Would You Consider Skipping Eating Out One Time for Christ and His Kingdom? (or more?)

Would you consider it?

"God will not allow his Word to rest lightly on the heart of one who longs to experience its life-changing, sin-killing, Christ-exalting power"

If you want to enjoy the Bible's life-altering affect of Christ-centeredness, then meditate on Scripture, don't speed read!

The following quotation is well worth our attention.
(Taken from pp 199-201 in Signs of the Spirit. I have noted which of the quotes are from Edwards, and which are from Storms.)

"I had then, and at other times, the greatest delight in the holy Scriptures, of any book whatsoever. Oftentimes in reading it, every word seemed to touch my heart. I felt a harmony between something in my heart, and those sweet and powerful words. I seemed often to see so much light exhibited by every sentence, and such a refreshing food communicated, that I could not get along in reading; often dwelling long on one sentence, to see the wonders contained in it; and yet almost every sentence seemed to be full of wonders." (J. Edwards)

"And I have sometimes had an affecting sense of the excellency of the word of God, as a word of life; as the light of life; a sweet, excellent life-giving word; accompanied with a thirsting after that word, that it might dwell richly in my heart." (J. Edwards)

"Do you dwell 'long on one sentence' or skim quickly with only a cursory glance at words on a page? The greatest profit that I gain from Scripture is when I pause to take a word or phrase or sentence and turn it over and over again in my mind, speaking it aloud, perhaps even singing it unto the Lord. Memorize it. Muse on it. Ruminate. Reflect. Cry out to the Spirit for light of understanding. Evaluate your soul and mind and life and leisure time in the light of its truth. Place your thoughts and deeds and desires and daydreams under its authority." (Sam Storms)

"In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches" (Psalm 119:14).

"I will delight in your statutes" (v. 16).

"My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times" (v. 20).

"Behold, I long for your precepts" (v. 40).

"For I find my delight in your commandments, which I love" (v. 47).

"The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces" (v. 72).

"Oh how I love your law" (v. 97).

"Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart" (v. 111).

"Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold" (v. 127).

"I rejoice at the word like one who finds great spoil" (v. 162).

"My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly" (v. 167).

"Those incredible statements from Psalm 119 should never be read in isolation from the rest of the psalm. The reason God's Word resonated with such sweet savor in the soul of the psalmist is because he was committed to seeking the Lord with his "whole heart" (Ps. 119:2, 10) and to meditating on his precepts (119:15) and to fixing his eyes on God's "ways" (119:15). His resolve was to "keep God's law continually, forever and ever" (1198:44). Listen to the psalmist's prayer, repeated over and again: (S. Storms)

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" (v. 18).

"Teach me your statutes!" (vv. 26, 68, 124, 135).

"Make me understand the way of your precepts" (v. 27).

"Graciously teach me Your law!" (v. 29).

"Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes" (v. 33).

"Give me understanding that I may learn your commandments" (v. 73; see also vv. 34, 125, 144, 169).

"Teach me your rules" (v. 108).

"If this were our prayer, perhaps then, like Edwards, we would begin to feel 'a harmony' between our hearts and 'those sweet and powerful words' and taste 'a refreshing food' in God's Word and see the 'wonders contained in it.' Rest assured of this: God will not allow his Word to rest lightly on the heart of one who longs to experience its life-changing, sin-killing, Christ-exalting power." (S. Storms).