Daily Encouragement (5/5/21) "Healthy Craving"
Published: Wed, 05/05/21
|
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
You are receiving this email because you have signed up to receive our Daily Encouragement messages or it was forwarded to you. Don't forget to add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.   <Previous Message Web version of this message
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
 Lebanon County Dairy Farm
Click on photo to enlarge "Healthy Craving"
Message summary: For all believers spiritual hunger is a vital sign of spiritual health.
Note: Due to technical issues podcast not available for this message. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). “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).  On Monday we shared a photo of baby robins craving a tasty worm from their mom. Their craving is a sign of good health. We see this in babies who do not hesitate to let their caregivers (mostly Mom) know when they're hungry. In humans a medical condition known as "failure to thrive" includes a lack of appetite. In 1988 we hosted Heber, an 18 month child who was our first child from Guatemala. He had a severe
heart condition called Tricuspid Atresia. He very much needed corrective surgery but at his first cardiologist's appointment he was diagnosed with "failure to thrive". When he arrived he was unable to sit up on his own at 18 months of age which was a distressing sight. He just sort of flopped over. Heber was physically very weak and had little appetite so it took us several months to build up his strength before he could be admitted for open heart surgery. Peter says we to, "like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk". The Greek word for crave "means to have a strong desire for something". God has provided in His Word pure spiritual milk. In
several other Scripture portions milk is conveyed as something that is the beginning point from which we are to advance. (See I Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:12-13.) But Peter reminds his readers that they are to always desire spiritual milk. His appeal is to all believers, not
just new ones. We may think of milk as the simple fundamental truths of the spiritual life. I hope I always desire the milk of God’s Word, even the familiar truths I have heard since I was a child.
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 they vocally and vigorously express their desire to be fed when they are hungry.Just as physical hunger is a sign of physical health for a newborn, throughout our lifetime a healthy appetite is a sign of our well-being as well, though some of us take that a little to the extreme and suffer a different kind of consequence! Newborn babies act as if their life depends on their next feeding, an attitude that should be true of believers regarding spiritual nourishment, 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, Amplified).
For all believers spiritual hunger is a vital sign of spiritual health. This is a primary 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 pure spiritual milk. The old hymn says it so well, “I Love To Tell The Story for those who know it best, seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.” May that be our testimony as
well.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we lift our cup to You
for a fresh filling of Your Holy Spirit that refreshes, invigorates, encourages, convicts and guides us into all truths. We want to be vigilant in our spiritual walk, never sighing at old truths but making them the unchanging foundation on which we build newly understood truths and personal experiences in which You reveal Yourself to us. We will continue to grow up in our salvation as we partake of all that You have provided to meet our spiritual needs and nourish us in the faith. In
Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Yesterday we attended a Senior Luncheon in Camp Hill, PA and visited with David Selleck, who was my Presbyter (supervisor) when Brooksyne and I first began ministry here in the northeast in 1977. We planted a church in northern Pennsylvania and remained with that faithful congregation for nearly sixteen years. Pastor Selleck was not only an advisor but a great encouragement not just in the beginning stages but also as our little congregation
grew over the years.
He is now 94 years of age and seems to be doing very well although he told me he thought this would be the last minister's meeting he could attend. He still drives down from his home in Clarion, PA! He's been a widower for many years and seeks to keep his light shining for Christ. As one of yesterday's verses states, "They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The LORD is upright;
He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him'" (Psalm 92:14,15).
 Yesterday this truck was parked near our car during the luncheon. We are heartened to know of the great work being done all over the world with food distribution via Convoy of Hope.
 Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see here to sign up for our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
 We want to thank all who financially support our ministry. If you would like to make a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online through our chaplaincy account click here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376  Please Note: We also provide this easy option due to the convenience, for international
supporters, and for those who may not be concerned regarding receiving an official tax deductible receipt. Click here to send an offering using PayPal. This will open to a page that states "Brooksyne Weber".2021 YTD offerings to Daily Encouragement Net: $6,050.00 Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
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. Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." © Copyright 2021 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"  |
Listen to these messages