This document discusses the importance of spiritual growth through reading and studying the Bible. It states that the Bible is our spiritual food and is necessary for development as Christians. To grow, we must hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on God's word. Simply hearing it is not enough - we must put it into practice in our lives in order to be blessed. The Bible helps us in many ways, including being saved, changed, cleansed, developing faith, and being kept from sin. It is the authority by which we check our beliefs.

1. THE WORD OF GOD
“But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be
glory both now and forever.
Amen.”
II Peter 3:18
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2. GROWTH REQUIRES
SEVERAL THINGS
• EXERCISE
• REST
• FOOD
I Peter 2:2-3 --- “As
newborn babes, desire
the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby: If so be that ye have tasted
that the Lord is gracious.”
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3. FOOD – AN ESSENTIAL
PHYSICAL vs. SPIRITUAL GROWTH
(WHAT KIND OF DIET)
PHYSICAL SPIRITUAL
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4. GROWTH
HOW IT OCCURS
PHYSICAL SPIRITUAL
• MILK
• PABLUM
• BABY FOOD
• STEAK We become mature
Christians only as we
consciously endeavor to
Become mature
IT IS A NATURAL Christians
PROCESS THAT
OCCURS WITH
NO ADDED
EFFORT ON THE
BABY’S PART
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5. THE BIBLE IS THE
SPIRITUAL FOOD
NEEDED FOR
SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT
• SHOULD BE SWEET TO
THE CHRISTIAN
– Psalm 119:103
– Matthew 4:4
– Deuteronomy 8:3
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6. WHAT THE
BIBLE DOES
FOR US
• We are saved through the
instrumentality of the Word of God
I Peter 1:23,25
• We are changed by the Word of
God
Psalm 119:7
• We grow by the Word of God
I Peter 2:2,3
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7. • We are cleansed by the Word of
God
Psalm 119:9
• Our faith develops by the Word of
God
Romans 10:17
(Everything we believe must be
based on the Word of God. II Peter
3:18 says that we are to “grow in …
knowledge.” That knowledge
comes from the Bible. The Bible
must become our authority so that
everything we believe is checked
by the Bible.)
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8. • We are kept from sin by the Word
of God
Psalm 119:11
• We defeat Satan through the Word
of God
Psalm 17:4
Matthew 4:4,7,10
(“it is written”)
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9. HOW WE SHOULD
LEARN GOD’S WORD
“For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two
- edged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is
a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
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10. MEDITATE
(PSALM 1:2,3)
MEMORIZE
(PSALM 119:9,11)
STUDY
(ACTS 17:11)
READ
(REVELATION 1:3)
HEAR
(ROMANS 10:17)
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11. • We hear the Word of God for
faith (Romans 10:17)
• We read the Word of God for
food & strength (Job 23:12)
• We study the Word of God
for knowledge (II Tim. 2:15)
• We memorize the Word of
God for an effective
testimony (Psalm 119:11)
• We meditate on the Word of
God for spiritual profit
(I Tim. 4:15) 11

12. DESIRED RESULT
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13. JAMES 1:22-25
“ But be ye doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves. For if any be a hearer
of the word and not a doer, he is
like unto a man beholding his
natural face in a glass; For he
beholdeth himself, and goeth his
way, and straightway forgetteth
what manner of man of man he
was. But whoso … being not a
forgetful hearer, but a doer of
the work, this man shall be
blessed in his deed.”
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