Foodfor Growth'23
3 Christian growth. Howeve4 you cannot make
Food for Growth
When I was a child, back in those years when
I was still known as "Pee-Wee,"I wanteddesper-
ately to grow. My mom would periodically mea-
sure my height against the wall in my room, and
I would stretch as hard as I could to be a little
taller. As I later becamea parent, I saw my own
children do the same thing. Every child, it seems,
wants to grow up by the day after tomorrow, but
it can't be done.
That is a frustratingthingto learn when your
name around the neighborhood is "Pee-Wee."
"But I want to get bigge4" I would protest. "How
can I make myself grow?" As a wise adult, what
you would probably say is, "Son, you can't make
yourself grow. Growing up takes time. But here's
what you can do:You can eat goodfood, exercise,
and enjoy being an eight-year-old. Don't be so
worried about becoming a grown-up. Have fun
right now being who you are. You'll grow up
soon enough."
I frnd Christians who are worried and both-
ered to the point of making themselves absolute
emotional wrecks, worried over the progress
they think they "should" be making in their'
22
yourself grow spiritually any more than you can
make yourself grow physically. We forget that it
is God who is in the businessof conforming us to
the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29). We forget
that it is ".EIewho began a goodwork in you [andl
will carry it on to completion until the day of
Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1;6).
This is not to say that we have zo decision to
make or role to play. After all, the Bible says
that we should "work out our salvation with fear
and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). But we need
to be clear on what that passagemeans. After
saying in verse 12 that we should "work out" our
salvation, Paul says, "for it is God who works in
you to wiII and to act according to His good
purpose." So once again we find that in the
I'
I Christian life, God initiates and man responds.
t
In fact, my working definition of "responsibil-
i,
i ity" is "my responseto God's ability."
You cannot make yourself grow physically,
but you can "eat good food, exercise, and enjoy
t
I being an eight-year-old." In our spiritual lives,
F we cannot make ourselvesgrow in grace, but we
"i can do somethings: We can eat good food, exer-
cise, and enjoy walking through life as a child of
1
God as He grows us in His time. But what do I
mean by "eating good food and exercising"?
This is where I want to addresspersonal Bible
study and our relationships within the body of
;i Christ. These subjects have often been terribly
twisted. We have taken these activities which
shouldbe natural and enjoyable overflows ofour
24. Boh George
life in Christ and our personal relationship with
Him, and turned them into disciplines.There is
no greater way to ruin these wonderful privi-
leges we have as children of God or to rob us of
our joy in knowing Him than to view them as
disciplines-things you haue to do "in order to
be a good Christian."
When I was born again in Christ, I came to
Him as a 36-year-old man who knew absolutely
nothing of the things of God. I had no religious
teaching in my background to speak of. AII I
knew the day I received Christ was that "God so
loved the world that He gave His one and only
Son, that whoever believesin Him shall not per-
ish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). I was
simply overwhelmed with the idea that God
actually loved rze!And I openedup my Bible to
learn more. In fact, over the next couple ofyears
I buried myself in God's Word to the point that
my wife, Amy, thought I had a black leather
face!
Naturally, I did not understand it all. There
were many parts of the Scriptures that were
mysterious to me, and, as many young Chris-
tians do, I came up with somefanciful ideas and
interpretations that seem silly to me today. But
God did reveal Himself to me, and He did teach
me a solid understanding of His Word over time.
I look back at those early years of my Christian
experienceas someof the mostjoy-filled times of
my life. I truly came to God "as a little child" and
leaned totally on my heavenly Father to teach
me.
Foodfor Growth'25
Nobody told me I hadto study the Bible, and
I'm glad they didn't. I simply openedGod'sWord
and read it, becausethat is what I wantedto do
more than anything on earth. Let me pass on to
you some tips that have helped many people
discover the great experience ofpersonally dig-
ging into the Word of God.
First, read the Bible in order to get to know
Christ , notjust to learn Bible facfs. We have been
called tn a relationslzip. Jesus said, "Now this is
eternal life: that they may know You, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have
I
I sent" (John 17:3).Paul wrote, "I consider every-
thing a loss comparedto the sur.'passinggreatness
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord' (Philippians
3:8). Don't make the same mistake I did,later,
I when I strayed from my personal relationship
l. with Christ into dry knowledge and barren ser-
vice. Don't get on that terrible treadmill of the
"search for something more." Don't fall for the
deception of believing that we start out with
Christ, then "graduate" to the "deep things" of
God. Jesus Christ is everything. There is noth-
ing "deeper" than knowing Him intimately!
That is what we will do throughout eternity-
discover and enjoy the wonders of Him. We'll
never get to the end of all that He is.
I have learned that if I go to the Bible merely
to learn facts, I'll get those dry facts, but noth-
ing else. However,if I go to the Bible desiring to
meet personally with the Lord, He will open my
heart to know Him, and teach me biblical facts
at the same time.
26. Bob George
We are not dealing with a reluctant God
whose arrn we must twist in order to get His
attention. He earnestly desires us. He wants to
pour out to us life in abundance and joy beyond
measure. The possessionof God's Word is an
unspeakable blessing. What a tragedy it is for
someoneto see Bible study as a "discipline," a
drudgery, and an unrewarding duty that we
"have" to perform!
'Second, study dependently. We must study
God's Word with the firm conviction that we
cannot understand spiritual truth on our own.
Spiritual understanding is something that must
be revealedby the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).
Only by His power can you understand-
how wide and long and high and deep
is the love of Christ, and to know this
love that surpassesknowledge-that
you might be frlled to the measure of
all the fullness of God (Ephesians
3:18,19).
Anybody, including the lost, can learn theol-
ogy;that is, what the Bible soys.But, if we truly
want to know God and to understand what the
Bible means, we must approach the Word in
total dependenceupon the Inrd to reveal Him-
self and His truth that sets us free. Remember
that "God opg)ses the proud, but gives grace to
the humble" (James 4:6).
Third, read the Blble normnlly, and in lnrge
contexts.Imagine that you and I are friends, and
Foodfor Growth.27
while on a long trip overseasyou write me a long
letter. After many months away, you arrive
home,and frnd me waiting for you at the airport.
I look terribly confused and worried, as if I had
been in that condition for a long time. After
greeting me, you ask me why I seem so dis-
tressed. "It's this letter you wrote me," I say.
"I've gone practically crazy trying to understand
what you are talking about, but it's a total mys-
tery to me." I pull out of my pocket several pages
of the tattered letter.
' You are genuinely puzzled, not aware ofany-
thing in your letter that was confusing. "What
in my letter don't you understand?" you ask.
"It's this part on page 4i'I answer. As I show
you the letter, you can see that the page is
coveredwith lines, notes, and different-colored
highlights. I continue explaining: "I've been try-
ing to frgure out this sentencehere, but it doesn't
make any sense!I've looked up all the words in
the dictionary and written out the optional defi-
nitions. I consulted English grammar books,
and I diagrammed the sentence. I've asked all
my friends, and even made an appointment
with my old English teacher to ask her opinion.
But nobody can really satisfy me. I've been sit-
ting on pins and needles, waiting to ask you
personally."
You give me a hard look, and ask me slowly,
"Bob. That sentence is on page 4. Did you read
the rest of the letter?"
"No," I arNiwer."I've just been studying this
sentence!"
28. Bob George Foodfor Growth'29

What would you think of me? You would stop me. I didn't expect God to teach me every-
think I was a little strange, to say the least. thing in one day! I also remembered that Jesus
Nobody would read a letter that way. When you told His disciples on the night before His death:
read a lette4 you start at the beginning and read
until you get to the end. You cannot take a sen- I have much more to saY to You'
tence and interpret it out in the thin air. It has more than You can now bear. But
no meaning apart from its total context. A sen- when He, the SPirit of truth, comes'
tence needs all the other words, sentences,and He will guide You into all truth
paragraphs that surround it to make up the (John L6:t2,L3).
entire message.
If the men with whom Jesus walked for three
But how do people often read their Bibles?
They start with chapter 5, paragraph 2, verse 3-
then wonder why they can't make sense out of
God'sWord! Yes,the Bible is unique in its origin
and inspiration, but it is constructed in the same
way as all other written works. It too is made up
ofwords, sentences,and paragraphs organized
according to the ordinary rules of grammar. means." And I would continue reading' In most
When you read, for example, Hebrews chapter 9,
.casesa few chapters or perhaps a few books later
the writer assumesthat you have read and fol- in the New Testament I would find the answer'
lowed his thoughts for the first eight chapters. That was always a thrill, as I would say, "Aha!
Though there are difficult portions ofScripture, There it is!" and write in my Bible the cross-
people will frnd most of the questions they raise reference from the question to the answer' Over
about verses of the Bible answered, if they will time, as I kept reading, God frlled out my under-
only keep reading. standing ofUibti""t ttottt, while I enjoyedspend-
There is certainly a place for methods such as
word studies or topical studies; they can be
enjoyable and profrtable. But these should be
supplernentary methods, not our main type of
study, or we will not have a balanced and full
understanding of the Scriptures. reading!
When I was a new Christian there were many A fourth point that I believe is crucial, espe-
things I didn't understand, but I didn't let that cially for people who are just beginning to study
30. BobGeorge
the Scriptures, is to emphasize the New Testa-
mznt in you.rstudy. This is commonly misunder-
stood."r{re you saying that the Old Testament is
not God's Word?" people ask. "You're throwing
out half the Bible!" others accuse.No, let me say
directly: All of the Bible-Old and Niw Testa-
ments-is the Word of God. 'All Scripture is
God-breathedand is useful for teaching, rebuk-
ing, correcting and training in righteousness"
(2 Timothy 3:16). However,we live in the age of
the New Covenant, and it is essential that we
clearly understand the covenant under which
we actually liue. Only when you have gotten a
firm handle on the provisions of the New Cove-
nant are you able to properly interpret and
apply the Old Covenant.
Last, but not least, major on the majors and
minor on the minors.It sounds strange, but not
all of the tangents into which Christians stray
away from Christ are unbiblical. We can actu-
ally get off on biblical truth. It is absolutely
imperative that we not only teach the Bible, but
that we teach biblical truths according ta the
proper emphasesgiuen to them in the Scriptures.
As a counselor, for example, I have faced
many hundreds of individuals who are dealing
with serious personal problems and tragedies.
In all that experienceI have never had someone
say to me, "Bob, my husband has died. I'm just
heartbroken. Tell me: What do you think is my
spiritual gtft?" Nobody has ever said to me,
"Bob, I just lost my job, and my wife and I are
going through terrible marital problems. Tell
Foodfor Growth'31
me, I've just got to know: What does'666' signify
in the book of Revelation?" Those subjects are
certainly in the Bible, but they are not "majors."
Do you know what someonehaving serious,
realJife problems wants to know? He's crying
out, "Is there really a God out there? A God who
really loves me, who knows what's going on in
my life, who cares,and who can do somethi4g for
me?" That's what you want to know when real
life smacks you in the face.
So what are the "majors" in the Word of God?
Jesus Christ. Knowing Him in a personal way.
Learning what it means that He not only laid
down His llfe for you, but that He now lives in
you, and learning how to let Him live out that
lilfe through you. Learning how to live a life of
dependencyon Christ's love for us, and concen-
trating on the priority left to us by the Lord:
A new command I give You: Inve one
another. As I have loved You, so You
must love one another' All men will
know that you are My disciples, if you
love one another (John 13:34'35).
God has told us in no uncertain terms what
His priority is. He did not say that "aII men will
know you are my disciples by your bumper
stickers." Nor that "all men wiII know you are
my disciples by your knowledge of prophecy."
Paul
warned pointedly that we can speak with the
tongues Lf and angels, know all mysteries
-"tt
 Foodfor Growth'33
32. Bob George

Word, and not merely a hearer (James I:22)-

and have all knowledge, have mountain-moving
faith, give away all that we own or even our own
God will be developingyou into a man or woman
lives-but have it all be worthless to God: If we
of conuiction.
These are just some of the ramifications of
have not love, we gain nothing (1 Corinthians
following Paul's exhortation: "Do not conform
13:1-3).
The Bible givesgreat emphasis and volume to any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed'by the renewing of your mind"
teaching the Person and work ofJesus Christ,
(Romans 12:2).This will happen as we give our
the correct purposes and distinctions between
law and grace, walking by faith in the living minds to God to be renewed according to truth'
Christ, and loving one another just as He loved When we "abide in His'Word," we discover that
us. Those are the things I want to emphasize in truth does indeed set us free!
my study and thought. Other scriptural issues
that are of minor importance merit a minor
amount of my study time and concentration.
If you will go into God'sWord seeking to meet
with the Person of CMst, studying dependently,
reading in order and in large contexts, empha-
sizing the New Testament, and "majoring on the
majors," you'll find that the Bible is not nearly
the mystery book you had thought. You'll find
that being personally taught by God is the most
exciting experience on earth, and nobody will
have to frgure out a way to motivate you to do
your Bible study.
Don't be intimidated by the Bible. It is full of
good newsabout God, and what He has done and
will do for you in Christ! Remember that the
sameHoIy Spirit who inspired men to write the
Scriptures liues in you, and will illumine your
mind to understand the truth of God as you
approachHisWord as a humble, teachable child.
As you frll your mind with the Word of God
and put it into practice-becoming a doer of the