SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT

The baby cries. Why? He is hungry; he needs food; he needs nourishment. We feed him and he is happy. Why? His appetite has been satisfied.

Peter uses this figure in 1 Peter 2:2: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." We should have the same kind of voracious appetite for spiritual nourishment that the baby has for physical nourishment. We want the little fellow to grow and develop in a normal manner. If he doesn't, we are concerned. Something is wrong.

The word "desire" is defined as meaning "to intensely crave." If we intensely crave something we will go to great lengths to obtain such. If we have no desire for a thing, we likely will never get it. So, we must develop an appetite for spiritual nourishment.

I wish there was some magic formula I could give whereby people would have that desire, but I have no such. I can suggest some things that might help.

1. Begin to read your Bible daily. This part is somewhat difficult but try to have a quiet place and a quiet time. Be sure you are comfortable with the size type in your Bible. If it is hard to read you will not continue very long. Begin with Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Then read the four gospel and Acts. Read the love story of Ruth and the drama of Esther. Then start reading the books you may have missed. If you bog down and get bored, go back and read again some of the ones you particularly enjoyed. Keep it up. Your appetite will develop.

2. Have a dictionary handy and look up words you do not understand.

3. Look at the (note: Study and Reference Bibles are indicated here;cs) column references. They are designated in the text by a small letter in the verse. Look up that particular verse.

4. Make some notes on the sermon or the class lesson, especially on some word or verse the teacher may use with which you are not familiar. Look up the word definition or the scripture reference.

By now I hope your appetite is whetted to the extent that you are looking forward to your next quiet time. Above all things, don't quit. If you quit, then you begin to go backwards just like the people we read of in Hebrews 5:12: "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you AGAIN which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."

Peter said, "as newborn babes." But we must not remain babes. Notice Hebrews 5:13- 14: "For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

After awhile you will look forward to every visit you have with the Word of God. He speaks to you through His word. This is his line of communication with mankind and to neglect it is to close up His end of the line. Look forward to the blessings of the man of the first Psalm: "Blessed is the man ..... his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

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