Psalm 36:6
Early in our Christian walk we will have to admit we were not really very deep into the truth of God's Word and we honestly would have classified ourselves as a mile wide but only a 1/2 inch deep believer.
By this we mean we had a pretty good "general knowledge" of God (that was spread way out on many topics) but when probed and tested at the surface we were not very "deep" yet into the knowledge of His truth (though we desired it.) It may be common for new believers to have a shallowness of knowledge because of lack of experience but sadly we see most all claimed believers who have been in the modern religious system for many years still have this issue of spiritually being a mile wide and 1/2 inch deep. We still have along way to go but we have been concentrating on going deeper into the bible and expanding our knowledge to push the limits of those depths that once limited us. If we plan to discern the world around us and our lives daily; we need to have a deep well and reserve of the Word or we will come up quite empty in the end and even perhaps very deceived. When we witness to others we will admit that is the issue we see from people in the pews all the way to the modern pastor in the pulpit. This is a major flaw of man made denominational religion today. It is dumbing down of the true faith by NOT being a biblical New Testament church that is there to be training up mighty saints for the ministry (Eph 4) but instead is putting on shallow entertainment and weekly shows that really just please people's flesh. They have in turn seemingly stopped and rested on a surface knowledge of the Lord without building further into or on his Word. To more of an extent they have avoided going far "into" the vast treasure of His Word that He gave us to feast upon. There can be no excuse for this at all.
Examples of this spiritual shallowness would be:
*Many will say the bible is God's Word but after years of their faith practices can they even go to the Word and show others why it is His Word and what we are to live by based on that Word?
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (Jesus is the Word)
Matt 4:4 Jesus said "man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word the comes out of the mouth of God"
*Many so called believers know "about" holiness but they are themselves totally involved in the carnal offerings of the fallen world for fun. Have they gleaned deeper truth from the bible to see if (God's glory) they should be involved in such things for or should they reject them and walk in holiness before the Lord?
1 John 2;15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 Peter 1:15 be holy in all your conduct
*Many will attend weekly religious services trying to please God but after sitting in a pews for many years can they show others in the bible where the Word speaks of the bodies true operation; its God given function and purpose?
1 Cor 14:26 when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Eph 4 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
This is a tragic truth for many and as you can see they have a broad, very basic understanding of bible topics but they are oh so shallow in that they have no means to explain or any desire really to go deep to apply or test what they believe, practice and claim as faith from God's Word. Like an office building that is 500 feet wide, vast in its size but the foundation was only 2 feet down. It will not last the test of time or the harsh elements and believers are no different are they?
So how do we change ourselves from being very wide and also very shallow as well spiritually?
First to be very honest many people are false converts so you must examine yourself to see if you are even in the faith as the Apostle Paul instructs us to do. (See 2 cor 13:5)
Then, Jesus said "we must worship in spirit and truth". John 4:24
This means you need to make sure your own life and body (if you have one) is following His truth in all of its fullness? If you're not walking in the truth daily then don't expect to be growing your depth in the Word either. You can test your denominational faith practices HERE against God's Word.
Jesus said that "if we love Him we will keep His commands". John 14:15
This is a protection for us as it takes two very important elements for it to happen.
1) We have to study the Word to know just what are His commands are as they go far beyond Exodus 20 and the 10 commandments that He gave Moses.
2) We have to then "understand them completely and in context" so we can apply them to our lives for His glory.
Many today are performing religious rituals but they are NOT going deep into God's truth and they are deceived because of their shallow-ness.
If only we would take what His Holy Word says to heart and just practice it in full obedience.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
God's Word is full of instructions for us to go deeper and how to do it. But if your not feeding on it in a regular practice then applying it; how can you even know what are His commands and teachings?
Here are some verses that will help us see our real need:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
2 Cor 10:5
Do you have every thought under control for the Lord? Do this and your depth will magnify.
Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
Early in our Christian walk we will have to admit we were not really very deep into the truth of God's Word and we honestly would have classified ourselves as a mile wide but only a 1/2 inch deep believer.
By this we mean we had a pretty good "general knowledge" of God (that was spread way out on many topics) but when probed and tested at the surface we were not very "deep" yet into the knowledge of His truth (though we desired it.) It may be common for new believers to have a shallowness of knowledge because of lack of experience but sadly we see most all claimed believers who have been in the modern religious system for many years still have this issue of spiritually being a mile wide and 1/2 inch deep. We still have along way to go but we have been concentrating on going deeper into the bible and expanding our knowledge to push the limits of those depths that once limited us. If we plan to discern the world around us and our lives daily; we need to have a deep well and reserve of the Word or we will come up quite empty in the end and even perhaps very deceived. When we witness to others we will admit that is the issue we see from people in the pews all the way to the modern pastor in the pulpit. This is a major flaw of man made denominational religion today. It is dumbing down of the true faith by NOT being a biblical New Testament church that is there to be training up mighty saints for the ministry (Eph 4) but instead is putting on shallow entertainment and weekly shows that really just please people's flesh. They have in turn seemingly stopped and rested on a surface knowledge of the Lord without building further into or on his Word. To more of an extent they have avoided going far "into" the vast treasure of His Word that He gave us to feast upon. There can be no excuse for this at all.
Examples of this spiritual shallowness would be:
*Many will say the bible is God's Word but after years of their faith practices can they even go to the Word and show others why it is His Word and what we are to live by based on that Word?
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (Jesus is the Word)
Matt 4:4 Jesus said "man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word the comes out of the mouth of God"
*Many so called believers know "about" holiness but they are themselves totally involved in the carnal offerings of the fallen world for fun. Have they gleaned deeper truth from the bible to see if (God's glory) they should be involved in such things for or should they reject them and walk in holiness before the Lord?
1 John 2;15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 Peter 1:15 be holy in all your conduct
*Many will attend weekly religious services trying to please God but after sitting in a pews for many years can they show others in the bible where the Word speaks of the bodies true operation; its God given function and purpose?
1 Cor 14:26 when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Eph 4 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
This is a tragic truth for many and as you can see they have a broad, very basic understanding of bible topics but they are oh so shallow in that they have no means to explain or any desire really to go deep to apply or test what they believe, practice and claim as faith from God's Word. Like an office building that is 500 feet wide, vast in its size but the foundation was only 2 feet down. It will not last the test of time or the harsh elements and believers are no different are they?
So how do we change ourselves from being very wide and also very shallow as well spiritually?
First to be very honest many people are false converts so you must examine yourself to see if you are even in the faith as the Apostle Paul instructs us to do. (See 2 cor 13:5)
Then, Jesus said "we must worship in spirit and truth". John 4:24
This means you need to make sure your own life and body (if you have one) is following His truth in all of its fullness? If you're not walking in the truth daily then don't expect to be growing your depth in the Word either. You can test your denominational faith practices HERE against God's Word.
Jesus said that "if we love Him we will keep His commands". John 14:15
This is a protection for us as it takes two very important elements for it to happen.
1) We have to study the Word to know just what are His commands are as they go far beyond Exodus 20 and the 10 commandments that He gave Moses.
2) We have to then "understand them completely and in context" so we can apply them to our lives for His glory.
Many today are performing religious rituals but they are NOT going deep into God's truth and they are deceived because of their shallow-ness.
If only we would take what His Holy Word says to heart and just practice it in full obedience.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
God's Word is full of instructions for us to go deeper and how to do it. But if your not feeding on it in a regular practice then applying it; how can you even know what are His commands and teachings?
Here are some verses that will help us see our real need:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
2 Cor 10:5
Do you have every thought under control for the Lord? Do this and your depth will magnify.
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. Luke 6:48
Is your spiritual house built on the truth of His Word or weekly man made religion? Purge out the error and false traditions, seek His ways and deep you will be.
Is your spiritual house built on the truth of His Word or weekly man made religion? Purge out the error and false traditions, seek His ways and deep you will be.
Always be ready to give a answer for the hope that lies within you. 1 Peter 3:15
Are you on the pace of studying and being able to give answers for the hope in you regarding your faith? If not, when do you think that will happen and is it even your desire for your God?
Are you on the pace of studying and being able to give answers for the hope in you regarding your faith? If not, when do you think that will happen and is it even your desire for your God?
One of our favorite verses is Romans 12:2 where it tells us "to not be conformed to this present world". I think it helps us in our depth ( it did for us ) as when you start rejecting the things of this current fallen world that sweep us away in our thoughts, time, habits, interests and world view attitudes (tv, media, movies, sports, fashions, trends etc) we can now meditate more completely and wholly on His Word and your depth cannot help but grow; as will your usefulness to the Lord as well.
Psalm 119:15
Psalm 119:15
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
How is your depth in the Lord today? Are you very wide from practicing religion but you are you a very shallow believer in your biblical knowledge and application of His eternal truths? How can you hope to discern for godly truth unless you have enough of His truth in you to know the difference? Since we will NEVER EVER have enough truth; you better get started today, amen?
We would like to encourage you to strive to go deep and focus on His ways and Word daily. In that you will never go astray as you serve Christ and you store up treasure in heaven to come!
www.dontperish.com
www.dontperish.com