Professor J A Carlson, in his book ‘Your Body’ writes about the need for food. All living beings can go without food but some can last much longer than others without it. He gives a few examples.
Some BIRDS can go for 9 days without food.
A MAN go can 12 days
and some DOGS can go 20 days.
TURTLES
can last 500 days without food
and a SNAKE 800 days.
Some FISH can last 1000 days
and some insects 1200 days!
. .
Of course, the length of time these can last without food will vary according to the different species, especially with insects, birds and fish, but Professor Carlson gives a time some species are able to survive.
The inescapable fact is that food is ESSENTIAL for all life forms, whether mankind, animals or plant life. ALL can go without food; some longer than others, but there comes a time when no food equals no life.
WHAT ABOUT SPIRITUAL LIFE?
Jesus said in Matthew 4:4
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
John 8:31-32
If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable
for doctrine (what IS right),
for reproof (what is NOT right)
for correction (how to GET right)
for instruction in righteousness (how to STAY right)
that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
It is clear from Scripture that the Word of God is our spiritual food.
So the thoughts of Professor Carlson presents a challenge for each of us . . .
Am I a BIRD Christian – able to go 9 days without spiritual food?
Or maybe a DOG or TURTLE Christian . . . Or worse?
(remember: there comes a time when no food equals no life)
Let’s put it another way . . .
Am I at the COD LIVER OIL stage of Bible reading
– taking it like medicine because it is supposed to be good for us.
Or at the SHREDDED WHEAT stage
– dry and boring, but nourishing
Or am I at the PEACHES AND CREAM stage
– loving it and wanting more?
My warrant is the Word of God:
Naught else is worth believing.
Martin Luther
Psalm 119:130
The entrance of Your Word gives light:
it gives understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:105
Your Word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
MEETING IN THE CLOUDS 
I am with Luther on this. Nothing else is worth believing.
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Nothing else is worth believing . . . and nothing else proves itself to be ABSOLUTE TRUTH, as does the Word of God.
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Very good again, just a bout to dip in Deuteronomy – for my “take away”.
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Happy ‘dipping’.
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Thank you so much for this , Mentor Angela. At first I thought this was going to be about fasting, but then caught on that it’s not a good thing to go with out food!! To be able to go 1200 days like some insects! And my hand went over my mouth at the cod liver oil, shredded wheat and peaches and cream part! Funny but not funny, at the same time. One of many wonderful things about reading His word, is the joy of meeting with Him while I do and letting Him show me something He wants me to pray about that day.
God bless you as you encourage the body of Christ to feast on His word!
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Debbie, your “joy of meeting with Him” is very evident in your ‘simple poems’ and I always receive a blessing as you share your ‘peaches and cream’ study.
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Cloudwatcher, another great post. I’m so thankful that a shredded wheat stage is over and I’m gorging myself on peaches and cream! ;-)
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Anna, it might not be a good idea to gorge on peaches and cream, but it is so wonderful that we can never have too much of a ‘peaches and cream’ Bible study – so keep gorging!
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A blessed posting Angela….. When I read it I was reminded of:
“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].” Job 23:12
If we all understood the importance of the Word for our lives we would partake of it regularly (several times a day). May the Lord use your post to bless us with a renewed understanding of the NEED for His Word in our lives. Thank you for your faithfulness in proclaiming the truths of His Word. Lord bless.
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We certainly do NEED His Word to gain the best use of each day. We need His leading and understanding and His enabling as we allow Him to apply what He reveals to us. The answer to everything is in His Word. The more we know it, the more we grow in Christ and the more we are able to be used by Him. What a tremendous privilege!
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Reblogged this on My Delight and My Counsellors.
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Thank you
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cod liver oil, shredded wheat, or peaches and cream — great illustration — I am going to borrow that :) Thanks for the good word!
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I hope you are able to use it to bless others. I am sure there would be something more suitable than ‘peaches and cream’ but I couldn’t think of anything else – except maybe chocolate, but I didn’t think that sounded right.
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