word! The Word of God is a seed. Luke 8:11 (NKJV)-11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. There is life within the seed and when it is plated in the ground or our hearts it releases that life. The Word of God is an incorruptible seed( 1 Peter 1:23). It lives and abides forever. Satan can’t destroy the Word of God. We read in Psalm 119:89 (NKJV)-89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. This agrees with Mathew’s accounts of Jesus saying: Luke 21:33 (NKJV)-33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. How is that possible? It is the living Word. God’s Word can’t be corrupted. Look at 2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV)-4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. The key against corruption is the incorruptible seed of God’s Word. The word corruption in Greek means deterioration, ruin, loss, to perish, brought into an inferior. or worse condition, a withdrawal of life. It can be spiritual, moral, or physical. ( Vines Dictionary). Thank God for the Word of God! It can bring change spiritually, morally, and physically. God’s word is not inferior, it will not perish or bring us to a worse condition. Let us keep sowing to the Spirit. Sowing into our hearts the Word of God. Galatians 6:8 (NKJV)-8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. I like the passion translation: Galatians 6:7 (PassionNTPsa)– The harvest you reap reveals the seed that was planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect to experience a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap the beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit. The seed can bring salvation, prosperity, and healing to our bodies.( Prov. 4:20-22). Thank God for the living Word!
It is amazing that when the Word of God is planted in our hearts it will do its work. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NKJV)-13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. The Word of God is not just man’s word, God Himself inspires it. It is God-breathed. ( 2 Tim 3:16). It is divine truth and if we choose to believe it, it will work effectively in us. The Greek Word effectively is energeō. It means: “to put forth power, be operative, to work, efficient, produce an effect” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). The seed is alive! It will produce if planted in our hearts. Mark 4:20 (NKJV)-20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”(Luke 8:15). In Luke verse it tells us to bear fruit with patience. The word patience in Greek is endurance, constancy, and continuance (Vines dictionary). The challenge we face is giving up on the promises of God when we don’t see them come to pass right away. We get weary, faint-hearted, and discouraged( 2 Cor 1:20). The Bible exhorts us to hold fast a good confession of the Word of God. Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)-23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. It also tells us not to be weary in well doing: Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)-9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. The worst thing we can do is give up or just be passive. We can’t stop fighting the good fight of faith ( 1Tim 6:12). Our due season is on the horizon. We shall reap if we faint not! Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV)-12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
In Closing: So what are you eating lately? What is eating at you? God has given us the answer. He has the right diet for us. “Man shall not eat bread alone but every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4). There used to be a saying “Garbage in garbage out, Jesus in Jesus out”. Don’t let anxiety, worry, or fear eat at you! Don’t let discouragement pull you down. Push yourself away from the table of fear, doubt and unbelief. Start eating the Word of God. The best meal in town is God’s Word. Taste and see that the Lord is good. ( Psalm 34:8). Psalm 23:5-6 (NKJV)-5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
In Christ’s love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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