1 Peter 2:2 - How to Stay Hungry for God.
1 Peter 2:2 (NLT) You must crave pure
spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full
experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.
1 Peter 2:2 (CWB) Feed on the word of God as
newborn babies feed on milk so you can grow
spiritually strong.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Are you hungry for God?
It is possible to maintain a spiritual
hunger for God for the rest of your life. Here are
five ways to sustain a spiritual appetite.
1. Remind yourself how much God loves you.
The more you understand how much God
loves you, the more youre going to love him.
The Bible says in Ephesians 3:18-19, May you
have the power to understand how wide, how
long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you
experience the love of Christ, though it is too great
to understand fully. Then you will be made
complete with all the fullness of life and power that
comes from God (NLT).
2. Stop filling up on junk food.
You are a spiritual being with a
God-shaped hole in your heart that only God can fill.
When you try to fill it with salary, status,
success, passion, possessions, power, prestige, or
anything other than God, its not going to be
fulfilling.
Proverbs 15:14 says, A wise person is
hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on
trash (NLT).
3. Make knowing God your number one goal.
Happiness is a byproduct of knowing God.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, Seek first Gods
kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other
needs will be met as well (NCV).
4. Get into Gods Word every day.
The Bible is food for your soul. Eating
just one meal a week wont keep your body
healthy. In the same way, you need to feed on Gods
Word every day.
You must crave pure spiritual milk so
that you will grow into a full experience of
salvation. Cry out for this nourishment (1 Peter 2:2
NLT).
5. Appetite is influenced by association.
If you hang out with people who only care
about politics, thats what youre going to
care about. If you hang out with people who only
care about sports, thats what youre going
to care about.
Join a small group for support, because
whatever you talk about when youre with others is
what youre going to be hungry for. Proverbs
2:20 says, Join the company of good men and
women, and stay on the paths of the righteous
(The Message/NLT). [Daily Devotional by Rick
Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
The unrestrained hunger of a healthy baby
provides an example of the kind of eager desire for
spiritual food that ought to mark the believer. [NIV
SB]
There are many hundreds of thousands of
books in the Library of Congress in Washington,
D.C. Books on countless subjects, by countless
people over hundreds of years. Some of those
writings have been the seed bed for philosophies,
political parties, religious movements and more. The
writers have come and gone; most are no longer
remembered. God's Word is remembered because it IS His
Word, and it WORKS. The sad thing is, many of us
don't pay any more attention to God's Word than to
any other book. In the Bible are the tools to
enable every believer to lead a victorious life.
But day after day, the Bible sits unopened. We
must take that Word, read it, think about it and
so devour it that it feeds us. Memorize it!
That Word transforms our thoughts and actions.
Christian, take it today and feed on it and put it in
your heart, that you might not sin against
Almighty God, and partake of the victorious life!
[In His Time; Walk With Wisdom]
The Word of God is a constant and continuing
source of joy for the Christian. I don't think
I've ever met a joyless Christian who was
regularly employed in searching the Scriptures. The
result of such searching is to see beyond the words
of the One who inspired them. Of all the
habits the Christian can cultivate, this is one of
the most blessed and profitable. Some books are
exhausting and exhaustible. The Bible is the only Book
that rewards the student with increasing insight
as he allows the Word of God to flow through
and cleanse him. Indeed, it is the only Book
that can cleanse and purify the life of its
reader. Other books can inform, but only the
Scripture can transform, infill, and inspire. [Al
Bryant; Time with God devotional SB]
One characteristic all children share is
that they want to grow up--to be like big brother
or sister or like their parents. When we are
born again, we become spiritual newborn babies.
If we are healthy, we will yearn to grow. How
sad it is that some people never grow up. The
need for milk is a natural instinct for a baby,
and it signals the desire for nourishment that
will lead to growth. Once we see our need for
God's Word and begin to find nourishment in
Christ, our spiritual appetite will increase, and we
will start to mature. How strong is your desire
for God's Word? [Life Application SB]
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies:
http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
