Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Bible: Not Just for Kids

I don't know when this happened or how, but it seems that we are living in a generation with adults who think that Bible study is not as relevant as it used to be. People think it is a great idea for their children to be in Lads to Leaders, but they themselves may not be interested in leading. People think it is super for their kids to go to VBS, but they themselves won't attend the adult classes that same week. And folks want their kids to have memory verses and they want them to learn the books of the Bible, yet many of our older folks do not memorize verses, and they cannot give you the list of 66 books or the minor prophets or judges of Israel like they once could.

Let me tell you - (those of the adult generation) - the Bible is not just for kids. It is God's intention that you, "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2). We are further instructed as we age to "...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18). The key words in these verses are "desire," "grow," and "knowledge." We must continue to have that innocent desire to build a relationship with God. We must grow in the knowledge of God, which can only happen through diligent study (2 Tim. 2:15).

It a sign of spiritual immaturity, and certainly the work of Satan, for adults to be distracted from the thing they need the most: a personal, working knowledge of the holy Scriptures. But as long as "grown-ups" are happy with wandering through the foyer for worship and Bible periods, being casually late to class, and are not even concerned with attending Bible class or having their own personal time for Bible study, this problem of our adults being less educated on the Bible than our children are is going to persist.

It is absolutely wonderful to see adults taking an interest in the spiritual lives of the younger generation. But don't lose focus! The older generation must be equipped to lead the younger. We must be studying and preparing now. Many of us are becoming that older generation much sooner than we suppose. Every generation has a responsibility to know the word of God and to keep it.

There is never a time to quit studying God's word. Adults, pick it up again and God will bless you more than you have ever dreamed. The Bible is most certainly for children...all children everywhere, all the time. God be praised that we are all, by His grace and according to our obedience, regardless of age, children of God.

"I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word" ~ Psalm 119:16

1 comment:

  1. Good points Jeremiah! I spoke about this same thing, in a way, at this month's devo. Taking it from a husband/dad point of view, we sometimes (and understandably so) think of the health, both spiritual and physical, of our wife/children first and perhaps neglect ourselves. When the truth of the matter is if we don't take care of our own health first, we won't be around long term to take care of them(from the physical perspective) and we will slowly whither away due to a lack of spiritual growth. We must LEAD by practice, example AND instruction.

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