Scripture
The Christian life begins with a birth — a new birth in Jesus Christ. And just like a newborn baby needs nourishment to grow, every believer must feed daily on the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2 says, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" God’s Word is not optional; it's essential. You wouldn’t let a baby go without food for days, and yet many Christians try to live spiritually without opening their Bible from one Sunday to the next. No wonder they’re weak, worried, and worn out.
The Word of God is our spiritual food. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Just like you need three meals a day to keep your body going, you need a steady intake of Scripture to keep your soul strong. When you're discouraged, the Bible lifts you. When you're tempted, the Bible strengthens you. When you're confused, the Bible guides you. It’s not just a book — it’s your daily bread.
God’s Word also cleanses us. Psalm 119:9 asks, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word." You can't grow if you're covered in the dirt of the world. The Word of God washes our thinking, convicts our hearts, and keeps us on the right path. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Memorizing Scripture and meditating on it doesn’t just help you grow — it helps you stay clean.
Spending time in the Bible should be a delight, not a duty. Psalm 1:2 says of the blessed man, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." When something becomes a delight, you don’t have to be forced to do it. Think about how you crave your favorite dessert — that’s the kind of hunger God wants us to have for His Word. If you’ll taste it, you’ll see how good it is. Psalm 34:8 says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."
Finally, if you want to grow — really grow — don’t just read the Bible, obey it. James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." Growth doesn’t come just from knowing more verses — it comes from living them out. The more you put God's Word into practice, the more you'll mature in your walk with Christ.