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 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Monday, February 21, 2011  Brooksyne placed some old cornbread in the planter outside our office window for her bird friends. This tufted titmouse has really had quite an appetite for this special treat! "Like Newborn Babies" "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2,3). Today's message was prompted by an interesting experience yesterday in our church. Apparently young people are now taught to care for babies in school (part of a well-rounded education I suppose). They have life-like computerized babies that student "mothers" are to care for. They are programmed to cry when they have a "need". This may be due to hunger or a diaper need.  Well, yesterday for the first time in my 35 years of ministry we had a crying computer baby in our service. During the first part of the service the "baby" rested peacefully in the infant carrier but suddenly awoke and started crying. Since the "mother" was on our worship team the grandmother promptly took the "baby" to the nursery to feed it (I am not sure whether it was a boy or girl). I learned that these "babies" can sense when they're being bottle fed and they stop crying since the act of placing the bottle in its mouth quenches the baby's appetite. The Apostle Peter has a powerful word for all believers in today's passage. Peter draws a poignant comparison between the appetite of a newborn baby for its mother's milk and the appetite of the believer for the nourishment of God's Word. Peter uses this figurative language to give readers the mental picture of infants craving nourishment. Anyone who has been a parent or even been around babies knows how newborn babies vocally and vigorously express their desire to be fed when they are hungry. In fact, newborn babies act as if their life depends on the next feeding, an attitude that should be true of believers, for Jesus Himself stated that... "Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Peter calls his readers to have this same appetite for "pure spiritual milk" ("sincere milk of the Word" in the KJV). The underlying Greek word translated "crave" means "to intensely crave, to desire greatly." This verse could be interpreted as referring to believers who have only recently been born again into the family of God by grace through faith. Certainly for many this is a time of great spiritual appetite. The alternative interpretation, and one that I prefer, is that all believers are to be considered like infants in the sense that they are always in need of and totally dependent upon the pure milk of God's Word.  Appetite can be both good and bad. We once cared for Heber, a little boy from Guatemala who had a very serious heart disease. When Heber came to our home he was 18 months old but weighed only 13 pounds. He was diagnosed with a condition known as "failure to thrive" and had very little appetite. He was so physically weak he couldn't even sit up on his own. Thank God he improved dramatically following heart surgery. We had the pleasure of returning him to his family in Guatemala in much better condition than when he came to us. What's more we really fattened him up as can be seen on the photo to the right! (Heber is the younger child.)Spiritual appetite is an issue we deal with regularly as Christians. There are phases when our appetite is great. When the things of God are new to us we just can't seem to get enough. Hopefully we can all testify to times of intense hunger where each word of the Scriptures seems to jump off the page. Frankly, I know what this craving means when it comes to physical food. I can picture in my mind a big bowl of New England Clam Chowder at Lindsey's restaurant near Cape Cod or a big platter of burnt ends at Snead's Barbecue south of Kansas City, Missouri. However as we grow older in our walk and become more familiar with spiritual realities many will testify to a declining spiritual appetite. Thoughts cross our minds such as "I've read that Scripture passage many times" or "I've heard the Pastor speak on that topic already". We may deal with a fluctuating spiritual appetite. Wouldn't it be great to have a bottle of "holy ointment" to stimulate our spiritual appetite! Spiritual hunger is a vital sign of spiritual health. Peter is referring to the Word of God. This is the prime means of spiritual growth. Whether we're new in our faith or have walked with the Lord for many years, like newborn babies we are to crave spiritual milk. How's your spiritual appetite? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily Prayer: Jesus, You stated in the beatitudes that "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." In partaking from Your never-ending supply it becomes a perpetual source of life-giving nourishment. Enable us, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, to hunger and thirst for the pure Word of God that feeds the soul. May our desires for worldly wisdom diminish as our desires for the eternal truths of Your Holy Word increase. Amen.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Speak, O Lord" Video Kristyn Getty We sang this song yesterday prior to the message. This version also posts the lyrics. Here's another version live in a church. Video The introduction by Keith Getty is well worth listening to. Yes there really is a Lindsey's Restaurant near Cape Cod and a Snead's BBQ west of Belton, Missouri (south of Kansas City).  Note regarding KC BBQ: Technically barbecue is meat slowly roasted in a pit with a wood fire, although many use the term for grilling meats on charcoal and even a gas grill. Although we once went to a restaurant in New England that called it BBQ by merely pouring some barbecue sauce over the meat. (An insult to a connoisseur of fine BBQ from Kansas City!)Burnt ends (also known as "brownies") refer to the very charred end pieces of the barbecued beef brisket. I am sure my perspective is subjective, but Kansas City is the place for great BBQ! Here's an article. The photo shows my brother Mike pointing to the famous Snead's sign! Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 12/31/10)  Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this daily encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks!See here for details. 2011 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 2/20/11: $1,415.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? If you desire you can receive your own free! To receive these "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. This newsletter is never sent by us unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed or as an email subscription through feedburner.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If you no longer desire to receive these messages you can remove your address from the list by merely using the link automatically inserted by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each email message. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Weekly Version: The weekly version is intended for those who may not check their email regularly or who may desire less frequent mailings. It is Friday's message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. Daily Encouragement on Facebook and Twitter:  The daily message and prayer on Facebook. The daily message and prayer on Twitter.Reader Survey: Please take a few minutes to assist us in improving our ministry effectiveness by filling out this online reader survey. To take the survey click here. Please feel free to pass these messages on! "A Daily Prayer" - A blog simply posting the daily prayer. We keep this up each day since it's merely the prayer from the Daily Encouragement Net message! "A Little Foolishness" - Humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!) Last updated with the story of Mildred Swanson, who joyfully discovers her "spiritual gift" is sending forwarded emails! (Note: This material is satire!) "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. (Actually this is my intent but I haven't done much with it!) "Hymns of Hope" - Brooksyne along with two friends made a CD using classic hymns. Brooksyne tells the background story of the 11 hymns. All of these songs are also available for download on the site.  Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com. Any orders placed to Christian Book Distributers using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for using these links when purchasing online through CBD!Personal Mission Statement "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."  How to become a child of God Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version. © Copyright 2011 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us  Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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