A. MAKING A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW JESUS

George asked his businessman friend from a small group meeting, “How often do you read the Bible?”   Bill responded, “I read it when I can, but I am so busy I can’t find time between work, family time, house maintenance, and other activities.  George asked him how often he eats meals. He responded, “Three times a day when I can.” George responded, “What would happen if you didn’t eat?”  Bill, with a curious look, said, “I would get weak and eventually die.“  “It sounds like eating is important to a vibrant life,” said George. He continued with the metaphor and said, “IF we don’t feed on God’s Word, the Bible, we will get weak, and it will impact the strength of our spiritual vibrancy and life.” Bill responded, “That makes sense.” What must I do to feed on the Word of God regularly?  George, with excitement, said, “I will show you a scripture that lays a foundation for this and a few ideas on how to get started on your daily spiritual eating plan.

Jeremiah 15:16 was shared with Bill

“When your words came to me, I ate them; they were the joy and my heart’s delight for I bear your name.

1. In this verse, what does “your words” mean?

2. How does someone eat the words of God?

3. What happens when you eat something? What is the metaphor here?

4. Why do you think the words of God were a joy and a heart’s delight?

5. What has been your experience in eating the Word of God?

6. What happens when we eat the Word of God like our spiritual food?

7. What do you think it means to bear his name?

8. When you are born into a family, whose name do you take?

9. When you were born into God’s family, who’s name do you bear?

1. What has been your experience in reading or eating the Word of God?

2. What will you experience if you read and eat the word of God daily?

3. What will stop you from eating the Word of God daily, like physical food?

4. What plans have you experienced in regularly reading the word of God?

5. How open are you to begin a new Bible reading plan?

6. What steps can you take to strengthen your Bible reading?

Let’s look at another verse, Revelation 1:3,

 “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it because the time is near.”

1. What does Blessed mean?

2. What does the reading refer to?

3. How does II Timothy 3:16 help us understand the value of reading?

4. What are the two actions in this verse? Reading and Hearing

5. How do we take it to heart?

1. How can you put reading and hearing into your daily life?

2. How much time could you devote daily to this practice?

3. When would be a good time to practice feeding on the Word of God each day?

4. How would you shape this into an action step?

5. Would you be interested in seeing some suggested reading plans?

1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.

2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?

3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?

4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?