Dig Deep

Are you digging deep or are you just on the surface?

“They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  Luke 6: 48-49 NIV

How are you studying the word of God?  How are you spending time with God? How are you prepared for the storms of life where you are being slammed by waves the size of mountains and winds of hurricane force?

In the above verse there are two types of Christians.  This verse is speaking to believers, followers of Jesus, and not the world in general. 

One digs deep and continues to dig deep until bedrock is hit.  It then drills into the bedrock and sets its foundation. This person spends days, weeks or months on the same scripture. Looking up each word in the Greek or Hebrew for its original description and meaning.  Searching for where and how the word is used in other verses. What is the context that the scripture is in?

The other believer is just building his faith on the surface.  He picks up the shovel and scrapes the top of the dirt and moves around a few rocks and then gets tired or thirsty. He takes his foot and kicks a little dirt away from the surface. He spends a few minutes a day just skimming over words and prays for the Holy Spirit to give him all the guidance he needs.  But he is not willing to put very much effort into digging deeper.  He thinks that reading the whole bible in a year is sufficient. The verse tells us that when the storm of life hits, and it will hit, this person is washed away and his destruction is complete.

Digging is a very active verb.  You cannot just be still and look at the shovel and expect to get results. You must spend hours in direct contact with the shovel. You also cannot hire someone else to do the digging. I may hear a nugget in a sermon, in talking to someone or a verse speaks to me. A nugget placed there by the Holy Spirit.  I make a quick note of it and when I get home, I start digging. I may pass up eating so that I can dig, pray and talk to God.   I am certainly not going to overeat and then fall asleep.  That is one of the greatest deceptions of Satan is for you to misunderstand the definition of “rest” and go to sleep on Jesus.  You must take an active role in digging deep.

The reason Jesus said the road is narrow and it is easier to put a camel through the eye of a needle is because He knew that most people are just surface readers.  The Disciples fell asleep while Jesus prayed His heart out to His Father. 

Jesus spoke in parables and very rarely spoke directly about any subject. He wants you to think, ask questions, spend hours, days and months deep in prayer and thought with him.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”. Mark 1:35 NIV

“Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God”. Proverbs 2:3-5 NIV

You can ask God for understanding and insight, but the verse says you must search and dig deep like going for silver, gold or hidden treasure.  You will not find the knowledge of God on the surface.

Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

Prayers and Love for all.

Larry