Daily devotion – What does a Christian consume to be strong?
Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”’”
Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”
Every new believer—and indeed every Christian—must realise what the Bible will do for you if you take it seriously, literally, and personally. Scripture teaches that we each possess an “inner man,” an inner person with an appetite that must be fed with truth. Yet today many believers are spiritually malnourished—weak, weary, and powerless.
The prophet Amos foresaw a day when there would be a famine—not of bread or water—but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11). We live in a nation where people overfeed their bodies yet starve their souls. Australia may be physically obese, but the church is often spiritually underfed.
Food From Heaven
God provided bread from heaven—manna—for Israel during their wilderness journey (Exodus 16). But they had to gather it daily. If they waited too long, it melted.
In John 6, Jesus took this picture and declared Himself the true heavenly manna—the Bread of Life.
Both manna and Jesus came from heaven.
Both had to be received personally.
Both were given to meet a need.
Rejecting either meant death.
But Jesus also highlighted two contrasts:
The Old Testament manna sustained physical life.
The New Testament “Bread of Life”—Jesus—gives divine life.
And how do we receive this divine nourishment? Through the Word of God.
John 6:63 “The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
John later wrote that Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). So when we meditate on Scripture—chewing over its truth—we are feeding on Christ Himself.
Note: Israel had to gather manna early, before the sun melted it. In the same way, we are wise to meet with God early, receiving spiritual nourishment for whatever the day may bring.
The Word Described as Food
Bread — “Man shall not live by bread alone…” (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3)
Milk — “Desire the pure milk of the word…” (1 Peter 2:2)
Honey — “How sweet are Your words… sweeter than honey…” (Psalm 119:103)
But beware: some read Scripture only to impress others with knowledge. Bible trivia is no substitute for knowing Christ Himself.
We study God’s Word to know the Lord, to grow in wisdom, and to be equipped for life.
2 Timothy 3:15–17 teaches that Scripture:
Makes us wise unto salvation
Teaches us what is right (doctrine)
Shows us what is not right (reproof)
Tells us how to get right (correction)
Instructs us how to stay right (instruction)
Reproof may sting, but it matures us. And our response to correction reveals our character:
Proverbs 10:17 — following instruction is life
Proverbs 12:1 — refusing correction is foolish
How Do We Maintain a Disciplined Devotional Life?
Three things are required:
1. Discipline
Most people never miss breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But many Christians routinely miss their spiritual meals.
Two common mistakes:
A. Aiming too high from the start
We try to imitate great saints immediately and fail—just as Paul described in Romans 7.
Victory comes not by determination but by walking in the Spirit (Romans 8:1–4).
Start simply: 15 minutes a day at the time when you are at your best.
Keep it consistent.
As love for God deepens, that time will naturally grow.
2. System
David wrote: Psalm 5:3 “My voice You shall hear in the morning… I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”
“Direct” means to set in order—like arranging a sacrifice, organising an army, or setting a table. Your devotional time should be ordered, not random.
Paul said, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor 14:40).
Your devotional time should include:
Worship and praise
Reading and meditating on Scripture
Confession and prayer
Practical starting point:
Read Psalm 1 for worship
Then read Matthew 1 and continue day by day
Meditation means to “chew over”—extracting the nourishment.
Just as digestion makes food part of your body, meditation makes Scripture part of your soul.
3. Balance
An unbalanced diet produces an unbalanced Christian.
Many believers feed only on their favourite passages.
But Jesus said we are to live on every word that proceeds from God.
The Bible contains:
Law and grace
Encouragement and warning
Heaven and hell
Comfort and correction
Romans 15:4 teaches that all Scripture is for our learning, to give us comfort and hope.
A Final Word
Your heavenly Father longs to meet with you every day. Develop a healthy, balanced devotional life with all the right ingredients:
Meditation
Worship
Praise
Confession
Intercession
Consistent reading of God’s Word
Then your inner person will be nourished, strengthened, and prepared to walk in the will of God.
What About Devotional Books?
They are helpful—but never a substitute for the Bible.
Use devotionals after your time in Scripture, never in place of it.
Relying only on devotionals is like living on fast food—quick, pleasant, but never truly nourishing.
Happy eating this week!