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Q. How do I grow up to be like my heavenly Father?

A. If someone wants to gain five pounds, he doesn't eat five pounds of food and instantly register five pounds at the scales. Instead, he eats five pounds of food and incrementally gains an ounce or two. Then he eats another five pounds of food and gains another few ounces, and so on. The energy needed for the daily press burns up most of our daily food intake.

When someone wants to gain spiritual weight, he studies the Scriptures for an hour or so and is fortunate to gain one or two spiritual insights to add to his spiritual weight. Most of the five pounds of Bible we might devour during our personal devotions get burned up on that day's challenges or quickly forgotten, and we add only an ounce or two of new spiritual bulk.

I read the Bible in spurts. Won't that work?

Don't fast from the Scriptures, or you'll grow weak. We must be regular—daily—in our intake of spiritual food.

Do you want to be spiritually healthy and "grow up in your salvation"? Then crave pure spiritual food; eat and drink of it. Desire the Word to nourish your soul more than food and drink for your body. Most of what you consume will be burned up as spiritual energy for that day. Linger at the table, feasting on His pure food, consuming more than a day's supply, and add an ounce or two to your spiritual weight.

This is the prerequisite step to growing up in your salvation. Insufficient intake means insufficient growth.

Patrick Morley, a former real estate executive, writes and speaks to men's groups.Adapted from: Walking with Christ in the Details of Life (Zondervan, 1990).

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Prayer for the Week

Thank you, Father, for Your message. Use it to transform me and those around me.

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